6 August 2012, – On October 21, 2010, we, the undersigned business organizations, issued the following public
statement:
“We strongly believe government must encourage responsible parenthood and promote family
planning as a direct strategy for poverty reduction and maternal and child healthcare. The active
role envisioned for government in the promotion of family planning is in keeping with the
expressed desire of a significant majority of Filipinos as manifested in major national surveys.
“While various parties and interested sectors may provide advice and guidance to parents on
alternative choices regarding family size and the means to achieve their desired objective, we
believe these are decisions ultimately for the parents themselves to make.
“We believe such a focused policy of family planning must provide lowest-cost access for the
very poor to the services and materials to implement their free and informed choice.
“We would be unequivocally opposed to any measure that condones abortion in any way, limits
free choice, and mandates the means to implement such choice.”
Today, in pursuit of the above stated principles and objectives, we call on both houses of
Congress to pass into law without further delay The Responsible Parenthood,
Reproductive Health and Population and Development Act of 2011, as embodied in House
Bill 4244 and Senate Bill 2865.
EMPLOYERS CONFEDERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (ECOP)
FINANCIAL EXECUTIVES INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES (FINEX)
MAKATI BUSINESS CLUB (MBC)
MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (MAP)
PHILIPPINE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (PCCI)
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