REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BILL IN THE PHILIPPINES There are 6 bills pertaining to reproductive health and/or population management that

have been filed for deliberation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate th for the 15 Congress. The most controversial of these bills is House Bill No. 96 authored by Rep. Edcel Lagman. House Bill No. 96, also known as the proposed "Reproductive Health and Population and Development Act of 2010," will cover the following areas:

refuse the use of artificial contraceptives. However, the position of the Catholic Church and the pro-life groups does not mean that they espouse the attitude of "natalism" at all costs, as if the "number" of children, in itself, were the unmistakable sign of authentic christian matrimonial life. The sexual act, properly exercised within marriage only, is ordained primarily to the propagation of life. If there are reasonable motives for spacing births, such as serious medical conditions in the mother, or extreme poverty, then the Catholic Church teaches that married couples may take advantage of the natural cycles of the reproductive system and use their marriage precisely those times that are infertile (natural family planning). Other aspects of the bill being contested by concerned citizens include the classification of family planning supplies as essential medicines when their safety/toxicity profile and legal permissibility are questionable. At the same time, more importance should be given to the prevalent diseases, the top ten leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the Philippines, namely, infections such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Financial resources allotted by foreign donors to assist the Philippine government programs could actually be better spent towards pursuing health programs targeting communicable diseases than purchasing artificial contraceptives. Very pertinent to the debate about reproduction rights is the right to life. The Philippine Constitution says that the State "shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. If artificial contraceptives are medically proven to induce abortion as one of their mechanisms of action, then procurement and distribution of such family planning supplies are unconstitutional and illegal.

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midwives of skilled attendance emergency obstetric care access to family planning maternal death review family planning supplies as essential medicines benefits for serious and life-threatening reproductive health conditions mobile health care service mandatory age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education responsibility of local family planning office and certificate of compliance capability building of barangay health workers ideal family size employers' responsibilities multi-media campaign implementing mechanisms reporting requirements prohibited acts penalties

Reproductive health bill The bill is controversial, as it is being opposed by concerned citizens, especially the pro-life, pro-family and pro-God groups, regardless of creed or religion. The Roman Catholic Church expresses its opposition against the bill on many counts, most especially the procurement and distribution of family planning supplies for the whole country, when the available evidence from peer reviewed medical journals supports the hypothesis that when ovulation and fertilization occur in women taking oral contraceptives (OCs) or using intrauterine devices (IUD), post-fertilization effects are operative on occasion to prevent clinically recognized pregnancy. Hormonal contraceptives and/or IUDs directly affect the endometrium. These effects have been presumed to render the endometrium relatively inhospitable to implantation or to the maintenance of the preembryo or embryo prior to clinically recognized pregnancy. These make pills and IUDS abortifacient. There appears to be three major points of view from which to approach the controversial reproductive health bill now pending with the House of Representatives for plenary deliberations, namely: legal, moral, and scientific. This is so since, the proposed legislative measure once enacted into law will affect society writ large. In short, there are many stakeholders by differing institutional concerns. It then becomes difficult to erect a tripod to hold the issue that has carried so much weight. There are those who think, once legislated, HB 812 or the proposed Reproductive Health Care Act of 2008 will in fact set the stage for other anti-life laws or so-called D.E.A.T.H. bills (acronym for death, euthanasia, abortion, two-child policy, and homosexuality). The problem that has been viciously overlooked in our legislative mill is the fact that legislators themselves violate the rule that a bill should have only one subject matter. Truth is, HB 812 may have to be broken up into separate bills and for that matter into separate laws. An evolving culture of aquarium legislation is tantamount to a constitutional violation of the legislative process. Up until today, there is a serious opposition to a reproductive health bill in whatever

Pro-life groups, and many professionals in the medical and nursing fields, believe that physicians and policy makers should understand and respect the beliefs of patients who consider human life to be present and valuable from the moment of fertilization. Patients should be made fully aware of this information so that they can consent to or

form or substance it comes simply because there are such groups or organizations that are against it. For instance, the CBCP is against it and for that matter other likeminded Catholic sub-groups. True enough, from the time it was first filed in the past Congresses, the bill already experienced a string of failures to be passed into law owing to provisions that are questionable legally, morally, and scientifically. It can be said that again, this proposed HB 812 may go through another rough sailing unless it can be railroaded in Congress and Senate. One theory stands in defense of the bill which claims it is necessary in order to curb population growth which is now pegged at 86 million Filipinos as well as for the sake of limited resources such as rice. But the myth of this Malthusian fear has already been settled long ago and it does not anymore hold water. Why a zero population growth as that which was a matter of policy in the whole of the United States and Europe? If we consider the earnings being remitted into our country from OFWs as the single factor that buoys up our fledging if pale economy, then we should have no reason to argue against this bill. That zero population policy practiced by countries in the First Bloc now reached the irreversible scenario of a graying population that depletes their respective economies in heavy state subsidies. Is it then a boon or bane? The National Academy of Science and Technology supports reproductive health bill. The Catholic Church or the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines does not. There are pro-life advocates versus pro-choice advocates. This camp says it involves no abortion, another camp says otherwise. This group claims contraceptives to be abortifacient, another such group claims it is not so. Within the legal community, a wedge divides their sentiments as to whether it is against the Divine Law to allow any room of choice toward abortion or to some extent euthanasia. Cases of abortion do sometimes involve life-boat ethics that Catch 22 of having to choose which person to save the unborn babe or the mother. There are issues at every loop, claims at every turn, and cries in every direction the bill takes for or against. Moralists, legalists, scientists follow their own lines of thinking that are parallel unto one another no lines intersect. There is where the problem lies. Is it then possible to weave from various strands or threads a beautiful tapestry of the proposed bill? Has it become time to curb population growth or corruption? Incidentally, the Secretary of Health announced that an initial amount of P150 billion as start-up fund is intended for this project in terms of the infrastructure to get it going. Fact is, some P2 billion will be so allocated just for condoms or like medicines or drugs. Is this the reason that politicians as legislators incessantly lobby for the reproductive health bill to be legislated into law? My good friend, lawyer Jo Imbong, legal counsel of CBCP really thinks it is unconstitutional in that it violates Article XVI, Section 9 as well as Article XIII, Section 14 of the Constitution. My former boss, Rep. Rene Velarde of Buhay Party-List is strongly against it in furtherance of the pro-life advocacy of the party which made it

number 1 in the election chart overturning Bayan. Other well-meaning personages are against the idea of an abortion, first and foremost. Proponents of the bill however, argue that none of it is contemplated. But that can be mere lip service to sweet-talk us all to believe the proposed law will not violate any of the provisions of the Constitution in so far as the unborn, children, mothers, women, and marginalized are concerned. Nor can it be claimed that the reproductive health bill stands on solid ground when in fact, it stands on an ice floe that would soon melt at the heat of debate and crumble to the bottom. At the end of the day, the proposed measure ought to be restudied very carefully beyond the prevailing points of view. A recent study of the UP School of Economics tended to have oversimplified it as one of a situation that placed the various stakeholders between a hard Church and a soft State. It went on to state that the RH bill is in fact pro-poor, pro-life, and pro-family. We sure have all different sense on the matter but honestly, I have only one misgiving in the provisions of the bill that would by any number and extent accommodate, in effect, post-abortion cases as part of the whole program. Thus, for the proponent to honestly claim there is no such abortion in cases where there would clearly be, crystal clear enough is simply begging the question.

THE BILL IS NATIONAL IN SCOPE, COMPREHENSIVE, rights-based and provides adequate f population program. It is a departure from the present setup in which the provision for reproduct is devolved to local government units, and consequently, subjected to the varying strategies of l executives and suffers from a dearth of funding.

The reproductive health (RH) bill promotes information on and access to both natural and mode methods, which are medically safe and legally permissible. It assures an enabling environment couples have the freedom of informed choice on the mode of family planning they want to adop needs, personal convictions and religious beliefs.

The bill does not have any bias for or against either natural or modern family planning. Both mo contraceptive methods. Their common purpose is to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

The bill will promote sustainable human development. The UN stated in 2002 that ?family plann reproductive health are essential to reducing poverty.? The Unicef also asserts that ?family plan more benefits to more people at less cost than any other single technology now available to the

Coverage of RH. (1) Information and access to natural and modern family planning (2) Materna health and nutrition (3) Promotion of breast feeding (4) Prevention of abortion and management complications (5) Adolescent and youth health (6) Prevention and management of reproductive HIV/AIDS and STDs (7) Elimination of violence against women (8) Counseling on sexuality and reproductive health (9) Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers (10) Male involvemen

in RH; (11) Prevention and treatment of infertility and (12) RH education for the youth.

Smear offensive

Strengthening of Popcom. The existing Population Commission shall be reoriented to promote both natural C. Lagman Rep. Edcel and modern family planning methods. It shall serve as the central planning, coordinating, implementing and monitoring body for the comprehensive and integrated policy on reproductive health and population development. IS A CONTINUING campaign to discredit the reproductive health bill through misinform THERE

Straightforward answers to the negative propaganda will help educate and enlighten people on Capability building of community-based volunteer workers. The workers shall undergo additional and updated training on the delivery of reproductive healthcare services and shall receive not less than 10-percent increase in The bill is not antilife. It is proquality life. It will ensure that children will be blessings for their par honoraria upon successful completion of training. births are planned and wanted. It will empower couples with the information and opportunity to p

their children. This will not only strengthen the family as a unit but also optimize care for children Midwives for skilled birth attendance. Every city and municipality shall endeavor to employ an adequate number of to be educated, healthy and productive. more opportunities midwives and other skilled attendants.

The bill does not interfere with family life. In fact, it enhances family life. The family is more than Emergency obstetrics care. Each province and city shall endeavor to ensure the establishment it is a social institution whose protection and development are impressed with public interest. It i and operation of by legislation. For this reason, the State has enacted the Civil Code on family relations, the Fam hospitals with adequate and qualified personnel that provide emergency obstetrics care. Child and Youth Welfare Code.

Hospital-based family planning. Family planning methods requiring hospital services like ligation, vasectomy and The bill does not legalize abortion. It expressly provides that ?abortion remains a crime? and ?p IUD insertion shall be available in all national and local government hospitals. abortion? is essential to fully implement the Reproductive Health Care Program. While ?manage abortion complications? is provided, this is not to condone abortion but to promote the humane Contraceptives as essential medicines. Reproductive health products shall be considered essential medicines and women in life-threatening situations. supplies and shall form part of the National Drug Formulary considering that family planning reduces the incidence of maternal and infant mortality.

It will not lead to the legalization of abortion. It is not true that all countries where contraceptive u

eventually trained Reproductive health education. RH education in an age-appropriate manner shall be taught by adequatelylegalize abortion. Many Catholic countries criminalize abortion even as they vigorous contraceptive use like Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republ teachers from Grade 5 to 4th year high school. As proposed in the bill, core subjects include responsible Honduras, and parenthood, natural and modern family planning, proscription and hazards of abortion, reproductive health Nicaragua, Venezuela, Paraguay and Ireland. The Muslim and Buddhist countries of Laos also promote contraceptive use yet proscribe abortion. According to studies, correct and re sexual rights, abstinence before marriage, and responsible sexuality. contraceptives reduces abortion rates by as much as 85 percent and negates the need to legali

Certificate of compliance. No marriage license shall be issued by the Local Civil Registrar unless the applicants Contraceptives present a Certificate of Compliance issued for free by the local Family Planning Office. The document should do not have life-threatening side effects. Medical and scientific evidence shows medical certify that they had duly received adequate instructions and information on family planning, responsiblerisks connected with contraceptives are infinitely lower than the risks of an actual pregn activities. The risk of dying within a year of riding a car is 1 in 5,900. The risk of dying within a ye parenthood, breast feeding and infant nutrition. 1 in 200,000. The risk of dying from a vasectomy is 1 in 1 million and the risk of dying from usin million. The probability of dying from condom use is absolutely zero. But the risk of dying from a Ideal family size. The State shall encourage two children as the ideal family size. This is neither10,000. mandatory nor compulsory and no punitive action may be imposed on couples having more than two children.

The bill will not promote contraceptive mentality. The bill does not prohibit pregnancy. Critics are Employers? responsibilities. Employers shall respect the reproductive health rights of all their workers. Women claiming that because contraceptives would be readily available, people would prefer to have no shall not be discriminated against in the matter of hiring, regularization of employment status or Couples will not stop wanting children simply because contraceptives are available. Contracepti selection for retrenchment. Employers shall provide free reproductive health services and commodities to workers, whether prevent unwanted pregnancies but not to stop pregnancies altogether. Timed pregnancies are a unionized or unorganized.

The bill does not impose a two-child policy. It does not promote a compulsory policy strictly limit Multimedia campaign. Popcom shall initiate and sustain an intensified nationwide multimedia campaign to raise punitive action shall be imposed on parents with more than two children. This n children and no the level of public awareness on the urgent need to protect and promote reproductive health and rights. imposition or is it arbitrary because results of the 2003 National Demographic and Health Surve ideal of two children approximates the desired fertility of women. *** Sexuality education will neither spawn ?a generation of sex maniacs? nor breed a culture of pro appropriate RH education promotes correct sexual values. It will not only instill consciousness o

but also responsible exercise of one?s rights. The UN and countries which have youth sexuality education Fernando Lambruschini, spokesperson of the Vatican at the time of its release, said Monsignor document its beneficial results: understanding of proper sexual values is promoted; early initiationthe encyclical Humanae Vitae does not suggest the theological note of infallibility? It is not inf of into sexual relations is delayed; abstinence before marriage is encouraged; multiple-sex partners is avoided; and spread of sexually transmitted diseases is prevented. Five days after the issuance of the encyclical, a statement against it was signed by 87 Catholic

asserted that ?Catholics may dissent from ? noninfallible Church doctrine? and that ?Catholic s It does not claim that family planning is the panacea for poverty. It simply recognizes the verifiable link between a in some circumstances to use artificial contraception.? responsibly decide huge population and poverty. Unbridled population growth stunts socioeconomic development and aggravates poverty. The connection between population and development is well-documented and empirically established. Lagman of Albay is the principal author of the proposed Reproductive Hea (Rep. Edcel C. Population Development Act of 2008.) UN Human Development Reports show that countries with higher population growth invariably score lower in human development. The Asian Development Bank in 2004 also listed a large population as one of the major causes of poverty in the country. The Reproductive Health bill, popularly known as the RH Bill, are Philippine bills aiming to guarantee universal access to methods and information on birth control and The National Statistics Office affirms that large families are prone to poverty with 57.3 percent of families care. The bills have become the center of a contentious national debate. maternal with seven children mired in poverty while only 23.8 percent of families with two children are poor. Recent studies also two bills with the same goals: House Bill No. 4244 or An Act There are presently show that large family size is a significant factor in keeping families poor across generations. Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development, and For Other Purposes introduced by Family planning will not lead to a demographic winter. UP economics professors in their paper ?Population and Representative Edcel Lagman, and Senate Bill No. 2378 or An Act Albay 1st district Poverty: The Real Score? declared that the threat of a so-called demographic winter in the Philippines is ?greatly Providing For a National Policy on Reproductive Health and Population and exaggerated, and using it as an argument against a sensible population policy is a plain and simple scare tactic.? Development introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago. The National Statistical Coordinating Board projected that a replacement fertility of 2.1 children Opponents could be see the bill as allowing the Filipinos to be fooled by the per couple of the bill reached only by 2040. Moreover, despite a reduced population growth rate, the effects of population momentum deceptive manipulations of American imperialism and eugenicist control, using United would continue for another 60 years by which time our total population would be 240 million. Nations Agencies for its own national interests, and to use Philippines' own national funds to kill the youngest Filipinos, harm its own mothers, and encourage immorality. Humanae Vitae is not an infallible doctrine. In 1963, Pope John XXIII created the Papal Commission on Birth They see and Control to study questions on population and family planning. The Commission included ranking prelates the bill as an act of disrespect and ingratitude to the Catholic Church that works for the poor and the sick, and for the education and development of Filipinos. theologians. They accuse the Philippine Legislator's Committee on Population and Development Voting 69 to 10, it strongly recommended that the Church change its teaching on contraception as "essentially athat as it concluded foreign body" that has drafted the bills, and that its "2008 lobbying fund of two billion pesos comes from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, IPPF ?the regulation of conception appears necessary for many couples who wish to achieve a responsible, open and reasonable parenthood in today?s circumstances.? and UNFPA the latter two both well known for their global agenda to legalize abortion." They say that a two-child policy will make the country fail to cash in on a possible of However, it was the minority report that Pope Paul VI eventually supported and which became the basis demographic dividend of rapid economic growth, and great reduction of Humanae Vitae. poverty, a chance for complete modernization without destruction of human life and promotion of immorality. Even 40 years ago when the encyclical was issued, theologians did not generally think that it was infallible. that contraceptives are being used now? Why push too hard on this? Perhaps another way to smuggle the taxpayer's money to the wallets of greedy public officials? Is this really fornicated for the citizens or for the corrupt?

I strongly believe this bill will encourage pre-marital and extra-marital sex, therefore depleting the citizens' morality. Contraceptives may cause cancer, although it is also said that it prevents certain cancers. Odds are, it prevents 1 and gives you 4. Isn't it