Final Thesis RH Bill

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CHAPTER 1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Introduction
As said in the position paper of the Honorable Representative V. Dennis Socrates of the
2nd District of the province of Palawan entitled The Sanctity of Family and Life: Natural Law
and Thinking in the Constitution, every ae in the history of civili!ation "ay be ro#hly
characteri!ed by the pec#liar ideoloical conflict which divided peoples in its ti"e$. %hile there
are historical "o"ents of relative peace, there rises a conflict dividin the opinions of the people
in al"ost every cent#ry.
HB 04244: Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill
H& '(2((, also )nown as A* A+, PR-V.D.*/ 0-R A +-1PR2H2*S.V2 P-3.+4 -*
R2SP-*S.&32 PAR2*,H--D, R2PR-D5+,.V2 H2A3,H, A*D P-P53A,.-*
D2V23-P12*,, A*D 0-R -,H2R P5RP-S2S$, was the res#ltin bill after consolidatin
five 678 related bills, na"ely9 H& ''':;, as introd#ced by Representative 2dcel 3a"an,
entitled9 A* A+, PR-V.D.*/ 0-R A *A,.-*A3 P-3.+4 -* R2PR-D5+,.V2
H2A3,H, R2SP-*S.&32 PAR2*,H--D A*D P-P53A,.-* D2V23-P12*,, A*D
0-R -,H2R P5RP-S2S$< H& ''1'1, as introd#ced by Representative =anette /arin, entitled9
A* A+, PR-V.D.*/ 0-R A *A,.-*A3 P-3.+4 -* R2PR-D5+,.V2 H2A3,H A*D
P-P53A,.-* D2V23-P12*,, A*D 0-R -,H2R P5RP-S2S$< H& ''71>, as introd#ced
by Representatives ?a)a &a@ao and %alden &ello, entitled9 A* A+, PR-V.D.*/ 0-R A
*A,.-*A3 P-3.+4 -* R2PR-D5+,.V2 H2A3,H A*D P-P53A,.-*
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D2V23-P12*,, A*D 0-R -,H2R P5RP-S2S$< H& '11;', as introd#ced by
Representative Rodolfo &ia!on, entitled9 A* A+, PR-V.D.*/ 0-R A *A,.-*A3 P-3.+4
-* R2PR-D5+,.V2 H2A3,H A*D 0-R -,H2R P5RP-S2S$< H& '172', as introd#ced
by Representative A##sto SyA#co, entitled9 A* A+, ,- PR-,2+, ,H2 R./H, -0 ,H2
P2-P32 ,- .*0-R1A,.-* -* R2PR-D5+,.V2 H2A3,H+AR2$< and H& '>>BC, as
introd#ced by Representatives 3#!vi"inda .laan and 2"erenciana De =es#s, entitled9 A* A+,
PR-V.D.*/ 0-R A *A,.-*A3 P-3.+4 -* R2PR-D5+,.V2 H2A3,H 0-R %-12* .*
D2V23-P12*, A*D 0-R -,H2R P5RP-S2S$.
.n section 2 of the bill entitled Declaration of Policy, the sponsors lay the three policy
fo#ndations of the bill, na"ely9
1. The State recognizes and guarantees the eercise of the uni!ersal "asic human right to
re#roducti!e health "y all #ersons$ #articularly of #arents$ cou#les and women$
consistent with their religious con!ictions$ and cultural "eliefs and the demands of
res#onsi"le #arenthood%
&. The State recognizes and guarantees the #romotion of gender e'uality$ e'uity and
women(s em#owerment as a health and human rights concern% and
). The State guarantees uni!ersal access to medically safe$ legal$ afforda"le$ effecti!e$ and
'uality re#roducti!e health ser!ices$ methods$ de!ices$ su##lies and rele!ant information
and education thereon.
.n section > of the bill entitled Guiding Principle, the sponsors lay the fra"ewor) of the bill,
na"ely9
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1. Freedom of choice%
&. *e#ect for$ #rotection and fulfillment of re#roducti!e health and rights seek to #romote
the rights and welfare of cou#les$ adult indi!iduals$ women$ and adolescents%
). +ffecti!e re#roducti!e healthcare with the end of maternal health$ safe deli!ery of healthy
children and their full human de!elo#ment$ and res#onsi"le #arenting%
,. -romotion of all effecti!e natural and modern methods of family #lanning that are
medically safe and legal%
.. *ight to health of the #oor and marginalized "y #ro!iding of medically safe$ legal$
accessi"le$ afforda"le and effecti!e re#roducti!e health care ser!ices and su##lies%
/. -romotion of #rograms that ena"le cou#les$ indi!iduals$ and women to ha!e ha!e the
num"er of children and re#roducti!e s#acing they desire $ of #rograms that achie!e
e'uita"le allocation and utilization of resources$ of #rograms that ensure effecti!e
#artnershi# of the national and local go!ernment$ and the #ri!ate sector in the design$
im#lementation$ coordination$ integration$ monitoring$ and e!aluation of #eo#le0centered
#rograms to enhance 'uality of life$ of #rograms that conduct studies to analyze
demogra#hic trends towards sustaina"le human de!elo#ment$ and of #rograms that
conduct scientific studies to determine safety and efficacy of alternati!e medicines and
methods of re#roducti!e health care de!elo#ment%
1. The shared role of the national and local go!ernment units in #ro!iding re#roducti!e
health information$ care$ and su##lies%
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2. -romotion of acti!e #artici#ation "y non0go!ernment organizations and communities in
the de!elo#ment of re#roducti!e health #olicies that res#ond to the needs of the #oor$
es#ecially the women%
3. The humane$ non04udgmental$ and com#assionate treatment and counseling of women
needing care for #ost0a"ortion com#lications%
15. The a"sence of demogra#hic or #o#ulation targets%
11. -romotion of gender e'uality and women em#owerment%
1&. The esta"lishment of a well0coordinated and integrated #olicies$ #lans$ and #rograms
that seeks to u#lift the 'uality of life of the #eo#le$ more #articularly the #oor$ the needy$
and the marginalized% and
1). The de!elo#ment of a com#rehensi!e re#roducti!e health #rogram that addresses the
needs of the #eo#le throughout their life cycle.
,he followin are the salient feat#res of the Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation &ill9
1. ,he provision of e"erency obstetric and neonatal care services in every province and
city for every 7'',''' citi!ens, and the provision of fo#r 6(8 basic obstetric and neonatal
care services for every 7'',''' citi!ens<
2. ,he provision of f#ll rane of fa"ily plannin "ethods, and PH.3H2A3,HDs f#ll
coverae for the cost of fa"ily plannin<
>. ,he incl#sion of fa"ily plannin s#pplies to the list of essential "edicines<
(. ,he provision of PH.3H2A3,H "aEi"#" benefits to all serio#s and life@threatenin
reprod#ctive health conditions s#ch as, b#t not li"ited to, H.VFA.DS, breast and
reprod#ctive tract cancers, obstetric conditions, and "enopa#sal and post@"enopa#sal
related conditions<
7. ,he introd#ction of ae@appropriate, Reprod#ctive Health and SeE#ality 2d#cation in the
for"al and non@for"al ed#cation c#rric#l#"< and
;. ,he introd#ction of a +ertificate of +o"pliance$, to be iss#ed by the local Pop#lation
-ffice, as part of the essential reG#ire"ents of a "arriae license<
,he bill is c#rrently pendin before the plenary of the Ho#se of Representatives, after the Ho#se
+o""ittee on Pop#lation and 0a"ily Relations trans"itted +o""ittee Report *o. ;;(.
However, after a heated debate last Dece"ber 2'11, and after facin "assive opposition fro" the
+atholic +h#rch and other ca#se@oriented ro#ps, the plenary has not set a sched#le for the
disc#ssion of the "eas#re. A si"ilar bill is filed in the Senate, sponsored by the Honorable
Senators Pia +o"paHera$ +ayetano and 1iria" Defensor@Santiao.
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Statement o t!e Pro"#em
,his st#dy shall answer the followin G#estions9
18 %hat are the views of the st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as 0ac#lty of Arts and
3etters reardin Reprod#ctive Health &illI
28 Do the st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as 0ac#lty of Arts and 3etters share the
sa"e reasons and ar#e"ents with the +atholic &ishop +onference of the PhilippinesI
>8 Are the st#dents open to chane their position abo#t the billI

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Sco$e and %imitation
,he st#dy shall disc#ss at lenth the Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill as
envisioned by the "e"bers of the Ho#se of Representatives. ,he provisions to be cited in this
st#dy shall be lifted fro" H& '(2((. ,he Senate, led by Honorables Pia +o"paHera$ +ayetano
and 1iria" Defensor@Santiao, also has a version of the bill, b#t shall not be #sed in the st#dy.
,his st#dy shall also disc#ss at lenth the position of the +atholic +h#rch on 3ife, partic#larly on
Reprod#ctive Health, Pop#lation 1anae"ent, and +ontraceptives #se. %hile the encyclical
67umanae 8itae$ shall be #sed, the st#dy shall eEha#st local pastoral letters and position papers
of local +atholic +h#rch orans s#ch as the +atholic &ishopsD +onference of the Philippines,
Pro@3ife Philippines, and others. .t is safe to infer that the official position of the 5niversity of
Santo ,o"as on this iss#e r#ns alon the lines of that of the +&+P and the +atholic +h#rch.
,his st#dy shall #se as sa"ples the st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as in atherin data to
resolve the first proble" of the st#dy. However, there shall be no co"prehensive brea)down of
data in ter"s of year levels, ender, and fac#lty delineations in presentin the data. ,he st#dy
shall foc#s on enterprise findins of the s#rvey. Also, st#dents of the 5S, 2d#cation Hih
School, 5S, Hih School, and 5S, /rad#ate School, shall not be respondents to the st#dy.
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Re&ie' o Re#ated %iterature
Accordin to the 0act Sheet on the Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill as
iss#ed by the Ho#se +o""ittee on Pop#lation and 0a"ily Relations chaired by the Honorable
Representative /erardo 2spina 6Ho#se &ill (2((, 2'118, the bills ai" to do the followin9 6a8
interate a responsible parenthood and fa"ily plannin co"ponent into all anti@poverty and other
s#stainable h#"an develop"ent prora"s and pro"ote peoplesD riht to health, especially the
poor and "arinali!ed< 628 #phold the basic riht of co#ples and individ#als to decide freely and
responsibly the n#"ber of children they "ay have and the reprod#ctive spacin they will adopt,
and to provide the infor"ation, ed#cation, and access to "edically safe, leal, affordable,
effective, and G#ality reprod#ctive healthcare services, "ethods, devices, s#pplies, and relevant
infor"ation thereon< and 6>8 ens#re the effective partnership a"on the national overn"ent,
local overn"ent #nits 63/5s8 and private sector in the desin, i"ple"entation, coordination,
interation, "onitorin, and eval#ation of people@centered prora"s to enhance G#ality of life
and environ"ental protection.
0#rther"ore, the 0act Sheet cites sections 12 and 17, Article .. of the +onstit#tion of the
Rep#blic of the Philippines, which state9
Section 1() ,he State reconi!es the sanctity of fa"ily life and shall protect and strenthen the
fa"ily as a basic a#tono"o#s social instit#tion. .t shall eG#ally protect the life of the "other and
the life of the #nborn fro" conception. ,he nat#ral and pri"ary riht and d#ty of parents in the
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rearin of the yo#th for civic efficiency and the develop"ent of "oral character shall receive the
s#pport of the /overn"ent.
Section 1*. ,he State shall protect and pro"ote the riht to health of the people and instill health
conscio#sness a"on the".
Accordin to -dchi"ar, ,he State val#es the dinity of every h#"an person and #arantees f#ll
respect for h#"an rihts 6Art. .., Section 118. ,he State reconi!es the sanctity of fa"ily life and
shall protect and strenthen the fa"ily as a basic a#tono"o#s social instit#tion. .t shall eG#ally
protect the life of the "other and the life of the #nborn fro" conception 6Art. .., Section 128. 0ar
fro" bein si"ply a +atholic iss#e, the RH bill is a "aAor attac) on a#thentic h#"an val#es and
on 0ilipino c#lt#ral val#es reardin h#"an life that all of #s have cherished since ti"e
i""e"orial.Si"ply stated the RH &ill does not respect "oral sense that is central to 0ilipino
c#lt#res. .t is the prod#ct of the spirit of this world, a sec#larist, "aterialistic spirit that considers
"orality as a set of teachins fro" which one can choose, accordin to the spirit of the ae.
Advocates contend that the RH bill pro"otes reprod#ctive health. ,he RH &ill certainly does
not. .t does not protect the health of the sacred h#"an life that is bein for"ed or born. ,he very
na"e contraceptive$ already reveals the anti@life nat#re of the "eans that the RH bill pro"otes.
,hese artificial "eans are fatal to h#"an life, either preventin it fro" fr#ition or act#ally
destroyin it. 1oreover, scientists have )nown for a lon ti"e that contraceptives "ay ca#se
cancer. +ontraceptives are ha!ardo#s to a wo"anDs health. 6-dchi"ar, 2'118
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Advocates also say that the RH bill will red#ce abortion rates. &#t "any scientific analysts
the"selves wonder why prevalent contraceptive #se so"eti"es raises the abortion rate. .n tr#th,
contraceptives provide a false sense of sec#rity that ta)es away the inhibition to seE#al activity.
Scientists have noted n#"ero#s cases of contraceptive fail#re. Abortion is resorted to, an act that
all reliio#s traditions wo#ld A#de as sinf#l. Safe seE$ to di"inish abortion rate is false
propaanda.6-dchi"ar, 2'118
Advocates "oreover say that the RH bill will prevent the spread of H.VFA.DS. ,his oes aainst
the rain of "any available scientific data. .n so"e co#ntries where condo" #se is prevalent,
H.VF A.DS contin#es to spread. +ondo"s provide a false sec#rity that stronly entices
individ#als towards increased seE#al activity, increasin li)ewise the incidence of H.VFA.DS.
Safe seE$ to prevent H.V FA.DS is false propaanda.6-dchi"ar, 2'118
Advocates also assert that the RH &ill e"powers wo"en with ownership of their own bodies.
,his is in line with the post@"odern spirit declarin that wo"en have power over their own
bodies witho#t the dictation of any reliion. How "is#ided this so@called new tr#th$ isJ 0or,
indeed, as created by /od o#r bodies are iven to #s to )eep and no#rish. %e are stewards of o#r
own bodies and we "#st follow /odDs will on this "atter accordin to an infor"ed and riht
conscience. S#ch a conscience "#st certainly be enlihtened and #ided by reliio#s and "oral
teachins provided by vario#s reliio#s and c#lt#ral traditions reardin the f#nda"ental dinity
and worth of h#"an life. 6-dchi"ar,2'118
Advocates also say that the RH bill is necessary to stop overpop#lation and to escape fro"
poverty. -#r own overn"ent statistical office has concl#ded that there is no overpop#lation in
the Philippines b#t only the over@concentration of pop#lation in a n#"ber of #rban centers.
Despite other findins to the contrary, we "#st also consider the findins of a sinificant ro#p
of renowned econo"ic scholars, incl#din econo"ic *obel la#reates, who have fo#nd no direct
correlation between pop#lation and poverty. .n fact, "any 0ilipino scholars have concl#ded that
pop#lation is not the ca#se of o#r poverty. ,he ca#ses of o#r poverty are9 flawed philosophies of
develop"ent, "is#ided econo"ic policies, reed, corr#ption, social ineG#ities, lac) of access to
ed#cation, poor econo"ic and social services, poor infrastr#ct#res, etc. %orld orani!ations
esti"ate that in o#r co#ntry "ore than P('' billion pesos are lost yearly to corr#ption. ,he
concl#sion is #navoidable9 for o#r co#ntry to escape fro" poverty, we have to address the real
ca#ses of poverty and not pop#lation. 6-dchi"ar, 2'118
Accordin to De 3a Rosa, ,he 5niversity of Santo ,o"as was established pri"arily for
the p#rpose of sharin in the evaneli!in "ission of the ch#rch. .t contin#esly Ao#rneyed with
the +h#rch in her relentless p#rs#it to n#rt#re the seeds of /odDs )indo", where the dinity of
each h#"an bein and the sanctity of life are respected and #pheld.
5S, said that RH bill is a A#n). Affir"in its advocacy for life, the 5niversity of Santo
,o"as has released a state"ent opposin the reprod#ctive health$ 6RH8 bill pendin in
+onress, sayin a overn"ent@sponsored responsible parenthood prora" sho#ld be "otivated
by an option for life and not aainst it.$ 6Villa"or, 2'118
,he state"ent in s#pport of the +atholic &ishopsD +onference of the Philippines 6+&+P8 said
nat#ral fa"ily plannin was the better option as it is not only pro@life b#t also pro@poor and pro@
wo"en, since it does not endaner peopleDs health.$
69t :natural family #lanning; #romotes disci#line and sacrifice. 9t does not take away the
o#enness to the gift of life.
6<e "elie!e that human life is =od(s sole #rerogati!e$ ha!ing created this sacred gift
immediately at the moment of conce#tion$ the state"ent released by the -ffice for Reliio#s
Affairs said.
5S, is specifically opposin a provision in the consolidated RH bill, Ho#se &ill *o. (2((,
appropriatin taEpayersD "oney on contraceptive pills incl#din abortifacients$ that are
potentially ha!ardo#s to health, and KbrinL abo#t "oral and spirit#al corr#ption by pro"otin
irresponsible seE#al activity.$ 6Villa"or, 2'118
,he bill, 5S, pointed o#t, will also reG#ire e"ployers to spend for the contraceptives of their
e"ployees even if it is aainst their conscience.
1oreover, the bill will p#nish critics of RH for "alicio#s enae"ent in disinfor"ation$ with
Aail ti"e and hefty fines. 6Villa"or, 2'118
5S, called for the protection of freedo" of reliion enshrined in the 1:BC +onstit#tion and the
riht to conscientio#s obAection in "atters contrary to oneDs faith.$
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Accordin to /enove, .f there is a stron ar#"ent on the passae of the Reprod#ctive Health
6RH8 &ill, it is the ever@rowin pop#lation of the Philippines. Accordin to the latest statistics
on the co#ntryDs de"oraphical data, there are now :; "illion 0ilipinos, a considerable increase
in the last 1' years or so, or a rowth rate of at least fo#r to siE percent every year. ,ranslated to
"ore sinificant data, five to siE babies are born in the co#ntry every "in#te, a staerin
infor"ation considerin that the Philippines is, #ntil today, still referred to by its neihborin
co#ntries as a developin econo"y.
,h#s, the latest proposed leislation in both the Senate and the Ho#se of Representatives has left
the 0ilipino people eEtre"ely polari!ed. A lot of considerations have e"ered in several
disc#ssions essentially beca#se the sta#nchest opposition to the passae of the RH &ill co"es
fro" the +atholic +h#rch. ,his is #nderstandable beca#se the Philippines re"ains to be the only
+hristian nation in the 0ar 2ast and with the coloni!ation of Spain for al"ost fo#r cent#ries,
+atholicis" is widespread and prevalent. 6/enove, 2'118
So"e sectors contend that the RH &ill boils down to the freedo" of choice a"on co#ples and
those who are seE#ally active. -thers reason o#t that procreation is /odDs leacy to His people.
-n the other hand, wo"en M who bear the br#nt of childbirth and its perils M say that they have
the riht to choose what is best for the", "eanin, if their bodies co#ld not withstand the riors
of childbirth, then they have all the riht to ta)e care of their own bodies. 6/enove, 2'118
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2Ea"inin closely the advantaes and disadvantaes of the RH &ill, the for"er far o#tweihs
the latter, that is, there are "ore benefits that the "aAority of 0ilipinos can et co"pared to not
havin s#ch a bill passed for leislation in the co#ntry. 6/enove, 2'118
%hat is needed in the RH &ill is widespread infor"ation and disse"ination of the vario#s fa"ily
plannin "ethods and contraceptives that are available for co#ples. %hile the rich, ed#cated
co#ples #nderstand the choices that they have, the poor fol) M who co"prise the "aAority M
hardly have any )nowlede on their options beca#se they lac) ed#cation. &#t, the lac) of
ed#cation is oin to be another story or, on the contrary, the lac) of ed#cation "ay be related to
the passae of the RH &ill. 6/enove, 2'118
HISTORY OF RH BI%%
,he 1::( .nternational convention on Pop#lation and Develop"ent 6.+PD8, to which the
Philippines is a sinatory, defines reprod#ctive health as a state of co"plete physical, "ental and
social well@bein and not "erely the absence of disease or infir"ity in all "atters relatin to the
reprod#ctive syste" and to its f#nctions and processes. Reprod#ctive health therefore i"plies
that people are able to have a satisfyin and safe seE life and that they have the capability to
reprod#ce and the freedo" to decide if, when and how often to do so. ."plicit in this last
condition is the riht of "en and wo"en to be infor"ed and to have access to safe, effective,
affordable and acceptable "ethods of fa"ily plannin and fertility re#lation of their choice, as
lon as they are not aainst the law. .t is also #nderstood that co#ples have the riht of access to
appropriate healthcare services that will enable the wo"en to o safely thro#h prenancy and
childbirth, and have the best chance of havin a healthy infant. %ith the Philippines sinin the
1:;C 5nited *ations Declaration on Pop#lation which stressed that the pop#lation proble" "#st
be considered by overn"ents as a principal ele"ent in lon@ter" econo"ic plannin, RA *o.
;>;7 or the Pop#lation Act of the Philippines was enacted #nder the 1arcos ad"inistration. ,he
said law created the +o""ission on Pop#lation 6P-P+-18 and "andated it to st#dy the
pop#lation proble" and co"e #p with the appropriate sol#tions. .n 1:C', #pon -P+-1Ds
reco""endation, the overn"ent officially la#nched the *ational Pop#lation Prora" 6*PP8
which advocated a s"all fa"ily si!e nor", and provided infor"ation and services to red#ce the
fertility rate. D#rin the AG#ino ad"inistration, the foc#s shifted towards the riht of co#ples to
deter"ine the n#"ber of their children, a "ove that was also observed in other Asian co#ntries.
.n 1:BB, the instit#tional and operational responsibility of the fa"ily plannin prora" was
transferred to the Depart"ent of Health 6DoH8 while the P-P+-1 was "ade to concentrate on
pop#lation and Develop"ent activities. 5nder the DoH, fa"ily plannin beca"e a co"ponent of
the total health prora" and was viewed as a health intervention rather than a de"oraphic one.
As s#ch, i"provin "aternal and child health, instead of "erely red#cin fertility, beca"e the
pri"ary concern. .n 1::1, with the passae of the 3ocal /overn"ent +ode, pop#lation policy
prora"s were s#bseG#ently devolved to 3/5s. ,he Ra"os overn"ent #p scales the initiative
of previo#s ad"inistrations by redefinin the co#ntryDs pop#lation prora" fro" pop#lation
control$ to pop#lation "anae"ent$ s#bs#"in fa"ily plannin #nder the s#stainable
develop"ent fra"ewor). ,he s#stainable develop"ent fra"ewor) espo#ses a balance between
and a"on pop#lation levels, reso#rces and the environ"ent. ,hen DoH Secretary =#an 0lavier
actively pro"oted fa"ily plannin and reprod#ctive health thro#h the ?#n silaDy "ahal nyo,
"aplano$ ca"pain, and enco#raed the #se of condo"s to prevent #nplanned prenancies and
the spread of H.V. 5nder the DoH, fa"ily plannin beca"e a co"ponent of the total health
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prora" and was viewed as a health intervention rather than a de"oraphic one. As s#ch,
i"provin "aternal and child health, instead of red#cin fertility, beca"e the pri"ary concern.
,he 2strada ad"inistration contin#ed the efforts of the AG#ino and Ra"os overn"ents and
introd#ced alternative de"oraphic scenarios and other contraceptive "ethod "iEes to s#pport
fertility decline. 5nder the Arroyo ad"inistration, pop#lation policy larely reflects the +atholic
+h#rchDs position on fa"ily plannin which e"phasi!es responsible parentin, infor"ed choice,
respect for life and birth spacin. Albeit ac)nowledin that pop#lation rowth has to slow
down, the national overn"ent is foc#sin solely on "ainstrea"in nat#ral fa"ily plannin
6*0P 8 as the only acceptable "ode of birth control$ and leaves o#t the decision@"a)in
reardin the b#det allocation for eEpendit#res on other fa"ily plannin "ethods to the 3/5s.
A"idst criticis"s, President Arroyo pointed o#t that the overn"ent is not in violation of any
law since "odern contraceptives are not banned in the co#ntry and re"ain available
co""ercially nationwide. 6A"bat, 2'':8
,he poor co"prise the "aAority of 0ilipinos. &eca#se they are poor, they necessarily lac)
ed#cation or have no ed#cation at all. %ho, then, will teach and #ide these people abo#t their
choices, especially in the n#"ber of children that they can have or are able to s#pportI Aain,
beca#se of a dearth of )nowlede, these people si"ply A#st leave it to fate if it happens that the
wife ets prenant al"ost every year. 6/enove, 2'118
,he iss#e is not abortion at all. .t is a totally different aspect of the entire disc#ssion. ,he iss#e is
ivin the people a choice of whether they will adapt the fa"ily plannin "ethods that have been
s#ested for the". .t is for the" to ta)e it or leave it. .f the people so desire that they wo#ld
choose fro" a"on the artificial fa"ily plannin "ethods available, then it is their choice. ,he
Students Taking Sides...|1C
botto"line is that these infor"ation sho#ld be "ade available for everyone and eEplained to
the", "ost especially those who have no capacity to learn and #nderstand. ,hese people are the
ones "ost v#lnerable. 6/enove, 2'118
.t is abo#t ti"e that fa"ily plannin be incl#ded as part of the c#rric#l#" in schools and
#niversities. ,he incl#sion of seE ed#cation has been practiced in the past, b#t was phased o#t
beca#se of so"e opposition. 3et this be revived today beca#se of the need of the yo#th to be
infor"ed abo#t their rihts as a h#"an bein. Parents sho#ld also help the schools in "a)in
their children #nderstand the pitfalls of early "arriae or teen prenancy. .f the people are
properly infor"ed, then they wo#ld be able to "a)e intellient choices for their own better"ent.
.n the process, they wo#ld be e"powered. 6/enove, 2'118
Pop#lation control sho#ld not be contin#ed. &irth control @@@ thro#h "assive contraception
which wo#ld res#lt in abortion and lead to the destr#ction of 0ilipino fa"ilies ho"es and of o#r
f#t#re. 6Atien!a, 2'118
,he A.DS 2d#cation Prora" is a pervasive co"prehensive plan of instr#ction which finds its
way in as "any s#bAect areas as possible to ens#re that st#dents fro" /rade V. in the
inter"ediate level #p to collee level pic) #p the core "essae9 to avoid H.VFA.DS, #se
condo"s. A wealth of data and ar#"ents prove that condo"s cannot #arantee 1''N protection
fro" the dreaded disease, b#t the prora" directors, led by 1r. /eof 1anthy, the %H-
representative, are bent on #sin the classroo"s to condo"i!ed$ o#r children.
,here is val#e concepts incl#ded, b#t tr#e to the tenets of safe seE and A.DS ed#cation co#rses,
there is a deliberate atte"pt to obf#scate the val#e concepts by avoidin specifics and by
Students Taking Sides...|1B
allowin a certain tone, an attit#de to prevail. .n this approach, no val#es@teachin ta)es place.
.nstr#ction si"ply tells st#dents to ta)e the facts or the infor"ation, sense how they feel abo#t
the facts, "a)e their options and then "a)e the best decisions. ,here is no riht and wron
decision. %hat "atters is that the st#dents are co"fortable with their answers which they base on
facts and data and not on the "oral iss#es of the sensitive s#bAect of seE#ality and the
trans"ission of life. 6Ranada, 1::;8
,he ch#rch teaches the necessity of responsible parenthood for "arried co#ples. .t has never
been the teachin of the +h#rch that co#ples sho#ld )eep on beettin as "any children as they
physically can and si"ply tr#st /od to provide for the". 6&acani, 1::28
,he chief concerns of a +atholic #niversity is the critical st#dy, disse"ination, eEplanation and
defense of catholic teachin reardin the pop#lation G#estion, responsible parenthood, fa"ily
plannin and contraception, sterili!ation and abortion.
Another very i"portant tas) of a catholic #niversity, especially of those in the "edical fac#lty is
to brin o#t the f#ll tr#th abo#t contraception and partic#larly the evil effects of the pill and the
.5D. 6&acani, 1::28
.t is interestin to note the latest statistics co"in fro" the Social %eather Station #nder the
s#pervision of 1r. 1ahar 1anahas, which revealed that in the =#ne 2'11 s#rvey, only >'
percent areed and 71 percent disareed that the #se of condo"s constit#tes abortion.
0#rther"ore, only 2: percent areed and 71 percent disareed that the #se of .5Ds constit#tes
abortion. Also, only 2: percent areed and 72 disareed that the #se of birth control pills
constit#tes abortion. ,he res#lts of the s#rvey li)ewise revealed that the balances fro" 1''
percent, ro#hly 2 o#t of every 1' ad#lt 0ilipinos, were #nable to ta)e a stand. 6/enove, 2'118
Students Taking Sides...|1:
Accordin to Socrates, the debate 6on Reprod#ctive Health8 wo#ld see" to revolve aro#nd the
deree of protection to be accorded h#"an life, and to so"e eEtent it is so9 -n one hand, pro@life
thin)in holds that the riht to life de"ands respect and protection fro" pre@conception
6"arriae and the conA#al act8, thro#h birth and ed#cation 6fa"ily life8, to its ter"inal staes
6the aed and the dyin8. -n the other hand, the pro@choice position ar#es that h#"an life M and
corrolarily, the concepts of "arriae and the fa"ily M "ay be the obAect of certain choices of the
individ#al, and so assert the licitness of divorce, contraception, abortion, and so on. .n tr#th,
however, the iss#e is not so "#ch the deree b#t the direction or end of s#ch respect and
protection9 Respect and protection for what and for who"I
0#rther"ore, Socrates contends that, the iss#e of whether "an is free to deter"ine ood and evil
#nderlies the pro@life vers#s pro@choice debate. ,he pro@life 6nat#ral law8 position affir"s that
h#"an freedo" does not eEtend to deter"inin what is ood or not< that there are obAective
criteria beyond the needs or preferences of the individ#al h#"an person, ste""in fro" the
tr#ths of h#"an nat#re and the #niverse, which "an co#ld not ta"per with witho#t ca#sin
har"f#l disorder on hi"self and his environ"ent.
,he pro@choice stand, on the other hand, i"plicitly ar#es that, at least in the are of
reprod#ction$, there are no obAective nor"s< or that considerations of socio@econo"ic
develop"ent, "aternal health, etc. M in the end su"4ecti!e personal preferences M deter"ine the
"oral G#ality of the acts involved. S#ch position, however, wo#ld also re"ove the rational basis
for any assertion concernin the i""ortality of all sorts of patently inA#rio#s acts to the person
and to society 6"ast#rbation, ho"oseE#ality, divorce, e#thanasia, etc.8, since it wo#ld deny the
o"4ecti!e inviolability of the h#"an reprod#ctive process.
Socrates says that section 12, Article .. of the 1:BC +onstit#tion, c#ts cleanly into the pro@life
vers#s pro@choice debate as constit#tional ac)nowled"ent of obAective nat#ral@law nor"s. .t is
clearly a pro@life provision, eEpressive of nat#ral@law thin)in.
Socrates says, .ndeed, Section 12, Article .. of the 1:BC +onstit#tion, effectively bars the
possibility of de@cri"inali!in abortion, since it protects the #nborn$ fro" the "o"ent of
conception$. .n fact, this provision is pri"arily intended to prevent the State fro" leali!in
abortion or adoptin the 5.S. S#pre"e +o#rt r#lin in *oe !. <ade.
.n Roe, the 5.S. S#pre"e +o#rt str#c) down a ,eEas stat#e cri"inali!in abortion as violative of
a "otherDs riht to privacy, a riht G#alified only by the stateDs interest in protectin the health
of a prenant wo"an$ and protectin the potentiality of h#"an life$. ,hese state@interests
increase, accordin to the "aAority, as the wo"an approaches ter"$, and beco"e co"pellin$
at so"e point d#rin prenancy$. ,h#s, the co#rt arbitrarily deter"ined those co"pellin points
at approEi"ately the end of the first tri"ester$ 6for the stateDs interest in "aternal health8 and
at viability$ 6for the interest in potential life8, i.e., after the second tri"ester, when state
intervention wo#ld be warranted. .t was ar#ed, to the contrary, that life beins at conception...
and that, therefore, the state has a co"pellin interest in protectin that life fro" and after
conception$. ,he co#rt, however, ref#sed to r#le on the diffic#lt G#estion when life beins$.
6Socrates, 2'118
,he "aAority decision in Roe co"es with the dissent of, a"on others, then =#stice 6later +hief
=#stice8 RehnG#ist, principally on the ro#nd that it constit#tes A#dicial leislation$ 6s#estive
of a positivist view on his part8< b#t the decision has since withstood atte"pts to overt#rn it,
noteably in 6-lanned -arenthood !. Casey, which #pheld Roe on the basis of stare decisis b#t
also reAected the tri"ester fra"ewor)$ in favor of an #nd#e b#rden standard$ to deter"ine the
constit#tional validity of a stateDs re#lation$ of abortion. .n his dissentin opinion in +asey,
+hief =#stice RehnG#ist 6Aoined by three other A#stices8 clearly declared that the +o#rt was
"ista)en in Roe when it classified a wo"anDs decision to ter"inate her prenancy as a
Of#nda"ental rihtD that co#ld be abrided only in a "anner which withstood Ostrict scr#tinyD$.
6Socrates, 2'118
,he A#rispr#dential and h#"an social and personal con#ndr#" spawned by Roe is precisely what
o#r Section 12, Article .., prevents. Any leislation p#rportin to allow abortion 6or to di"inish
the penalties8, no "atter how re#lated, wo#ld be #nconstit#tional and therefore void. A repeal of
the cri"inal stat#tes which at present penali!e abortion wo#ld even elevate the act to the cri"e of
"#rder, since the life of an #nborn fro" conception is eG#ally$ protected as the life of the
"other. 6Socrates, 2'118
,he State has no riht to dictate, directly or indirectly, the n#"ber of children a fa"ily sho#ld
have< and it can be seen that #nderlyin overn"ent efforts towards this end are non@leiti"ate
considerations9 "a)in the tas) of b#rea#cratic plannin easier 6which opens the fa"ily to
reater i"positions8< of of coverin #p overn"ent corr#ption and inefficiency which are real
ca#ses of #nderdevelop"ent< and, even worse, of e#enics 6ood@birth$8, towards the oal of
)eepin the world spacio#s and pleasant for the s#pposedly s#perior$ 6in ter"s of race, wealth,
or s)ill8 to the eEcl#sion of the inferior$. ,he e#enic considerations "ay be seen fro" the fact
that press#re and f#ndin for birth@control prora" flow fro" *orth to So#th, fro" rich to poor.
Accordin to Pope =ohn Pa#l .., the /ospel of 3ife is at the heart of =es#sD "essae... 1an is
called to a f#llness of life which far eEceeds the di"ensions of his earthly eEistence, beca#se it
consists in sharin the very life of /od... life on earth is not an O#lti"ateD b#t a Open#lti"ateD
reality< even so, it re"ains a sacred reality entr#sted to #s to be preserved with a sense of
responsibility and bro#ht to perfection in love and in the ift of o#rselves to /od and to o#r
brothers and sisters.
,he +h#rch )nows that this /ospel of 3ife, which she has received fro" her 3ord, has a
profo#nd and pers#asive echo in the heart of every person M believer and non@believer ali)e M
beca#se it "arvello#sly f#lfills all the heartDs eEpectations while infinitely s#rpassin the". 2ven
in the "idst of diffic#lties and #ndertainties, every person sincerely open to tr#th and oodness
can" by the liht of reason and the hidden action of race, co"e to reconi!e in the nat#ral law
writeen in the heart 6cf. Ro" 291(@178 the sacred val#e of h#"an life fro" its very beinnin
#ntil its end, and can affir" the riht of every h#"an bein to have this pri"ary ood respected
to the hihest deree. 5pon the reconition of this riht, every h#"an co""#nity and political
co""#nity itself are fo#nded.
.n a special way, believers in +hrist "#st defend and pro"ote this riht, aware as they are of the
wonderf#l tr#th recalled by the Second Vatican +o#ncil9 O&y his incarnation the Son of /od has
#nited hi"self in so"e fashion with every h#"an bein 6=audium et S#es$ No. &&8. ,his savin
event reveals to h#"anity not only the bo#ndless love of /od who Oso loved the world that he
ave his only SonD 6=ohn >91;8, b#t also the incom#ara"le !alue of e!ery human #erson.
6e"phasis s#pplied8$
Accordin to *idoy, the Reprod#ctive Health &illsD proposal for an enforced distrib#tion of birth
control devices has raised cr#cial iss#es in the real" of science9 Does the pill )ill children or
notI Does it ca#se health or sic)ness of wo"enI Does availability of contraceptives strenthen
or destroy fa"iliesI Do they i"prove G#ality of life or create "ore povertyI Do condo"s
prevent or pro"ote A.DS at the co#ntry levelI .s pop#lation control a sol#tion to poverty or a
"is#se of li"ited f#ndsI
*idoy f#rther says that these cr#cial national G#estions cannot be left to the opinion of A#st any
eEpert. &ased on rational criteria, the State "#st choose science eEperts who possess9 618
speciali!ed eEpertise correspondin to the G#estion< 628 hihest international prestie 6e.. *obel
Pri!e winners, peer reviewed science Ao#rnals or pro"inent science orani!ations8< 6>8
obAectivity, i.e. the eEpert sho#ld not be infl#enced by ideoloy, reliion, co""ercial interests,
political advocacy, international press#res. Scientific findins that tend to o aainst their
personal biases are "ore credible.
Accordin to The >ncient Christian Faith on Contrace#tion and Sterilization, every +h#rch in
+hristendo" conde"ned contraception #ntil 1:>', when, at its decennial 3a"beth +onference,
Anlicanis" ave per"ission for the #se of contraception in a few cases. Soon , all Protestant
deno"inations had adopted the sec#larist position on contraception. ,oday not one stand with the
+atholic +h#rch to "aintain the ancient +hristian faith on the iss#e.
Accordin to St. A##stine of Hippo, Doctor of the +h#rch, for necessary seE#al interco#rse for
beettin 6children8 is alone worthy of "arriae. &#t that which oes beyond this necessity no
loner follows reason b#t l#st. And yet it pertains to the character of "arriae... to yield it to the
partner lest by fornication the other sin da"nably 6thro#h ad#ltery8...
St. A##stine says f#rther that, of so reat power is the ordinance of the +reator, and the order of
procreation, that... when a "an shall wish to #se a body part of the wife not allowed for this
p#rpose 6orally or anally cons#""ated seE8, the wife is "ore sha"ef#l, if she s#ffer it to ta)e
place in her own case, than if in the case of another wo"an.
The study of addressing an Urgent Action Needed to Address
Reproductive Health Needs of Nepali Women, Nepal faces an uphill
task in meeting its Millennium Development Goals (MDG) related
to improving the reproductive health of its women, according to
a new World Bank report launched today !mong its
suggestions, the report calls for integration of reproductive
health services, decentrali"ed and action oriented planning,
targeting poor geographic areas and #nding innovative ways of
#nancing reproductive health$ (World%ankorg, &''()
)n connection, reproductive health discussed a lot of facts and
theoretical studies a%out women*s position +peci#cally in !merica
that the resulting lacks of care can challenge rural women,s
reproductive autonomy -heir reproductive choices may also %e
limited %y the added impact of rural values, norms, and %elief
systems regarding se.ual health and the patient/physician
relationship 0ural women tend to have less education, fewer 1o%
opportunities, lower salaries, more children, and greater family
caretaking responsi%ility than their ur%an counterparts -hey are
more likely %oth to marry and to have children at younger ages -he
com%ination of poverty, low population density, and lack of child
care and other services in many rural areas reinforces traditional
roles for women -hey receive less preventive care than women in
ur%an areas and have higher rates of chronic disease

(2amaorg,
&''')
3ne theoretical study in the issue of 0eproductive 4ealth, it is
intimately related to se.ual and diseases particularly 4)5 and
!)D+ 6Correct and consistent condom use can prevent susceptile
people from ac!uiring H"# infection$ Ho%ever, in many countries
repeated cross&sectional studies reveal a trend of increasing prevalence
of H"# infection alongside an increase in reported condom use$ Changes
in se'ual ehaviour that reduce the numer of ne% H"# infections %ill not
ecome apparent through changes in H"# prevalence until some time
after the ehaviour change ta(es place$ )imitations in the data used to
assess condom use may also e'plain the concurrent increases in condom
use and H"# prevalence$ *ne common indicator of condom use, the
UN+A,, indicator -condom use at last higher ris( se' of those aged ./&
012, has een chosen to illustrate ho% changes in the proportion of
people %ho report using condoms do not al%ays e'plain changes in the
si3e of the group %ho had high ris( ehaviour$ "ndicators ased on the
proportion of the %hole population %ho have se' %ithout using a condom
%ould e etter measures of the si3e of the group at highest ris( of H"#
infection$ -4aa$ ,layma(er, 05562
With the aid of condoms as contraceptives7 in another country they are
improving Reproductive Health, ma(ing motherhood safer$ World%ide each
year, more than half a million %omen die from complications of childirth
and pregnancy$ A"8, claims three million lives$ And in total, illness and death
from poor reproductive health account for one 9fth of the gloal urden of
disease, and neary one third for all %omen$ This year, leaders %orld%ide
committed to change$ :;rogress for %omen is progress for all,< they declared
at the 055/ World ,ummit$= -Unfpa$org, 055/2 Reproductive health tac(les
the life of the %omen in the %orld$ "t is ho% it reaches the prevention of
negative scenarios that %ill happen$
Universal access to reproductive health, including family planning, is
the starting point for maternal health and saving %omen<s lives$ UN>;A
ma(es motherhood safer %ith a focus on family planning, s(illed attendance
at irth and access to emergency ostetric care$ ?aternal health also frees
%omen to pursue opportunities in %or( and education and ma(e decisions
that improve life for their families$
A new lobal initiative, the Partnership for 1aternal, *ewborn P +hild Health, was
anno#nced at an official side event d#rin the 2''7 %orld S#""it. ,his ro#p of five
5nited *ations aencies, incl#din 5*0PA, and "any other partners, will "obili!e lobal
and local co""it"ent and action to red#ce deaths a"on "others and children, pro"ote
#niversal coverae of essential interventions, and advocate for increased reso#rces.
1obile reprod#ctive health clinics "ade "otherhood safer in re"ote villaes in the 3ao
PeopleDs De"ocratic Rep#blic, with siE@"e"ber travellin tea"s of doctors, n#rses,
"idwives and health ed#cators rotatin visits to 1'C villaes in the poorest parts of the
three so#th@eastern provinces. ,he 5*0PA@s#pported proAect was carried o#t with the 3ao
%o"enDs 5nion and the 5nited *ations +hildrenDs 0#nd 65*.+208.
.n 2ritrea, e"erency obstetric s)ills ained by 1(' n#rses and "idwives in a three@wee)
in@service trainin prora""e i"proved care d#rin prenancy, s)illed attendance at
births and access to obstetric fist#la repair.
0or indieno#s co""#nities in 3atin A"erica and the +aribbean, 5*0PA contin#ed to
address disproportionately hih rates of "aternal and infant deaths, #sin c#lt#rally
sensitive approaches. .n Pana"a, the first e"erency obstetric care #nit in the +o"arca
*obe &#lQ reion served >2 indieno#s co""#nities. .n -tavalo, 2c#ador, the =a"bi
H#asi clinic provided "odern and traditional "edical treat"ent and fa"ily plannin to
R#echa@spea)in descendents of the .ncasSas "any as 1,''' people per "onth in 2''7.
.n &olivia, a bilin#al literacy prora""e desined to reach B,''' indieno#s wo"en
contin#ed to b#ild #nderstandin of seE#al and reprod#ctive health.
.n =a"aica, persons with disabilities were the foc#s of a reprod#ctive health prora""e
to raise awareness and provide services. ,he 5*0PAs#pported effort sensiti!ed parents,
health and social wor)ers, and school #idance co#nsellors to the needs of adolescents
with "ental and physical disabilities. .t was carried o#t with the =a"aica +o#ncil for
Persons with Disabilities.
Students Taking Sides...|>'
1idwives in .ndonesia #sed s"all rants to pay for e"erency transport fro" r#ral
villaes to obstetric facilitiesSan activity of the 1other 0riendly 1ove"ent, a national
initiative s#pported by 5*0PA since 1::C that has trained "idwives, #praded health
facilities, and raised awareness of the need for rapid action in case of labo#r
co"plications.
,he worldDs hihest "aternal death rate occ#rs in &ada)shan, Afhanistan, where (' per
cent of irls "arry by the ae of 17. .n 2''7, 5*0PA la#nched a ca"pain to pers#ade
"#llahs in the re"ote province to spea) o#t aainst child "arriae, and contin#ed to train
health wor)ers in e"erency obstetric care and offer vocational trainin for irls.
,he African 5nion 1inisters of Health approved a continental reprod#ctive health policy
fra"ewor) that will s#pport the new 5*0PA 1aternal Health .nitiative. ,he initiative
s#pports African co#ntries in acceleratin proress towards the 1D/s< developin and
i"ple"entin national road "aps for "aternal health< and scalin #p prora""es for
fa"ily plannin, s)illed attendance at delivery, e"erency obstetric care and obstetric
fist#la.
African law"a)ers fro" >B co#ntries, "eetin in +had in 1ay, adopted the *DDAa"ena
Declaration, pledin to do their #t"ost to achieve #niversal access to reprod#ctive health
by 2'17 as proress towards endin poverty and reversin the spread
of H.VFA.DS.
Students Taking Sides...|>1
According to 8itmore, condoms remain the sole e@ective method of
prevention of H"#$ Ho%ever, in some places & including Camodia and China &
condoms have een modi9ed to add so&called pearls, hard ruer studs or
even ristles that are painful and dangerous to the receptive partner,
causing inAury to the vagina and anus$ ,uch inAuries contriute to the
transmission of disease, so these condoms are not useful for prevention of
,T"s or H"#$ "n addition to unsafe condoms, accessories such as the BtigerCs
moustacheB penis ring have ristles and are as dangerous in the same %ay
as unsafe condoms$ ;ulic health oDcials have outla%ed the sale of unsafe
condoms in Thailand, a step that should e ta(en in all places %here oth
they and other unsafe accessories are availale$
Moreover, concerning a%out 0eproductive 4ealth one of the
proposed theoretical concept is the se. education 3n in Western
Nepal, school/%ased se. education gives uncomforta%le feeling
%etween teachers and students !ccording to 7okharel and +hakya,
the National Adolescent Health and 8evelopment ,trategy -05552 of Nepal
considers adolescents a (ey target group for information and services$ The
e'tent to %hich se' education is eing provided in schools has received little
attention, ho%ever$ At higher secondary level, students are supposed to e
taught asic se' education using a chapter in a te'too( called Health,
;opulation and Environment$ )ittle is (no%n aout ho% or ho% %ell this
material is covered$ "n a study in 0550 among adolescents in eight schools in
the Na%alparasi 8istrict in the Western Region of Nepal, %e intervie%ed eight
teachers responsile for teaching this suAect$ We also collected survey data
from 1/. students and held four focus group discussions %ith 0F of them$ We
found that adolescents in these schools did not appear to e getting the
information they needed$ ?ost of the teachers did not %ant to deal %ith
sensitive topics and feared censure y their colleagues and society$ ,ome
lac(ed the s(ills to give such instruction$ ?any students also felt
uncomfortale %ith the topics$ The challenge is to strengthen se' education,
ma(e it more appropriate for the students and ensure that teachers are more
comfortale and ale to give instruction on the topic$
Students Taking Sides...|>>
*ne of the countries that discussed the issue aout se' education is
China$ B,e'ual and reproduction health of teenagersB %as set as one of
maAor topics at the "nternational >orum on ;opulation and 8evelopment that
opened Tuesday in Wuhan, central ChinaCs Huei ;rovince$ E'perts from
di@erent countries e'pressed their opinions and e'perience in se' education$
Traditionally in Chinese culture, spea(ing aout se' %as a private matter for
only close friends & not for pulic discussion$ Unfortunately, this conservative
attitude led to inade!uate se'ual education for children$ ?ost Chinese
students aout se' from their friends, foridden oo(s and maga3ines and,
more recently, the "nternet, statistics sho%$
Accordin to Pop#lation and Develop"ent +o#ntry Report p#blished ,#esday, d#rin the
past decade, the overall health of abo#t >2> "illion +hinese yo#n people aed 1' to 2( has
been i"provin steadily. However, they have eEperienced an earlier ae of seE#al and
psycholoical "at#rity.
4o#n peopleTs seE#al ethics are chanin. Pre"arital prenancies and ind#ced abortions
a"on the yo#n have contin#ed to increase, said the report. 1ore and "ore eEperts worried
abo#t the lac) of seE ed#cation for teenaers, which has ca#sed "any neative res#lts s#ch as
psycholoical proble"s. ,hey contin#o#sly call for teachin refor"s to ive teenaers proper
facts abo#t seE. +hinese overn"ent arees and is ta)in "eas#res to chane the sit#ation. ,he
seE ed#cation for teenaers is a co"plicated tas). .t interates seE#al "orality, psycholoy,
ethics and law. U,he "aAor p#rpose of the seE ed#cation for teenaers is to let the" have a
correct and co"prehensive #nderstandin in seE, which will help the" properly control their
Students Taking Sides...|>(
seE#al behaviors,U said Professor Pen Viaoh#i with H#a!hon 5niversity of Science and
,echnoloy, also fa"o#s +hinese seEoloist. .n order to i"prove +hinaTs poor seE ed#cation,
Pen said, overn"ents sho#ld pay "#ch attention to two thins9 trainin "ore seE ed#cation
teachers in pri"ary and "iddle schools while c#ltivatin "ore professionals thro#h openin
seEoloy "aAors in so"e #niversities. 6Vinh#a, 2'1'8
Accordin to Sharon =ayson, SeE ed#cation "ay not have the infl#ence that "any ass#"e
in avertin teen prenancy, s#est new international data that find 5.S. teens have babies at
"#ch hiher rates than peers in "any co#ntries, reardless of the seE ed#cation received in those
co#ntries.
U. donTt thin) seE ed#cation has anythin to do with teen fertility,U says socioloist =#lien
,eitler, director of the Social .ndicators S#rvey +enter at +ol#"bia 5niversity in *ew 4or).
U,he evidence really doesnTt s#pport that, when yo# loo) at the differences between co#ntries in
teen fertility and seE ed#cation.U He says 0inland and the *etherlands, for eEa"ple, have a
history of co"prehensive seE ed#cation< thereTs al"ost no seE ed#cation in /reece, .taly and
.reland. 4et teen birth rates are "#ch lower in all those co#ntries than the 5SATs (2 births per
1,''' wo"en aes 17@1:.
An abstinence based approach to seE ed#cation foc#ses on teachin yo#n people that
abstainin fro" seE#ntil "arriae is the best "eans of ens#rin that they avoid infection with
H.V, other seE#ally trans"itted infections and #nintended prenancy. As well as seein
abstinence fro" seE as the best option for "aintainin seE#al health, "any s#pporters of
abstinence based approaches to seE ed#cation also believe that it is "orally wron for people to
have seE before they are "arried. Abstinence approaches are represented in prora""es s#ch as
Aspire and ,r#e 3oves %aits 6both developed in the 5S8, which ai" to teach yo#n people that
they sho#ld co""it to abstainin fro" seE #ntil "arriae. 6Avert.or, 2'':8
Altho#h not all abstinence ed#cation prora""es are the sa"e, they share the f#nda"ental
p#rpose of teachin the social, psycholoical, and health ains to be realised by abstainin fro"
seE#al activity. As s#ch, abstinence ed#cation tends to incl#de the followin teachin obAectives,
which are derived fro" a definition iven in 0ederal 3aw in the 5nited States97
Abstinence fro" seE#al activity o#tside "arriae is the eEpected standard for all school
ae children
Abstinence fro" seE#al activity is the only certain way to avoid o#t of wedloc)
prenancy, seE#ally trans"itted diseases, and other associated health proble"s
A "#t#ally faithf#l, "onoa"o#s relationship in the conteEt of "arriae is the eEpected
standard of seE#al activity
SeE#al activity o#tside the conteEt of "arriae is li)ely to have har"f#l psycholoical
and physical effects
&earin children o#t of wedloc) is li)ely to have har"f#l conseG#ences for the child, the
childDs parents, and society
How to reAect seE#al advances and that alcohol and dr# #se increases v#lnerability to
seE#al advances
,he i"portance of attainin self s#fficiency before enain in seE#al activity
Students Taking Sides...|>;
S+nt!e,i,
,he Reprod#ctive Health debate does not only foc#s on the policy itself, b#t on the line of reason
by which the decision@"a)ers shall base their position on the iss#e. +learly, the ar#"ent of the
+h#rch is on the riht to life, with basis on how Script#re and the Philippine +onstit#tion defines
its very beinnin.
,he policy "a)ers behind the "eas#re, on the other hand, stresses on the need of presentin
alternatives to the people. As the "eas#re does not o#tlaw the #se of *at#ral 0a"ily Plannin
"ethods, the State asserts its policy obliation to provide "eans for other wo"en to which this
"ethod "ay not apply on basis of health and s#ch other reasons.
,he opinion of the entle"an representin PalawanDs 2nd district presents a varied perspective of
the other "e"bers of the Ho#se, fro" which this "eas#re e"anates fro". He stresses on the
i"portance of the #nborn child, and the eG#al rihts it is accorded with< as defined in the
+onstit#tion, it shall be accorded eG#al rihts as that of the "other. Representative Socrates
reflects the opinion of Ho#se "e"bers opposin the "eas#re, brinin the debate to reater
heihts.
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,he 5niversity of Santo ,o"asD position on the iss#e r#n alon the lines to which the +atholic
&ishopsD +onference of the Philippines 6+&+P8 developed its position. ,he #niversity has also
participated in protest actions and other activities orani!ed by the latter. %hile its pri"ary
opposition is entrenched on its +atholic identity, it has also eEpressed its opposition to specific
provisions of the bill, partic#larly in the #se of abortifacients.
,he literat#re reviewed poses the followin ar#"ents aainst H& '(2((9
1. ,he Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill is #nconstit#tional, for it is
not in line with Section 12, Article .. of the 1:BC +onstit#tion, which protects the rihts
of the #nborn child and bestows #pon it rihts eG#al to the "other<
2. ,he Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill will not address the
inco""es#ration of pop#lation and econo"ic develop"ent. ,he opposin forces contend
that econo"ic develop"ent cannot be attrib#ted to the rowth of pop#lation, b#t to the
speed and pace by which it adopts technoloical advance"ent<
>. Any effort fro" the overn"ent to "anae fa"ily si!e is non@leiti"ate and has no basis
in the +onstit#tion< and
(. ,he Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill, thro#h its introd#ction of
contraceptive "edications and devices, pro"otes pro"isc#ity and irresponsible
interco#rse a"on the citi!ens.
Ded#cin fro" the ar#"ents of those who oppose the "eas#re, and fro" the treatise of /enove,
the followin ar#"ents are posed in favor of H& '(2((9
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1. ,he Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill is constit#tional, for it is in
line with Section 1(, Article .. of the 1:BC +onstit#tion, which reconi!es the role of
wo"en in nation@b#ildin, and shall ens#re the f#nda"ental eG#ality of "en and wo"en
before the law<
2. ,he Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill will address the econo"ic
slow down d#e to overpop#lation. ,he advocates ar#e f#rther that a "anaed pop#lation
enables the State to allocate reso#rces better since reso#rces shall be co""ens#rate to the
n#"ber of people<
>. ,he Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill pro"otes the freedo" of
choice, which is central to the eEercise of rihts, "#st be f#lly #aranteed by the State. .n
the sa"e "anner, the li"ited reso#rces of the co#ntry cannot be s#ffered to be spread so
thinly to service a b#reonin "#ltit#de"a)in allocations rossly adeG#ate and
effectively "eaninless 6s#bsections KaL and KlL, section >, H& '(2((8< and
(. ,he Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill, thro#h its introd#ction of
contraceptive "edications and instr#"ents, provides "edically safe, accessible,
affordable, and effective reprod#ctive healthcare to the citi!ens.
,his researchers, with the oal of chec)in the adherence of st#dents to the adversarial position
of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as towards the Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent
&ill, sees the need to establish core ar#"ents of both sides. .t is seen to be i"portant that these
ar#"ents be presented to beco"e a #ide in chec)in for #nderstandin of st#dents, who are
s#bAects of this st#dy, reardin the iss#e.
Students Taking Sides...|>:
Si-niicance o t!e Stud+
,he st#dy is a sinificant endeavor in pro"otin social awareness, partic#larly on the iss#e of
Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent. An essential ele"ent of an infor"ed decision
is awareness, which res#lts to a deeper dissection of an iss#e to find an obAective tr#th, which
deter"ines oneDs position.
,his st#dy shall also be beneficial to st#dents who wish to p#rs#e st#dies in 3aw and P#blic
Policy. ,he iss#e at bar warrants a closer loo) in the two approaches of develop"ent of State
policy< the first espo#sin that the craftin of policy "#st be devoid of reliio#s biases and "#st
solely foc#s on the benefit of the body politic, and the second espo#sin that p#blic policy
develop"ent warrants adherence to a hiher law, that of *at#ral and Divine 3aw as espo#sed in
the Script#re.
,his st#dy is also sinificant beca#se it el#cidates on the increasin social role of the +h#rch on
"atters concernin policies on life, liberty, and develop"ent. ,he Reprod#ctive Health &ill is
not solely an iss#e of freedo" of choice on the part of the "arried co#ples, b#t also of the StateDs
obliation to protect the co#pleDs sense of reason in choosin a reprod#ctive health "ethod.
%hile the Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent iss#e responds to the freedo" of
choice of fa"ilies, it co"es aainst, at least accordin to the +atholic +h#rch and other
opponents of the "eas#re, the +onstit#tional obliation of the State to protect the fa"ily as its
basic and a#tono"o#s social #nit.
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3astly, this st#dy is sinificant to ,ho"asians beca#se it shall provide the basic pre"ises by
which both forces, either in s#pport or opposition, of the RH &ill have developed their
ar#"ents. Reason, fro" a believer or a non@believerDs standpoint, "#st be the +-R2 ele"ent
by which positions are adopted.
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Conce$tua# Frame'or.
,he +oncept#al 0ra"ewor) of the st#dy, as ill#strated in the &asic Venn diara" below, shall
establish the pre"ises by which the positions of the Ho#se of Representatives 6RH &ill
proponents only8, the st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as, and the ad"inistration of the
5niversity of Santo ,o"as, are crafted.
0i#re 19 +oncept#al 0ra"ewor)
04
Bill
Deinition o Term,
0or the p#rpose of this st#dy, the followin ter"s shall be defined as follows9
1. REPRODUCTI/E HEA%TH AND POPU%ATION DE/E%OP0ENT BI%% M
otherwise )nown as H& '(2(($, is a consolidated bill fro" the bills filed by
Representatives 3a"an, 2dcel 6Albay8, /arin, =anette 6.loilo8, &a@ao, ?a)a 6P3@
A)bayan8, &ello, %alden 6P3@A)bayan8, &ia!on, Rodolfo 61#ntinl#pa8, SyA#co, A##sto
6.loilo8, .laan, 3#!vi"inda 6P3@/A&R.23A8, and De =es#s, 2"erenciana 6P3@
/A&R.23A8, which provides for a policy on fa"ily plannin, availability of
reprod#ctive health "edication and service to constit#ents, and introd#ction of
Reprod#ctive Health ed#cation in the secondary ed#cation c#rric#l#"<
2. CATHO%IC BISHOPS1 CONFERENCE OF THE PHI%IPPINES 2 otherwise )nown
as +&+P$, is an oran of the +atholic +h#rch co"posed of bishops and archbishops
assined in the Philippines that provide #idelines and positions to the +atholic faithf#l
on iss#es of faith and "orals<
>. %EGIS%ATION 2 refers to an Act of +onress, either initiated by the Ho#se of
Representatives or the Senate, with the p#rpose of providin #idelines on co#rses of
action and providin penalties for acts contrary to p#blic "orals<
(. POPU%ATION 2 refers to the total n#"ber of people residin in a partic#lar area<
7. PRO3%IFE 2 refers to a eneral policy position by which the believer believes in the
val#e of life, and defines s#ch to bein eEistence at the ti"e of conception<
Students Taking Sides...|(>
;. PRO@CHOICE M refers to a eneral policy position by which the believer believes in the
val#e of choice, and pro"otes the freedo" of the person to deter"ine what s#its hi"Fher
best.
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CHAPTER (
RESEARCH
H+$ot!e,i,
,he followin are the hypotheses for"#lated based on the proble" G#estions posted in the first
chapter9
a! "n the firt #uetion:
6?o the students of the @ni!ersity of Santo Tomas su##ort the official #osition of its
administration o##osing the *e#roducti!e 7ealth and -o#ulation ?e!elo#ment AillB
Null 7y#othesis: ,he st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as does not su##ort the official
position of its ad"inistration opposin the Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent
&ill.
>lternati!e 7y#othesis: ,he st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as su##orts the official
position of its ad"nistration opposin the Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent
&ill.
$! "n the econd #uetion:
6?o the students of the @ni!ersity of Santo Tomas who o##ose the "ill share the same reasons
with the @ni!ersity for o##osing the *e#roducti!e 7ealth and -o#ulation ?e!elo#ment AillB
Null 7y#othesis9 ,he st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as who oppose the bill does not
share the sa"e reasons with the 5niversity for opposin the Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation
Develop"ent &ill.
>lternati!e 7y#othesis: ,he st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as who oppose the bill share
the sa"e reasons with the 5niversity for opposin the Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation
Develop"ent &ill.
c! "n the third #uetion:
6>re the students o#en to change their #osition a"out the "illB
Null 7y#othesis: ,he st#dents are not o#en to chane their position abo#t the bill.
>lternati!e 7y#othesis: ,he st#dents are o#en to chane their position abo#t the bill.
Students Taking Sides...|(;
Re,earc! De,i-n
,his st#dy is a G#alitative research that atte"pts to ather infor"ation with the end of validatin
st#dent s#pport on the ad"nistrationDs position on the RH &ill. ,he G#alitative "ethod is
e"ployed in the research beca#se s#ch research allows the detailed analysis of the eEistin
policy positions fro" which the st#dents based their s#pport or opposition on the bill.
WWadvantaes. Describe G#alitative research.
,he researchers will also #se the descriptive research "ethod in the cond#ct of the st#dy. ,he
descriptive "ethod is #sed for atherin data abo#t a pop#lation. .t will allow the researchers to
be fa"iliar with the proble"s of the st#dy. ,he "ethod f#rther allows the researcher to develop a
body of wor) that reflects the "otivations behind s#pport or opposition of sa"ple st#dents to the
Reprod#ctive Health &ill.
,he researchers wo#ld also refer to eEistin literat#re to co"e #p with f#nda"ental ideas
reardin the research proble".
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Re,earc! Partici$ant,
.n order to respond to the proble" state"ents of the st#dy, the researchers shall cond#ct a s#rvey
with >'' participants, approEi"ately C.: percent of the total pop#lation of the st#dents in 5S,
0ac#lty of Arts and 3etters.
Rando" sa"plin shall be the "ethod in selectin st#dy participants. ,his sa"plin "ethod was
chosen to ive st#dents eG#al opport#nity to beco"e a part of the sa"ple. ,o G#alify to beco"e
part of the sa"ple, one "#st be a d#ly enrolled st#dent of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as. ,he
chance of the entire sa"ple pop#lation, in this case, the st#dent body, to participate in the st#dy
lends credence to the sa"ple selection "ethod. ,o cond#ct this sa"plin "ethod, the researchers
"#st define the pop#lation, list down all the "e"bers of the pop#lation, and rando"ly select
st#dents who will answer the s#rvey.
Students Taking Sides...|(B
Data Co##ection and In,trument,
,he researchers #sed the followin instr#"ents to ather data for the st#dy9
1. Sur&e+ 4ue,tionnaire, M the s#rvey G#estionnaires #sed in the s#rvey were desined to
et a direct response fro" the st#dents reardin the proble" state"ents of the st#dy<
2. Stati,tica# Pac.a-e or Socia# Science 5SPSS6 M SPSS is a statistical software which
shall be #sed to enerate res#lts based on the s#rvey G#estionnaire. ,he tool will enable
the researchers to see enterprise findins of the st#dy, and for" analysis based on its
res#lts< and
>. Periodica#, M the researchers #sed periodicals and serials on health, policy, Reprod#ctive
Health policy positions and +atholic insihts on the positions reardin the bill.
Periodicals "ay be in for" of p#blished "aterials or internet so#rces.
Students Taking Sides...|(:
Re,earc! Procedure
,he st#dy shall be cond#cted within the confines of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as 0ac#lty of
Arts and 3etters, and shall have its st#dents as the s#bAects of the s#rvey. ,he s#rvey G#estions
were for"#lated to deter"ine if the s#bAects s#pport or oppose the RH bill and the position of the
+&+P.
,he followin were set to be the G#estions of the s#rvey.
,able 1
-. G totally disagree, 0 G some%hat disagree, 6 G some%hat agree, 1 G
totally agree2
. 0 6 1
.8o you agree that RH ill %ill
provide emergency ostetric and
Neonatal careH
08o you agree that RH ill %ill re!uire
all accredited health facilities to
provide a full range of modern family
planning methodsH
68o you agree that family planning
supplies %ill e considered as
essential medicinesH
1Are you in favor of RH ill re!uiring
se' education to pulic and private
schools starting from /
th
grade up to
1
th
year high schoolH
/8o you agree that the penalty for
violating RH ill is imprisonment from
. month to F months or a 9ne of
.5,555 pesos to /5,555 pesosH
F8o you agree that no marriage
license shall e issued y the )ocal
Civil Registrar unless the applicants
present a Certi9cate of Compliance
issued for free y the local family
planning oDceH
I8o you agree that Jarangay Health
Wor(ers and other community&ased
health %or(ers shall undergo training
on the promotion of reproductive
health and shall receive at least .5K
increase in honoraria upon successful
completion of trainingH
L8o you agree that employers %ith
more than 055 employees shall
provide reproductive health services
to all employees in their o%n
respective health facilities and those
%ith less than t%o hundred 055
%or(ers shall enter into partnerships
%ith hospitals, health facilities, or
health professionals in their areas for
the delivery of reproductive health
servicesH
,he p#pose of this table of G#estionnaire is to deter"ine the level of aree"ent of the st#dents
with reard to the salient feat#res of the Reprod#ctive Health &ill. ,his will also provide the
answer for the first proble" of the st#dy.
,able 2
,he p#pose of this G#estion is to identify the level of aree"ent of the st#dents with reard to the
opposin position of the ad"inistrators of 5S,.
,able >
-. G totally disagree, 0 G some%hat disagree, 6 G some%hat agree, 1 G
totally agree2
. 0 6 1
M8o you agree %ith the position of
the administrators of the University
of ,anto Tomas opposing the RH JillH
,he p#rpose of the G#estion is to identify whether the st#dents who oppose and s#pport the
Reprod#ctive Health &ill share the sa"e basis as that of the +&+P. .n the synthesis, the
researchers, after presentin literat#re on the opposin and s#pportin the bill, have translated
s#ch treatises into ar#"ents. G#estions are patterned in the ar#"ents the +&+P, to establish if
the respondent s#pported the "eas#re only on the basis of infl#ence. ,his G#estion shall answer
the second proble" of the st#dy.
. 0 6 1
.5RH ill promotes reproductive
health
..Contraceptives does not a@ect a
%oman<s health
.0RH ill is a maAor attac( on
authentic human values and on
>ilipino cultural values regarding
human life that all of us have
cherished since time immemorial
.6RH ill %ill reduce aortion rates
.1Contraceptives provides a false
sense of security that ta(es a%ay the
inhiition to se'ual activity
./RH ill %ill prevent the spread of
H"#
.FRH Jill empo%ers %omen %ith
o%nership of their o%n odies
.IRH Jill is necessary to stop the
increase in population
.LRH Jill is a %ay to escape poverty
. 0 6 1
.M8o you agree on changing the
provisions on RH illH
,he p#rpose of the G#estion is to chec) the fir"ness of belief of the st#dent respondents towards
their positions. ,he researchers believe that, as the RH &ill debate proresses, st#dents and
citi!ens will have access to new infor"ation and st#dies s#pportin or opposin the RH &ill.
,his G#estion chec)s the openness of the st#dent respondents in appreciatin new facts abo#t the
iss#e. ,his G#estion shall answer the third proble" of the st#dy.
Stati,tica# Ana#+,i,
,o #se the s#rvey res#lts as a basis of analysis, all s#ch data shall be encoded in the SPSS
application. ,he application shall assist in eneratin the res#lts, #sed toether with the statistical
"ethods of freG#ency, c#""#lative percent and weihted "ean. ,hese "ethods and for"#lae
shall be applied to deter"ine the a"o#nts needed a"on the set of data athered.
,he "ean shall be #sed to deter"ine the averae res#lts for a partic#lar data set< it shall be #sed
to deter"ine the averae responses of st#dents.
0or"#las9
1ean M ,o averae all data points. @ sa"ple "ean< E M observed val#e< n M sa"ple si!e
CHAPTER 7
RESU%TS OF THE STUDY
Sur&e+
,he s#rvey was cond#cted 0ebr#ary 2B, 2'12, within the confines of the 5niversity of Santo
,o"as. ,he list of 2'' respondents were rando"ly chosen st#dents fro" the 5S, 0ac#lty of Arts
and 3etters.
All respondents were iven approEi"ately 7@C "in#tes to answer the s#rvey, s#pervised by the
researchers. ,he researchers, however, were only available to respond to clarificatory G#estions
on the for" of the s#rvey.
Sur&e+ Re,u#t,
,he followin were the findins of the s#rvey9
0i#re 29 Awareness of 5S,@A& st#dents reardin R.A. :211
0i#re 2.19 Awareness on RH bill
0i#re 2.29 1eans which st#dents ot infor"ation reardin the position of the 5niversity
0i#re 2.>9 Do yo# s#pport the position of the ad"inistrators opposin the RH billI
Students Taking Sides...|;'
0i#re 2.(9 Reasons why yo# oppose the RH bill
Students Taking Sides...|;1
0i#re 2.79 Reasons why yo# do not s#pport RH bill
0i#re 2.;9 Are yo# open to chanin yo#r position reardin the iss#eI
Students Taking Sides...|;>
+
0i#re 2.C Do yo# believe that RH bill is an infrine"ent of p#blic health and "oralsI
Students Taking Sides...|;(
0i#re 2.B9 Do yo# believe that the reprod#ctive health and seE#ality ed#cation "#st be
interated to the secondary ed#cation billI
0i#re 2.:9 Do yo# believe that the ho#se of representative sho#ld foc#s its eneries to pass the
RH billI
Students Taking Sides...|;;
CHAPTER 8
DISCUSSION
4ue,tion 19 Are yo# aware that there is a "eas#re in the Ho#se of Representatives p#shin for
Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"entI
YES 1:8 re,$ondent, 5;()<<=6
NO 7: re,$ondent, 51;)<<=6
As stated in the previo#s +hapter, the p#rpose of the G#estion is deter"inin awareness that s#ch
a "eas#re is filed in +onress. ,he res#lts indicate that "aAority of the respondents are aware
that a Reprod#ctive Health "eas#re is c#rrently in the Ho#se of Representatives.
4ue,tion (9 Are yo# aware that the ad"inistrators of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as has released
a position opposin the Reprod#ctive Health &illI
YES 18; re,$ondent, 5>8)<<=6
NO *( re,$ondent, 5(:)<<=6
,he res#lts indicate that "aAority of the respondents are aware that the #niversity has released a
position opposin the RH &ill. However, the G#estion does not indicate the specifics reardin
the content of s#ch position paper.
Students Taking Sides...|;C
4ue,tion 79 Please choose one fro" the followin "eans by which yo# ot or so#ht
infor"ation reardin the position paper9
T!e /ar,itarian 1<; re,$ondent, 5>()?>=6
From m+ c#a,,mate, 1( re,$ondent, 5;)11=6
From m+ $roe,,or, ? re,$ondent, 5:)<;=6
T!e Centra# Student Counci# * re,$ondent, 57)7;=6
T!e %oca# Student Counci# 7 re,$ondent, 5()<7=6
From t!e media 11 re,$ondent, 5>)87=6
,he res#lts indicate that "aAority of the respondents acG#ired the infor"ation reardin the
position of the 5niversity towards RH bill.
4ue,tion 89 Do yo# s#pport the position of the ad"inistrators of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as
opposin the Reprod#ctive Health &illI
YES 1<( re,$ondent, 5*1)<<=6
NO ?8 re,$ondent, 58>)<<=6
I DON1T KNO@ ENOUGH TO 0AKE A STAND 8 re,$ondent, 5()<<=6
,he res#lts indicate that "aAority of the respondents s#pport the position of the ad"inistrators of
the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as in opposin the Reprod#ctive Health &ill. ,his G#estion respond
to the first proble" state"ent of the st#dy.
Students Taking Sides...|;B
4ue,tion *9 Please choose fo#r 6(8 reasons why yo# oppose the RH &ill.
0+ Proe,,or to#d me to o$$o,e t!e "i## (< re,$ondent, 51?):1=6
T!e "i## i, uncon,titutiona# 8* re,$ondent, 588)1(=6
0+ riend, o$$o,e t!e "i## 88 re,$ondent, 587)18=6
0+ c!urc! o$$o,e, t!e "i## 1<( re,$ondent, 51<<)<<=6
T!e "i## $romote, $remarita# ,eA and a"ortion 1<( re,$ondent, 51<<)<<=6
T!e "i## $romote, a $re3di,$o,ed ami#+ ,iBe :( re,$ondent, 5:<)>;=6
T!e "i## doe, not direct#+ addre,, $o&ert+ 1< re,$ondent, 5?);<=6
0+ ami#+ o$$o,e, t!e "i## 1* re,$ondent, 518)>1=6
T!e media !a, con&inced me to o$$o,e t!e "i## ; re,$ondent, 5>);8=6
,he res#lts indicate that "aAority of the reasons cited were the respondentDs ch#rchDs opposition
to the bill, the bill pro"otin pre"arital seE and abortion, the bill pro"otin a pre@disposed
fa"ily si!e, and that the bill is #nconstit#tional.
Students Taking Sides...|;:
4ue,tion :9 Please indicate the reasons why yo# do not s#pport the position of the
ad"inistrators of 5S,.
UST1, Stand i, not Rea#i,tic 8( re,$ondent, 588):;=6
0edia (; re,$ondent, 5(?)>?=6
0+ ami#+ ,u$$ort, t!e "i## 17 re,$ondent, 517);7=6
Ot!er, 11 re,$ondent, 511)><=6
,he res#lts indicate that 5S,Ds Stand is not Realistic. However, the respondents did not eEplain
the conteEt. 1edia also t#rned o#t to be one of the "ost freG#ent responses, toether with fa"ily
s#pport. -ther responses incl#de reliio#s views, and their own #dnerstandin of the "eas#re.
4ue,tion >9 .f provided with new infor"ation reardin the Reprod#ctive Health &ill, are yo#
open to chanin yo#r position reardin the iss#eI
YESC I A0 OPEN TO CHANGE 0Y /IE@ 8: re,$ondent, 5(7)<<=6
NOC I HA/E 0ADE 0Y DECISION 1*8 re,$ondent, 5>>)<<=6
,he res#lts indicate that "aAority of the respondents said that they have fir"ly decided on their
stance reardin the Reprod#ctive Health &ill. ,his reflects the solid decision of the respondents
reardin their positions on the iss#e.
Students Taking Sides...|C'
4ue,tion ;9 Do yo# believe that the RH bill is an infrine"ent of p#blic health and "oralsI
YES ?: re,$ondent, 58;)<<=6
NO ;( re,$ondent, 581)<<=6
I DO NOT KNO@ ENOUGH ABOUT THE BI%% (( re,$ondent, 511)<<=6
,he res#lts indicate that "aAority of the respondents believe that the RH &ill is an infrine"ent
of p#blic health and "orals. ,he tellin aspect of the res#lt is the n#"ber of respondents who
declare that they do not )now eno#h abo#t the bill. %hile in previo#s G#estions, there were only
cateorical G#estions on whether they s#pport or oppose the bill in eneral. As this G#estion deals
with the fa"iliarity of the respondents reardin the RH &ill, it co#ld be said that so"e
respondents have decided on their position witho#t )nowin the specifics of the "eas#re.
4ue,tion ?9 Do yo# believe that the reprod#ctive health and seE#ality ed#cation "#st be
interated to the secondary ed#cation billI
YES ?( re,$ondent, 58:)<<=6
NO ;: re,$ondent, 587)<<=6
I DO NOT KNO@ ENOUGH OF THE BI%% (( re,$ondent, 511)<<=6
,he res#lts indicate that while there is an opposition to the RH &ill in eneral, respondents
wo#ld li)e reprod#ctive health and seE ed#cation incorporated to the secondary ed#cation
c#rric#l#".
Students Taking Sides...|C1
4ue,tion 1<9 Do yo# believe that the ho#se of representative sho#ld foc#s its eneries to pass
the RH billI
YESC THE HOUSE 0UST FOCUS ITS ENERGIES TO PASS THE RH BI%%
:; re,$ondent, 578)<<=6
NOC THE HOUSE 0UST FOCUS ITS ENERGIES TO PASS OTHER I0PORTANT
BI%%S
17( re,$ondent, 5::)<<=6
,he res#lts indicate that "aAority of the respondents believe that the "e"bers of the Ho#se of
Representatives "#st foc#s their eneries to pass other i"portant bills.
CHAPTER *
SU00ARYC CONC%USIONC AND RECO00ENDATIONS
Summar+
As reflected in the previo#s chapter, it can be safely said that "aAority of the respondents
so"ewhat aree on the position of the ad"inistrators in opposin the Reprod#ctive Health &ill.
,ho#h there is a "aAority of areein with the position of that of the #niversity which is in line
with the +&+P opposin the RH bill, there are still ar#"ents presented by the as artic#lated in
the first chapter, that are not in line with the reasonins and ar#e"ents of the st#dents.
,he #niversity in line with the +&+PDs position provides a "oral and constit#tional basis. .t cited
the val#e of life and h#"an dinity as de"ostrated in 7umanae 8itae by Pope Pa#l V. and in
encyclicals of Pope =ohn Pa#l ... .t borrows its constit#tional ar#"ent fro" sections 12 and 17,
Article .. of the constit#tion, which provides eG#al protection to the wo"an and the #nborn
child.
,hro#h the s#rvey and other research instr#"ents, the researchers were able to establish the
followin9
1. ,hat "aAority of the st#dents are one with their ad"inistrators in opposin the RH &ill, <
2. ,hat "aAority of the st#dents were not infl#enced by s#ch other infor"ation cond#its, and
reinforced their opposition on the sa"e pre"ises provided in the #niversity and +&+P
stands< and
Students Taking Sides...|C>
>. ,hat "aAority of the st#dents wo#ld want to chane the provisions of the RH &ill,
provided with new infor"ation in s#pport or opposition to the bill.
Conc#u,ion
"n the firt #uetion:
6<hat are the !iews of the students of the @ni!ersity of Santo Tomas Faculty of >rts and Letters
regarding *e#roducti!e 7ealth AillB
Null 7y#othesis: ,he st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as 0ac#lty of Arts and 3etters does
not su##ort the Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill.
>lternati!e 7y#othesis: ,he st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as 0ac#lty of Arts and
3etters su##orts the Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill.
&ased on the res#lts of the s#rvey, the n#ll hypothesis is affir"ed.
"n the econd #uetion:
Students Taking Sides...|C(
6?o the students of the @ni!ersity of Santo Tomas Faculty of >rts and Letters share the same
reasons and arguements with the Catholic Aisho# Conference of the -hili##inesB
Null 7y#othesis9 ,he st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as 0ac#lty of Arts and 3etters who
oppose the bill does not share the sa"e reasons with the 5niversity for opposin the
Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill.
>lternati!e 7y#othesis: ,he st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as 0ac#lty of Arts and
3etters who oppose the bill share the sa"e reasons with the 5niversity for opposin the
Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent &ill.
&ased on the res#lts of the s#rvey, the n#ll hypothesis is affir"ed.
"n the third #uetion:
6>re the students o#en to change their #osition a"out the "illB
Null 7y#othesis: ,he st#dents are not o#en to chane their position abo#t the bill.
>lternati!e 7y#othesis: ,he st#dents are o#en to chane their position abo#t the bill.
&ased on the res#lts of the s#rvey, the alternative hypothesis is affir"ed.
Recommendation,
,he researchers reco""end that f#t#re st#dies center on the s#pport based on de"oraphic and
psychoraphic lines s#ch as, b#t not li"ited to, ender, reliion, ae, and year level. ,his will
indicate whether these lines will provide varied res#lts fro" enterprise findins. .t is also
reco""ended that researchers wo#ld co"e #p with a larer sa"ple and not li"it their st#dy with
one collee or fac#lty to be able to have a "ore acc#rate res#lts and to be able to see the
e"bodi"ent of the whole #niversity.

0#rther"ore, the researchers reco""end that there be a st#dy be cond#cted delvin deeper on
"otivations behind the choices of respondents. ,his does not necessarily "ean that a st#dy be
cond#cted based on infl#ences solely, infl#ences are overned by "otivations, which deter"ines
A#d"ent.
3astly, the researchers reco""end a disc#ssion on the st#dentsD positions on the Senate versions
of the Reprod#ctive Health &ill. ,he Ho#se, with its parochial nat#re, represents locali!ed
concerns on the iss#e. ,he Senate, on the other hand, with its national scope and with "e"bers
elected@at@lare, represents a "ore nationali!ed perspective on the "eas#re.
Students Taking Sides...|C;
Reerence,
,he Ancient +hristian 0aith on +ontraception and Sterilation. 62'118. <hat you know a"out *7
Aill, >'@>(.
A"bat, /. H. 62'':, =#ly8. www.senate.go!.#hC#u"lications. Retrieved Dece"ber 2>, 2'11, fro"
www.senate.ov.ph9 http9FFwww.senate.ov.phFp#blicationsFP&N2'2'':@'>N2'@
N2'Pro"otinN2'Reprod#ctiveN2'Health.pdf
Atien!a, 3. 61::;8. Pro@life political action and lobby. .n 8oices for Life : > #ro 0 life hand"ook
for asia 6pp. 1C@1B8. 1anila9 H#"an 3ife .nternational @ Asia.
&acani, ,. 61::28. The Church and Airth Control. 1anila.
De 3a Rosa, R. 61::;8. A 5niversity for 3ife. .n 8oices for Life: > #ro0life hand"ook for >sia 6p.
18. 1anila9 H#"an 3ife .nternational @ Asia.
2spina, R. =. 62'11, 1arch 178. &515#residentia"les.word#ress.com. Retrieved =an#ary >, 2'12,
fro" wordpress.co"9 http9FF2'1'presidentiables.wordpress.co"F2'11F'7F1;Fa"end"ents@
to@ho#se@bill@(2((@consolidated@reprod#ctive@health@billF
/enove, 1. +. 62'11, Septe"ber 2>8. The *7 Aill. Retrieved Dece"ber 2B, 2'11, fro"
beta.s#.ed#.ph9 http9FFbeta.s#.ed#.phFarticleF2;C@,he@RH@&ill
-dchi"ar, *. P. 62'118. +hoosin 3ife, ReAectin the RH &ill. <hat you need to know a"out *7
"ill, 1@7.
Ranada, 0. 1. 61::;8. ,he Philippine Pop#lation Prora"Ts SeE 2d#cation Aenda. .n 8oices for
Life : > #ro 0 life hand"ook for asia 6pp. ('@728. 1anila9 H#"an 3ife .nternational @ Asia.
Socrates, D. 1. 62'118. ,he Sanctity of 0a"ily and 3ife9 *at#ral @ 3aw ,hin)in in the
+onstit#tion. 1@2(.
,he Responsible Parenthood, Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"ent Act of 2'11,
Ho#se &ill *o. (2((, 17
th
+onress., 1
st
session. 62'118.
Students Taking Sides...|CC
Villa"or, A. A. 62'11, 1arch 2(8. 8aristarian. Retrieved Dece"ber 2', 2'11, fro"
varistarian.net9 http9FFwww.varsitarian.netFbrea)inXnewsF2'11'>2(FA#n)XrhXbillX
N22NB'N:>X#st
APPENDID
Students Taking Sides...|CB
APPENDID A9 SUR/EY
5niversity of Santo ,o"as
2spaHa, 1anila
/ood dayJ %e, the 3eal 1anae"ent st#dents of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as, wo#ld
li)e to cond#ct a s#rvey reardin the stand and perceptions of the st#dents on Reprod#ctive
Health &ill. ,his s#rvey wo#ld help the researchers to find answers to certain G#estions reardin
the bill "entioned.
%e will treat yo#r responses with #t"ost confidentiality. %e hihly appreciate yo#r ti"e
and effort in answerin the s#rvey.
Ae9 XXXX SeE9 XXX +ollee9 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
DIRECTION9 P#t a chec) beside yo#r answer.
.$ Are yo# aware that there is a "eas#re in the Ho#se of Representatives p#shin for
Reprod#ctive Health and Pop#lation Develop"entI
XXXX 4es XXXX *o
0$ Are yo# aware that the ad"inistrators of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as have released a
position opposin the Reprod#ctive Health &illI
XXXX 4es XXXX *o
:if yes$ #roceed to 'uestion num"er );
6$ Please choose one fro" the followin "eans by which yo# ot or so#ht infor"ation
reardin the position paper.
XXXX ,he Varsitarian
XXXX 0ro" "y class"ates
XXXX 0ro" "y professors
XXXX ,he +entral St#dent +o#ncil
XXXX ,he 3ocal St#dent +o#ncil
XXXX 0ro" the "edia
1$ Do yo# s#pport the position of the ad"inistrators of the 5niversity of Santo ,o"as opposin
the Reprod#ctive Health &illI
XXXX 4es
XXXX *o
XXXX . donDt )now eno#h to "a)e a stand
:if yes$ #roceed to 'uestion num"er .;
Students Taking Sides...|C:
/$ Please choose fo#r 6(8 reasons why yo# oppose the RH &ill.
XXXX 1y professor told "e to oppose the bill
XXXX ,he bill is #nconstit#tional
XXXX 1y friends oppose the bill
XXXX 1y +h#rch opposes the bill
XXXX ,he bill pro"otes pre"arital seE and abortion
XXXX ,he bill pro"otes a pre@disposed fa"ily si!e
XXXX ,he bill does not directly address poverty
XXXX 1y fa"ily opposes the bill
XXXX ,he "edia has convinced "e to oppose the bill
:if no$ #roceed to 'uestion num"er /;
F$ Please indicate the reasons why yo# do not s#pport the position of the ad"inistrators of 5S,.
I$ .f provided with new infor"ation reardin the Reprod#ctive Health &ill, are yo# open to
chanin yo#r position reardin the iss#eI
XXXX 4es, . a" open to chane "y view on the iss#e.
XXXX *o, . have "ade "y decision to s#pportFoppose the RH &ill.
L$ Do yo# believe that the RH bill is an infrine"ent of p#blic health and "oralsI
XXXX 4es
XXXX *o
XXXX . do not )now eno#h abo#t the bill
M$ Do yo# believe that reprod#ctive health and seE#ality ed#cation "#st be interated to the
secondary ed#cation billI
XXXX 4es
XXXX *o
XXXX . do not )now eno#h abo#t the bill
.5$ Do yo# believe that the ho#se of representative sho#ld foc#s its eneries to pass the RH billI
XXXX 4es, the ho#se "#st foc#s its eneries to pass the RH bill
XXXX *o, the ho#se "#st foc#s its eneries to pass other i"portant bills.
Students Taking Sides...|B'
APPENDID B9 TAB%E FRO0 SPSS
Are +ou a'are t!at t!ere i, a mea,ure in t!e Hou,e o Re$re,entati&e, $u,!in- or
Re$roducti&e Hea#t! and Po$u#ation De&e#o$mentE
0reG#ency Percent Valid Percent +#"#lative Percent
Valid 4es 1;( B2.' B2.' B2.'
*o >; 1B.' 1B.' 1''.'
,otal 2'' 1''.' 1''.'
Are +ou a'are t!at t!e admini,trator, o t!e Uni&er,it+ o Santo Toma, !a, re#ea,ed a
$o,ition o$$o,in- t!e Re$roducti&e Hea#t! Bi##E
0reG#ency Percent Valid Percent +#"#lative Percent
Valid 4es 1(B C(.' C(.' C(.'
*o 72 2;.' 2;.' 1''.'
,otal 2'' 1''.' 1''.'
Students Taking Sides...|B1
P#ea,e c!oo,e one 516 rom t!e o##o'in- mean, "+ '!ic! +ou -ot or ,ou-!t inormation
re-ardin- t!e $o,ition $a$er)
0reG#ency Percent Valid Percent
+#"#lative
Percent
Valid
,he Varsitarian 1'B C2.:C C2.:C C2.:C
0ro" "y class"ates 12 B.11 B.11 B1.'B
0ro" "y professors
,he +entral St#dent
+o#ncil
:
7
;.'B
>.>B
;.'B
>.>B
BC.1;
:'.7(
,he 3ocal St#dent
+o#ncil
> 2.'> 2.'> :2.7C
0ro" the "edia 11 C.(> C.(> 1''.'
,otal 1(B 1''.' 1''.'
Do +ou ,u$$ort t!e $o,ition o t!e admini,trator, o t!e Uni&er,it+ o Santo Toma,
o$$o,in- t!e Re$roducti&e Hea#t! Bi##E
0reG#ency Percent Valid Percent +#"#lative
Percent
Valid
4es 1'2 71.' 71.' 71.'
*o :( (C.' (C.' :B.'
. donDt )now eno#h to
"a)e a stand
( 2.' 2.' 1''.'
,otal 2'' 1''.' 1''.'
P#ea,e c!oo,e our 586
rea,on, '!+ +ou o$$o,e
t!e RH Bi##)
0reG#ency Percent
Valid 1y professor told "e to
oppose the bill
2' (.:
,he bill is
#nconstit#tional
(7 11.'>
1y friends oppose the
bill
(( 1'.CB
1y ch#rch opposes the
bill
1'2 27.'
,he bill pro"otes
pre"arital seE and
abortion
1'2 27.'
,he bill pro"otes a pre@
disposed fa"ily si!e
,he bill does not directly
address poverty
1y fa"ily opposes the
bill
,he "edia has convinced
"e to oppose the bill
;2

1'
17
B
17.2'
2.(7
>.;B
1.:;
,otal ('B 1''.'
Students Taking Sides...|B>

P#ea,e indicate t!e rea,on, '!+ +ou do not ,u$$ort t!e $o,ition o t!e admini,trator, o
UST
+#"#lative
Percent
Valid
5S,Ds stand is not
realistic
(2 ((.;B ((.;B ((.;B
1edia 2B 2:.C: 2:.C: C(.(C
1y fa"ily s#pports the
bill
-thers
1>
11
1>.B>
11.C'
1>.B>
11.C'
BB.>
1''.'
,otal :( 1''.' 1''.'
Students Taking Sides...|B(
I $ro&ided 'it! ne' inormation re-ardin- t!e Re$roducti&e Hea#t! Bi##C are +ou o$en
to c!an-in- +our $o,ition re-ardin- t!e i,,ueE
+#"#lative
Percent
Valid
4es, . a" open to chane
"y view
(; 2>.' 2>.' 2>.'
*o, . have "ade "y
decision
17( CC.' CC.' 1''.'
,otal 2'' 1''.' 1''.'
Do +ou "e#ie&e t!at t!e RH "i## i, an inrin-ement o $u"#ic !ea#t! and mora#,E
+#"#lative
Percent
Valid
4es :; (B.' (B.' (B.'
*o B2 (1.' (1.' B:.'
. donDt )now eno#h
abo#t the bill
22 11.' 11.' 1''.'
,otal 2'' 1''.' 1''.'
Do +ou "e#ie&e t!at t!e re$roducti&e !ea#t! and ,eAua#it+ education mu,t "e inte-rated
to t!e ,econdar+ education "i##E
+#"#lative
Percent
Valid
4es :2 (;.' (;.' (;.'
*o B; (>.' (>.' B:.'
. donDt )now eno#h
abo#t the bill
22 11.' 11.' 1''.'
,otal 2'' 1''.' 1''.'
Do +ou "e#ie&e t!at t!e !ou,e o re$re,entati&e ,!ou#d ocu, it, ener-ie, to $a,, t!e RH
"i##E
+#"#lative
Percent
Valid 4es, the ho#se
"#st foc#s its
eneries to pass
the RH bill
;B >(.' >(.' >(.'
*o, the ho#se
"#st foc#s its
eneries to pass
other i"pt. bills
1>2 ;;.' ;;.' 1''.'
,otal 2'' 1''.' 1''.'
Students Taking Sides...|B;
Socia# contract t!eor+ o et!ic,
httpNOOlms.$accagloal$comOCourse"mportsOAcca;rofessionalEthicsO%%%OWhat"sEthic
sO,ocialContractTheory$html
?oral relativism is the position that moral truth is relative to an individual or a group$ ,ocial moral relativism
is a more precise position claiming that moral truth is relative to social groups$ >or e'ample, some social
moral relativists elieve that moral truth is relative to the values and norms of cultural groups$
httpNOO%%%$eho%$comOfactsPI6/010/Psocial&moral&relativism&theory&ethics$html
Students Taking Sides...|BC
?oral sense theory -also (no%n as sentimentalism2 is a vie% in meta&ethics according to %hich morality is
someho% grounded in moral sentiments or emotions$ ,ome ta(e it to e primarily a vie% aout the nature of
moral facts or moral eliefs -a primarily metaphysical vie%2&&&this form of the vie% more often goes y the
name BsentimentalismB$
httpNOOen$%i(ipedia$orgO%i(iO?oralPsensePtheory

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