SC upholds RH law
Battle not over yet, bishop says

MANILA - Millions of poor people in the Philippines will have access to free contraceptives for the first time after the nation's top court yesterday approved a deeply controversial birth control law.

The Supreme Court's ruling was hailed by supporters as a triumph in the battle to ease crippling poverty, empower women and curtail a population explosion in the Southeast Asian nation of 100 million people.

But the Catholic Church, which had led a bitter campaign for 15 years against efforts to introduce any form of family planning laws, vowed to continue resisting what it termed an "unjust" law.

But eight provisions nullified

The Supreme Court yesterday nullified eight provisions of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012.

The eight provisions are:

*Section 7, only insofar as it: (a) requires private health facilities and non-maternity hospitals owned by religious groups to refer patients not in an emergency or life-threatening situation to another health facility which is conveniently accessible (b) provides access to family planning and RH services to minors who have been pregnant or had a miscarriage without a parental consent.

City SP approves ordinance
for CCTVs in public schools
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

An ordinance approving the installation of closed-circuit television cameras in all public elementary and high schools in Bacolod City, was passed by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod on third and final reading yesterday.

The ordinance was authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran, and co-authored by Councilors Archie Baribar, Noli Villarosa, and Alex Paglumotan.

T he employment of CCTV/ Video Surveillance System(VSS) cameras by any entity, particularly by the local government unit purposely to record factual evidence of crime has been proven to be an effective instrument to deter any act of lawlessness, the ordinance said.