Albay 1st district Rep. Edcel Lagman revealed on Monday, August 1, a little-known fact about the late former President Fidel V. Ramos (FVR): He was a staunch advocate of reproductive health (RH).
" attended many meetings of supporters of the reproductive health bill, together with his sister, the late Senator Leticia R. Shahani, in designing strategies to facilitate the passage of the then controversial measure," Lagman said in a statement.
The reproductive health law, of whichLagman was the principal author, was enacted in 2012 and was subsequently declared constitutional by the Supreme Court (SC)
FVR delivered speeches and wrote articles urging the enactment of a reproductive health law.
His advocacy for reproductive health started when he appointed Dr. Juan Flavier as Department of Health (DOH) secretary. Flavier was likewise an RH advocate.
"President Ramos underscored during his term the urgency of progressive family planning and population policies," Lagman added.
The Bicolano said the issues of reproductive health and population are integral and imperative components of a development agenda because population, poverty, reproductive health and sustainable human development are so closely interrelated that none of them can be considered in isolation.
"Well-funded national programs on family planning and reproductive health are not only pro-woman and pro-poor, they are ultimately pro-life and pro-development," he said.