The Vortex in the Philippines

http://www.youtube.com/user/RealCatholicTV

A battle of epic proportions is being waged in the Philippines at this very moment and it looks eerily
similar to the battle that was fought and lost in the west 35 years ago. I'm in Manila all this week to
report on the struggle and ask for your prayers in the fight. The Church CANNOT lose this battle.

~ Michael Voris

REFERENCE LINKS:
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/views-and-... - article from Guttmacher Institute CEO
http://reproductiverights.org/en/feat... - article from Center for Reproductive Rights
http://www.scribd.com/doc/48855075/Fa... - "Fact Sheet" - from Guttmacher / Likhann

Speaking Out about Reproductive Health

Speaking Out about Reproductive Health

Office of the President of the Philippines

President P-Noy wants to hear from you. You can leave comments for the President at: WWW.PRESIDENT.GOV.PH
Click on the “CONTACT US” button at the top right of the screen
Be sure to fill in your Name, Contact No., Email Address, the subject you are writing about, and your comments in the designated spaces, because they are all required in order to leave a message.
At the bottom left, you will see two words printed in wavy letters. You must type them into the space provided – this insures that only people, not machines, send messages.
When finished, be sure to click the “Submit” button, and wait for an acknowledgement.

Batasan Pambansa
It isn’t difficult speaking with a Senator or your Representative. They want to hear from voters, and will respect your views even if they might not agree with them. However, because they can’t talk to everyone, unless you know them personally or represent an organization with a large number of members, they may be unable to speak to you. In that case, you can speak to a member of their staff and ask them to take note of what you have to say, and add it to the information the Representative or Senator considers when deciding about a bill. Sometimes it is easier, and possibly more effective in communicating your views, to write a letter or send an email.

Contact information for members of the House of Representatives:

Address: Honorable ________full name_____________
House of Representatives
Quezon City
Salutation: Dear Representative ____family name_____,
Telephone: 931-5001
Ask the operator who answers to connect you to your Representative’s office
Or, follow the procedure for Email, but look for your Representative’s direct line telephone number.

Email: Go to the website of the House of Representatives, www.congress.gov.ph
Click on the “Members” button at the upper left corner of the screen,
Click on the name of your Representative,
Click on the “Send Email” button just above the list of committees

Contact information for members of the Senate of the Philippines:

Address: Senator ________full name_______________
Senate of the Philippines
GSIS Bldg., Financial Center
Roxas Blvd., Pasay City
Salutation: Dear Senator _______family name_____,

Telephone: Trunk Lines: (632) 552-6601 to 99
Ask the operator who answers to connect you to your Representative’s office
Or, follow the procedure for Email, but look for your Senator’s direct line telephone number.

Email: Go to the website of the Senate of the Philippines, www.senate.gov.ph
Click on “Contact Info” at the bottom of the screen, right side
Scroll down the list of Senators
Click on the appropriate email link

The Media
Contact Information for some of the major newspapers in the NCR is listed here. You can find the information for other papers you read by looking on their editorial page, or sometimes at the Letters to the Editor section.


Letters Editor
The Philippine Daily Inquirer
P.O. Box 2353,
Makati Central Post Office, 1263
Makati City, Philippines.
Email: feedback@inquirer.com.ph
Editorial Fax: (02) 897-4793 or 94

Letters Editor
The Philippine STAR
R. Oca, Jr. and Railroad Sts.,
Port Area, Manila, Philippines 1016
Email: feedback@philstar.net.ph
Tel. (632) 527-7901 (trunkline)
Call to confirm email address/fax no.


When writing letters to the editor, it is better to write in response to a specific story or stories than to write concerning an issue which has not been covered recently in the paper. Mention those stories in your letter.
Many newspaper columnists list their personal email address at the end of their column. They want to hear from you.

For those in the NCR, ABS-CBN accepts feedback at this email: web_feedback@abs-cbn.com
Other TV and Radio networks may have feedback addresses listed on their websites.

Tips for writing letters to government officials or to media

Keep your letter short – in today’s busy world, few have the time to read long letters. Don’t mention too many points – keep it to one or two. Mention specifics, not just opinions. Be sure to include your name and address on the letter and the envelope. Neither officials nor media will consider letters that do not identify the sender clearly. Put the current date on your letter, and be sure to sign it.

Additional tips for letters to government officials

Ask the official to oppose Reproductive Health because of the damage it will do to Filipino families and society, and especially to young people, without really helping anyone. Mention some of the evils that have resulted from countries adopting Reproductive Health.


Additional tips for letters to media

State that you are opposed to Reproductive Health, for the reasons listed above. Letters to media usually require inclusion of the phone number of the writer, if you hope to have the letter published, but your address and phone will not normally be printed with the letter. To make sure, look at other letters printed in the publication

Sample Letter to a Public Official
September 11, 2010

Dear Rep. ___________, or Dear Sen. ____________,
I urge you to oppose the Reproductive Health proposal now in Congress. Reproductive Health includes mass distribution of contraceptives, paid for by our taxes, many of which can and do sometimes take the lives of defenseless human beings in the earliest stages of development. This is a truly evil thing to do, and our government and people should have no part of it.

Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Address

Sample Letter to the Media
September 11, 2010

Dear Rep. ___________, or Dear Sen. ____________,
I am writing in response to the statement about Reproductive Health by ______________ reported in __name of paper________ on ______date______. This statement does not give a complete picture of Reproductive Health. Reproductive Health includes mass distribution of contraceptives, paid for by our taxes, many of which can and do sometimes take the lives of defenseless human beings in the earliest stages of development. This is a truly evil thing to do, and our government and people should have no part of it.

Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Address

It is better to write your own letter in your own words – these samples are primarily examples of how to write a letter.

House okays consolidated version of RH bills

House okays consolidated version of RH bills
By Jun Pasaylo (philstar.com) Updated February 22, 2011 04:03 PM Comments (0) View comments

MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives approves today the consolidations of the six versions of the controversial reproductive health (RH) bills.

In a hearing, the House Committee on Rules dubs the new version as House Bill 4244, otherwise known as “The Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2011".

Consolidated into one general bill are measures principally authored by Representatives Edcel Lagman (HB 96), Janette Garin (HB 101), Kaka Bag-ao and Walden Bello (HB 513), Rodolfo Biazon (1160), Augusto Syjuco (HB 1520), Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmi de Jesus (HB 3387).

The measure was scheduled for plenary sponsorship on March 1. Read more...

P3-B fund for contraceptive, an overkill - Nograles

P3-B fund for contraceptives, an overkill — Nograles
By Charlie V. Manalo

02/22/2011

House Assistant Majority Leader and Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles yesterday maintained that the government does not need to waste taxpayers’ money to encourage the use of artificial birth control as envisioned by the Reproductive Health (RH) bill because even without it, manufacturers of contraceptives particularly condoms are already spending millions in advertising fund to promote their products. Read more...

Two co-authors of RH bill withdraw support to measure

Two co-authors of RH bill withdaw support to measure
By Gerry Baldo

02/21/2011

While proponents of the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill claimed they were on the verge of passing it, two of the prominent co-authors of the bill had either backed out or withdrawn their signatures from the measure. Read more...

Pro-life groups to Aquino: Draw the line on RH bill

Pro-life groups to Aquino: Draw the line on RH bill
02/14/2011 | 04:11 PM

Saying it is time to draw the line, pro-life groups urged President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to express a definitive stand on the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill.

Pro-Life Philippines president Eric Manalang said it will be more acceptable to the people if Aquino gave a definitive stance on the measure instead of hinting at win-win solutions.

“I think it’s time for us to draw the line and stop all of this because we are just being taken for a ride ... At the end of the day, is he pro-RH or not? Let’s get away from putting in this responsible parenthood bill whatever. Yes or no? Are you or are you not?" Manalang said at a rally against the RH bill in Pasay City Sunday.

“If you are pro-RH, then we draw the line. We stop there. If you are not pro-RH, he has the power to call the Speaker of the House and tell him ‘let’s drop this bill against life,’" Manalang said, according to a report posted Monday on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines news site.

Malacañang officials earlier hinted that the Responsible Parenthood (RP) bill, which the CBCP had branded as just a renamed RH bill, would be among the priority bills of the government.

However, the bill was not included in the initial list of 17 bills considered as priority measures by the Aquino administration.

The government's “flip-flopping" on the issue sends the signal that it is not sincere in its dialogue with the church, Manalang said.

“It did not happen only one time. It happened several times. It’s about time that they tow the line. If you are here (dialogue) on bad faith… we will not talk," he said.

The CBCP said several lawmakers addressed the crowd during the rally to observe “Pro-Life Month," and called on their colleagues to reject the RH bill.

“We stand with you for life," said Lanao del Norte Rep. Fatima Aliah Dimaporo, who added the promotion of contraceptives in family planning would risk women’s health and would not solve the country’s problem on poverty.

The CBCP said many Christian and Muslim groups joined the rally and sang songs such as “Say yes to life, no to RH bill" and “We strongly reject abortion" during the four-hour rally.

Melisa Miguel of Quezon City carried the sign that read “RH bill destroys human dignity" and she said she vowed to join more rallies against the measure.

“We’d rather support life than death," said Miguel, a mother of five.

The other personalities in the rally were former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., former Manila Mayor Jose Atienza Jr., Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez, Cebu Rep. Cutie del Mar, and election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, the CBCP said. – VVP, GMA News

Why the Youth Gave Up Sunday for a Rally

Why the Youth Gave Up Sunday for a Rally

The RH Bill will not get passed. – This is what the youth we talked to unanimously believe. At the inter-faith pro-life rally yesterday, February 13 at the PICC grounds, young people talked about why they choose to spend a Sunday standing in a field to protest against the RH Bill.

CFC Singles & Youth For Christ missionaries
CFC Singles & Youth For Christ missionaries

"Actually, it is our responsibility to take care of our family but the rally is an instrument for us to protect it." - Bro. Wilford, Rogationist Seminarian

"We are against RH bill. Sa lahat ng mga Pilipino dito na pumunta ay nag-hahangad na i-reject ang RH bill, na pigilan talaga ang RH bill sa Senado. 'Yung RH bill, pinipigilan nila ang buhay, 'yung turo sa amin, mahalaga ang buhay. - Rehel, College of Divine Wisdom-El Shaddaii

“Ipinapakita namin ang sinceredad na we support life, ayaw naming kung anuman ang

nag-tethreaten na siraan ang buhay.” - individual attendee from the Most Holy Rosary Youth-Diocese of Paranaque

“I’m with my mom and sisters. We are here to protect life. A life is important no matter how old it is.” - Isagani Palabyab



"Andito kami to be against RH bill. Dahil mahalaga ang buhay kaya against kami.

- individual attendee from the Parish Youth Ministry (Quiapo Church)



By Jan Dell Posion (Regional Youth head for Central and Eastern Visayas)

Anti-RH bill group gains more rallies

Anti-RH bill group gains more allies

BY JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA REPORTER

CONTRARY to the claims of reproductive health (RH) advocates that it is only the Catholic Church that is against the bill, thousands of pro-life advocates joined the interfaith rally Sunday at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City to show their support for life.

Eric Manalang, chairman of Prolife Philippines, in an interview said that the event only proves that the call against the RH bill is not only coming from the Catholic Church as what other want the public to believe.

“This goes to show that this is not just a Catholic issue because the RH bill is not just a simple law,” said Manalang, one of the organizers of the event.

Besides members of the Catholic Church, Manalang said that other religious groups like the Evangelical Church, Baptists and even the Muslims had joined their call against the bill which they believed is against the teachings of the Church.

“We just want to make sure that our presence is felt and for the lawmakers to start reflecting their stance on the RH bill,” he said.

Advocates of the RH bill were disappointment over President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s decision to withdraw it from his list of priority bills to be submitted to Congress.

According to the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP), President Aquino’s withdrawal of support to the RH bill “totally ignores” the rights and welfare of women, particularly in the poor sector.

“Because of his [President Aquino] inaction, threats of complications related with pregnancy and childbirth will continue,” said Elizabeth Angsioco, DSWP’s national chairman.

According to Angsioco, there are many women who have died or almost died because of the lack of access to family planning and reproductive health education and services.

Earlier, President Aquino said that he will not change his position on family planning since he believes that it is the government’s responsibility to provide couples with choices on reproductive health.

The Church has spearheaded the opposition to the RH bill that calls for contraceptives to be provided in government hospitals and sex education to be taught in public schools.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said that the provision to provide access to artificial contraceptives is very dangerous because a lot of these have serious side effects.

The Church also opposed to incorporating sex education in the curriculum of
schools insisting that this has been proven to cause problems in several countries that have tried this.

Manalang, however, admitted that the interfaith rally is not to convince the lawmakers not to pass the bill, because they believe that its passage is inevitable.

They just wanted to unify all groups and individuals that are against the bill to show that it is not only the Catholic Church that only against the law.

Short URL: http://www.manilatimes.net/?p=2477

House panel okays proposed initial funding for RH bill

House panel okays proposed initial funding for RH bill
ANDREO C. CALONZO, GMA News
02/16/2011 | 12:42 PM

The controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill moved another step closer to being a law on Wednesday after the House Committee on Appropriations approved the proposed initial funding for the measure.

In a 20-3 vote, members of the House appropriations panel agreed to the proposed initial funds for the implementation of the RH bill from the budgets of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Commission on Population (POPCOM) for this year, if the measure is enacted into law.

Under Section 30 of the consolidated RH bill in the House of Representatives, the initial funds for the implementation of the measure, if signed into law, shall come from funds left of the DOH and POPCOM’s Family Health and Responsible Parenting budget.

A total of P731 million was allocated to the Family Health and Responsible Parenting budget of the two government agencies in the 2011 General Appropriations Act.

If the bill becomes a law, it shall be allocated funds in subsequent national budgets, according to the measure.

House Minority Leader Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, one of the proponents of the bill, said that the initial amount will most likely be spent on information campaigns on reproductive health if the bill is enacted into law.

“The bill is now progressing towards enactment," he told GMA News in a phone interview on Wednesday.

Two weeks ago, the House Committee on Population and Family Relations approved a consolidated version of the controversial measure, which will pave the way for plenary debates on the RH bill in the coming weeks.

If the chamber approves the measure, it will submit the bill to the Senate for consideration.

The Senate can either pass its own version of the bill or adopt the bill passed by the House.

After this, the bicameral conference committee will be convened to reconcile the respective versions of the House and Senate.

Once the bicameral committee approves the bill, it will be returned to the House and Senate for approval on third reading.

It will then be submitted to Malacañang for the signature of the President.

Highly-debated issue

The RH bill has been highly debated by pro-life and pro-choice groups.

The Catholic Church promotes only natural family planning and is opposed to the use of artificial birth control methods such as condoms and birth-control pills, saying these could lead to promiscuity and a rise in abortion cases.

However, RH advocates say natural family planning methods have not proven to be as reliable as artificial means of birth control.

The bill seeks to guarantee "universal access to medically-safe, legal, affordable and quality reproductive health care services, methods, devices, supplies and relevant information."

However, Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra said in December last year that according to Catholic teachings, any action that directly or indirectly destroys and kills life is against the Fifth Commandment ("Thou shall not kill") and is thus immoral.

He said the orientation of the RH bill is towards:
the legalization of abortion;
the use of abortifacients; and
the promotion of the use of artificial birth control.

Navarra said the bill is against the Philippine Constitution, which mandates that the State shall protect the right of the unborn from conception which begins at fertilization. – VVP, GMA News

Substitute of RH Bill

Here is a copy of the substitute bill as approved by the Committee on Population yesterday. Right now the Committee Report is being made. It will then be referred to the Committee on Appropriations for the approval of the corresponding budget and on to the Committee on Rules. After deliberation, it will be calendared for floor debates. Thanks.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. _____
(In substitution to House Bill Nos. 96, 101, 513, 1160, 1520 & 3387)

Introduced by Honorables Edcel C. Lagman, Arnulfo Fegarido Go, Janette L. Garin, Arlene Bag-ao, Walden Bello, Rodolfo G. Biazon, Rodante D. Marcoleta, Augusto Syjuco, Luzviminda Ilagan, Emerenciana De Jesus, Robert Estrella, Mar-Len Abigail S. Binay, Francis Emmanuel R. Ortega, Nur Gaspar Jaafar, Eufranio C. Eriguel, M.D., Ma. Angelica M. Amante-Matba, Catalina Leonen-Pizzaro, Marc Douglas Cagas IV, Salvador Escudero IIII, Napoleon Dy, Nur-Ana Sahidulla, Romeo Jalosjos Jr, Ignacio Arroyo Jr., Carol Jayne B. Lopez, Ronald V. Singson, Abigail C. Ferriol, Jeffrey Padilla Ferrer, Joel Roy Duavit, Jesus “Boying” F. Celeste, Teddy A. Casiño, Teddy Brawner Baguilat Jr., Simeon A. Datumanong, Seth F. Jalosjos, Josefina Manuel Joson, Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza, Reena Concepcion G. Obillo, Raymond V. Palatino, Carlos Mapili Padilla, Angelo B. Palmones, Philip Arreza Pichay, Jesus Crispin Catibayan Remulla, Mark Aeron H. Sambar, Danilo Etorma Suarez, Susan A. Yap, Jose F. Zubiri III, Antonio L. Tinio, Victor Jo Yu, Ana Cristina Siquian Go, Emmeline Y. Aglipay, David L. Kho, Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo, Vicente Florendo Belmonte Jr., Rodolfo Castro Fariñas, Eric Gacula Singson Jr., Narciso Recio Bravo Jr., Orlando Bongcawel Fua, Roy Maulanin Loyola, Mary Mitzi Lim Cajayon, Arturo Ompad Radaza, Pastor M. Alcover Jr., Leopoldo Nalupa Bataoil, Victor Francisco Campos Ortega, Sharon S. Garin, Nicanor M. Briones, Godofredo V. Arquiza, Nancy Alaan Catamco, Acmad Tomawis, Mohammed Hussein P. Pangandaman, Elmer Ellaga Panotes, Aurora Enerio Cerilles, Antonio Chaves Alvarez, Rodel M. Batocabe, Enrique Murphy Cojuangco, Bernardo Mangaoang Vergara, Daisy Avance-Fuentes, Luis Robredo Villafuerte, Cresente C. Paez, Michael Angelo C. Rivera, Antonio Diaz, Jose Ping-ay, Teodorico Haresco, Josephine Veronique Lacson-Noel, Solaiman Pangandaman, Kimi S. Cojuangco, Jerry Perez Treñas, Niel Causing Tupas, Jr., Florencio Tadiar Flores, Jr., Jorge “Bolet” Banal, Rafael V. Mariano, Teddy A. Casiño, Neri Colmenares


AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY ON RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, AND POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "The Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population and Development Act of 2011."

SEC. 2. - Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes and guarantees the exercise of the universal basic human right to reproductive health by all persons, particularly of parents, couples and women, consistent with their religious convictions, cultural beliefs and the demands of responsible parenthood. Toward this end, there shall be no discrimination against any person on grounds such as sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, disabilities, political affiliation and ethnicity.

Moreover, the State recognizes and guarantees the promotion of gender equality, equity and women’s empowerment as a health and human rights concern. The advancement and protection of women’s human rights shall be central to the efforts of the State to address reproductive health care. As a distinct but inseparable measure to the guarantee of women’s human rights, the State recognizes and guarantees the promotion of the welfare and rights of children.

The State likewise guarantees universal access to medically-safe, legal, affordable, effective and quality reproductive health care services, methods, devices, supplies and relevant information and education thereon even as it prioritizes the needs of women and children, among other underprivileged sectors.

The State shall eradicate discriminatory practices, laws and policies that infringe on a person’s exercise of reproductive health rights.

SEC. 3. Guiding Principles. - This Act declares the following as guiding principles:
(a) Freedom of choice, which is central to the exercise of right must be fully guaranteed by the State;
(b) Respect for, protection and fulfillment of reproductive health and rights seek to promote the rights and welfare of couples, adult individuals, women and adolescents;
(c) Since human resource is among the principal assets of the country, maternal health, birth of healthy children and their full human development and responsible parenting must be ensured through effective reproductive health care;
(e) The provision of medically safe, legal, accessible, affordable and effective reproductive health care services and supplies is essential in the promotion of people’s right to health, especially of the poor and marginalized;
(f) The State shall promote, without bias, all effective natural and modern methods of family planning that are medically safe and legal;
(g) The State shall promote programs that:
(1) enable couples, individuals and women to have the number and spacing of children they desire with due consideration to the health of women and resources available to them;
(2) achieve equitable allocation and utilization of resources;
(3) ensure effective partnership among the national government, local government units and the private sector in the design, implementation, coordination, integration, monitoring and evaluation of people-centered programs to enhance quality of life and environmental protection;
(4) conduct studies to analyze demographic trends towards sustainable human development and
(5) conduct scientific studies to determine safety and efficacy of alternative medicines and methods for reproductive health care development;
(h) The provision of reproductive health information, care and supplies shall be the joint responsibility of the National Government and Local Government Units;
(i) Active participation by non-government, women’s, people’s, civil society organizations and communities is crucial to ensure that reproductive health and population and development policies, plans, and programs will address the priority needs of the poor, especially women;
(j) While this Act recognizes that abortion is illegal and punishable by law, the government shall ensure that all women needing care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner;
(k) There shall be no demographic or population targets and the mitigation of the population growth rate is incidental to the promotion of reproductive health and sustainable human development;
(l) Gender equality and women empowerment are central elements of reproductive health and population and development;
(m) 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;
(n) 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; and
(o) That a comprehensive reproductive health program addresses the needs of people throughout their life cycle.

SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act, the following terms shall be defined as follows:

Adolescence refers to the period of physical and physiological development of an individual from the onset of puberty to complete growth and maturity which usually begins between 11 to 13 years and terminating at 18 to 20 years of age;
Adolescent Sexuality refers to, among others, the reproductive system, gender identity, values and beliefs, emotions, relationships and sexual behavior at adolescence;

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) refers to a condition characterized by a combination of signs and symptoms, caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which attacks and weakens the body’s immune system, making the afflicted individual susceptible to other life-threatening infections;

Anti-Retroviral Medicines (ARVs) refer to medications for the treatment of infection by retroviruses, primarily HIV;
Basic Emergency Obstetric Care refers to lifesaving services for maternal complications being provided by a health facility or professional, which must include the following six signal functions: administration of parenteral antibiotics; administration of parenteral oxytocic drugs; administration of parenteral anticonvulsants for pre-eclampsia and eclampsia; manual removal of placenta; removal of retained products; and assisted vaginal delivery;

Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care refers to basic emergency obstetric care including performance of caesarian section and blood transfusion;

Employer refers to any natural or juridical person who hires the services of a worker. The term shall not include any labor organization or any of its officers or agents except when acting as an employer;

Family Planning refers to a program which enables couples, individuals and women to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children, acquire relevant information on reproductive health care, services and supplies and have access to a full range of safe, legal, affordable, effective natural and modern methods of limiting and spacing pregnancy;

Gender Equality refers to the absence of discrimination on the basis of a person’s sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in opportunities, allocation of resources or benefits and access to services;

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 end existing inequalities;

Healthcare Service Provider refers to (1) health care institution, which is duly licensed and accredited and devoted primarily to the maintenance and operation of facilities for health promotion, disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals suffering from illness, disease, injury, disability or deformity, or in need of obstetrical or other medical and nursing care; (2) a health care professional, who is a doctor of medicine, nurse, or midwife; (3) public health worker engaged in the delivery of health care services; and (4) barangay health worker who has undergone training programs under any accredited government and non-government organization (NGO) and who voluntarily renders primarily health care services in the community after having been accredited to function as such by the local health board in accordance with the guidelines promulgated by the Department of Health (DOH);

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) refers to the virus which causes AIDS;

Male Responsibility refers to the involvement, commitment, accountability, and responsibility of males in relation to women in all areas of sexual and reproductive health as well as the protection and promotion of reproductive health concerns specific to men;

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;

Modern Methods of Family Planning refers to safe, effective and legal methods, whether the natural, or the artificial that are registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the DOH, to prevent pregnancy;

People Living with HIV (PLWH) refers to individuals whose HIV tests indicate that they are infected with HIV;

Poor refers to members of households identified as poor through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or any subsequent system used by the national government in identifying the poor.

Population and 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) recognize the linkage between population and sustainable human development;

Reproductive Health refers to the state of complete 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 functions and processes;

Reproductive Health Care refers to the access to a full range of methods, facilities, services and supplies that contribute to reproductive health and well-being by preventing and solving reproductive health-related problems. It also includes sexual health, the purpose of which is the enhancement of life and personal relations. The elements of reproductive health care include:
(1) family planning information and services;
(2) maternal, infant and child health and nutrition, including breastfeeding;
(3) proscription of abortion and management of abortion complications;
(4) adolescent and youth reproductive health;
(5) prevention and management of reproductive tract infections (RTIs), HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmittable infections (STIs);
(6) elimination of violence against women;
(7) education and counseling on sexuality and reproductive health;
(8) treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers and other gynecological conditions and disorders;
(9) male responsibility and participation in reproductive health;
(10) prevention and treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction;
(11) reproductive health education for the adolescents; and
(12) Mental health aspects of RH care;

Reproductive Health Care Program refers to the systematic and integrated provision of reproductive health care to all citizens especially the poor, marginalized and those in vulnerable and crisis situations;

Reproductive Health Rights refer to the rights of couples, individuals and women to decide freely and responsibly whether or not to have children; to determine the number, spacing and timing of their children; to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence; to have relevant information; and to attain the highest condition of sexual and reproductive health;

Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education refers to a lifelong learning process of providing and acquiring complete, accurate and relevant information and education on reproductive health and sexuality through life skills education and other approaches;

Reproductive Tract Infection (RTI) refers to sexually transmitted infections, and other types of infections affecting the reproductive system;
Responsible Parenthood refers to the will, ability and commitment of parents to adequately respond to the needs and aspirations of the family and children by responsibly and freely exercising their reproductive health rights;

Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) refers to any infection that may be acquired or passed on through sexual contact;

Skilled Attendant refers to an accredited health professional, such as midwife, doctor or nurse, who has been educated and trained in the skills needed to manage normal (uncomplicated) pregnancies, childbirth and the immediate postnatal period, and in the identification, management and referral of complications in women and newborns, to exclude traditional birth attendant or midwife (hilot), whether trained or not;

Skilled Birth Attendance refers to childbirth managed by a skilled attendant including the enabling conditions of necessary equipment and support of a functioning health system, and the transport and referral facilities for emergency obstetric care; and

Sustainable Human Development refers to bringing people, particularly the poor and vulnerable, to the center of development process, the central purpose of which is the creation of an enabling environment in which all can enjoy long, healthy and productive lives, and done in a manner that promotes their rights and protects the life opportunities of future generations and the natural ecosystem on which all life depends.

SEC. 5. Midwives for Skilled Attendance. - The Local Government Units (LGUs) with the assistance of the DOH, shall employ an adequate number of midwives to achieve a minimum ratio of one (1) fulltime skilled birth attendant for every one hundred fifty (150) deliveries per year, to be based on the annual number of actual deliveries or live births for the past two years; Provided, That people in geographically isolated and depressed areas shall be provided the same level of access.

SEC. 6. Emergency Obstetric Care. - Each province and city, with the assistance of the DOH, shall establish or upgrade hospitals with adequate and qualified personnel, equipment and supplies to be able to provide emergency obstetric care. For every 500,000 population, there shall be at least one (1) hospital with comprehensive emergency obstetric care and four (4) hospitals or other health facilities with basic emergency obstetric care; Provided, That people in geographically isolated and depressed areas shall be provided the same level of access.

SEC. 7. Access to Family Planning. - All accredited health facilities shall provide a full range of modern family planning methods, except in specialty hospitals which may render such services on optional basis. For poor patients, such services shall be fully covered by PhilHealth Insurance and/or government financial assistance on a no balance billing.

After the use of any PhilHealth benefit involving childbirth and all other pregnancy-related services, if the beneficiary wishes to space or prevent her next pregnancy, PhilHealth shall pay for the full cost of family planning.

SEC. 8. Maternal and Newborn Health Care in Crisis Situations. - Local government units and the Department of Health shall ensure that a Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for reproductive health, including maternal and neonatal health care kits and services as defined by the DOH, will be given proper attention in crisis situations such as disasters and humanitarian crises. MISP shall become part of all responses by national agencies at the onset of crisis and emergencies.
Temporary facilities such as evacuation centers and refugee camps shall be equipped to respond to the special needs in the following situations: normal and complicated deliveries, pregnancy complications, miscarriage and post-abortion complications, spread of HIV/AIDS and STIs, and sexual and gender-based violence.

SEC. 9. Maternal Death Review. - All Local Government Units (LGUs), national and local government hospitals, and other public health units shall conduct annual maternal death review in accordance with the guidelines set by the DOH.

SEC. 10. Family Planning Supplies as Essential Medicines. – Products and supplies for modern family planning methods shall be 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.

SEC. 11. Procurement and Distribution of Family Planning Supplies. - The DOH shall spearhead the efficient procurement, distribution to Local Government Units (LGUs) and usage-monitoring of family planning supplies for the whole country. The DOH shall coordinate with all appropriate LGUs to plan and implement this procurement and distribution program. The supply and the budget allotments shall be based on, among others, the current levels and projections of the following:
(a) number of women of reproductive age and couples who want to space or limit their children;
(b) contraceptive prevalence rate, by type of method used; and
(c) Cost of family planning supplies.

SEC 12. Integration of Family Planning and Responsible Parenthood Component in Anti-Poverty Programs. - A multi-dimensional approach shall be adopted in the implementation of policies and programs to fight poverty. Towards this end, the DOH shall endeavor to integrate a family planning and responsible parenthood component into all anti-poverty programs of government, with corresponding fund support. The DOH shall provide such programs technical support, including capacity-building and monitoring.

SEC. 13. Roles of Local Government in Family Planning Programs. - The LGUs shall ensure that poor families receive preferential access to services, commodities and programs for family planning. The role of Population Officers at municipal, city and barangay levels in the family planning effort shall be strengthened. The Barangay Health Workers and Volunteers shall be capacitated to give priority to family planning work.

SEC. 14. Benefits for Serious and Life-Threatening Reproductive Health Conditions. - All serious and life threatening reproductive health conditions such as HIV and AIDS, breast and reproductive tract cancers, obstetric complications, menopausal and post-menopausal related conditions shall be given the maximum benefits as provided by PhilHealth programs.

SEC. 15. Mobile Health Care Service. - Each Congressional District shall be provided with at least one Mobile Health Care Service (MHCS) in the form of a van or other means of transportation appropriate to coastal or mountainous areas. The MHCS shall deliver health care supplies and services to constituents, more particularly to the poor and needy, and shall be used to disseminate knowledge and information on reproductive health. The purchase of the MHCS shall be funded from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of each Congressional District. The operation and maintenance of the MHCS shall be subject to an agreement entered into between the district representative and the recipient focal municipality or city. The MHCS shall be operated by skilled health providers and 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 presentations. All MHCS shall be operated by a focal city or municipality within a congressional district.

SEC. 16. Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education. - Age-appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education shall be taught by adequately trained teachers in formal and non-formal education system starting from Grade Five up to Fourth Year High School using life skills and other approaches. Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education shall commence at the start of the school year immediately following one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act to allow the training of concerned teachers. The Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the DSWD, and the DOH shall formulate the Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education curriculum. Such curriculum shall be common to both public and private schools, out of school youth, and enrollees in the Alternative Learning System (ALS) based on, but not limited to, the psycho-social and the physical wellbeing, the demography and reproductive health, and the legal aspects of reproductive health.
Age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education shall be integrated in all relevant subjects and shall include, but not limited to, the following topics:
(a) Values formation;
(b) Knowledge and skills in self protection against discrimination, sexual violence and abuse, and teen pregnancy;
(c) Physical, social and emotional changes in adolescents;
(d) Children’s and women’s rights;
(e) Fertility awareness;
(f) STI, HIV and AIDS;
(g) Population and development;
(h) Responsible relationship;
(i) Family planning methods;
(j) Proscription and hazards of abortion;
(k) Gender and development; and
(l) Responsible parenthood.

The DepEd, CHED, DSWD, TESDA, and DOH 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.

SEC. 17. Additional Duty of the Local Population Officer. - Each Local Population Officer of every city and municipality shall furnish free instructions and information on family planning, responsible parenthood, breastfeeding, infant nutrition and other relevant aspects of this Act to all applicants for marriage license. In the absence of a local Population Officer, a Family Planning Officer under the Local Health Office shall discharge the additional duty of the Population Officer.

SEC. 18. 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. 19. Capability Building of Barangay Health Workers. - Barangay Health Workers and other community-based health workers shall undergo training on the promotion of reproductive health and shall receive at least 10% increase in honoraria, upon successful completion of training. The amount necessary for the increase in honoraria shall be charged against the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) component of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program of the DSWD. In the event the CCT is phased out, the funding sources shall be charged against the Gender and Development (GAD) budget or the development fund component of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).

SEC. 20. 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. 21. Employers’ Responsibilities. – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall ensure that employers respect the reproductive rights of workers. Consistent with the intent of Article 134 of the Labor Code, employers with more than 200 employees shall provide reproductive health services to all employees in their own respective health facilities. Those with less than 200 workers shall enter into partnerships with hospitals, health facilities, and/or health professionals in their areas for the delivery of reproductive health services.

Employers shall furnish in writing the following information to all employees and applicants:
(a) The medical and health benefits which workers are entitled to, including maternity and paternity leave benefits and the availability of family planning services;
(b) The reproductive health hazards associated with work, including hazards that may affect their reproductive functions especially pregnant women; and
(c) The availability of health facilities for workers.
Employers are obliged to monitor pregnant working employees among their workforce and ensure that they are provided paid half-day prenatal medical leaves for each month of the pregnancy period that the pregnant employee is employed in their company or organization. These paid pre-natal medical leaves shall be reimbursable from the Social Security System (SSS) or the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), as the case may be.

SEC. 22. Pro Bono Services for Indigent Women. - Private and non-government reproductive health care service providers, including but not limited to gynecologists and obstetricians, are mandated to provide at least forty-eight (48) hours annually of reproductive health services ranging from providing information and education, to rendering medical services free of charge to indigent and low income patients, especially to pregnant adolescents. The forty-eight (48) hours annual pro bono services shall be included as prerequisite in the accreditation under the PhilHealth.

SEC. 23. Sexual And Reproductive Health Programs For Persons With Disabilities (PWDs). - The cities and municipalities must ensure that barriers to reproductive health services for persons with disabilities are obliterated by the following:
(a) providing physical access, and resolving transportation and proximity issues to clinics, hospitals and places where public health education is provided, contraceptives are sold or distributed or other places where reproductive health services are provided;
(b) adapting examination tables and other laboratory procedures to the needs and conditions of persons with disabilities;
(c) increasing access to information and communication materials on sexual and reproductive health in braille, large print, simple language, and pictures;
(d) providing continuing education and inclusion rights of persons with disabilities among health-care providers; and
(e) undertaking activities to raise awareness and address misconceptions among the general public on the stigma and their lack of knowledge on the sexual and reproductive health needs and rights of persons with disabilities.

SEC. 24. Right to Reproductive Health Care Information. - The government shall guarantee the right of any person to provide or receive non-fraudulent information about the availability of reproductive health care services, including family planning, and prenatal care.
The DOH and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) shall initiate and sustain a heightened nationwide multi-media campaign to raise the level of public awareness of the protection and promotion of reproductive health and rights including family planning and population and development.

SEC. 25. Implementing Mechanisms. – Pursuant to the herein declared policy, the DOH and the Local Health Units in cities and municipalities shall serve as the lead agencies for the implementation of this Act and shall integrate in their regular operations the following functions:
(a) Ensure full and efficient implementation of the Reproductive Health Care Program;
(b) Ensure people’s access to medically safe, legal, effective, quality and affordable reproductive health supplies and services;
(c) Ensure that reproductive health services are delivered with a full range of supplies, facilities and equipment and that service providers are adequately trained for such reproductive health care delivery;
(d) 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;
(e) Strengthen the capacities of health regulatory agencies to ensure safe, legal, effective, quality, accessible and affordable reproductive health services and commodities with the concurrent strengthening and enforcement of regulatory mandates and mechanisms;
(f) Promulgate a set of minimum reproductive health standards for public health facilities, which shall be included in the criteria for accreditation. These minimum reproductive health standards shall provide for the monitoring of pregnant mothers, and a minimum package of reproductive health programs that shall be available and affordable at all levels of the public health system except in specialty hospitals where such services are provided on optional basis;
(g) 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;
(h) Furnish local government units with appropriate information and resources to keep them updated on current studies and researches relating to family planning, responsible parenthood, breastfeeding and infant nutrition; and
(i) Perform such other functions necessary to attain the purposes of this Act.

The Commission on Population (POPCOM), as an attached agency of DOH, shall serve as the coordinating body in the implementation of this Act and shall have the following functions:
(a) Integrate on a continuing basis the interrelated reproductive health and population development agenda consistent with the herein declared national policy, taking into account regional and local concerns;
(b) 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 and development programs and projects; and
(c) Conduct sustained and effective information drives on sustainable human development and on all methods of family planning to prevent unintended, unplanned and mistimed pregnancies.

SEC. 26. 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. The report shall provide a definitive and comprehensive assessment of the implementation of its programs and those of other government agencies and instrumentalities, civil society and the private sector and recommend appropriate priorities for executive and legislative actions. The report shall be printed and distributed to all national agencies, the LGUs, civil society and the private sector organizations involved in said programs.

The annual report shall evaluate the content, implementation and impact of all policies related to reproductive health and family planning to ensure that such policies promote, protect and fulfill reproductive health and rights, particularly of parents, couples and women.

SEC. 27. Congressional Oversight Committee. - There is hereby created a Congressional Oversight Committee composed of five (5) members each from the Senate and the House of Representatives (HOR). The members from the Senate and the House of Representatives shall be appointed by, the Senate President and the Speaker, respectively, based on proportional representation of the parties or coalition therein with at least one (1) member representing the Minority.
The Committee shall be headed by the respective Chairs of the Senate Committee on Youth, Women and Family Relations and the House of Representatives Committee on Population and Family Relations. The Secretariat of the Congressional Oversight Committee shall come from the existing Secretariat personnel of the Senate’ and of the House of Representatives’ committees concerned.
The Committee shall monitor and ensure the effective implementation of this Act, determine the inherent weakness and loopholes in the law, recommend the necessary remedial legislator or administrative measures and perform such other duties and functions as may be necessary to attain the objectives of this Act.

SEC. 28. Prohibited Acts. - The following acts are prohibited:
(a) Any healthcare service provider, whether public or private, who shall:

(1) Knowingly withhold information or restrict 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 legal and medically-safe reproductive health procedures on any person of legal age on the ground of lack of third party consent or authorization. In case of married persons, the mutual consent of the spouses shall be preferred. However in case of disagreement, the decision of the one undergoing the procedure shall prevail. In the case of abused minors where parents and/or other family members are the respondent, accused or convicted perpetrators as certified by the proper prosecutorial office or court, no prior parental consent shall be necessary; and

(3) Refuse to extend health care services and information on account of the person’s marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, personal circumstances, or nature of work; Provided, That, the conscientious objection of a healthcare service provider based on his/her ethical or religious beliefs shall be respected; however, the conscientious objector shall immediately refer the person seeking such care and services to another healthcare service provider within the same facility or one which is conveniently accessible who is willing to provide the requisite information and services; Provided, further, That the person is not in an emergency condition 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, personally or through a subordinate, prohibits or restricts the delivery of legal and medically-safe reproductive health care services, including family planning; or forces, coerces or induces any person to use such services.

(c) Any employer or his representative who shall require an employee or applicant, as a condition for employment or continued employment, to undergo sterilization or use or not use any family planning method; neither shall pregnancy be a ground for non-hiring or termination of employment.

(d) Any person who shall falsify a certificate of compliance as required in Section 15 of this Act; and

(e) Any person who maliciously engages in disinformation about the intent or provisions of this Act.

SEC. 29. Penalties. - Any violation of this Act or commission of the foregoing prohibited acts shall be penalized by imprisonment ranging from one (1) month to six (6) months or a fine of Ten Thousand (P 10,000.00) to Fifty Thousand Pesos (P 50,000.00) or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the competent court; Provided That, if the offender is a public official or employee, he or she shall suffer the accessory penalty of dismissal from the government service and forfeiture of retirement benefits. If the offender is a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed upon the president 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.

SEC. 30. Appropriations. - The amounts appropriated in the current annual General Appropriations Act (GAA) for Family Health and Responsible Parenting under the DOH and POPCOM and other concerned agencies shall be allocated and utilized for the initial implementation of this Act. Such additional sums necessary to implement this Act; provide for the upgrading of facilities necessary to meet Basic Emergency Obstetric Care and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care standards; train and deploy skilled health providers; procure family planning supplies and commodities as provided in Sec. 6; and implement other reproductive health services, shall be included in the subsequent GAA.

SEC. 31. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the DOH shall formulate and adopt amendments to the existing rules and regulations to carry out the objectives of this Act, in consultation with the Secretaries of the DepED, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the DSWD, the Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the Commissioner of the CHED, the Executive Director of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), and two Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) or Peoples’ Organizations (POs) for women. Full dissemination of the Implementing Rules and Regulations to the public shall be ensured.

SEC. 32. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

SEC. 33. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, orders, issuances, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 34. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,

Choosing Life, Rejecting the RH Bill

CHOOSING LIFE, REJECTING THE RH BILL

(A Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines)

Our Filipino Brothers and Sisters:

The State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights (Art. II, Section 11). The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception (Art. II, Section 12).

Background

We begin by citing the Philippine Constitution. We do so because we intend to write you on the basis of the fundamental ideals and aspirations of the Filipino people and not on the basis of specifically Catholic religious teachings.

We are at a crossroads as a nation. Before us are several versions of a proposed bill, the Reproductive Health bill or sanitized as a Responsible Parenthood bill. This proposed bill in all its versions calls us to make a moral choice: to choose life or to choose death.

At the outset we thank the government for affording us an opportunity to express our views in friendly dialogue. Sadly our dialogue has simply revealed how far apart our respective positions are. Therefore, instead of building false hopes, we wish at the present time to draw up clearly what we object to and what we stand for.

Moral Choices at the Crossroads -- at EDSA I and Now

Twenty five years ago in 1986 we Catholic Bishops made a prophetic moral judgment on political leadership. With this prophetic declaration we believe that we somehow significantly helped open the door for EDSA I and a window of political integrity.

Today we come to a new national crossroads and we now have to make a similar moral choice. Our President rallied the country with the election cry, “Kung walang corrupt walang mahirap.” As religious leaders we believe that there is a greater form of corruption, namely, moral corruption which s really the root of all corruption. On the present issue, it would be morally corrupt to disregard the moral implications of the RH bill.

This is our unanimous collective moral judgment: We strongly reject the RH bill.

Commonly Shared Human and Cultural Values – Two Fundamental Principles

Far from being simply a Catholic issue, the RH bill is a major attack on authentic human values and on Filipino cultural values regarding human life that all of us have cherished since time immemorial.

Simply stated the RH Bill does not respect moral sense that is central to Filipino cultures. It is the product of the spirit of this world, a secularist, materialistic spirit that considers morality as a set of teachings from which one can choose, according to the spirit of the age. Some it accepts, others it does not accept. Unfortunately, we see the subtle spread of this post-modern spirit in our own Filipino society.

Our position stands firmly on two of the core principles commonly shared by all who believe in God:

(1) Human life is the most sacred physical gift with which God, the author of life, endows a human being. Placing artificial obstacles to prevent human life from being formed and being born most certainly contradicts this fundamental truth of human life. In the light of the widespread influence of the post-modern spirit in our world, we consider this position as nothing less than prophetic. As religious leaders we must proclaim this truth fearlessly in season and out of season.

(2) It is parents, cooperating with God, who bring children into the world. It is also they who have the primary inalienable right and responsibility to nurture them, care for them, and educate them that they might grow as mature persons according to the will of the Creator.

What We Specifically Object to in the RH Bill

Advocates contend that the RH bill promotes reproductive health. The RH Bill certainly does not. It does not protect the health of the sacred human life that is being formed or born. The very name “contraceptive” already reveals the anti-life nature of the means that the RH bill promotes. These artificial means are fatal to human life, either preventing it from fruition or actually destroying it. Moreover, scientists have known for a long time that contraceptives may cause cancer. Contraceptives are hazardous to a woman’s health.

Advocates also say that the RH bill will reduce abortion rates. But many scientific analysts themselves wonder why prevalent contraceptive use sometimes raises the abortion rate. In truth, contraceptives provide a false sense of security that takes away the inhibition to sexual activity. Scientists have noted numerous cases of contraceptive failure. Abortion is resorted to, an act that all religious traditions would judge as sinful. “Safe sex” to diminish abortion rate is false propaganda.

Advocates moreover say that the RH bill will prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. This goes against the grain of many available scientific data. In some countries where condom use is prevalent, HIV/ AIDS continues to spread. Condoms provide a false security that strongly entices individuals towards increased sexual activity, increasing likewise the incidence of HIV/AIDS. “Safe sex” to prevent HIV /AIDS is false propaganda.

Advocates also assert that the RH Bill empowers women with ownership of their own bodies. This is in line with the post-modern spirit declaring that women have power over their own bodies without the dictation of any religion. How misguided this so-called “new truth” is! For, indeed, as created by God our bodies are given to us to keep and nourish. We are stewards of our own bodies and we must follow God’s will on this matter according to an informed and right conscience. Such a conscience must certainly be enlightened and guided by religious and moral teachings provided by various religious and cultural traditions regarding the fundamental dignity and worth of human life.

Advocates also say that the RH bill is necessary to stop overpopulation and to escape from poverty. Our own government statistical office has concluded that there is no overpopulation in the Philippines but only the over-concentration of population in a number of urban centers. Despite other findings to the contrary, we must also consider the findings of a significant group of renowned economic scholars, including economic Nobel laureates, who have found no direct correlation between population and poverty. In fact, many Filipino scholars have concluded that population is not the cause of our poverty. The causes of our poverty are: flawed philosophies of development, misguided economic policies, greed, corruption, social inequities, lack of access to education, poor economic and social services, poor infrastructures, etc. World organizations estimate that in our country more than P400 billion pesos are lost yearly to corruption. The conclusion is unavoidable: for our country to escape from poverty, we have to address the real causes of poverty and not population.

In the light of the above, we express our clear objections:

We object to the non-consideration of moral principles, the bedrock of law, in legislative discussions of bills that are intended for the good of individuals and for the common good.

We are against the anti-life, anti-natal and contraceptive mentality that is reflected in media and in some proposed legislative bills.

We object strongly to efforts at railroading the passage of the RH bill.

We denounce the over-all trajectory of the RH bill towards population control.

We denounce the use of public funds for contraceptives and sterilization.

We condemn compulsory sex education that would effectively let parents abdicate their primary role of educating their own children, especially in an area of life – sexuality – which is a sacred gift of God.

What We Stand For

On this matter of proposed RH bills, these are our firm convictions:

We are deeply concerned about the plight of the many poor, especially of suffering women, who are struggling for a better life and who must seek it outside of our country, or have recourse to a livelihood less than decent.

We are pro-life. We must defend human life from the moment of conception or fertilization up to its natural end.

We believe in the responsible and natural regulation of births through Natural Family Planning for which character building is necessary which involves sacrifice, discipline and respect for the dignity of the spouse.

We believe that we are only stewards of our own bodies. Responsibility over our own bodies must follow the will of God who speaks to us through conscience.

We hold that on the choices related to the RH bill, conscience must not only be informed but most of all rightly guided through the teachings of one’s faith.

We believe in the freedom of religion and the right of conscientious objection in matters that are contrary to one’s faith. The sanctions and penalties embodied in the proposed RH bill are one more reason for us to denounce it.

Our Calls

As religious leaders we have deeply and prayerfully reflected on this burning issue. We have unanimously made the moral judgment – to reject the RH agenda and to choose life.

1. We call for a fundamental transformation of our attitudes and behavior towards all human life especially the most defenseless, namely, human life being formed or being conceived. The cheapness with which many seem to consider human life is a great bane to our religious-oriented nation.

2. We call upon our legislators to consider the RH bill in the light of the God-given dignity and worth of human life and, therefore, to shelve it completely as contrary to our ideals and aspirations as a people. We thank our legislators who have filed bills to defend human life from the moment of conception and call upon all other legislators to join their ranks.

3. We thank the great multitude of lay people all over the country, and particularly the dedicated groups who made their presence felt in the halls of Congress, to defend and promote our position. We call upon other lay people and adherents of other religions to join the advocacy to defend and promote our commonly shared ideals and aspirations.

4. We call on our government to address effectively the real causes of poverty such as corruption, lack of social and economic services, lack of access to education and the benefits of development, social inequities.

5. We call for the establishment of more hospitals and clinics in the rural areas, the deployment of more health personnel to provide more access to health services, the building of more schools, the provision of more aid to the poor for education, and the building of more and better infrastructures necessary for development.

6. We echo the challenge we prophetically uttered 25 years ago at EDSA I and call upon all people of good will who share our conviction: “…let us pray together, reason together, decide together, act together, always to the end that the truth prevail” over the many threats to human life and to our shared human and cultural values.

We commend our efforts against the RH bill (or the Responsible Parenthood bill – its new name) to the blessing of our almighty and loving God, from whom all life comes and for whom it is destined.

For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.


+Nereo P. Odchimar, D.D.
Bishop of Tandag
President, CBCP

January 30, 2011