The BIG NO for the passage of this bill posted conspicuously along one the major streets in my place spearheaded by a religious group with many reasons one of which is that it is anti life reminded me of the many baseless NOs and DON’Ts i grew up with. Incidentally, there are no public reactions whatsoever i can sense amidst nationwide reactions in its favor.
A high school classmate and friend just a month ago passed away carrying, on her ninth month her third baby who died with her. She was already warned of the danger of conceiving another life. She paid for it. Another case of the maternal and child mortality statistics in the Philippines. Another friend is carrying an unplanned pregnancy also her third amidst the economic condition of her family. I often wonder if such is an informed option generally women would choose.
I strongly believe that it is absolutely not an anti life measure but rather, it saves lives of women and children. It is a policy that delineates and defines facts from fallacies and myths, as well as strengthens the long institutionalized right, to choose, to be informed and the right to decide what’s best for one’s own body. To quote Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, a Catholic priest in the PCIJ Article (Church Gain in Population Policy is the Women’s Lost by Jaileen F. Jimeno, www.pcij.org) “Nobody should dictate the choices couples should take, not even the Pope, not even the president.”
It is an overdue policy that’s taking too long.
Rep. Edcel Lagman, the principal author of Reproductive Health Bill and Population Development Act of 2008, explained in an article published in Inquirer.net:
The reproductive health (RH) bill promotes information on and access to both natural and modern family planning methods, which are medically safe and legally permissible.
The bill does not have any bias for or against either natural or modern family planning. Both modes are contraceptive methods. Their common purpose is to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
The bill will promote sustainable human development.
Coverage of Reproductive Health:
- Information and access to natural and modern family planning
- Maternal, infant and child health and nutrition
- Promotion of breast feeding
- Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications
- Adolescent and youth health
- Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections, HIV/AIDS and STDs
- Elimination of violence against women
- Counseling on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health
- Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers
- Male involvement and participation in Reproductive Health
- Prevention and treatment of infertility, and
- Reproductive Health education for the youth.
One of the many petitions for its passage is on line www.petitiononline.com to wit:
To: Philippine Congress
We are seriously disturbed that more than 10 Filipino women die every day due to pregnancy and childbirth-related complications. The big majority of those who die are poor women at the prime of their lives.
We are alarmed that 29 out of 1,000 infants die due to various sickness and illnesses that are preventable and curable.
We are troubled that 4.9 million Filipino youth, aged 15-27 are sexually active but programs that would ensure their safety and help them become more responsible in dealing with their sexuality and relationships are severely lacking. Especially worrisome is the fact that 1 out of 5 female teenagers get pregnant before they reach their 20th birthday.
These are just a few of the problems in the midst of the ongoing economic crisis, escalating poverty, and the ever-increasing prices of basic commodities and services. Moreover, the Philippine population grows unabated with almost 2 million individuals added every year. Researches consistently show that poverty is more prevalent among big families compared to smaller ones.
The acute lack of services and information regarding reproductive health:
* results in the untimely death of women and children;
* is the reason why our youth are largely unprepared to deal with matters pertaining to their sexuality and relationships; and
* exacerbates the effects of economic crisis and poverty on millions of ordinary Filipinos, especially those with big families.
We believe that Filipinos, particularly the poor, urgently need access to information and services that will address their reproductive health needs.
We believe that a rights-based, comprehensive, and responsive reproductive health law will help empower Filipinos to achieve a better quality of life.
We firmly believe that the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill into law will help actualize people’s, especially women’s rights to make informed decisions.
Therefore, we call on our legislators to pass the Reproductive Health Bill into law now.
