SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez has appealed to the Supreme Court to lift the temporary restraining order it imposed last year on the full implementation of the Reproductive Health Law and rule on the issue with finality.
Alvarez issued the appeal as the opposition bloc in the House of Representatives led by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman urged the high court to lift the TRO on the full implementation of the RH Law.
“That was correct. I am also appealing to the SC to lift the TRO on the full implementation of the RH Law,” Lagman said.
“I fully respect the separation of powers. I am appealing that the SC will finally render its decision so the RH Law will finally be implemented,” Alvarez added.
In 2015 the high court stopped the Department of Health’s program for the distribution and sale of contraceptive implants that can prevent pregnancies for up to three years.
Under the same ruling, the SC also barred the Food and Drug Administration from “granting any and all pending application for reproductive products an supplies, including contraceptive drugs and devices.”
The Commission on Population had warned that as result of the prohibition on the FDA almost 90 percent of contraceptive brands would no longer be available by 2018, unless the TRO was lifted. This, according to PopCom, would render the RH Law ineffective.
“Imagine, Malaysia with the same land area as the Philippines has only 32 million people. In the Philippines, we are 110 million more or less people. How will we be able to take our people out from poverty?” Alvarez asked.
Reports said National Economic and Development Authority is contemplating asking President Duterte to issue an executive order directing local government units to fully implement the RH law.