Reproductive Health Bill: Fact Sheet and Explanatory Note

Published by Atty. Fred September 16th, 2008 in Family and Property Law and Obiter/News. 23 Comments

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(Note: This is the Fact Sheet from the Committee on Health on House Bill No. 5043 [full text], in substitution to HB Nos. 17, 812, 2753 & 3970. Introduced by Reps. Edcel C. Lagman, Janette L. Garin, Narciso D.Santiago III, Mark Llandro Mendoza, Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel, Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona. The full text of the explanatory note of Rep. Edcel Lagmans House Bill No. 17, one of the substituted bills, is also reproduced below.) REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND POPULATION DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2008 OBJECTIVE/S: To uphold and promote respect for life, informed choice, birth spacing and responsible parenthood in conformity with internationally recognized human rights standards. To guarantee universal access to medically-safe, legal and quality reproductive health care services and relevant information even as it prioritizes the needs of women and children. KEY PROVISIONS: Mandates the Population Commission, to be an attached agency of the Department of Health, to be the central planning, coordinating, implementing and monitoring body for effective implementation of this Act. Provides for the creation of 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. Provides for a maternal death review in LGUs, national and local government hospitals and other public health units to decrease the incidence of maternal deaths. Ensures the availability of hospital-based family planning methods such as tubal ligation, vasectomy and intrauterine device insertion in all national and local government hospitals, except in specialty hospitals. Considers hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices, injectables and other allied reproductive health products and supplies under the category of essential medicines and supplies to form part of the National Drug Formulary and to be included in the regular purchase of essential medicines and supplies of all national and local hospitals and other government health units. Provides for a Mobile Health Care Service in every Congressional District to deliver health care goods and services. Provides Mandatory Age-appropriate Reproductive Health Education starting from Grade 5 to Fourth Year High School to develop the youth into responsible adults. Mandates the inclusion of the topics on breastfeeding and infant nutrition as essential part of the information given by the City or Municipal Office of the Family Planning to all applicants for marriage license.

 Mandates no less than 10% increase in the honoraria of community-based volunteer workers, such as the barangay health workers, upon successful completion of training on the delivery of reproductive health care services. Penalizes the violator of this Act from one month to six months imprisonment or a fine ranging from ten thousand to fifty thousand pesos or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the Court. Republic of the Philippines HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Quezon City, Metro Manila FOURTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST REGULAR SESSION HOUSE BILL NO. 17 Introduced by HONORABLE EDCEL C. LAGMAN EXPLANATORY NOTE The present population of the country of 88.7 million has galloped from 60.7 million 17 years ago. This makes the Philippines the 12th most populous nation in the world today.The Filipino womens fertility rate of 3.05% is at the upper bracket of 206 countries. With four babies born every minute, the population is expected to balloon to an alarming 160 million in 2038. It is worth noting, however, that available studies, data and statistics show that the Filipinos are responsive to having smaller-sized families through free choice of family planning methods: a. The desired fertility rate of Filipino women is 2.5 children per woman. However, the actual total fertility rate is 3.5 or a difference of one child because of the lack of information and absence of access to family planning. The current unmet need for contraceptives for example is 23.15% for poor women and 13.6% for women who are not poor (2003 National Demographic and Health Survey) b. 61% of currently married women do not want additional children (2003 National Demographic and Health Survey) c. 50.6% of the youth want to have only two children (2002 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Survey) d. 97% of all Filipinos believe it is important to have the ability to control ones fertility or to plan ones family. It is significant to note that 87% of the total respondents are Roman Catholic (February 2004 Pulse Asia Survey) e. Nearly nine in ten Filipinos or 86% say that candidates for elective positions who advocate a program for womens health should be supported while only 2% say they should be rejected and 12% are undecided on the matter; f. 82% say that candidates in favor of couples free choice of family planning methods should be supported while only 3% think otherwise and 15% are undecided;

g. 82% of Filipinos consider candidates supporting a law or measure on population issues worthy of their voltes while only 3% say such candidates should not be backed at the polls and 15% are undecided; h. 83% of Filipinos say they are in favor of candidates who support the allocation of goverment funds for family planning while only 2% say they are not and 15% are undecided; and i. A mere 8% of Filipinos believe that a candidates championing of family planning issues will spell that candidates defeat at the polls. j. In July 1991, the Social Weather Stations conducted a survey that revealed that 97% of Filipinos want to have the ability to control their fertility and plan their families. Notwithstanding these findings that favor smaller-sized families, this bill is not a population control measure with the sole objective of limiting population growth. It provides for population development that aims to: (a) help couples/parents achieve their desired fertility size in the context of responsible parenthood; (b) improve reproductive health of individuals and contribute to decreased maternal mortality rate, infant mortality and early child mortality; (c) reduce incidence of teenage pregnancy and other reproductive health problems; and (d) contribute to policies that will assist government to achieve a favorable balance between population and distribution, economic activities and the environment. This measure is not coercive. It gives couples the freedom to decide whether or not to plan their families or space or limit their children. Those who decide to plan their families also have the freedom to choose what method of contraception is best suited for them. The so called two child policy is voluntary, not compulsory; suggestive, not coercive; and absolutely not punitive. It is not even a policy. It is a suggested ideal or norm. Accordingly, this bill seeks to provide the enabling environment for couples and individuals to enjoy the basic right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have the information, education, and access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of family planning of their choice. This proposed law aims to uphold and promote the four pillars of population and development enunciated by no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself in her statement of support for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) namely: (1) responsible parenthood, (2) informed choice, (3) birth spacing, and (4) respect for life. It should be clarified, however, that this bill does not only protect the life of the unborn from the moment of implantation but that of the mother as well. Hence, the bill seeks to promote the reproductive health of women basically through massive and sustained information campaign on reproductive health rights, care, services and facilities coupled with universal access to all methods of family planning ranging from the natural to the modern which are medically safe and legally permissible. In the event they fail to prevent pregnancy and resort to abortion, they shall be provided

with appropriate health and medical care. Despite the provision for humane and compassionate management of post abortion complications, this bill continues to proscribe and penalize abortion which is a crime under the Revised Penal Code. To contribute to the empowerment and responsible behavior of the youth, this proposed legislation provides for age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education that may be initiated by parents at house, and shall be sustained and complemented by formal education in school. An effective reproductive health education does not only instill consciousness of freedom of choice but responsible exercise of ones rights. According to the United Nations Population Fund: It has been, repeatedly shown that reproductive health education leads to responsible behavior, higher levels of abstinence, later initiation of sexuality, higher use of contraception, and fewer sexual partners, These good effeds are even greater when parents can talk honestly with their children about sexual and reproductive matters. To guarantee the right of all persons to a full range of information on family planning methods, services and facilities and to ensure their access to an equally full range of medically safe and effective family planning methods at an appropriate time and by competent and adequately trained persons,the bill mandates the Commission on Population (POPCOM) to be the central planning, coordinating, implementing and monitoring body for the comprehensive and integrated policy on reproductive health and population development. Section 5 of the bill specifies the functions of POPCOM as the lead agency in the implementation of the Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development Act of 2007. This proposed Act doses not only seek to protect and promote reproductive health and rights and to empower couples, individuals, more particularly women, and the youth, but it also aims to improve the quality of life of the people in general. Studies show that rapid population growth exacerbates poverty while poverty spawns rapid population growth. Consider the following: The Family Income and Exfenditures Surveys by the National Statistics Office (NSO) from 1985-2000 disclose that 57.3% of families having many children are poor but only 15.7% of families having two children are poor. Large family size is associated with negative determinant of school participation and poor health and survival rates among children. (Orbeta, Population and the Fight Against Poverty, 2003) The prevalence of child labor rises, and school attendance falls, with the number of children in the family (Raymundo, 2004). Moreover,the odds of a child becoming underweight and stunted are greater if he/she belongs to a household with 5 or more members (FNRI 1998). This partly explains why poverty tends to be transmitted and sustained from one generation to the next. According to the UN Population Fund 2002 Report, lower birth rates and slower population growth over the last three decades have contributed faster economic progress in a number of developing countries. Moreover,the same Report disclosed that fertility declines accounted for 1/5th of the economic growth in East Asia between 1960 and 1995. Additionally, it showed that countries that invest in health, including reproductive health and family planning, and in education and womens development register slower population growth and faster economic growth. A consistent and coherent national population policy along with sound monetary and fiscal policies and good governance could propel our people toward sustainable human development. Accordingly, approval of this measure is earnestly sought.

23 Responses to Reproductive Health Bill: Fact Sheet and Explanatory Note Feed for this Entry Pages: 2 [1] Show All 1. 15 JarodVIII Dec 14th, 2009 at 1:50 am Why do we think that we are not overpopulated just because there are still lands that are not occupied? It is already occupied, by the trees and the animals, remember that human beings are not the only ones created by God. We need other creatures to live, thats why they are created before the human beings, to support our existence. Where will we get our oxygen? Who will provide our food. They dont come prepackaged and are readily available from the grocery. The sex drive is there. Maybe you are out of touch but the young are curious, just like when we were young. It is up to the parents how to teach their children. Knowledge liberates anyone from ignorance. One would try something if they dont know what would happen. 2. 14 yl_marie Aug 25th, 2009 at 5:06 am PLS. READ THIS!!! hello to all, im a new user of this site and i found it interesting to discuss things such as reproductive health bill,and let me share this to you im a student at our first subject last monday which is politics discuss this RH bill there is debate between affirmative and negative and it looks like affirmative side wins, but you know for me RH bill is not the answer to our problems frankly i dont want our government to pass this bill for such other reasons. and i see some errors at this bill, first they are pointing out that philippines is over populated but the question is, is it true that phil. is really over populated? well according to our records there are still 4 percent of unclassified lands in our country,49 percent classified but not all of this land is in right use if only our government will be able to control this lands in proper use we are not going to face this problems, second they say that sex education is going to teach for those children in grade 3-4 and 5 to 4th yr. highschool there is no problem about that but this people should make sure that this minor will not be curious about sex and they will not be tempt to try this, 3rd we filipinos are still in stage of being conservatives and i think this bill will erase it like what this guy/gal says our government will produce contraceptives this will be free nationwide and everyone is allowed to use this methods, even thou minors and parents will not have their right to teach and control in some way their childrens if they will be the first to teach themselves. 4th protitutions, pornography, this bill does not say anything about this we know its a broad matter they should include it did they think about it? well they better think about it. another SEC.11 of RH Bill says : 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.

and this is what i want to say I HOPE SO the government will be spending money for this project?hmmmi dont think so! how about DSWD according to GMA 7 IMBESTIGADOR there are only 4 or 3 shelthers in metro manila and its not enough bec. of the funds maybe there is a question playing on you minds what is the connection of DSWD in our dicussion? well according to sec.21 3rd paragraph of this 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. if ever this bill will be pass expect for more of this kind of cases stated above, how will DSWD handle this cases if our present problems are not fixed already its a big question. i know we should not include the church in this topic but according to them we should be proud because according to the international record of population we can see that the only country that maintains the balance of population is the philippines its a perfect pyramid we should be proud. another, everyone knows singapore abortion and RH BILL is implemented to their country but see after years their population reduce they almost fall down and know what the minister of their country says sorry to them for implementing this law during his reign for their country is suffering from having a small population and he told everyone please produce more they implement now the law of having 6 and more children per family.see. (facts from our symposiums) another THERE IS LIFE STARTING FROM FERTILITY its true people say theres no life on fertility but there is , they say its only blood but think about it life starts from the beginning by the time the sperm and egg cell united there is life. and have you ever think that what if one time by the time your mother are pregnant to you and they think of aborting you bec. they do belive theres no life by 3months of bearing a child, do you think it is moral you should better think about it. NOTE: its my opinion violent reaction is accepted but dont forget to reflect after reading this.??? 3. 13 ehctir2009 Jul 15th, 2009 at 7:05 am mga hindi nag-iisip yong mga taong sinisii ang pagkakamali sa gobyerno.in the first place sino ba ang mga nagluklok sa kanila sa posItion?hindi ba kayo,mga taong nadala sa salapi,kaya sisihin niyo. sisihin niyo ang mga makasarili ninyong mga disisyon. reproductive health bill is good,as a matter of fact we just dont see the real point of our government officials.gumising kayo,nasa krisis na tayo ngayon,hahayaan niyo bang maranasan din nga mga sumusunod na henerasyon ang hirap na naranasan natin ngayon?kaya masmabuti pa na hindi na nila mamulatan ang mundo mo, ang mundo mong makasalanan. sige eto sulatan mo ako. ehctir2009@yahoo.com 4. 12 CL Jun 25th, 2009 at 8:08 am i think dapat na talaga i-control ang population natin. masikip na ang world guys. sana isipin rin natin ang susunod pang salinlahi. 5. 11 Titov Jun 1st, 2009 at 12:11 pm We based our opposition to RH bill not only on our faith but also on natural law. 6. 10 ipe_espinosa Feb 26th, 2009 at 2:31 pm

COPY FOR http://jlp-law.com/blog February 25, 2009 For : Batang Buotan http://gervacio.wordpress.com I could not help but post my second set of ideas in your blog, for two reasons: firstly, I wish to thank you for reacting to my February 1, 2009 comments regarding potential consequences if the Reproductive Health bill becomes a law. By dignifying my 02/01/09 posting, you have proven to me that democracy is very much alive in our country Philippines for now. Secondly, I would like to take advantage of the situation that the RH Bill is still not yet a law. It is creepy to note that in case House Bill 5043 passes into a law, I will no longer be free to share my ideas because of the Bills specific prohibition in Sec. 21 (e) which penalizes, Any person who maliciously engages in disinformation about the intent or provisions of this Act. Since the bill is silent as to what constitutes malicious disinformation, any one who expresses ideas against the bill after it becomes a law, makes one person legally liable. If Reproductive Health Bill becomes a law, this statement of prohibition will most likely be included and replicated in the future legislation like bill on same-sex marriages and divorce, pro-abortion bills (the physical type since the indirect abortion by abortifacient drugs and devices is already covered by the RH Bill), pro-euthanasia bills, etc. Then we have the beginning of the end of the freedom of speech, of expression, of the Supreme Court (a Supreme Court judge may be penalized for engaging malicious disinformation if he makes dissenting opinions about the RH Law), of the Constitution and of Philippine Democracy. Also, this is the first time (I hope I am wrong) that I have encountered a bill with this kind of provision which makes it untouchable or next to impossible to be amended. Is RH Bill hiding something fishy that has to be protected legally by this provision? Like what? Well, I encountered this unverified report that supports and funds from foreign sources were distributed to Philippine local governments which were able to meet the quota of the number of women being sterilized or inserted with intrauterine device or IUD; please see below. No other options besides the IUD or sterilization are offered to women, Garcia said, because these are once-and-done procedures. They do not require the continuing voluntary participation of the women in question. Then theres the quota system, which also shows up in countries such as the Philippineswhere it was introduced by none other than the U.S. government itself. In conjunction with the Philippine Department of Health, USAID identifies certain local governments whose family-planning activities are to be accelerated, said Bernadette Ocampo, a Filipino nurse. Yearly performance benchmarks for family-planning acceptors [i.e., the number of people who accept contraception] are then set for those areas. If local governments meet those quotas, USAID releases funds to them. Thats standard procedure around the world for the American government, even though it violates a United Nations agreementsigned by U.S. representativesforbidding populationcontrol quotas. USAID evaluates its programs by the numbers, Morrison said. If youre somebody whose job depends on the program and the people who fund it want to see results . . . youre going to do it that way. Source: http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Evils in Government/AIDS and Population Elimination/depopulation_bomb.htm I hope that this abovementioned report is not true. Otherwise, if RH Bill becomes a law, then the

alleged IUD quota will surely be satisfied however at taxpayers expense while the so called foreign aid will be awarded directly to the pocket of the concerned government officials. To your question, Are condoms really distributed like candies by the government with Reproductive Health law? my answer is a definite Yes. Please examine the following: a) According to the document, Essential Medicines for Reproductive Health: Guiding Principles for Their Inclusion on National Medicines Lists. (by PATH, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Population Fund. Seattle: PATH; 2006) Condoms as barrier contraceptive devices have been on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines since 1988 (Page 72). Condoms, an important method in preventing pregnancy and the primary method for preventing transmission of STIs (sexually transmitted infections) , including HIV, were listed on only 35 percent of the (Essential Medicine Lists or) EMLs (Page 3) b) SEC. 10 of the RH Bill. 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 local hospitals and other government health units. In other words, condom, unless categorically and specifically excluded in the bill/law, forms part of the National Drug Formulary which has to be made available and dispense with (or distribute like candies) free in any government hospital, health center/unit, under the RH Law. Then, the Filipino youth, ages 15 to 27, (unless categorically and specifically excluded in the bill/law) has the legal right as an individual to demand a condom for his or her decisions concerning reproduction as indicated by RH Bills Section 4 (d). Furthermore, no ascendancy or no one particularly government personnel can refuse to accommodate this legal demand of a condom of a Filipino citizen (including the youth), other wise that health care service provider, whether public or private, will be violating Section 21 (a.1). As to the question Is there any study that support the claim that when people receive free condoms will get sexually active and crave for sex like animals? , let me borrow few lines from the Philippine Star feature article Mind Your Body written by Willie T. Ong, MD, dated February 3, 2009, Page D-3: a) Dr. Eduardo Gatchalian, an urologist and past president of the Philippine College of Surgeons, candidly says (regarding sex drive), At 20, you have sex three times a day. At 30, you have sex three times a night. At 40, you have sex three times a week. AT 60, you have sex only thrice a month. At 70, he tries and tries. And at 80, he tries to remember. (Column 1) b) The apparent shyness of Filipinos is due to our conservative cultural values. But make no mistake, the sex drive is there it is just repressed by the environment. (Column 2) The abovementioned point that human sex drive or craving is a medical fact (so no need for a study) but its intensity depends on how repressive or conducive the environment is, for casual sex. Availability of free condom (complemented by the formal sex education being mandated by RH Bill), at the top of the present sensuous/provocative mass media and advertisements plus internet pornography, will literally and figuratively open the flood gate of free expression of sexual activities eventually. RH Law will therefore accelerate the liberation of Filipinos from its conservative cultural values about sex up to the end point of open craving-forsex-like-animals.

Are you now enjoying the thought that your fellow Filipinos (who patronize your blog) are losing their freedom of speech and expression because of a totalitarian prohibition of the RH Law? Are you now enjoying the thought that your kid sisters, teenage daughters, grand daughters, great grand daughters, teenage nieces, grand nieces or great grand nieces are being deflowered even before graduating high school because they are sexually liberated by the RH Law? Are you now enjoying the thought that your kid brothers, teenage sons, grand sons, great grand sons, teenage nephews, grand nephews or great grand nephews practice safe sex complement by the RH Law thus have turned to be oversexed, then homosexual and sugar mommy? If you answer NO to all these questions, then resign as a RH Bill advocate and push harder for our legislators to vote against the passage of the RH Bill into law. May God bless you! JUST FOR THE RECORD, I HAVE INVOKED THE INTERCESSION OF ST. JOSEPH, THE DEFENDER OF THE CHURCH, FOR THE NON-PASSAGE INTO LAW OF THE RH BILL. 7. 9 Christina Santos Feb 11th, 2009 at 2:32 pm well, dont you think we have the freedom to think. being a psychology major, i think all the Filipinos have their morals and their values. we think what is right and wrong. and should it bother you to have these young children being sexually active at a very young age? well yes it is somehow our concern but most of their parents. i personally dont think that passing this bill would create a bigger change because condoms could be bought anywhere and there are some organizations passing out unnatural contraceptives. think about it this way it all depends on the person if they want to be sexually active towards the opposite sex and/or the same sex at anytime any age. and it all depends on how parents bring their children up wether they are okay with it or not. it really depends PASS THE REPRODUCTION HEALTH BILL think about those people with no education at all or who cant afford to give to their children!!!! are you crazy??? it wont make a change and i think parents who are concerned with the PHILIPPINES WOULD BE SO PROUD IF THEY KNOW I CHOOSE TO BE PRO RH BILL and parents with brains and knowledge about how many people are suffering. JUST PASS IT and LIKE EVERY OTHER BILL IT WONT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.. and i do not think that the PHILIPPINES WOULD CONSIDER AN ABORTION BILL and even if they do it still wont make a change.. you know why??? ill tell you why because more than 470,000 women have gone through abortion and about 17 percent of that resulted in complications. so would it still make a difference legalizing or not legalizing condoms and abortion i tell you honestly even the children that come from respected families or less fortunate families have premarital sex even if condoms arent encouraged. 8. 8 ipe_espinosa Jan 31st, 2009 at 2:45 pm Here are some of the potential consequences of the passage into law of the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill (HB O5043) which have dawned upon me; to wit: 1.0 BIG BUSINESS, BIGGER MONEY. If RH Bill passes into law, condom suppliers may earn from the Philippine government (which will be mandated to distribute free condoms to 4.9 million youth aged 15-27), PhP 2.548 billion every year. (Or 4.9 million youth times 1 sex act

per week times 52 weeks per year times condom usage of 1 piece per sex act times suppliers price of P10 per piece of condom.) The assumption of a youth engaging in sex at the average of once a week, I am afraid, is in order and conservative. It will be unthinkable for a young student to obey the reminder of his RH teacher or older relatives that abstinence is the most effective birth control method when that young student is aware, the government is duty-bound to provide him or her with free condom for his or her sexual cravings anytime, anywhere. Condom supply is therefore a big business if RH Bill passes into law. Nevertheless, what is bigger money is when government canvassers, signatories of purchase orders, receivers of condom deliveries, as well as check payment signatories and releasers may connive with condom suppliers to price the condom at P 100 per piece instead of P 10. The over price of P 90 per piece of condom will be distributed among the involved government officials. Therefore, due to the passage of the RH Bill, there is an opportunity for a PhP 25.48 billion condom scam to happen. 2.0 BOARS AND GILTS. These 4.9 million youth who are recipients of the governments free supply of condoms may naturally crave for sex like animals (considering the additional enticement from the immodest mass media and the internet pornography). The young male may act like boar while the young female behaves like gilt that is in heat. This promiscuity or multiple sexual relationships, is probably just a take off point. The Law of Diminishing Extra Satisfaction (as adopted from the psychological and economic law of diminishing marginal utility) that governs pure human and animal endeavors including sexual relations will be fully operational. In other words, if sex will be a preoccupation of the Filipino youth, then the satisfaction that a young male derives having sex with female partner/s, will decrease or wane eventually. He then ventures to partner sexually with his fellow male/s to seek new level of satisfaction. He may push further by engaging in bisexual activities. But most likely he will end up as a pure homosexual. A young female may also follow the same path as she craves for sex and sexual satisfactions. She may graduate as a pure lesbian. But this scenario will not be glaring overnight. It will take a generation ten years span. This may then translate to the need of a new advocacy to support the passing into law of the bill on same-sex marriages and divorce in the country. 3.0 POPULATION REDUCTION. The ultimate aim of RH Bill, I understand, is achieving economic prosperity (particularly for the poor) however through population reduction approach. In case the RH Bill is passed, its success will be measured therefore by, among others, whether its respective population reduction target (PRT) is attained. And the critical factor in attaining PRT is the effective distribution and use of condom of the 4.9 million Filipino youth in particular. Effective means here, making a condom available for free, on demand of the youth, either male or female, anywhere, anytime. As mentioned above, this will cost the Philippine government, PhP 2.548 billion every year. If the government will have limited or doesnt have that amount of taxpayers money (for condom purchase and distribution) then the full attainment of the PRT will be jeopardized. Thus RH Law may prove to be ineffective to reduce population in the country. If this is the case, other population reduction measures or Bills will be therefore sought. So there will be a future need to support for the passage into law of Proabortion Bills as well as of Pro-euthanasia Bills. So then, to all the RH Bill advocates, if your support for the passage into law of RH Bill (which may lead to additional opportunity for corruptions in the Philippine government, to transformation of the Filipino youth as homosexuals and lesbians, to eventual murder of unborn babies and to future mercy-killing of senior citizens, etc.) makes your Mama proud of you, then go full speed ahead of your RH Bill advocacy. Otherwise, please resign as a RH Bill supporter and lobby harder for our legislators to vote against RH Bill.

9. 7 divine devil Jan 6th, 2009 at 4:38 am -> This women who are so-called deprived and the children in the streets dont have food and go hungry because our government is one of the most corrupt in the world! <the problem with filipinos is that most of us think that everything is caused by our government, i wont be surprised if someday we blame the government for the typhoons and volcanic eruptions. my dad is elementary graduate (a jeepney driver) and my mom was a garment factory worker BUT they were able to give us a great life (read: 3 engineers and a doctor of medicine) because of their perseverance and hard work and not trusting their entire life to the government. the govt is not the reason for every misfortune (most misfortune though) in our lifecorruption is a part of every civilized culture from the government to the church i believe that we should support bills such as this to promote the use of safe artificial contraceptives (such as condoms, vasectomy etc..). if your wife/husband is so gorgeous that you cant stop having sex with them then its time to do something so that you can have sex with them without worries 10. 6 divine devil Jan 6th, 2009 at 4:37 am the problem with filipinos is that most of us think that everything is caused by our government, i wont be surprised if someday we blame the government for the typhoons and volcanic eruptions. my dad is elementary graduate (a jeepney driver) and my mom was a garment factory worker BUT they were able to give us a great life (read: 3 engineers and a doctor of medicine) because of their perseverance and hard work and not trusting their entire life to the government. the govt is not the reason for every misfortune (most misfortune though) in our lifecorruption is a part of every civilized culture from the government to the church i believe that we should support bills such as this to promote the use of safe artificial contraceptives (such as condoms, vasectomy etc..). if your wife/husband is so gorgeous that you cant stop having sex with them then its time to do something so that you can have sex with them without worries 11. 5 elhsa_enaj Nov 12th, 2008 at 4:53 pm Facts?!! all of us know that the Philippines is NOT YET OVERPOPULATED, these people regarding their recommendations about Contraception, LACK the SPIRIT of TRUE VIRTUES and wants to remove it in minds of the young! The specific SOLUTIONS ABOUT THIS ISSUE is simple. -first of all this country doesnt and wont need corruption! -the money to be spent for this bill should be used for a PROPER and for a MORAL education of our people. -they should always tell the people about its TRUE EFFECTS in our country and to US. -INSTEAD OF KILLING THE POPULATION GROWTH, IT IS MORE LIKELY TO USE IT FOR ITS FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS! EFFECTS OF THE RH BILL -the DISSOLUTION and Removal of the SIGNIFICANCE and IMPORTANCE of a proper family and matrimony. -increase of PROSTITUTION and ABUSES!

-the loss of moral values or virtues towards our youth. -women will loose their socio-cultural pregnancy and motherhood as to men. - the consideration of the/our body ONLY as SEX OBJECTS! -INCREASE in homosexuality -Euthanasia of the Philippines -more killings -DEMOGRAPHIC WINTER! FOR DISCUSSIONS AND UNDERSTANDINGS OF THE RH BILL EFFECTS, YOU CAN EMAIL ME AT; elhsa_enaj@yahoo.com THANK YOU 12. 4 bitsvyk Oct 27th, 2008 at 10:01 am Proponents of this bill speak like this is the answer to all our nations problems. Its as if this is the only depravity of our people. This women who are so-called deprived and the children in the streets dont have food and go hungry because our government is one of the most corrupt in the world! If only the funds for social services would go to where they should, the children would be cared for. Each Filipino can also help if the government is not doing its job. The hard way is to help the poor, have a relationship with them, teach them the most natural and effective way as well as give them livelihood opportunities. Id rather we pour more money into health benefits as a whole. Contraception has been going on since the 70s but it has not helped the country. Rather I see the young people today wanting to be more and more like the West and losing their values of chastity and purity. 13. 3 cheskie Oct 27th, 2008 at 8:38 am hindi nmn kailangan ng mga bata, katulad ng mga Gr. 5, ang sex education.. sa tingin nyo, maintindihan ba nila..? > Grade 4 kami tinuruan ng Sex education. It was part of our Health Class. Siyempre naintindihan namin. Grade 5.. kala niyo lang bata sila. But theyre not stupid. Alam na nila anong sperm at egg cell. kasali yan sa biology/anatomy class. Just because we are a predominantly Catholic country does not mean we should deprive our citizens of proper contraceptives. Nor should we deprive them of information. What about our non Catholic brothers and sisters? Paano naman sila? This bill is not just about controlling overpopulation. Its also about helping the poor women have access to proper health care. Section 11 of the proposed bill mandates congressional districts to acquire, operate, and maintain a van to be known as the Mobile Health Care Services to deliver reproductive health care services to the poor and needy. The poors lack of access to health services is blamed for the poor maternal and child health situation in the Philippines. 10 women die every 24 hours from almost entirely preventable cases of related to pregnancy and childbirth. 6 out of 10 women deliver at home, where they rarely have access to a skilled birth attendant. 24 out of 1,000 babies under one year old die every year. source: 14 Ateneo professors: RH bill adheres to Catholic social teaching 14. 2 jv09ako Oct 5th, 2008 at 2:14 pm

uu nga..!!! tama si Tita Karen hindi nmn kailangan ng mga bata, katulad ng mga Gr. 5, ang sex education.. sa tingin nyo, maintindihan ba nila..? if ever mka intindi sila, then they will have curiosity.. then wat will they do next..? try it dba..? typical kids would do that.. pero im not sayin na hindi maganda ang sex Ed. kung pwde mag simula sa 1st year oh second year pero alam ko na kailangan ito pero may tanong ako, sinu-sinon yong mga tao na nka pabuntis ng babae na wala sa tamang sitwasyon? sino yung palagi nagpabuntis ng kanilang mga asawa..? no offense but ang mga tao na palagi nkagawa nito ay yong hindi nagaaral o hindi nka tapos ng highschool so wats the use of the RHB and sex ed if the person your aiming to stop is not schooling..? RHB is partly useless im only concerned for my fellow kids thank you for reading 15. 1 karendimalantacortez Sep 26th, 2008 at 3:33 pm no to REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BILL!!! may natural way po to prevent pregnancy. dapat nating tandaan na ang pagbubuntis po ay di isang sakit na dapat iwasan, ang ovulation po ay di rin isang sakit na dapat pigilan. natural po lamang ang ovulation, ang dapat po dito ay alamin kung kelan ito nangyayari, kami pong mag-asawa ay volunteer teacher ng natural family planning, handa po kaming magturo nito sa kahit kanino, ano man ang iyong katayuan sa buhay, ano man ang antas ng iyong pinag-aralan. ito po ay libreng pagtuturo at pag-aaral. kami po ay nakalaan upang magturo nito ng walang bayad. ang atin pong simbahan ay di ninais na tayo po ay mapahamak, gaya ng ating mga magulang na walang sawa sa pangangaral sa mga anak sapagkat ayaw natin silang mapahamak. ganun din po ang simbahang katolika, na laging nandiyan upang manguna at mangaral. di po namin sinasabi na dapat lang na magparami o maganak lang ng mag-anak, ang pag-aanak po ay may kalakip na responsibilidad ang parehong magulang. wag po nating i-bombard ng artificial contraceptive ang ating mga kababaihan sapagkat may natural na paraan kung saan dapat malaman ng mag-asawa kung kailan dumarating ang ovulation ng asawang babae, sa pamamagitan nito ay mapipigilan ang pagbubuntis. ang ovulation po ay kusang nangyayari, gaya ng bulkan na kusang sumasabog sa takdang panahon na di kayang pigilan ng tao. ang artificial contraceptive po ay susubukang pigilan ang ovulation, ngunit sa marami at madalas na pagkakataon ay di niya ito mapipigilan sa kadahilanang ito nga ay natural na mangyayari sa kababaihan, dahil di niya ito napigilan ang susunod niyang gagawin ay ang padulasin ang endometrium lining ng sa ganun kapag may nangyaring fertilization ay di ito mag-iimplant sa endometrium lining sapagkat ito ay pinadulas na ng artificial at susunod ay mahuhulog na ang sanggol sa sinapupunan, na di pa man naisisilang ay binawian na ng karapatan upang mabuhay. kung ang sariling ina o ama ay kayang gumawa nito sa kanyang anak paano pa kaya niya ito di magagawa sa kanyang kapwa. sana po ay may natutunan tayo. laganap pa rin naman ang pagbibigay at paggamit ng artificial di po ba? u can contact us at 09204763227 karen (free teaching of nfp) Pages: 2 [1] Show All Leave a Reply You must login to post a comment.

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), peoples 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 childrens 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 persons 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 peoples 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 patients 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 nongovernment 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.

13 Responses to Full text of House Bill No. 5043 (Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008) Feed for this Entry 1. 1 anne08 Oct 5th, 2008 at 4:25 am 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 enna_eiram08@yahoo.com 2. 2 Eustaquio Bungangkahoy May 3rd, 2010 at 10:44 am 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 dont 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? Lets take a look at a sample of Wikipedias 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 129 Ethiopia

307 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 Asias playground for billionaires, streets choked with Rolls Royces. Monaco is summer capital to Europes 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 worlds 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 lets 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 countrys biggest dollar earner? Its our Overseas Foreign Workers human life. Clearly, life is Gods GIFT and a nations 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) ===== 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. ===== 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. 3. 3 jlocute May 7th, 2010 at 8:22 am We are really at the end of time era. These are all Satans 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. Its Gods fault because Gods Church is against the use of condoms. Sexual intercourse, by its nature and intent is potentially life giving act. This is Gods version. The enemys version is that sex can be closed to give life and used for physical pleasure only. Enemys 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 Gods purpose. He is laughing because many led astray on this sin. 4. 4 Jos Miguel Oct 3rd, 2010 at 1:49 am 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? 5. 5 banshee rabidcat Oct 6th, 2010 at 11:39 am 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. 6. 6 Jos Miguel Oct 9th, 2010 at 12:12 am 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? 7. 7 Jos Miguel Oct 12th, 2010 at 1:12 am 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? 8. 8 Shango Nov 15th, 2010 at 2:04 pm I hope this bill will soon become a law. To all Religious leaders please respect the separation of state and church under our Constitution. 9. 9 lyjhugeo Nov 24th, 2010 at 8:23 am To: Eustaquio Bungangkahoy Your comment is very impressive but youre 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. 10. 10 kapoge Nov 28th, 2010 at 2:08 pm Information is unlimitted for those who seek itnasa internet age na tayolahat mauungkat isang click lang Responsible parenthoodare 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 billlets look on the basis to whom will it applyhow many percent are ignorant filipino parent we have?are you one of them thats why you favor it? This bill is out of placea man with sound mind dont even need to go to school to understand this thingsvery common sense 11. 11 rbhebron Dec 6th, 2010 at 4:42 pm 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 churchs 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!! 12. 12 cyber_grouch Jan 18th, 2011 at 5:34 pm On the question of whether were 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 its 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 bills 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 whos 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 couples 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 nonself-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. 13. 13 rue Jan 26th, 2011 at 5:18 am 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..