President Rodrigo R. Duterte chats with Former President Fidel V. Ramos during the Testimonial Dinner Reception organized by the San Beda Law Alumni Association at the Kalayaan Hall of Club Filipino in San Juan City, Manila on Thursday, July 14, 2016. King Rodriguez, Malacanang Photo

MANILA -- Former president Fidel V. Ramos and other responsible parenthood advocates on Saturday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to intervene in the implementation of the Reproductive Health (RH) Law "before time runs out".

"In your first State of the Nation address, you have mentioned that the RH Law 'must be put into full force and effect.' It is high time to act now," wrote Ramos, and other members of The Forum for Family Planning and Development which include SGV & Co. founder Washington Sycip, former Prime Minister Cesar E.A. Virata, National Scientist Mercedes Concepcion, Lopez Group Foundation Chair Oscar Lopez, Albay Representative Edcel Lagman.

Those who continue to prevent the implementation of the RH Law "fail to realize that the RH Law is pro-life, pro-health, pro-women, and pro-poor," the group said, as it provides health care services which protect the lives of mothers and their children, and also provides guidance in the prescription and safe administration of medication.

It is also pro-youth, they said, as the law tasks medical experts to educate and counsel teenagers on how to best take care of their bodies. These experts, as well as other concerned groups which cater to the young, are also able to "listen and respond to sexual health concerns without prejudice."

"We believe that this government will find the RH Law vital in its quest to reduce poverty, develop economic growth, and ultimately, protect your Filipino people," The Forum said.

The Forum's Board of Trustees include prominent educators, medical experts, media practitioners, and business leaders, such as former Commission on Population head Benjamin de Leon, former health secretaries Jaime Galvez Tan and Enrique Ona, population expert Corazon Raymundo, NEDA undersecretary Jose Miguel dela Rosa, Elizabeth Zobel, ABS-CBN journalist Ces Orena Drilon, among others.

In October, the Department of Health urged the Supreme Court to lift its temporary restraining order on the RH Law, which prohibits the agency from granting pending applications for the registration and certification of reproductive products and supplies, and procuring or distributing a hormonal contraceptive which the Food and Drug Administration certified to have an "abortifacient character".

The DOH's petition was only one of several pleas by concerned groups and reproductive health advocates.

The DOH plans to distribute condoms in schools next year to educate the youth on contraceptive use and reproductive health.