President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is a hero, at least for Senator Miriam Santiago.
This, as the Senator expressed her gratitude towards the chief executive for certifying the 14-year old legislation on Responsible Parenthood as urgent Friday.
Related story: Senate may approve RH bill on Monday
Santiago, known for her witty statements, praised President Aquino for
ending the “time-wasting prevarication of the last 13 years over RH
bill” with just one stroke.
“President Aquino is my hero! He
has cut the Gordian knot! I am very enthused with him. This is
manifest proof of executive leadership,” Santiago said.
“Other presidents shirked their duty, but President Aquino rose to meet the challenge, and he has slain the monster,” she added.
Related story: RH vote: 'Fidelity with my Church'
The
feisty senator could not hide her excitement with Malacanang’s
certification, which she noted removes the three-day waiting period
between the second and the third readings of a bill.
She
explained that lawmakers in both Upper and Lower Congress could proceed
to the third and final reading of RH bill immediately after closing the
period of second reading next week.
“Under the Constitution, the
President certifies to the necessity of the immediate enactment of the
RH bill, to meet a public emergency,” Santiago explained.
“The
emergency consists of the mounting deaths every single day of Filipino
mothers, from the poor, owing to childbirth complications, brought about
by sheer ignorance of RH,” she added.
“As Monday, the Senate
can already proceed to third and final reading. The same can be said of
the House of Representatives,” she added.
Santiago noted that
congressmen and senators could ratify the RH bill before going on
Christmas break should the bicameral conference committee can already
meet by Tuesday.
She continued Aquino will be able to approve
the bill starting on Thursday or at any time within 30 days after he
receives the ratified version of RH bill.
But Senator Vicente
“Tito” Sotto III criticized the president for ensuring fast action on RH
bill, which he claimed to be continuously dividing the country.
Sotto,
who has been condemning the use of contraceptives for family planning,
said Aquino should have certified the bill on Freedom of Information
(FOI) as urgent instead.
“It’s obvious now that what I have been
saying all along is true: This is a foreign imposition for their
so-called Millennium Development Goal (MDG),” Sotto said.
“And one of which is to depopulate third world countries. Kawawa ang Pilipinas!” he criticized.
Related story: Aquino certifies RH bill as urgent
On
Tuesday, Filipinos woke up to the news that House of Representatives,
in a close 113-104 vote, approved RH bill on second reading after months
of protracted deliberation.
Communications Secretary Ricardo
“Ricky” Carandang said the certification came after several lawmakers
requested it from the president on Thursday.
