Atty. Romulo Macalintal: The RH Bill will be an inoperative and unenforceable law

The vagueness of the RH bill

BY ROMULO MACALINTAL

ADVOCATES of the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill revealed their “true color” when they launched “Purple Ribbon” adopting purple as its official color.

A little research on colors revealed that “Purple is a mix of red and blue which is the mix of male and female energies. Mixing male and female energies grants the power of creation which is an attribute of God.” (Answers.com).

Without them knowing it, these RH advocates are clearly being led by God to have a change of heart and defend the unborn child whose life, under Art. II, Sec. 12 of the Constitution, shall be “equally protected from Conception.”

On a more serious note, even if House Bill (HB) 4244, the final and consolidated RH Bill, becomes a law, it will be inoperative or unenforceable because of vagueness, thus:

a) The bill defines the words “Reproductive Health” as “the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes.” This mumbo-jumbo provision is so confusing if not totally puzzling.

b) The bill refers to “Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education” as a “lifelong process.” If such were the case, then there is no point introducing this concept of “education” to Grade Five students.

c) The bill speaks of “trained teachers” to teach sexual education to the child using “life skills and other approaches”. But it does not define the qualifications and kind of training of these teachers, thereby giving no assurance of the psychological safety of the child.

As to the “life skills and other approaches” to be used, even the lawmakers could not explain these, for sure.

d) Previous RH Bills specifically stated that family planning methods and supplies shall include “effective and legal methods to prevent pregnancy such as the pill, intra-uterine device (IUD), injectables, condom, ligation, vasectomy” etc. But these were all deleted under HB 4244 which now merely provides that family planning methods are considered as “essential medicines and supplies” to prevent pregnancy. As to what these “medicines and supplies” are, it is now anybody’s guess.

e) HB 4244 also speaks of “reproductive age” and “age appropriate” sex education. But it does not provide the specific age covered by such provision.

The main argument offered by advocates of RH Bill is that the cause of poverty is “over population”. They conveniently overlooked the fact that President Aquino’s battle-cry during the campaign was: “Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap.” In other words, it is not over population that causes poverty. It is corruption, as President Aquino himself admitted.