sexandsensibilities.com

By Janina Santos

As if heading off to a fight, former President Fidel V. Ramos pulled off his formal top and, sporting a shirt that said, “No Woman Should Die Giving Life,” mounted the stage. “For you to do the right thing,” he said, addressing President Noynoy Aquino, “you must certify the RH bill as urgent.” Upon hearing his words, the audience broke into thunderous applause. For all those there, it was indeed a fight—one more fight in the ongoing battle for the controversial Reproductive Health bill.

A gathering of champions

Ramos is only one of the powerhouse of RH advocates who attended the Day of the Purple Ribbon: A Gathering of Leaders, Artists and Public Figures for RH, held in Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ortigas, on May 11. The event, hosted by RH leaders Jim Paredes and Leah Navarro, who were joined by Tuesday Vargas, gathered various leaders, artists, public figures, and advocates together for the launch of the Purple Ribbon. Designed by Team Manila, the Purple Ribbon is the insignia of the fight for the RH Bill, a proposed law that could save the lives of the thousands of women who die each year from complications of childbirth and pregnancy.

Event hosts Jim Paredes and Leah Navarro. Photo from Spot.ph

Former President Fidel V. Ramos and Ex-Secretary of the Department of Health Esperanza Cabral were the primary speakers of the event. They were joined by other prominent figures including ex-Akbayan partylist representative Risa Hontiveros, who unveiled the Purple Ribbon, authors of the bill Hon. Edcel C.  Lagman and Janette L. Garin, and current DOH Secretary Enrique Ona, whose speech delighted the hundreds of RH supporters present.

“The Aquino administration has not wavered on its vow to enact a policy on responsible parenthood,” said Ona, implying the continuous support of Malacanang for the bill, despite the delays and the opposition of some groups, the most prominent of which is the Catholic Church. Ona’s statement reinforced President Aquino’s desire for passage of a law combating overpopulation and maternal deaths. In an effort to speed the process along, Malacanang has invited the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to engage in dialogues to settle differences and pass a bill that complies with the needs of both parties. The bishops, however, have given up on the talks, proclaiming them useless.

Former DOH Secretary Esperanza Cabral. Photo from Spot.ph

In her speech, Representative Cabral expressed concern over the delays in passing the bill. “Our country’s political leaders have been dilly dallying over this very important piece of legislation for more than ten years now, and this has caused the deaths of many women, especially poor mothers.” As mentioned by Cabral, 4,700 mothers die every year due to pregnancy complications.

Other speakers at the event decried the opposition’s refusal to deal fairly. “They do not even pretend to listen; worse, they put words in our mouth,” Representative Garin stated during her speech.

More than criticisms, however, speakers harped on the necessity for action and effusively praised the vision of RH supporters. In response to the common misconceptions of the bill, Lagman called on all advocates to band together in educating the people about the bill’s actual contents. “Together,” he said, “we will achieve a common dream that every child born in this country is wanted.”

Artists for the Purple Ribbon

The program of events also contained quite a few star-studded performances, including one by internationally acclaimed actress and singer Lea Salonga, who has been dubbed ambassadress for the RH movement. In a short speech, Salonga stated her belief that it is the government’s responsibility not only to provide contraceptives and related services, but also to educate its citizens about all birth control methods. Salonga also takes it upon herself to educate people about the bill through social networks like Facebook and Twitter and through her blog.

“I would love to see our country become something so great,” she said before singing the Beatles’ classic “Imagine”. “There are many ways to get there. This is just one of the many ways, but we still have to take it.”

Popular local singers Noel Cabangon, Cookie Chua, Imago and The Dawn also performed during the launch to show their rock-hard support for the bill. The massive turnout of such notable public figures added great power to the voices of people clamoring for the RH Bill. At present, however, the fight continues, and the bill is still under scrutiny in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Article homepage photo taken from Spot.ph