MANILA, Philippines – As celebrations on the Reproductive Health (RH) law die down, health advocates are expecting “anti-RH forces” to strike back soon.

In fact, former Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, principal author of the RH law in the House of Representatives, thinks they will never stop. 

“I really want to urge them to put aside already the controversy and the animosity because the political departments—the executive and the Congress—have spoken in favor of the measure, the Supreme Court (SC) has declared the reproductive health law constitutional, along with a vast majority of the Filipino people. So what else are we trying to prove?” he said. 

Rappler’s Maria Ressa on Wednesday, April 16, interviewed Lagman and Dr Sylvia Claudio – director of the University of the Philippines’ Center for Women Studies – about what’s next for the RH law after the SC declared it constitutional last April 8. 

Before the decision, the law has been stalled in the SC since March 2013.

Fight continues

He expects two things from the opposition: a continued fight in Congress and a motion for reconsideration before the Supreme Court. 

In Congress, he said those who oppose the law could still either come up with “maneuvers” to derail the approval of an RH budget, or attempt to repeal or weaken the law.

But the motion for reconsideration is one less thing to worry about since “it will not in any way hinder the implementation of the law,” Lagman said.

Lagman is confident there is a better chance for a motion for reconsideration on the struck down provisions to prosper than for the opposition to persuade a unanimous Court to change its position. (READ: ‘Struck-down provisions do not diminish RH law’)

“A motion for reconsideration on the part of the petitioners would be practically doomed,” he said.

They have yet to decide whether to file a motion for reconsideration on the 8 provisions struck down by the SC in full or partially. (READ: Appeal SC ruling on RH law, Miriam tells advocates)

“If we don’t file, the message is [that] these exceptions do not in any way diminish the…efficacy of the reproductive health law, and will not deter its full implementation,” Lagman added.

‘Not much division’

Because of the struck-down provisions, opponents of the measure called the SC decision a win-win situation, but Lagman said it’s “a definite and categorical victory,” for the pro-RH camp.

If the online world is any indication, Claudio noted that social media reactions only showed it was clearly a victory for the pro-RH camp. (READ: SC victory, RH law and amazing women)

Lagman said they won both in Congress and SC because of 4 things: well-rounded preparation, firm determination, solid reasons and arguments, and incontrovertible facts and data.

But the biggest surprise for Claudio was that it still took 13 years and 4 months for the measure to pass in Congress even if they “had all the right reasons — the science, the data, and the Filipino people in their majority opinion for a long time.” (READ: RH law: The long and rough road)

If it was a measure the public could decide on – like in a plebiscite – she said the pro-RH camp would have won earlier and without all the revisions.

After all, as Lagman puts it, “the society was not divided much” as far as the law is concerned. (READ: Health advocates rejoice over upheld RH law)

Claudio hopes people – especially those who oppose the measure – will come to see the law for what it is. (READ: RH ruling shows Philippines values women – Cayetano)

“This is not a controversial issue…this is just a health measure that people can take or not take depending on whether they believe and want to do it or not,” she said. (READ: Without RH law, contraceptives will run out in Payatas)

Watch Rappler’s #TalkThursday interview below.

– Rappler.com