RH bill faces rough sailing in the Senate

Posted by HREP LEGISLATIVE LIBRARY SERVICE on November 10, 2011 · 2 Comments 

RH bill faces rough sailing in the Senate

THE reproductive health bill faces rough sailing in the Senate even if it passes the House of Representatives, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said Wednesday.

Sotto, a staunch opponent of the measure, said the issue was dividing the Senate, which would not be resuming deliberations on it any time soon.

“That will be discussed next year,” he said in a text message to the Manila Standard.

Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago and Pia Cayetano authored Senate Bill 2865, the Reproductive Health Act of 2011, the Senate’s version of the RH bill.

Congress is now in recess and will resume sessions on Monday.

House leaders had earlier said it would be very difficult to pass the RH bill because the leaders in the chamber were heavily divided on the issue.

Sotto said he expected the measure to face tough opposition in the House and in the Senate.

“The more it is discussed, the more it gets clear that it goes beyond freedom of choice,” Sotto said.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV agreed, saying the bill would also face rough sailing in the Senate.

John Anthony Concepcion

Filed under Manila Standard Today · Tagged with Bill drafting, Reproductive health, Reproductive Health Bill, Senate Bill (SB) 2865, Senate of the Philippines