(Knowing the details of the proposed law is important in having a healthy debate on the issue. Here’s the full text of House Bill No. 5043, which is in substitution to HB Nos. 17, 812, 2753 and 3970, introduced during the first regular session of the 14th Congress by Honorables Edcel C. Lagman, Janettte L. Garin, Narciso D. Santiago III, Mark Llandro Mendoza, Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel and Elandro Jesus F. Madrona. You could also read the Facts Sheet and the Explanatory Note relating to the Reproductive Health and Population Development Act. Poll also here. See also updated bill, House Bill 4244, the updated article on RH Bill, and the open discussion, without need of registration. )
HOUSE BILL NO. 5043
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL POLICY ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD AND POPULATION DEVELOPMENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008“.
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State upholds and promotes responsible parenthood, informed choice, birth spacing and respect for life in conformity with internationally recognized human rights standards.
The State shall uphold the right of the people, particularly women and their organizations, to effective and reasonable participation in the formulation and implementation of the declared policy.
This policy is anchored on the rationale that sustainable human development is better assured with a manageable population of healthy, educated and productive citizens.
The State likewise guarantees universal access to medically-safe, legal, affordable and quality reproductive health care services, methods, devices, supplies and relevant information thereon even as it prioritizes the needs of women and children,among other underprivileged sectors.
SEC. 3. Guiding Principles. – This Act declares the following as basic guiding principles:
a. In the promotion of reproductive health, there should be no bias for either modern or natural methods of family planning;
b. Reproductive health goes beyond a demographic target because it is principally about health and rights;
c. Gender equality and women empowerment are central elements of reproductive health and population development;
d. Since manpower is the principal asset of every country, effective reproductive health care services must be given primacy to ensure the birth and care of healthy children and to promote responsible parenting;
e. The limited resources of the country cannot be suffered to, be spread so thinly to service a burgeoning multitude that makes the allocations grossly inadequate and effectively meaningless;
f. Freedom of informed choice, which is central to the exercise of any right, must be fully guaranteed by the State like the right itself;
g. While the number and spacing of children are left to the sound judgment of parents and couples based on their personal conviction and religious beliefs, such concerned parents and couples, including unmarried individuals, should be afforded free and full access to relevant, adequate and correct information on reproductive health and human sexuality and should be guided by qualified State workers and professional private practitioners;
h. Reproductive health, including the promotion of breastfeeding, must be the joint concern of the National Government and Local Government Units(LGUs);
i. Protection and promotion of gender equality, women empowerment and human rights, including reproductive health rights, are imperative;
j. Development is a multi-faceted process that calls for the coordination and integration of policies, plans, programs and projects that seek to uplift the quality of life of the people, more particularly the poor, the needy and the marginalized;
k. Active participation by and thorough consultation with concerned non-government organizations (NGOs), people’s organizations (POs) and communities are imperative to ensure that basic policies, plans, programs and projects address the priority needs of stakeholders;
l. Respect for, protection and fulfillment of reproductive health rights seek to promote not only the rights and welfare of adult individuals and couples but those of adolescents’ and children’s as well; and
m. While nothing in this Act changes the law on abortion, as abortion remains a crime and is punishable, the government shall ensure that women seeking care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner.
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall be defined as follows:
a. Responsible Parenthood – refers to the will, ability and cornmitTrient of parents to respond to the needs and aspirations of the family and children more particularly through family planning;
b. Family Planning – refers to a program which enables couple, and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have the information and means to carry out their decisions, and to have informed choice and access to a full range of safe, legal and effective family planning methods, techniques and devices.
c. Reproductive Health -refers to the state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its funcitions and processes. This implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life, that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so, provided that these are not against the law. This further implies that women and men are afforded equal status in matters related to sexual relations and reproduction.
d. Reproductive Health Rights – refers to the rights of individuals and couples do decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children; to make other decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence; to have the information and means to carry out their decisions; and to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health.
e. Gender Equality – refers to the absence of discrimination on the basis of a person’s sex, in opportunities, allocation of resources and benefits, and access to services.
f. Gender Equity – refers to fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits and responsibilities between women and men, and often requires. women-specific projects and programs to eliminate existing inequalities, inequities, policies and practices unfavorable too women.
g. Reproductive Health Care – refers to the availability of and access to a full range of methods, techniques, supplies and services that contribute to reproductive and sexual health and well-being by preventing and solving reproductive health-related problems in order to achieve enhancement of life and personal relations. The elements of reproductive health care include:
1. Maternal, infant and child health and nutrition;
2. Promotion of breastfeeding;
3. Family planning information end services;
4. Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications;
5. Adolescent and youth health;
6. Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections (RTIs), HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmittable infections (STIs);
7. Elimination of violence against women;
8. Education and counseling on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health;
9. Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers and other gynecological conditions;
10. Male involvement and participation in reproductive health;,
11. Prevention and treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction; and
12. Reproductive health education for the youth.
h. Reproductive Health Education – refers to the process of acquiring complete, accurate and relevant information on all matters relating to the reproductive system, its functions and processes and human sexuality; and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, interpersonal relationships, affection, intimacy and gender roles. It also includes developing the necessary skills do be able to distinguish between facts and myths on sex and sexuality; and critically evaluate. and discuss the moral, religious, social and cultural dimensions of related sensitive issues such as contraception and abortion.
i. Male involvement and participation – refers to the involvement, participation, commitment and joint responsibility of men with women in all areas of sexual and reproductive health, as well as reproductive health concerns specific to men.
j. Reproductive tract infection (RTI) – refers do sexually transmitted infections, sexually transmitted diseases and other types of-infections affecting the reproductive system.
k. Basic Emergency Obstetric Care – refers to lifesaving services for maternal complication being provided by a health facility or professional which must include the following six signal functions: administration of parenteral antibiotics; administration of parrenteral oxyttocic drugs; administration of parenteral anticonvulsants for pre-eclampsia and iampsia; manual removal of placenta; and assisted vaginal delivery.
l. Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care – refers to basic emergency obstetric care plus two other signal functions: performance of caesarean section and blood transfusion.
m. Maternal Death Review – refers to a qualitative and in-depth study of the causes of maternal death with the primary purpose of preventing future deaths through changes or additions to programs, plans and policies.
n. Skilled Attendant – refers to an accredited health professional such as a licensed midwife, doctor or nurse who has adequate proficiency and the skills to manage normal (uncomplicated) pregnancies, childbirth and the immediate postnatal period, and in the identification, management and referral of complication in women and newborns.
o. Skilled Attendance – refers to childbirth managed by a skilled attendant under the enabling conditions of a functional emergencyobstetric care and referral system.
p. Development – refers to a multi-dimensional process involving major changes in social structures, popular attitudes, and national institutions as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality and the eradication of widespread poverty.
q. Sustainable Human Development – refers to the totality of the process of expending human choices by enabling people to enjoy long, healthy and productive lives, affording them access to resources needed for a decent standard of living and assuring continuity and acceleration of development by achieving a balance between and among a manageable population, adequate resources and a healthy environment.
r. Population Development – refers to a program that aims to: (1) help couples and parents achieve their desired family size; (2) improve reproductive health of individuals by addressing reproductive health problems; (3) contribute to decreased maternal and infant mortality rates and early child mortality; (4) reduce incidence of teenage pregnancy; and (5) enable government to achieve a balanced population distribution.
SEC. 5. The Commission on Population (POPC0NI). – Pursuant to the herein declared policy, the Commission on Population (POPCOM) shall serve as the central planning, coordinating, implementing and monitoring body for the comprehensive and integrated policy on reproductive health and population development. In the implementation of this policy, POPCOM, which shall be an attached agency of the Department of Health (DOH) shall have the following functions:
a. To create an enabling environment for women and couples to make an informed choice regarding the family planning method that is best suited to their needs and personal convictions;
b. To integrate on a continuing basis the interrelated reproductive health and population development agenda into a national policy, taking into account regional and local concerns;
c. To provide the mechanism to ensure active and full participation of the private sector and the citizenry through their organizations in the planning and implementation of reproductive health care and population development programs and projects;
d. To ensure people’s access to medically safe, legal, quality and affordable reproductive health goods and services;
e. To facilitate the involvement and participation of non-government organizations and the private sector in reproductive health care service delivery and in the production, distribution and delivery of quality reproductive: health and family planning supplies and commodities to make them accessible and affordable to ordinary citizens;
f. To fully implement the Reproductive Health Care Program with the following components:
(1) Reproductive health education including but not limited to counseling on the full range of legal and medically-safe family planning methods including surgical methods;
(2) Maternal, pen-natal and post-natal education, care and services;
(3) Promotion of breastfeeding;
(4) Promotion of male involvement, participation and responsibility in reproductive health as well as other reproductive health concerns of men;
(5) Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications; and
(6) Provision of information and services addressing the reproductive health needs of the poor, senior citizens, women in prostitution, differently-abled persons, and women and children in war AND crisis situations.
g. To ensure that reproductive health services are delivered with a full range of supplies, facilities and equipment and that service providers are adequately trained for reproductive health care;
h. To endeavor to furnish local Family Planning Offices with appropriate information and resources to keep the latter updated on current studies and research relating to family planning, responsible parenthood, breastfeeding and infant nutrition;
i. To direct all public hospitals to make available to indigent mothers who deliver their children in these government hospitals, upon the mothers request, the procedure of ligation without cost to her;
j. To recommend the enactment of legislation and adoption of executive measures that will strengthen and enhance the national policy on reproductive health and population development;
k. To ensure a massive and sustained information drive on responsible parenthood and on all methods and techniques to prevent unwanted, unplanned and mistimed pregnancies, it shall release information bulletins on the same for nationwide circulation to all government departments, agencies and instrumentalities, non-government organizations and the private sector, schools, public and private libraries, tri-media outlets, workplaces, hospitals and concerned health institutions;
l. To strengthen the capacities of health regulatory agencies to ensure safe, high-quality, accessible, and affordable reproductive health services and commodities with the concurrent strengthening and enforcement of regulatory mandates and mechanisms;
m. To take active steps to expand the coverage of the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP), especially among poor and marginalized women, to include the full range of reproductive health services and supplies as health insurance benefits; and
n. To perform such other functions necessary to attain the purposes of this Act.
The membership of the Board of Commissioners of POPCOM shall consist of the heads of the following AGENCIES:
1. National Economic DevelopmentAuthority (VEDA)
2. Department of Health (DOH)
3. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
4. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
5. Department of Agriculture (DA)
6. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
7. Department of Education (DepEd)
8. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
9. Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
10. University of the Philippines Population Institute (UPPI)
11. Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAFI)
12. National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPQ
13. National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW)
14. National Youth Commission (NYC)
In addition to the aforementioned, members, there shall be three private sector representatives to the Board of Commissioners of POPCOM who shall come from NGOs. There shall be one (1) representative each from women, youth and health sectors who have a proven track record of involvement in the promotion of reproductive health. These representatives shall be nominated in a process determined by the above-mentioned sectors, and to be appointed by the President for a term of three (3)years.
SEC. 6. Midwives for Skilled Attendance. -Every city and municipality shall endeavor to employ adequate number of midwives or other skilled attendants to achieve a minimum ratio of one (1)for every one hundred fifty (150) deliveries per year, to be based on the average annual number of actual deliveries or live births for the past two years.
SEC. 7. Emergency Obstetric Care. – Each province. and city shall endeavor to ensure the establishment and operation of hospitals with adequate and qualified personnel that provide emergency obstetric care. For every 500,000 population, there shall be at least one (1) hospital for comprehensive emergency obstetric care and four (4) hospitals for basic emergency obstetric care.
SEC. 8. Maternal Death Review. – All LGUs, national and local government hospitals, and other public health units shall conduct maternal death review in accordance with the guidelines to be issued by the DOH in consultation with the POPCOM.
SEC. 9. Hospital-Based Family Planning. -Tubal ligation, vasectomy, intrauterine device insertion and other family planning methods requiring hospital services shall be available in all national and local government hospitals, except: in specialty hospitals which may render such services on an optional basis. For indigent patients, such services shall be fully covered by PhilHealth insurance and/or government financial assistance.
SEC. 10. Contraceptives as Essential Medicines. – Hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices, injectables and other allied reproductive health products and supplies shall be considered under the category of essential medicines and supplies which shall form part of the National Drug Formulary and the same shall be included in the regular purchase of essential medicines and supplies of all national and lord hospitals and other government health units.
SEC. 11. Mobile Health Care Service. -Each Congressional District shall be provided with a van to be known as the Mobile Health Care Service (MHOS) to deliver health care goods and services to its constituents, more particularly to the poor and needy, as well as disseminate knowledge and information on reproductive health: Provided, That reproductive health education shall be conducted by competent and adequately trained persons preferably reproductive health care providers: Provided, further, That the full range of family planning methods, both natural and modern, shall be promoted.
The acquisition, operation and maintenance of the MRCS shall be funded from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of each Congressional District.
The MHCS shall be adequately equipped with a wide range of reproductive health care materials and information dissemination devices and equipment, the latter including but not limited to, a television set for audio-visual presentation.
SEC. 12. Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health Education. – Recognizing the importance of reproductive health rights in empowering the youth and developing them into responsible adults, Reproductive Health Education in an age-appropriate manner shall be taught by adequately trained teachers starting from Grade 5 up to Fourth Year High School. In order to assure the prior training of teachers on reproductive health, the implementation of Reproductive Health Education shall commence at the start of the school year one year following the effectivity of this Act. The POPCOM, in coordination with the Department of Education, shall formulate the Reproductive Health Education curriculum, which shall be common to both public and private schools and shall include related population and development concepts in addition to the following subjects and standards:
a. Reproductive health and sexual rights;
b. Reproductive health care and services;
c. Attitudes, beliefs and values on sexual development, sexual behavior and sexual health;
d. Proscription and hazards of abortion and management of post-abortion complications;
e. Responsible parenthood.
f. Use and application of natural and modern family planning methods to promote reproductive health, achieve desired family size and prevent unwanted, unplanned and mistimed pregnancies;
g. Abstinence before marriage;
h. Prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other, STIs/STDs, prostate cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and other gynecological disorders;
i. Responsible sexuality; and
j. Maternal, peri-natal and post-natal education, care and services.
In support of the natural, and primary right of parents in the rearing of the youth, the POPCOM shall provide concerned parents with adequate and relevant scientific materials on the age-appropriate topics and manner of teaching reproductive health education to their children.
In the elementary level, reproductive health education shall focus, among others, on values formation.
Non-formal education programs shall likewise include the abovementioned reproductive Health Education.
SEC. 13. Additional Duty of Family Planning 0ffice. – Each local Family Planning Office shall furnish for free instructions and information on family planning, responsible parenthood, breastfeeding and infant nutrition to all applicants for marriage license.
SEC. 14. Certificate of Compliance. – No marriage license shall be issued by the Local Civil Registrar unless the applicants present a Certificate of Compliance issued for free by the local Family Planning Office certifying that they had duly received adequate instructions and information on family planning, responsible parenthood, breastfeeding and infant nutrition.
SEC. 15. Capability Building of Community-Based Volunteer Workers. – Community-based volunteer workers, like but not limited to, Barangay Health Workers, shall undergo additional and updated training on the delivery of reproductive health care services and shall receive not less than 10% increase in honoraria upon successful completion of training. The increase in honoraria shall be funded from the Gender and Development (GAD) budget of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
SEC. 16. Ideal Family Size. – The State shall assist couples, parents and individuals to achieve their desired family size within the context of responsible parenthood for sustainable development and encourage them to have two children as the ideal family size. Attaining the ideal family size is neither mandatory nor compulsory. No punitive action shall be imposed on parents having more than two children.
SEC. 17. Employers’ Responsibilities. – Employers shall respect the reproductive health rights of all their workers. Women shall not be discriminated against in the matter of hiring, regularization of employment status or selection for retrenchment.
All Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) shall provide for the free delivery by the employer of reasonable quantity of reproductive health care services, supplies and devices to all workers, more particularly women workers. In establishments or enterprises where there are no CBAs or where the employees are unorganized, the employer shall have the same obligation.
SEC. 18. Support of Private and Non-government Health Care Service Providers. – Pursuant to Section 5(b) hereof, private reproductive health care service providers, including but not limited to gynecologists and obstetricians, are encouraged to join their colleagues in non-government organizations in rendering such services free of charge or at reduced professional fee rates to indigent and low income patients.
SEC. 19. Multi-Media Campaign. – POPCOM shall initiate and sustain an intensified nationwide multi-media campaign to raise the level of public awareness on the urgent need to protect and promote reproductive health and rights.
SEC. 20. Reporting Requirements. – Before the end of April of each year,the DOH shall submit an annual report to the President of the Philippines, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on a definitive and comprehensive assessment of the implementation of this Act and shall make the necessary recommendations for executive and legislative action. The report shall be posted in the website of DOH and printed copies shall be made available to all stakeholders.
SEC. 21. Prohibited Acts. – The following acts are prohibited:
a) Any health care service provider, whether public or private, who shall:
1. Knowingly withhold information or impede the dissemination thereof, and/or intentionally provide incorrect information regarding programs and services on reproductive health including the right to informed choice and access to a full range of legal, medically-safe and effective family planning methods;
2. Refuse to perform voluntary ligation and vasectomy and other legal and medically-safe reproductive health care services on any person of legal age on the ground of lack of spousal consent or authorization.
3. Refuse to provide reproductive health care services to an abused minor, whose abused condition is certified by the proper official or personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or to duly DSWD-certified abused pregnant minor on whose case no parental consent is necessary.
4. Fail to provide, either deliberately or through gross or inexcusable negligence, reproductive health care services as mandated under this Act, the Local Government Code of 1991, the Labor Code, and Presidential Decree 79, as amended; and
5. Refuse to extend reproductive health care services and information on account of the patient’s civil status, gender or sexual orientation, age, religion, personal circumstances, and nature of work; Provided, That all conscientious objections of health care service providers based on religious grounds shall be respected: Provided, further, That the conscientious objector shall immediately refer the person seeking such care and services to another health care service provider within the same facility or one which is conveniently accessible: Provided, finally, That the patient is not in an emergency or serious case as defined in RA 8344 penalizing the refusal of hospitals and medical clinics to administer appropriate initial medical treatment and support in emergency and serious cases.
b) Any public official who prohibits or restricts personally or through a subordinate the delivery of legal and medically-safe reproductive health care services, including family planning;
c) Any employer who shall fail to comply with his obligation under Section 17 of this Act or an employer who requires a female applicant or employee, as a condition for employment or continued employment, to involuntarily undergo sterilization, tubal ligation or any other form of contraceptive method;
d) Any person who shall falsify a certificate of compliance as required in Section 14 of this Act; and
e) Any person who maliciously engages in disinformation about the intent or provisions of this Act.
SEC. 22. Penalties. – The proper city or municipal court shall exercise jurisdiction over violations of this Act and the accused who is found guilty shall be sentenced to an imprisonment ranging from one (1) month to six (6) months or a fine ranging from Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) to Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court. If the offender is a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed upon the president, treasurer, secretary or any responsible officer. An offender who is an alien shall, after service of sentence, be deported immediately without further proceedings by the Bureau of Immigration. An offender who is a public officer or employee shall suffer the accessory penalty of dismissal from the government service.
Violators of this Act shall be civilly liable to the offended party in such amount at the discretion of the proper court.
SEC. 23. Appropriations. – The amounts appropriated in the current annual General Appropriations Act for reproductive health and family planning under the DOH and POPCOM together with ten percent (10%) of the Gender and Development (GAD) budgets of all government departments, agencies, bureaus, offices and instrumentalities funded in the annual General Appropriations Act in accordance with Republic Act No. 7192 (Women in Development and Nation-building Act) and Executive Order No. 273 (Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development 1995-2025) shall be allocated and utilized for the implementation of this Act. Such additional sums as may be necessary for the effective implementation of this Act shall be Included in the subsequent years’ General Appropriations Acts.
SEC. 24. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health shall promulgate, after thorough consultation with the Commission on Population (POPCOM), the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), concerned non-government organizations (NGOs) and known reproductive health advocates, the requisite implementing rules and regulations.
SEC. 25. Separability Clause. – If any part, section or provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
SEC. 26. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, Orders, issuances, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
SEC. 27. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation.
how about for those family who cant afford to supply the contraceptives. for those family has less income to buy those modern contraceptives such as injectibles or pills.
how about for those less fortunate family that dont have any idea or knowledge about the health bill.
pls send your answer in my e-mail
What if a person got married then after 2 years he remarry again,my question is,,is the sa time of married to another woman is it void or illegal?
Proponents of H.B, 5043 “Reproductive Health” bill always cite that that the Philippines is over-populated at 90+ million people to rationalize their support for artificial birth control. But is the country really overpopulated? And the implication is that our country is poor because of that 90-million figure.
Population figures are meaningless if we don’t take into consideration the area where that figure lives. For example, what does it mean that Japan has 127 million people? Or that the U.S.A. has 309 million?
Let’s take a look at a sample of Wikipedia’s listing of countries according to population DENSITY, or the number of people in every square kilometer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population_density), April 24, 2010:
Rank Country People/Sq.Km.
1 Macau 18,534
2 Monaco 16,923
3 Singapore 7,022
4 Hong Kong 6,348
…
43 Philippines 307
…
129 Ethiopia 71
Compared to the thousands of the top 4 most-densely populated countries, the Philippines at 307 is hardly “over-populated”!
And what about the overpopulation=poverty myth? The top 4 countries are so RICH! Macau is Asia’s playground for billionaires, streets choked with Rolls Royces. Monaco is summer capital to Europe’s kings, princes, dukes and other royalty. No need to say anything about Singapore and Hong Kong.
These top 4 countries are so small and have no natural resources to brag about but yet so rich. So is the Philippines poor because there are “too many” Filipinos and that we have no natural resources? Look at Ethiopia in Africa. If less people means more wealth to be shared, Ethiopia should be at the top of the list, instead of being one of the world’s poorest.
Some people may argue that the top 4 are rich because they are small and easy to manage in spite their large population. So let’s look at huge China with its 1.3 BILLION. It is the fastest growing economy in the world, predicted to overtake the U.S.A. in about a decade, and even now lends money to the U.S.A.!
Right within our own country, compare the population-to-wealth ratio of Sequijor, Cebu and Manila. Obviously, the more population, the wealthier the place!
Now guess what is our country’s biggest dollar earner? It’s our Overseas Foreign Workers – human life.
Clearly, life is God’s GIFT and a nation’s WEALTH!
So what is causing our poverty?
RIIIGHT! CORRUPTION! And the guilty ones hide their sins by blaming us the people for having too many children! What if by a miracle, our population is cut in half a year from now, will our country start getting richer if corruption is still there? Of course not!
(How true is the rumor that those who support H.B. 5043 are offered millions by giant foreign pharmaceuticals who make birth control pills and devices? Hopefully not true…)
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So okay, the Philippines is not over-populated AND over-population does not cause poverty. But what about on the family and personal level?
No one can argue that feeding more mouths requires more money. But will it make us poor? We have all heard of stories of immigrants from China escaping the poverty and oppression there. They came in dirt-poor, ate “lugaw”, had 10 children, worked hard, became millionaires, and now control our economy! Many successful Filipinos share the same life story, coming from very large families, and struggling and sacrificing all the way to the top. Yet we also know many families with only one or two children but remain very poor all their lives.
Children do not make us poor. Poverty is caused by many more crucial factors like lack of education, lack of opportunities, lack of drive, lack of discipline, lack of inheritance, even lack of luck. But one thing is sure, lack of children will not make us rich.
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But what if we just want to give more quality time and better education to fewer children? Now THERE is a very good and very noble intention! The healthiest and the BEST way to do this is to abstain during fertile days.
Abstention (self-denial) is self-discipline and builds our character. It is the same discipline we use to abstain from stealing government money; to abstain from cheating at school and at taxes; to abstain from extra-marital affairs; to abstain from skipping classes and cutting work hours; to abstain from bribing policemen; and to abstain from selling our votes.
And this abstention we practice is exactly the same abstention we are teaching our children: to abstain from eating too much candy, to abstain from over-spending, to abstain from pre-marital sex, and to abstain from drugs… to be children of strong character and will-power, not weaklings and spoiled brats.
Artificial birth control on the other hand, offers us the “choice” of indulging in pleasure without responsibility; the same easy “choice” of accepting bribe money instead of hard work and sacrifice; the same easy “choice” to cheat during exams rather than study diligently; the same “choice” for instant gratification over self-denial and patience; the same “choice” to behave like dogs and monkeys, urinating and copulating, anytime and anywhere the urge strikes them, rather than conduct ourselves as the noble descendants of Lapu-lapu, Gabriela Silang, and the Katipuneros.
Let us re-learn the values of abstention, self-denial and discipline. Such virtues will harden us, strengthen our character, enrich our families, make our country great again, and get us to heaven some day.
We are really at the end of time era. These are all Satan’s work. We should be aware how he works. As he said “I Pretend to love men, in order to destroy them; serve them, in order to ruin them and deceive them; help them, in order to pervert them and draw them into these my hellish regions.”
People have been persuaded by the devil that they are entitled to have sex when they choose, rejecting any unwanted life that may result. The enemy may tell you “God is too demanding and unreasonable”. “If we distributed more condoms we would not have disease or the need to abort babies”. “It’s God’s fault because God’s Church is against the use of condoms”.
Sexual intercourse, by its nature and intent is potentially life giving act. This is God’s version. The enemy’s version is that sex can be closed to give life and used for physical pleasure only. Enemy’s version of sex is selfish, emotionally dangerous, and bad for humanity. The enemy offers an answer to this too, and led souls to avoid consequences by offering
widespread contraception and abortion. Both men and women are now told that sinful sexual behaviors are allowable and acceptable. God intends that a man and woman enter a blessed union (through marriage) and then share their sexuality with one another. The devil is mocking God because he depicts God’s purpose. He is laughing because many led astray on this sin.
Sec 3 on Guiding Principles of the Reproductive Health Bill stated at paragraph e: The limited resources of the country cannot be suffered to, be spread so thinly to service a burgeoning multitude that makes the allocations grossly inadequate and effectively meaningless.
Is it because the rate of number of lives to be sustained is higher than the rate of the amount of resources that could provide sustenance?
I agree that our resources are limited as everything in this world is limited right from the beginning. Did we perish when we did not stop population growth from the beginning? That means we did not run out of resources then as to have caused us to perish today. That means that each family had food available. Now how come that today, in this supposedly advanced technology of the world, not all family can have food available for them? If true, then how is it that today, we can have one family who, aside from owning long chain of supermarkets and large tracks of lands, could very well afford to eat food the quantity equivalent of more than one hundred meals at three times a day if they could accommodate that much in their stomach? Is this amount, not more than the equivalent of three good meals a day for 30 families with 10 children each? Is this amount of food not excess? Yet how is it that today, for every one family who could afford to eat that much quantity of food, we have thirty families of 6 children who could not eat three adequate meals a day?
Mr Bungangkahoy, I implore you to read before ranting. may I highlight the following for you since you obviously are too lazy to gather necessary information before yapping.
SEC. 12. Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health Education. – Recognizing the importance of reproductive health rights in empowering the youth and developing them into responsible adults, Reproductive Health Education in an age-appropriate manner shall be taught by adequately trained teachers starting from Grade 5 up to Fourth Year High School. In order to assure the prior training of teachers on reproductive health, the implementation of Reproductive Health Education shall commence at the start of the school year one year following the effectivity of this Act. The POPCOM, in coordination with the Department of Education, shall formulate the Reproductive Health Education curriculum, which shall be common to both public and private schools and shall include related population and development concepts in addition to the following subjects and standards:
a. Reproductive health and sexual rights;
b. Reproductive health care and services;
c. Attitudes, beliefs and values on sexual development, sexual behavior and sexual health;
d. Proscription and hazards of abortion and management of post-abortion complications;
e. Responsible parenthood.
f. Use and application of natural and modern family planning methods to promote reproductive health, achieve desired family size and prevent unwanted, unplanned and mistimed pregnancies;
g. Abstinence before marriage;
h. Prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other, STIs/STDs, prostate cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and other gynecological disorders;
i. Responsible sexuality; and
j. Maternal, peri-natal and post-natal education, care and services.
Sec 3 on Guiding Principles of the Reproductive Health Bill stated at paragraph e: The limited resources of the country cannot be suffered to, be spread so thinly to service a burgeoning multitude that makes the allocations grossly inadequate and effectively meaningless.
Is it because the rate of increase of number of lives to be sustained, to the increase of amount of resources that could provide sustenance, is higher?
I agree that our material resources are limited as everything in this world is limited right from the beginning. Back to thousands of years earlier than 2000 years ago, did the people live in a situation of abundance of material resources for sustenance? Sustenance for material resources was derived merely from gathering and hunting. Was that abundance compared to today? Even during the later period, when agriculture became the technology for material resources sustenance, there was yet no such mass movements to suppress population growth. There were those who lived with enough. But there were those like the rich and powerful kingdoms who conquered other territories of other kingdoms and slaughtered or enslaved the vanquished and looted their resources as a means to sustain the conqueror kingdom. They lived then, as if resources for them was limited. From those events, was there actually a shortage of material resources at that time? Or was it more of fear due to greed? Was the behavior of people then, towards the share of material resources any different from that of now? The technology then, was mass murder of the living.
Today, the same fear of limited resources is gripping us. Yet, inspite of all the supposedly more advanced technology for material resources sustenance of the world, why is it that not all families can have food available for them? How is it that today, we can have one family who, aside from owning long chain of supermarkets and large tracks of lands, could very well afford to feed each member of that family of say 12, the quantity equivalent of more than one hundred meals at three times a day if they could accommodate that much in their stomach? Is this amount, not more than the equivalent of three good meals a day for 70 families with 12 children each? Is this amount of food not excess? Yet how is it that today, there are families who could afford to eat that much quantity of food, while there are families of 6 children who could not eat three adequate meals a day? Is this not greed causing hunger?
Some of those who belong to such families who could well afford to be fed more than a hundred meals in one mealtime if their stomach could accommodate that much, have blamed families who could not afford to have three meals a day to be lazy. Have they not seen family members who had to labor 12 hours a day to be able to eat two times a day everyday because that is the only capability they have as a result of the business of this well-fed family members which: control markets; have contractual policies; have oppressive compensation policies; or which have been displacing small retailers from the areas they have established their own giant businesses? Is this the general result of greed or laziness? Is not the RH Bill then promoting greed for blaming high population growth as cause of hunger while ignoring greed as the cause? Or is it promoting laziness for providing easy instant artificial technology to an imbalance of nature which can be corrected by a long and hard working natural developmental process?
By having the same fear and technology for material resources sustenance of many of the powerful people back in the period of more than 2000 years ago, this time is it not a more subtle technology which the bill is promoting RH or Replicating Herod?
The name of the Bill is, Reproductive Health and Population Development. Is it really healthy for a reproductive organ to be invaded by synthetic substances? There have been numerous reports stating that levels of dependence of farms on synthetic substances for fertilizers and pesticides which are being injected into it, have progressively increased thru the years. These farms have already reached the point of already becoming sterile. Thus the nutrients of the plants on the soil will be perpetually sustained solely by synthetic substances. Is this the kind of food we want? As the natural cycle of nutrient production within the soil is continuously being damaged by synthetic substances, the cycle will reach the point of death. The life of plants then will be no different from a patient whose practically all organs are already dead but is till being made to pump oxygen to the body by machines, tubes, and synthetic substances just to make his heart beat continuously. As it is with the farm, so it must be with human beings who are more sensitive to life than farms.
Is it really healthy to let our body be invaded by synthetic substances?
I hope this bill will soon become a law. To all Religious leaders please respect the separation of state and church under our Constitution.
To: Eustaquio Bungangkahoy
Your comment is very impressive but you’re not reading the RH Bill. What a waste of a good comment.
RH Bill is not for population control as you have stated. This Bill is to empower the Filipinos the “Freedom of informed choice” and “Responsible Parenthood” for a better family living.
Information is unlimitted for those who seek it…nasa internet age na tayo…lahat mauungkat isang click lang…
Responsible parenthood…are the RH bill proponents stating that majority of the Filipino parents are not responsible?or we just look on special cases…
Let us not simply talk on majority favors the bill…lets look on the basis to whom will it apply…how many percent are ignorant filipino parent we have?are you one of them that’s why you favor it?
This bill is out of place…a man with sound mind don’t even need to go to school to understand this things…very common sense…
its really sad that the issue have dragged for so long. the lawmakers shud impose a time limit or a deadline to gather all opinions and then act on it. its time to decide whether its going to be beneficial to the filipinos or not. are we over populated? definitely… is there rampant corruption? definitely… are over population and corruption related? not really… are the solution to one problem a solution to all our problem? of course not… why not deal with the problem separately… address the problem of over population.. address the problem of corruption.. them perhaps we can say that slowly we are building our nation for the benefit of the next generation. let us not forget that the next generation is be the focal point of the debate. will the RH bill finally end our misery? of course not… will the church’s opinion make a for a better life? definitely not… as citizens, how do we take responsibility in these issue? be aware… as lawmakers, shud they weigh the benefits of the passage of the law? definitely… its really how the law will make for a better life and not the argument of just one personality that matters… is the passage of the law a path to a better life for all filipinos… absolutely!!
On the question of whether we’re overpopulated or not, this is debatable. I have to agree with Mr. B, Singapore is not as resource-rich as the Philippines yet has a DENSER population. Yet it is more successful in managing its resources. Moreover, it is a country that as a regressing fertility rate. In fact, it is ENCOURAGING it’s citizens to reproduce. So thus, question of necessity of the bill is valid.
On the question of what the true intent of the bill, I would agree with lyjhugeo that the bill seeks to “empower the Filipinos the “Freedom of informed choice” and “Responsible Parenthood” for a better family living” to quote verbatim. Yet I cannot discount that it is a population control bill. Sec. 5 defines within the responsibilities of the Population Commission the promotion of a national policy for ‘population development’ which is further defined in the bill itself (mentioned 4 times under this section). The bill’s definition of the term contains 5 items which is an uncomfortable mix of promotion of individual metrics (1-4 are derived from statistics on family size, improved reproductive health [DOH count on reproductive health statistics]) and state-policy metrics population distribution (now, how do we define and quantify this is beyond the bill so far). Thus, in itself is problematic because it does not state which metrics reconcile both thrusts.
On the question of abortion, I would disagree with the bill when it says in Sec. 3m that this bill does not change anything on abortion laws but that blanket provision would not have little effect if there are provision that open up possibilities for state sanctioned abortions. I use the term state sanction abortions to make explicit that certain contraceptives are abortifacient and the bill does not explicitly distance itself from the use of those methods. In fact, the danger is that it a blanket statement that contraceptives should be classified as essential medicines which government it mandated to purchase. This is a very controversial point because this goes in direct contradiction to The Constitution (Article 2, Sec. 12 which reads: It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the UNBORN FROM CONCEPTION). Thus, instead of making the anti-abortion policy stronger… this bill actually weakens it (if it passes to law) by introducing conflicts in law which will eventually need to be resolved by Jurisprudence or case law.
Further to the question of constitutionality, the constitution (on the same section), outlines that the state should EQUALLY protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn. Bar one (mentioning that the laws on abortion shall not be overturned by provisions of this bill… which as discussed in the previous paragraph is basically useless), the bill has weighed more on the life of the mother.
On the question of who’s decision is weightier with regards to reproductive health… the individual and couple, the bill again does not clearly outline that policy and rules surrounding this. Yet, with Sec. 21 b2, it seemed it weighed again more on the individual rather than the couple’s choice… a clear clash with Constituional policy. The bill reads on that section that one of the prohibited and penalizable acts is the refusal to “perform voluntary ligation and vasectomy and other legal and medically-safe reproductive health care services on any person of legal age on the ground of lack of spousal consent or authorization.” The effective term is LACK OF SPOUSAL CONSENT cannot be a ground for refusal of ligation/vasectomy. This clause is contradictory to the Constitution which says, “The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution.” How does it strengthen the family when one member can override the decision of the other by force of this law (as the law says such individual right shall supersede the right of the spouse for communal determination of the direction of the family)?
Prior violations to the constitution discussed in previous paragraphs are not as gruesome as violations which will be discussed by succeeding paragraphs. Prior violations are against non-self-implementing provisions. Succeeding violations directly contradict provision under the Bill of Rights which are self-implementing. One in particular is with regards to the right to Freedom of Speech. This is one of the sacred freedoms that the Constitution RECOGNIZES. Notice the term used… RECOGNIZE. Time and time again, the Supreme Court used this term to emphasize that the Constitution did not GRANT these rights but RECOGNIZES these rights as part of humans’ natural constitution. Freedom of Speech in many of the Supreme Courts decision includes the freedom to make erroneous statements. Yet, this bill penalizes such speech. Sec. 22 provides for penalties for violations enumerated under Sec. 21 which includes paragraph e: “Any person who maliciously engages in disinformation about the intent or provisions of this Act.” Granted, that the disinformation must be malicious… that it must be proved… such provision is prior restrain to freedom of speech.
Another instance by which freedom of speech is curtailed is to violate the Non-Establishment provisions which are offshoots of the freedom of speech. Concretely, this is the freedom to exercise religion (Sec. 5 of the Bill of Rights). Sec 12 of the bill mandates a reproductive health curriculum which shall be common to both private and public institutions which puts equal emphasis on both modern and natural family planning methods. Some religious institutions do not profess to modern family planning methods and prefer to teach the later. Sec 5 of the Constitution guarantees these institutions that such preference is respected. And this has been calcified by a number of Supreme Court decisions. Just look at the flag cases where national patrimony was placed lower in priorities over free exercise clauses.
This objection also extends to what the bill calls reproductive health care provider which lacks in definition. At one point, it defines the provider as a medical practitioner. At another, it defines the provider as an educator. It seems that the provider is the main agent by which provisions of this bill aims to use to propagate its policies. Yet, it has not made any effort to formalize these roles and deputize them. To this end, it does not guarantee that these agents are depoliticized and de-commercialized. Such I believe fuels the suspicion that private contraceptive companies are the primary benefactors of this bill.
I really disagree to the RH BILL. As a member of a christian country instead of condom why not moral recovery program? because if you say condom it is more likely saying you are promoting sexual immorality that even young people can freely use condom and have sex.
LIFE is a gift. God has a purpose , we are not an accident,God created us for a reason.
For example im an inventor,only me knows whats the reason for what i invented.then let me ask you,who created us?therefore Only God knows whats the reason why he created us. DID you know that we are the only creation of god that has a moral being because like animals,they only have life but not the moral being like human does.
We are not perfect we fall into sin the mistake is in us PEOPLE!tHats why we are experiencing poverty because of the corrupt officials!
Thats why there is so called free will to choose to sin or not.its a matter of choice meaning, if we can promote moral recovery program to the communities to those who are poorest of the poor ,to the people,they will know the true meaning of life and they would be afraid to commit sin because they already had a conviction to God.
there was stated in the bible after the fall of man God said Go to the world and multiply.Yes thats true, But in a right way, not through sexual immorality and using contraceptives
SEX is designed to married people and not to the unmarried ones.
Let us not Fool ourselves.CONDOMS and other contraceptives are part of the monkey business of our government.they agree to the RH BILL because they are the ones who are truly advantaged,they gain a lot of money with that.Like Commercials.The models are teenagers or young individuals instead of married people.See?They are only just promoting SEXUAL IMMORALITY.
remember, MONEY is the root of all EVIL.
this is only my opinion,im a 2nd yr.college student Bs tourism,and im doing this because im aware to my fellow young people.let us all be guided,let us not choose the wrong path..
i agree to what rue have said…..
as a teenager this is my view/feedback:
people don’t know that “Sex is Sacred”….Sex is not for fun! it is NOT FOR LUST! once they’re having S, the fruit of it should be their responsibility! if they don’t want to be pregnant or their couple to be….why have sex right?…and besides, SEX is for MARRIED people only…I hope People would be enlightened….LUST IS ONE OF THE CAPITAL SINS!
But i know the RH bill has a positive Mission….
just what my kouhai (my junior in High School since i’m a senior High School) have said: “the RH bill is not 100% wrong. just some points are against biblical views.”
God Bless and please take note that God Loves us…..ALWAYS 😉
how dare these people rally up to the streets protesting: “RH bill is against God’s will” how the hell they know what God’s will is? thats what you call blind faith! these people think every change is against God’s will.
these people will do everything to defend their backward beliefs and traditions…