REVILLA SAYS NO TO RH BILL

Despite the overwhelming affirmation of many, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. stood up to his conviction and bravely voted against the controversial Reproductive Health Bill.

In his explanation of vote, Revilla stressed that he cannot bear that an innocent, unborn child faces death through the proposed reproductive health measure. "Life is a gift, a blessing, not a curse. I say this because of experience. Lani and I lost a daughter due to a complication caused by the use of contraceptive pills. Her name is Ma. Alexandra.," he bared.

The lawmaker narrated farther what happened to their daughter." Ipinanganak siya noong 1990, ngunit 26 na araw lang siyang nabuhay. Ipinanganak siya na butas ang puso. Before Lani gave birth to her, she was properly and religiously taking pills. Hindi lang pumalpak yung pills, ipinanganak pa siyang may malubhang karamdaman. Up to this day, I still think of what could have been for Alexandra."

The Reproductive Health Bill passed on the third and final reading of the Senate with 13 yes votes, 8 no votes and no abstention.

According to Revilla, billions of pesos will be spend by government to purchase contraceptives without assurance that these will all be used. "At kung gamitin man ang mga ito, wala namang kasiguruhan na makakamit ng programa ang nilalayon nito - ang pigilan ang paglago ng populasyon upang mabawasan ang kahirapan," he further explained.

The senator added that the government is not addressing the needs of the people but merely reducing those in need. "Instead of building more schools, procuring more books, and hiring more teachers to solve the education backlog, the RH bill sees the solution in simply reducing students. Para mabawasan daw ang problema sa kalusugan, imbes na pag-ibayuhin ang mga serbisyo-medikal, bawasan na lang ang mga mangangailangan ng serbisyo. Para matugunan ang problema sa pabahay, sa halip na magpatayo ng bahay, bawasan na lang ang mangangailangan ng tahanan," he said.