ateneo teacher-solon, RH author backs ateneo faculty

“Gabriela Women’s Party stands in support of the members of the Ateneo de Manila University faculty now being unjustly persecuted for their expression of support for the Reproductive Health bill.”

Thus Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan, one of the authors of the Reproductive Health Bill as the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines sought to investigate 160 faculty members of the Ateneo de Manila who earlier signed a petition for the urgent passage of the RH bill. “It is but their right to give their stand on a very important issue.”

Ilagan graduated and eventually taught at the Ateneo de Davao for over four decades.

“That they view the RH bill as a piece of legislation that will help provide much needed maternal and infant health services to Filipinos is a laudable demonstration of compassion, social awareness and a commitment for the poor and the marginalized.” Ilagan further said, “These teachers are living out the Ateneo Mission Statement of social concern by being men and women for others. We laud their fortitude in the midst of this adversity. We shall continue to emulate their pursuit of the Ignatian spirit manifested in their preferential bias for the poor.”

The Gabriela solon said that those opposing the bill in its current state and formulation can give their inputs as the proposed legislation now enters the period of amendments. “Gabriela Women’s Party is actively pushing for amendments towards the crafting of a reproductive health policy that is beyond contraception, meeting demographic targets or population control. Let the RH policy be about giving women and children access to health services, information and choice.” #