Surigao del Norte officials back HB 13

MANILA, Dec. 10, 2010— In what could be another boost to pro-life advocacy, the provincial government of Surigao del Norte has manifested its support behind the Catholic Church in supporting a measure that will protect unborn children.

All the 10 members of the provincial board unanimously approved a resolution strongly supporting the passage of HB 13, also known as “An Act Providing for the Safety and Protection of the Unborn & for Other Purposes.”

The media office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines was furnished with a copy of the Resolution No. 186 which was approved by Provincial Board of Surigao del Norte during its regular session on December 6.

“No implementing law of this particular provision of the Constitution has been passed since its adoption in 1987, most specially, on the protection of the unborn,” part of the resolution read.

“HB 13 seeks to address this gap by acknowledging the unborn child as a human being with human personality whose basic right to life deserves mantle of legal recognition and protection from the moment of conception,” it added.

The resolution was also signed by Governor Sol Matugas and Vice Governor Arturo Carlos Egay, Jr.

This is the first time that a provincial government openly supported the proposed alternative to the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill pending in Congress.

The officials did not specifically state whether they are against the RH bill but said they will favor measures that have “high reverence of the sanctity of life.”

Surigao Bishop Antonieto Cabajog said he is elated by the action taken the provincial government and its commitment in protecting the life of the unborn.

“I’m calling on other provinces to also come with such legislation supporting the measure (HB 13),” Cabajog said.

On Monday, the country’s biggest group of doctors, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), has also thrown its support for the passage of the HB 13.

The PMA also shared its view with the church about the beginning of life—“at the moment of fertilization”—during a consultative meeting with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. (CBCPNews)