Politicians in the Philippines have threatened to veto the passage of tax measures after the House leadership failed to prioritise a Bill designed to curb the country's burgeoning population.
The Reproductive Health Bill aims to address the social and financial implications of failing to address the population's 2.36% growth rate as well as establishing national policy on reproductive health and family planning, however, it has been removed from a list of priority bills, prompting the bill's 132 authors to declare a stalemate with the House leadership.
"The House leadership had better prioritize the RH bill or they will pass nothing," warned Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, principal author of the bill.
"All 132 of us would take turns in raising many valid questions about these priority tax measures until the House leadership runs out of time and passes nothing.
"No amount of new tax laws will shore up the economy if the government continues failing to address the ballooning population, which is expected to reach a staggering 94 million Filipinos this year.''
The bill is fast becoming a re-election issue for many of the country's mayors and politicians.
Mahar Mangahas, president of social survey institute Social Weather Stations said: "Because of their anti-family- planning stand, congressmen who seek re-election may lose their bid."
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