Belmonte to anti-RH solons: Stop privilege speeches

MANILA, Philippines – House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr said he will hold an “informal dialogue” this week with lawmakers opposed to House Bill 4244 or the Reproductive Health bill (RH bill) to avoid further delays in finalizing the measure.

He said will ask them to stop or cut their privilege speeches, which have prevented the House of Representatives from proceeding to the crucial period of amendments.

“I’ll be conducting a private dialogue with my colleagues who are against the passage of the RH measure for us to set ground rules,” Belmonte said.

“For example, I will propose to please refrain from delivering privilege speeches. But if they can’t agree, they should limit the time and not deliberately delay the plenary proceedings,” Belmonte said.

Under the House rules, motions to deliver privilege speeches take precedence over motions to amend bills. Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla – although a co-author of the RH bill himself – had no choice but to entertain them.
 
Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, the principal author of the RH bill, earlier urged the House leadership to fix the timetable of RH bill. It should be given the same priority as the government budget, he said.
 
But Belmonte said the RH bill and the General Appropriations Bill are very different. Most lawmakers support the early passage of the budget.
 
“It is wrong to compare the budget and the RH bills because the appropriations measure for next year is being supported by most of the members of the House of Representatives while the RH measure is being opposed,” Belmonte said.
 
Plenary deliberations on the budget bill is scheduled to start on September 10. Belmonte committed that they will pass it before Congress takes a break in October for the filing of Certificates of Candidacies for the 2013 elections. – Rappler.com