Business World Vol. XXII, No. 181
Friday, April 17, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
The Nation
PHILIPPINE SENATE STARTS PLENARY DEBATES ON POPULATION MEASURE
THE SENATE started to tackle a controversial population control bill called reproductive health on Wednesday amid continuing objections by the Catholic Church.
With provisions similar to that of the House counterpart bill that is a few votes shy of being endorsed by a majority of congressmen, the Senate version is targeted to be approved before Congress adjourns its second regular session on June 5, Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said Wednesday evening.
The committee on health and demography recommended the approval of Senate Bill 3122, a measure that consolidated five proposals, to improve the quality of life of Filipinos.
"A genuine reproductive health policy will ensure that no woman will have to face a horrific situation in which she will have to choose between her life and her child’s. Promoting family planning practice along with making sure that all Filipino families will have access to all acceptable family planning methods will reduce unintended pregnancies," said Senator Rodolfo G. Biazon, principal sponsor of the "Reproductive Health Care Act of 2009."
He said modern family planning methods such as hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices and injectables will be made available in government hospitals and classified as so-called essential medicine.
The bill would require local government units to deploy a minimum of one full-time skilled birth attendant for every 150 deliveries per year, while each province and city will have a hospital equipped with emergency obstetric care supplies and services.
An annual maternal death review would monitor death rates. Sexuality education would be taught by teachers to fifth grade and high school students. Barangay health workers will also undergo training to promote reproductive health.
"This bill does not encourage nor promote abortion. It does not impose a national policy on the freedom of couples to make choices," Mr. Biazon said. "This bill is about providing informed choice through an education and information program. It is about making available reproductive health care services and supplies to our people, especially to those who need it most."
He said adopting a reproductive health policy would minimize rapid population growth which "impedes economic growth."
Although the June 5 target approval for the bill has been set, Mr. Zubiri said he was noncommittal if majority of his colleagues would favor the "controversial" proposal.
"It’s a very important measure that needs to be discussed lengthily and with clarity. It’s a very controversial measure. We will take it up everyday," said Mr. Zubiri in an interview.
"I want to strengthen the portion that abortion should not be allowed. It’s an illegal act," he added.
The counterpart measure, House Bill 5043 authored by Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman (1st district), is up for approval on second reading. It was identified as one of the chamber’s priority bills. — Bernard U. Allauigan
Sunday, April 19, 2009
RH advocates ask Palace: What and who is moral?
Thursday, April 16, 2009
RH advocates ask Palace: What and who is moral?
This is a reaction to The Times “Special Report: The Church and Human Life” article “Mala-cañang’s pro-Life stand mainly a matter of morals” published April 12, 2009, reported by Angelo S. Samonte.
As reproductive health advocates, we cannot help but react to Press Secretary Cerge Remonde’s statement on President Gloria Arroyo’s stance on reproductive health. In that report, Sec. Remonde said that the first and main reason for Pres. Gloria Arroyo’s pro-Life stand on the reproductive health is morals and ethics.
This made us wonder, how could one’s decision be morally and ethically upright if the basis of that decision ignores certain realities and scientific studies and merely to please a small but highly influential group of the Catholic hierarchy?
While we agree that natural family planning method is also effective if used faithfully, we strongly disagree with the promotion of the natural family planning method only. The 2006 Family Planning Survey revealed that 35.6 percent of women aged 15 to 49 are using modern artificial family planning methods while only 15.1 percent is using modern natural and traditional family planning methods. Arroyo government’s natural-family-planning-only program disempowers women and couples to exercise freedom to choose and to make informed decision.
Meanwhile, results of international and local studies have established that natural methods are not for everyone. For example, the standard days-method is effective only for women whose menstrual cycles fall between 26 to 32 days and require the unfailing cooperation by the husband as the couple must abstain from sex for 12 consecutive days during the woman’s fertile period.
RH bill promotes informed choice by making both artificial and traditional methods accessible to all. The couples can freely decide what method they prefer.
Time and again, survey after survey, results are the same—Filipinos wants modern family planning methods education and services.
Pulse Asia Survey conducted in October 2008 revealed that a big majority of Filipinos (82 percent) thinks government should not only educate couples regarding modern methods of family planning but also provide them with services and materials on these methods. Same survey further revealed that 82 percent of Filipinos think government should teach couples about modern methods of family planning.
In addition, exactly the same percentage says that it is the government’s duty to provide the people with knowledge, services and materials on modern methods of family planning.
Earlier, in September 2008, a nationwide survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed an overwhelming support for both family planning education and for passage of the reproductive health bill is very high among both Catholics and non-Catholics, 76 percent even wants to have family planning education for youth.
The results of SWS survey in the cities of Manila and Pa-rañaque conducted in December 2008 and February 2009 respectively showed almost the same result. Sixty four percent of Manileños agree that there should be a law that requires government to distribute condoms, intra-uterine devices and pills to people who want to avail of them. Meanwhile, 86 percent of the respondents said that the city should have a policy on reproductive health and family planning.
These surveys justify the need for government to provide the family planning and reproductive services they need.
We are fully aware that the reproductive health bill can be held hostage during election times that is why we, reproductive health advocates, laud Speaker Prospero Nograles for standing firm in saying that the House Bill 5043 or the Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2009 remains one of the priority measures in the House of Representatives. He even assured the public, through media interviews, that the Congress will vote on the measure before the session ends in June.
We are also happy with the statement of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile that he will support “artificial methods” of family planning for as long as it will not destroy life.
It is worth mentioning that government offices such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Commission on Population, Department of Health, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Education and Department of Science and Technology have openly declared their support on the reproductive health bill.
Groups from various sectors, like national and local NGOs, civic organizations, business, LGUs, faith-based organizations, the academe, youth, opinion leaders, and even international organizations, are continually coming out in the open and bravely expressing their support.
What then is moral and ethical? Who should the government believe? The voice of the majority of the Filipino people who are exposed to the stark realities of life, or the privileged few who refuse to see and acknowledge the conditions in which the many more live?
Despite confusing statements from various Malacañang officials, reproductive health advocates still laud the official position of the President that she will not meddle in the deliberations of the controversial reproductive health bill. We are happy to hear that the President will let her allies make their own decisions. After all, the essence of reproductive health is making informed choice.
Ms. Vigie Benosa-Llorin
Media Advocacy officer, PLCPD
Cell Number 0918-2936786]
Reference: Mr. Ramon San Pascual
Executive Director,
Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development Foundation Inc. (PLCPD)
RH advocates ask Palace: What and who is moral?
This is a reaction to The Times “Special Report: The Church and Human Life” article “Mala-cañang’s pro-Life stand mainly a matter of morals” published April 12, 2009, reported by Angelo S. Samonte.
As reproductive health advocates, we cannot help but react to Press Secretary Cerge Remonde’s statement on President Gloria Arroyo’s stance on reproductive health. In that report, Sec. Remonde said that the first and main reason for Pres. Gloria Arroyo’s pro-Life stand on the reproductive health is morals and ethics.
This made us wonder, how could one’s decision be morally and ethically upright if the basis of that decision ignores certain realities and scientific studies and merely to please a small but highly influential group of the Catholic hierarchy?
While we agree that natural family planning method is also effective if used faithfully, we strongly disagree with the promotion of the natural family planning method only. The 2006 Family Planning Survey revealed that 35.6 percent of women aged 15 to 49 are using modern artificial family planning methods while only 15.1 percent is using modern natural and traditional family planning methods. Arroyo government’s natural-family-planning-only program disempowers women and couples to exercise freedom to choose and to make informed decision.
Meanwhile, results of international and local studies have established that natural methods are not for everyone. For example, the standard days-method is effective only for women whose menstrual cycles fall between 26 to 32 days and require the unfailing cooperation by the husband as the couple must abstain from sex for 12 consecutive days during the woman’s fertile period.
RH bill promotes informed choice by making both artificial and traditional methods accessible to all. The couples can freely decide what method they prefer.
Time and again, survey after survey, results are the same—Filipinos wants modern family planning methods education and services.
Pulse Asia Survey conducted in October 2008 revealed that a big majority of Filipinos (82 percent) thinks government should not only educate couples regarding modern methods of family planning but also provide them with services and materials on these methods. Same survey further revealed that 82 percent of Filipinos think government should teach couples about modern methods of family planning.
In addition, exactly the same percentage says that it is the government’s duty to provide the people with knowledge, services and materials on modern methods of family planning.
Earlier, in September 2008, a nationwide survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed an overwhelming support for both family planning education and for passage of the reproductive health bill is very high among both Catholics and non-Catholics, 76 percent even wants to have family planning education for youth.
The results of SWS survey in the cities of Manila and Pa-rañaque conducted in December 2008 and February 2009 respectively showed almost the same result. Sixty four percent of Manileños agree that there should be a law that requires government to distribute condoms, intra-uterine devices and pills to people who want to avail of them. Meanwhile, 86 percent of the respondents said that the city should have a policy on reproductive health and family planning.
These surveys justify the need for government to provide the family planning and reproductive services they need.
We are fully aware that the reproductive health bill can be held hostage during election times that is why we, reproductive health advocates, laud Speaker Prospero Nograles for standing firm in saying that the House Bill 5043 or the Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2009 remains one of the priority measures in the House of Representatives. He even assured the public, through media interviews, that the Congress will vote on the measure before the session ends in June.
We are also happy with the statement of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile that he will support “artificial methods” of family planning for as long as it will not destroy life.
It is worth mentioning that government offices such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Commission on Population, Department of Health, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Education and Department of Science and Technology have openly declared their support on the reproductive health bill.
Groups from various sectors, like national and local NGOs, civic organizations, business, LGUs, faith-based organizations, the academe, youth, opinion leaders, and even international organizations, are continually coming out in the open and bravely expressing their support.
What then is moral and ethical? Who should the government believe? The voice of the majority of the Filipino people who are exposed to the stark realities of life, or the privileged few who refuse to see and acknowledge the conditions in which the many more live?
Despite confusing statements from various Malacañang officials, reproductive health advocates still laud the official position of the President that she will not meddle in the deliberations of the controversial reproductive health bill. We are happy to hear that the President will let her allies make their own decisions. After all, the essence of reproductive health is making informed choice.
Ms. Vigie Benosa-Llorin
Media Advocacy officer, PLCPD
Cell Number 0918-2936786]
Reference: Mr. Ramon San Pascual
Executive Director,
Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development Foundation Inc. (PLCPD)
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