What is RH bill?
Answer:
The RH Bill is controversial because the Catholic Church is vehemently opposed to any legalization of birth control or discussion of family planning. The opponents of the bill have spread a large number of myths and tried to make people afraid that the bill would make abortion legal and cause immoral behavior. I enclose a link sponsored by the bill's supporters, who believe that women in the Philippines deserve control over their own bodies, and should have the right to practice family planning or obtain birth control.

Those who are opposed to the bill claim the following:

1. Sec. 17 of RH Bill could mean - Employers must provide employees free ligation/ vasectomy, condoms, pills, breast cancer treatments and information on contraceptives otherwise they are put to jail or fined or both.

They also claim this bill will lead to abortion on demand, and that even criticizing the bill could result in fines or penalties. In their view, the RH Bill would thus diminish religious freedom. That is why the Catholic Church has delayed this bill from even coming to a vote for nearly a decade.

RH bill now a law, Palace confirms
(UPDATED Dec. 29, 11: 04 a.m.) The Philippines now has a Reproductive Health (RH) law as the highly controversial measure bagged President Benigno Aquino III's approval, the Palace confirmed Saturday.

"Today, Republic Act No. 10354, or the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, has been published online in the Official Gazette, after being signed by President Aquino on December 21, 2012," Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a statement.

The measure is expected to widen public access to reproductive health services, including both natural and artificial family planning.

The President has earlier certified the RH bill as urgent, fast-tracking its passage in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Background: Congress ratifies RH bill, clearing final hurdle before PNoy signs it into law

In a historic vote, the two legislative chambers separately approved the RH bill on third and final reading Dec. 17.

Only two days after, it was approved by the bicameral conference committee and immediately ratified by both houses of Congress.

The new law is set to take effect 15 days after its publication in at least two newspapers of general circulation.

"The passage into law of the Responsible Parenthood Act closes a highly divisive chapter of our history—a chapter borne of the convictions of those who argued for, or against this Act, whether in the legislative branch or in civil society," Valte said.

"At the same time, it opens the possibility of cooperation and reconciliation among different sectors in society: engagement and dialogue characterized not by animosity, but by our collective desire to better the welfare of the Filipino people," she added.
Congress ratifies RH bill, clearing final hurdle before PNoy signs it into law
The reproductive health (RH) bill is now one signature away from becoming law after both the Senate and House of Representatives ratified the controversial measure Wednesday night, just hours after the bicameral conference committee came up with a consolidated version of the controversial measure.

The Senate first ratified the bill shortly before 7 p.m. with 11 senators voting in favor of the report and five senators opposing it. An hour later, the House also ratified the bill by a voice vote, with House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. presiding over the session himself.

The Reproductive Health Bill as consolidated by the bicameral conference committee and sent to the House and Senate for ratification.
Post-RH politics
A reconciled version of the Reproductive Health Bill (House Bill No. 4244 and Senate Bill No. 2378) has now been ratified by the two houses of Congress, only two days after it passed third reading. It is now certain to be signed into law having been certified as urgent by the popular president, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

The RH bill achieved a landmark of sorts, comparable to the passage of the Rizal Law in 1956. Like the latter, it passed despite a bitter, all-out, and massive campaign by the conservative Roman Catholic hierarchy. Its difference is that, while the Rizal Law touched the nationalist nerve of Filipinos, the RH bill rode on human rights and women power. The latter have come of age in the Philippines, mainstreaming into the national consciousness.