Full text of House Bill No.

5043
(Reproductive Health and Population
Development Act of 2008)
Published by Atty. Fred September 22nd, 2008 in Family and Property
Law andObiter/News. 28 Comments
digg

(Knowing the details of the proposed law is important in having a healthy

debate on the issue. Heres the full text of House Bill No. 5043, which is in
substitution to HB Nos. 17, 812, 2753 and 3970, introduced during the first
regular session of the 14th Congress by Honorables Edcel C. Lagman, Janettte
L. Garin, Narciso D. Santiago III, Mark Llandro Mendoza, Ana Theresia
Hontiveros-Baraquel and Elandro Jesus F. Madrona. You could also read
the Facts Sheet and the Explanatory Noterelating to the Reproductive Health
and Population Development Act. Poll also here.See also updated bill, House
Bill 4244, the updated article on RH Bill, and theopen discussion, without need
of registration. )
HOUSE BILL NO. 5043
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL POLICY ON
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD AND
POPULATION DEVELOPMENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the Reproductive
Health and Population Development Act of 2008.
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. The State upholds and promotes responsible
parenthood, informed choice, birth spacing and respect for life in conformity
with internationally recognized human rights standards.
The State shall uphold the right of the people, particularly women and their
organizations, to effective and reasonable participation in the formulation and
implementation of the declared policy.

This policy is anchored on the rationale that sustainable human development is

better assured with a manageable population of healthy, educated and
productive citizens.

The State likewise guarantees universal access to medically-safe, legal,

affordable and quality reproductive health care services, methods, devices,
supplies and relevant information thereon even as it prioritizes the needs of
women and children,among other underprivileged sectors.

SEC. 3. Guiding Principles. This Act declares the following as basic guiding
principles:
a. In the promotion of reproductive health, there should be no bias for either
modern or natural methods of family planning;

b. Reproductive health goes beyond a demographic target because it is

principally about health and rights;

c. Gender equality and women empowerment are central elements of

reproductive health and population development;

d. Since manpower is the principal asset of every country, effective reproductive

health care services must be given primacy to ensure the birth and care of
healthy children and to promote responsible parenting;

e. The limited resources of the country cannot be suffered to, be spread so thinly
to service a burgeoning multitude that makes the allocations grossly inadequate
and effectively meaningless;

f. Freedom of informed choice, which is central to the exercise of any right,

must be fully guaranteed by the State like the right itself;
g. While the number and spacing of children are left to the sound judgment of
parents and couples based on their personal conviction and religious beliefs,
such concerned parents and couples, including unmarried individuals, should be
afforded free and full access to relevant, adequate and correct information on
reproductive health and human sexuality and should be guided by qualified
State workers and professional private practitioners;

h. Reproductive health, including the promotion of breastfeeding, must be the

joint concern of the National Government and Local Government Units(LGUs);

i. Protection and promotion of gender equality, women empowerment and

human rights, including reproductive health rights, are imperative;

j. Development is a multi-faceted process that calls for the coordination and

integration of policies, plans, programs and projects that seek to uplift the
quality of life of the people, more particularly the poor, the needy and the
marginalized;

k. Active participation by and thorough consultation with concerned non-

government organizations (NGOs), peoples organizations (POs) and
communities are imperative to ensure that basic policies, plans, programs and
projects address the priority needs of stakeholders;

l. Respect for, protection and fulfillment of reproductive health rights seek to

promote not only the rights and welfare of adult individuals and couples but
those of adolescents and childrens as well; and

m. While nothing in this Act changes the law on abortion, as abortion remains a
crime and is punishable, the government shall ensure that women seeking care
for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane,
non-judgmental and compassionate manner.
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act, the following terms
shall be defined as follows:

a. Responsible Parenthood refers to the will, ability and cornmitTrient of

parents to respond to the needs and aspirations of the family and children more
particularly through family planning;

b. Family Planning refers to a program which enables couple, and individuals

to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to
have the information and means to carry out their decisions, and to have
informed choice and access to a full range of safe, legal and effective family
planning methods, techniques and devices.

c. Reproductive Health -refers to the state of physical, mental and social well-
being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating
to the reproductive system and to its funcitions and processes. This implies that
people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life, that they have the
capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do
so, provided that these are not against the law. This further implies that women
and men are afforded equal status in matters related to sexual relations and
reproduction.

d. Reproductive Health Rights refers to the rights of individuals and couples

do decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their
children; to make other decisions concerning reproduction free of
discrimination, coercion and violence; to have the information and means to
carry out their decisions; and to attain the highest standard of sexual and
reproductive health.

e. Gender Equality refers to the absence of discrimination on the basis of a

persons sex, in opportunities, allocation of resources and benefits, and access to
services.
f. Gender Equity refers to fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits
and responsibilities between women and men, and often requires. women-
specific projects and programs to eliminate existing inequalities, inequities,
policies and practices unfavorable too women.

g. Reproductive Health Care refers to the availability of and access to a full

range of methods, techniques, supplies and services that contribute to
reproductive and sexual health and well-being by preventing and solving
reproductive health-related problems in order to achieve enhancement of life
and personal relations. The elements of reproductive health care include:

1. Maternal, infant and child health and nutrition;

2. Promotion of breastfeeding;

3. Family planning information end services;

4. Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications;

5. Adolescent and youth health;

6. Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections (RTIs),

HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmittable infections (STIs);

7. Elimination of violence against women;

8. Education and counseling on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health;

9. Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers and other gynecological

conditions;

10. Male involvement and participation in reproductive health;,

11. Prevention and treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction; and

12. Reproductive health education for the youth.

h. Reproductive Health Education refers to the process of acquiring complete,
accurate and relevant information on all matters relating to the reproductive
system, its functions and processes and human sexuality; and forming attitudes
and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, interpersonal relationships, affection,
intimacy and gender roles. It also includes developing the necessary skills do be
able to distinguish between facts and myths on sex and sexuality; and critically
evaluate. and discuss the moral, religious, social and cultural dimensions of
related sensitive issues such as contraception and abortion.

i. Male involvement and participation refers to the involvement, participation,

commitment and joint responsibility of men with women in all areas of sexual
and reproductive health, as well as reproductive health concerns specific to men.

j. Reproductive tract infection (RTI) refers do sexually transmitted infections,

sexually transmitted diseases and other types of-infections affecting the
reproductive system.

k. Basic Emergency Obstetric Care refers to lifesaving services for maternal

complication being provided by a health facility or professional which must
include the following six signal functions: administration of parenteral
antibiotics; administration of parrenteral oxyttocic drugs; administration of
parenteral anticonvulsants for pre-eclampsia and iampsia; manual removal of
placenta; and assisted vaginal delivery.

l. Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care refers to basic emergency

obstetric care plus two other signal functions: performance of caesarean section
and blood transfusion.

m. Maternal Death Review refers to a qualitative and in-depth study of the

causes of maternal death with the primary purpose of preventing future deaths
through changes or additions to programs, plans and policies.
n. Skilled Attendant refers to an accredited health professional such as a
licensed midwife, doctor or nurse who has adequate proficiency and the skills to
manage normal (uncomplicated) pregnancies, childbirth and the immediate
postnatal period, and in the identification, management and referral of
complication in women and newborns.

o. Skilled Attendance refers to childbirth managed by a skilled attendant under

the enabling conditions of a functional emergencyobstetric care and referral
system.

p. Development refers to a multi-dimensional process involving major

changes in social structures, popular attitudes, and national institutions as well
as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality and the
eradication of widespread poverty.

q. Sustainable Human Development refers to the totality of the process of

expending human choices by enabling people to enjoy long, healthy and
productive lives, affording them access to resources needed for a decent
standard of living and assuring continuity and acceleration of development by
achieving a balance between and among a manageable population, adequate
resources and a healthy environment.

r. Population Development refers to a program that aims to: (1) help couples
and parents achieve their desired family size; (2) improve reproductive health of
individuals by addressing reproductive health problems; (3) contribute to
decreased maternal and infant mortality rates and early child mortality; (4)
reduce incidence of teenage pregnancy; and (5) enable government to achieve a
balanced population distribution.

SEC. 5. The Commission on Population (POPC0NI). Pursuant to the herein

declared policy, the Commission on Population (POPCOM) shall serve as the
central planning, coordinating, implementing and monitoring body for the
comprehensive and integrated policy on reproductive health and population
development. In the implementation of this policy, POPCOM, which shall be an
attached agency of the Department of Health (DOH) shall have the following
functions:

a. To create an enabling environment for women and couples to make an

informed choice regarding the family planning method that is best suited to their
needs and personal convictions;

b. To integrate on a continuing basis the interrelated reproductive health and

population development agenda into a national policy, taking into account
regional and local concerns;

c. To provide the mechanism to ensure active and full participation of the

private sector and the citizenry through their organizations in the planning and
implementation of reproductive health care and population development
programs and projects;

d. To ensure peoples access to medically safe, legal, quality and affordable

reproductive health goods and services;

e. To facilitate the involvement and participation of non-government

organizations and the private sector in reproductive health care service delivery
and in the production, distribution and delivery of quality reproductive: health
and family planning supplies and commodities to make them accessible and
affordable to ordinary citizens;

f. To fully implement the Reproductive Health Care Program with the following
components:

(1) Reproductive health education including but not limited to counseling on the
full range of legal and medically-safe family planning methods including
surgical methods;
(2) Maternal, pen-natal and post-natal education, care and services;

(3) Promotion of breastfeeding;

(4) Promotion of male involvement, participation and responsibility in

reproductive health as well as other reproductive health concerns of men;

(5) Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications; and

(6) Provision of information and services addressing the reproductive health

needs of the poor, senior citizens, women in prostitution, differently-abled
persons, and women and children in war AND crisis situations.

g. To ensure that reproductive health services are delivered with a full range of
supplies, facilities and equipment and that service providers are adequately
trained for reproductive health care;

h. To endeavor to furnish local Family Planning Offices with appropriate

information and resources to keep the latter updated on current studies and
research relating to family planning, responsible parenthood, breastfeeding and
infant nutrition;

i. To direct all public hospitals to make available to indigent mothers who

deliver their children in these government hospitals, upon the mothers request,
the procedure of ligation without cost to her;

j. To recommend the enactment of legislation and adoption of executive

measures that will strengthen and enhance the national policy on reproductive
health and population development;

k. To ensure a massive and sustained information drive on responsible

parenthood and on all methods and techniques to prevent unwanted, unplanned
and mistimed pregnancies, it shall release information bulletins on the same for
nationwide circulation to all government departments, agencies and
instrumentalities, non-government organizations and the private sector, schools,
public and private libraries, tri-media outlets, workplaces, hospitals and
concerned health institutions;

l. To strengthen the capacities of health regulatory agencies to ensure safe, high-

quality, accessible, and affordable reproductive health services and commodities
with the concurrent strengthening and enforcement of regulatory mandates and
mechanisms;

m. To take active steps to expand the coverage of the National Health Insurance
Program (NHIP), especially among poor and marginalized women, to include
the full range of reproductive health services and supplies as health insurance
benefits; and

n. To perform such other functions necessary to attain the purposes of this Act.

The membership of the Board of Commissioners of POPCOM shall consist of

the heads of the following AGENCIES:

1. National Economic DevelopmentAuthority (VEDA)

2. Department of Health (DOH)
3. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
4. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
5. Department of Agriculture (DA)
6. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
7. Department of Education (DepEd)
8. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
9. Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
10. University of the Philippines Population Institute (UPPI)
11. Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAFI)
12. National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPQ
13. National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW)
14. National Youth Commission (NYC)

In addition to the aforementioned, members, there shall be three private sector

representatives to the Board of Commissioners of POPCOM who shall come
from NGOs. There shall be one (1) representative each from women, youth and
health sectors who have a proven track record of involvement in the promotion
of reproductive health. These representatives shall be nominated in a process
determined by the above-mentioned sectors, and to be appointed by the
President for a term of three (3)years.

SEC. 6. Midwives for Skilled Attendance. -Every city and municipality shall
endeavor to employ adequate number of midwives or other skilled attendants to
achieve a minimum ratio of one (1)for every one hundred fifty (150) deliveries
per year, to be based on the average annual number of actual deliveries or live
births for the past two years.
SEC. 7. Emergency Obstetric Care. Each province. and city shall endeavor
to ensure the establishment and operation of hospitals with adequate and
qualified personnel that provide emergency obstetric care. For every 500,000
population, there shall be at least one (1) hospital for comprehensive emergency
obstetric care and four (4) hospitals for basic emergency obstetric care.
SEC. 8. Maternal Death Review. All LGUs, national and local government
hospitals, and other public health units shall conduct maternal death review in
accordance with the guidelines to be issued by the DOH in consultation with the
POPCOM.
SEC. 9. Hospital-Based Family Planning. -Tubal ligation, vasectomy,
intrauterine device insertion and other family planning methods requiring
hospital services shall be available in all national and local government
hospitals, except: in specialty hospitals which may render such services on an
optional basis. For indigent patients, such services shall be fully covered by
PhilHealth insurance and/or government financial assistance.
SEC. 10. Contraceptives as Essential Medicines. Hormonal contraceptives,
intrauterine devices, injectables and other allied reproductive health products
and supplies shall be considered under the category of essential medicines and
supplies which shall form part of the National Drug Formulary and the same
shall be included in the regular purchase of essential medicines and supplies of
all national and lord hospitals and other government health units.
SEC. 11. Mobile Health Care Service. -Each Congressional District shall be
provided with a van to be known as the Mobile Health Care Service (MHOS) to
deliver health care goods and services to its constituents, more particularly to
the poor and needy, as well as disseminate knowledge and information on
reproductive health: Provided, That reproductive health education shall be
conducted by competent and adequately trained persons preferably reproductive
health care providers: Provided, further, That the full range of family planning
methods, both natural and modern, shall be promoted.

The acquisition, operation and maintenance of the MRCS shall be funded from
the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of each Congressional
District.

The MHCS shall be adequately equipped with a wide range of reproductive

health care materials and information dissemination devices and equipment, the
latter including but not limited to, a television set for audio-visual presentation.

SEC. 12. Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health Education.

Recognizing the importance of reproductive health rights in empowering the
youth and developing them into responsible adults, Reproductive Health
Education in an age-appropriate manner shall be taught by adequately trained
teachers starting from Grade 5 up to Fourth Year High School. In order to
assure the prior training of teachers on reproductive health, the implementation
of Reproductive Health Education shall commence at the start of the school year
one year following the effectivity of this Act. The POPCOM, in coordination
with the Department of Education, shall formulate the Reproductive Health
Education curriculum, which shall be common to both public and private
schools and shall include related population and development concepts in
addition to the following subjects and standards:
a. Reproductive health and sexual rights;

b. Reproductive health care and services;

c. Attitudes, beliefs and values on sexual development, sexual behavior and

sexual health;

d. Proscription and hazards of abortion and management of post-abortion

complications;

e. Responsible parenthood.

f. Use and application of natural and modern family planning methods to

promote reproductive health, achieve desired family size and prevent unwanted,
unplanned and mistimed pregnancies;

g. Abstinence before marriage;

h. Prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other, STIs/STDs, prostate

cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and other gynecological disorders;

i. Responsible sexuality; and

j. Maternal, peri-natal and post-natal education, care and services.

In support of the natural, and primary right of parents in the rearing of the
youth, the POPCOM shall provide concerned parents with adequate and
relevant scientific materials on the age-appropriate topics and manner of
teaching reproductive health education to their children.

In the elementary level, reproductive health education shall focus, among

others, on values formation.
Non-formal education programs shall likewise include the abovementioned
reproductive Health Education.

SEC. 13. Additional Duty of Family Planning 0ffice. Each local Family
Planning Office shall furnish for free instructions and information on family
planning, responsible parenthood, breastfeeding and infant nutrition to all
applicants for marriage license.
SEC. 14. Certificate of Compliance. No marriage license shall be issued by
the Local Civil Registrar unless the applicants present a Certificate of
Compliance issued for free by the local Family Planning Office certifying that
they had duly received adequate instructions and information on family
planning, responsible parenthood, breastfeeding and infant nutrition.
SEC. 15. Capability Building of Community-Based Volunteer Workers.
Community-based volunteer workers, like but not limited to, Barangay Health
Workers, shall undergo additional and updated training on the delivery of
reproductive health care services and shall receive not less than 10% increase in
honoraria upon successful completion of training. The increase in honoraria
shall be funded from the Gender and Development (GAD) budget of the
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Health
(DOH) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
SEC. 16. Ideal Family Size. The State shall assist couples, parents and
individuals to achieve their desired family size within the context of responsible
parenthood for sustainable development and encourage them to have two
children as the ideal family size. Attaining the ideal family size is neither
mandatory nor compulsory. No punitive action shall be imposed on parents
having more than two children.
SEC. 17. Employers Responsibilities. Employers shall respect the
reproductive health rights of all their workers. Women shall not be
discriminated against in the matter of hiring, regularization of employment
status or selection for retrenchment.
All Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) shall provide for the free
delivery by the employer of reasonable quantity of reproductive health care
services, supplies and devices to all workers, more particularly women workers.
In establishments or enterprises where there are no CBAs or where the
employees are unorganized, the employer shall have the same obligation.

SEC. 18. Support of Private and Non-government Health Care Service

Providers. Pursuant to Section 5(b) hereof, private reproductive health care
service providers, including but not limited to gynecologists and obstetricians,
are encouraged to join their colleagues in non-government organizations in
rendering such services free of charge or at reduced professional fee rates to
indigent and low income patients.
SEC. 19. Multi-Media Campaign. POPCOM shall initiate and sustain an
intensified nationwide multi-media campaign to raise the level of public
awareness on the urgent need to protect and promote reproductive health and
rights.
SEC. 20. Reporting Requirements. Before the end of April of each year,the
DOH shall submit an annual report to the President of the Philippines, the
President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on a
definitive and comprehensive assessment of the implementation of this Act and
shall make the necessary recommendations for executive and legislative action.
The report shall be posted in the website of DOH and printed copies shall be
made available to all stakeholders.
SEC. 21. Prohibited Acts. The following acts are prohibited:

a) Any health care service provider, whether public or private, who shall:

1. Knowingly withhold information or impede the dissemination thereof, and/or

intentionally provide incorrect information regarding programs and services on
reproductive health including the right to informed choice and access to a full
range of legal, medically-safe and effective family planning methods;
2. Refuse to perform voluntary ligation and vasectomy and other legal and
medically-safe reproductive health care services on any person of legal age on
the ground of lack of spousal consent or authorization.

3. Refuse to provide reproductive health care services to an abused minor,

whose abused condition is certified by the proper official or personnel of the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or to duly DSWD-
certified abused pregnant minor on whose case no parental consent is necessary.

4. Fail to provide, either deliberately or through gross or inexcusable

negligence, reproductive health care services as mandated under this Act, the
Local Government Code of 1991, theLabor Code, and Presidential Decree 79, as
amended; and
5. Refuse to extend reproductive health care services and information on
account of the patients civil status, gender or sexual orientation, age, religion,
personal circumstances, and nature of work; Provided, That all conscientious
objections of health care service providers based on religious grounds shall be
respected:Provided, further, That the conscientious objector shall immediately
refer the person seeking such care and services to another health care service
provider within the same facility or one which is conveniently
accessible: Provided, finally, That the patient is not in an emergency or serious
case as defined in RA 8344 penalizing the refusal of hospitals and medical
clinics to administer appropriate initial medical treatment and support in
emergency and serious cases.

b) Any public official who prohibits or restricts personally or through a

subordinate the delivery of legal and medically-safe reproductive health care
services, including family planning;

c) Any employer who shall fail to comply with his obligation under Section 17
of this Act or an employer who requires a female applicant or employee, as a
condition for employment or continued employment, to involuntarily undergo
sterilization, tubal ligation or any other form of contraceptive method;

d) Any person who shall falsify a certificate of compliance as required in

Section 14 of this Act; and

e) Any person who maliciously engages in disinformation about the intent or

provisions of this Act.

SEC. 22. Penalties. The proper city or municipal court shall exercise
jurisdiction over violations of this Act and the accused who is found guilty shall
be sentenced to an imprisonment ranging from one (1) month to six (6) months
or a fine ranging from Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) to Fifty Thousand
Pesos (P50,000.00) or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the
court. If the offender is a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed upon the
president, treasurer, secretary or any responsible officer. An offender who is an
alien shall, after service of sentence, be deported immediately without further
proceedings by the Bureau of Immigration. An offender who is a public officer
or employee shall suffer the accessory penalty of dismissal from the government
service.

Violators of this Act shall be civilly liable to the offended party in such amount
at the discretion of the proper court.

SEC. 23. Appropriations. The amounts appropriated in the current annual

General Appropriations Act for reproductive health and family planning under
the DOH and POPCOM together with ten percent (10%) of the Gender and
Development (GAD) budgets of all government departments, agencies, bureaus,
offices and instrumentalities funded in the annual General Appropriations Act in
accordance with Republic Act No. 7192 (Women in Development and Nation-
building Act) and Executive Order No. 273 (Philippine Plan for Gender
Responsive Development 1995-2025) shall be allocated and utilized for the
implementation of this Act. Such additional sums as may be necessary for the
effective implementation of this Act shall be Included in the subsequent years
General Appropriations Acts.
SEC. 24. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within sixty (60) days from
the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health shall promulgate, after
thorough consultation with the Commission on Population (POPCOM), the
National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), concerned non-
government organizations (NGOs) and known reproductive health advocates,
the requisite implementing rules and regulations.
SEC. 25. Separability Clause. If any part, section or provision of this Act is
held invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall
remain in full force and effect.
SEC. 26. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, Orders, issuances, rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
SEC. 27. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

28 Responses to Full text of House

Bill No. 5043 (Reproductive Health
and Population Development Act of
2008)
Feed for this Entry
Pages: 2 [1] Show All
1. alipin ng kahaponMar 29th, 2011 at 3:23 pm
how dare these people rally up to the streets protesting: RH bill is against
Gods will how the hell they know what Gods will is? thats what you call
blind faith! these people think every change is against Gods will.
these people will do everything to defend their backward beliefs and
traditions

2. BlueHuntressFeb 11th, 2011 at 2:06 pm

i agree to what rue have said..

as a teenager this is my view/feedback:

people dont know that Sex is Sacred.Sex is not for fun! it is NOT FOR
LUST! once theyre having S, the fruit of it should be their responsibility! if
they dont want to be pregnant or their couple to be.why have sex right?and
besides, SEX is for MARRIED people onlyI hope People would be
enlightened.LUST IS ONE OF THE CAPITAL SINS!

But i know the RH bill has a positive Mission.

just what my kouhai (my junior in High School since im a senior High School)
have said: the RH bill is not 100% wrong. just some points are against biblical
views.

God Bless and please take note that God Loves us..ALWAYS

3. rueJan 26th, 2011 at 5:18 am

I really disagree to the RH BILL. As a member of a christian country instead of
condom why not moral recovery program? because if you say condom it is more
likely saying you are promoting sexual immorality that even young people can
freely use condom and have sex.
LIFE is a gift. God has a purpose , we are not an accident,God created us for a
reason.
For example im an inventor,only me knows whats the reason for what i
invented.then let me ask you,who created us?therefore Only God knows whats
the reason why he created us. DID you know that we are the only creation of
god that has a moral being because like animals,they only have life but not the
moral being like human does.
We are not perfect we fall into sin the mistake is in us PEOPLE!tHats why we
are experiencing poverty because of the corrupt officials!
Thats why there is so called free will to choose to sin or not.its a matter of
choice meaning, if we can promote moral recovery program to the communities
to those who are poorest of the poor ,to the people,they will know the true
meaning of life and they would be afraid to commit sin because they already
had a conviction to God.
there was stated in the bible after the fall of man God said Go to the world and
multiply.Yes thats true, But in a right way, not through sexual immorality and
using contraceptives
SEX is designed to married people and not to the unmarried ones.
Let us not Fool ourselves.CONDOMS and other contraceptives are part of the
monkey business of our government.they agree to the RH BILL because they
are the ones who are truly advantaged,they gain a lot of money with that.Like
Commercials.The models are teenagers or young individuals instead of married
people.See?They are only just promoting SEXUAL IMMORALITY.
remember, MONEY is the root of all EVIL.

this is only my opinion,im a 2nd yr.college student Bs tourism,and im doing this

because im aware to my fellow young people.let us all be guided,let us not
choose the wrong path..

4. cyber_grouchJan 18th, 2011 at 5:34 pm

On the question of whether were overpopulated or not, this is debatable. I have
to agree with Mr. B, Singapore is not as resource-rich as the Philippines yet has
a DENSER population. Yet it is more successful in managing its resources.
Moreover, it is a country that as a regressing fertility rate. In fact, it is
ENCOURAGING its citizens to reproduce. So thus, question of necessity of
the bill is valid.
On the question of what the true intent of the bill, I would agree with lyjhugeo
that the bill seeks to empower the Filipinos the Freedom of informed choice
and Responsible Parenthood for a better family living to quote verbatim. Yet
I cannot discount that it is a population control bill. Sec. 5 defines within the
responsibilities of the Population Commission the promotion of a national
policy for population development which is further defined in the bill itself
(mentioned 4 times under this section). The bills definition of the term contains
5 items which is an uncomfortable mix of promotion of individual metrics (1-4
are derived from statistics on family size, improved reproductive health [DOH
count on reproductive health statistics]) and state-policy metrics population
distribution (now, how do we define and quantify this is beyond the bill so far).
Thus, in itself is problematic because it does not state which metrics reconcile
both thrusts.

On the question of abortion, I would disagree with the bill when it says in Sec.
3m that this bill does not change anything on abortion laws but that blanket
provision would not have little effect if there are provision that open up
possibilities for state sanctioned abortions. I use the term state sanction
abortions to make explicit that certain contraceptives are abortifacient and the
bill does not explicitly distance itself from the use of those methods. In fact, the
danger is that it a blanket statement that contraceptives should be classified as
essential medicines which government it mandated to purchase. This is a very
controversial point because this goes in direct contradiction to The Constitution
(Article 2, Sec. 12 which reads: It shall equally protect the life of the mother and
the life of the UNBORN FROM CONCEPTION). Thus, instead of making the
anti-abortion policy stronger this bill actually weakens it (if it passes to law)
by introducing conflicts in law which will eventually need to be resolved by
Jurisprudence or case law.

Further to the question of constitutionality, the constitution (on the same

section), outlines that the state should EQUALLY protect the life of the mother
and the life of the unborn. Bar one (mentioning that the laws on abortion shall
not be overturned by provisions of this bill which as discussed in the previous
paragraph is basically useless), the bill has weighed more on the life of the
mother.

On the question of whos decision is weightier with regards to reproductive

health the individual and couple, the bill again does not clearly outline that
policy and rules surrounding this. Yet, with Sec. 21 b2, it seemed it weighed
again more on the individual rather than the couples choice a clear clash with
Constituional policy. The bill reads on that section that one of the prohibited and
penalizable acts is the refusal to perform voluntary ligation and vasectomy and
other legal and medically-safe reproductive health care services on any person
of legal age on the ground of lack of spousal consent or authorization. The
effective term is LACK OF SPOUSAL CONSENT cannot be a ground for
refusal of ligation/vasectomy. This clause is contradictory to the Constitution
which says, The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect
and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. How does it
strengthen the family when one member can override the decision of the other
by force of this law (as the law says such individual right shall supersede the
right of the spouse for communal determination of the direction of the family)?

Prior violations to the constitution discussed in previous paragraphs are not as

gruesome as violations which will be discussed by succeeding paragraphs. Prior
violations are against non-self-implementing provisions. Succeeding violations
directly contradict provision under the Bill of Rights which are self-
implementing. One in particular is with regards to the right to Freedom of
Speech. This is one of the sacred freedoms that the Constitution RECOGNIZES.
Notice the term used RECOGNIZE. Time and time again, the Supreme Court
used this term to emphasize that the Constitution did not GRANT these rights
but RECOGNIZES these rights as part of humans natural constitution.
Freedom of Speech in many of the Supreme Courts decision includes the
freedom to make erroneous statements. Yet, this bill penalizes such speech. Sec.
22 provides for penalties for violations enumerated under Sec. 21 which
includes paragraph e: Any person who maliciously engages in disinformation
about the intent or provisions of this Act. Granted, that the disinformation must
be malicious that it must be proved such provision is prior restrain to
freedom of speech.

Another instance by which freedom of speech is curtailed is to violate the Non-

Establishment provisions which are offshoots of the freedom of speech.
Concretely, this is the freedom to exercise religion (Sec. 5 of the Bill of Rights).
Sec 12 of the bill mandates a reproductive health curriculum which shall be
common to both private and public institutions which puts equal emphasis on
both modern and natural family planning methods. Some religious institutions
do not profess to modern family planning methods and prefer to teach the later.
Sec 5 of the Constitution guarantees these institutions that such preference is
respected. And this has been calcified by a number of Supreme Court decisions.
Just look at the flag cases where national patrimony was placed lower in
priorities over free exercise clauses.

This objection also extends to what the bill calls reproductive health care
provider which lacks in definition. At one point, it defines the provider as a
medical practitioner. At another, it defines the provider as an educator. It seems
that the provider is the main agent by which provisions of this bill aims to use to
propagate its policies. Yet, it has not made any effort to formalize these roles
and deputize them. To this end, it does not guarantee that these agents are
depoliticized and de-commercialized. Such I believe fuels the suspicion that
private contraceptive companies are the primary benefactors of this bill.

5. rbhebronDec 6th, 2010 at 4:42 pm

its really sad that the issue have dragged for so long. the lawmakers shud
impose a time limit or a deadline to gather all opinions and then act on it. its
time to decide whether its going to be beneficial to the filipinos or not. are we
over populated? definitely is there rampant corruption? definitely are over
population and corruption related? not really are the solution to one problem a
solution to all our problem? of course not why not deal with the problem
separately address the problem of over population.. address the problem of
corruption.. them perhaps we can say that slowly we are building our nation for
the benefit of the next generation. let us not forget that the next generation is be
the focal point of the debate. will the RH bill finally end our misery? of course
not will the churchs opinion make a for a better life? definitely not as
citizens, how do we take responsibility in these issue? be aware as
lawmakers, shud they weigh the benefits of the passage of the law? definitely
its really how the law will make for a better life and not the argument of just one
personality that matters is the passage of the law a path to a better life for all
filipinos absolutely!!

6. kapogeNov 28th, 2010 at 2:08 pm

Information is unlimitted for those who seek itnasa internet age na
tayolahat mauungkat isang click lang

Responsible parenthoodare the RH bill proponents stating that majority of the

Filipino parents are not responsible?or we just look on special cases

Let us not simply talk on majority favors the billlets look on the basis to
whom will it applyhow many percent are ignorant filipino parent we have?are
you one of them thats why you favor it?

This bill is out of placea man with sound mind dont even need to go to
school to understand this thingsvery common sense

7. lyjhugeoNov 24th, 2010 at 8:23 am

To: Eustaquio Bungangkahoy
Your comment is very impressive but youre not reading the RH Bill. What a
waste of a good comment.

RH Bill is not for population control as you have stated. This Bill is to empower
the Filipinos the Freedom of informed choice and Responsible Parenthood
for a better family living.

8. ShangoNov 15th, 2010 at 2:04 pm

I hope this bill will soon become a law. To all Religious leaders please respect
the separation of state and church under our Constitution.

9. Jos MiguelOct 12th, 2010 at 1:12 am

The name of the Bill is, Reproductive Health and Population Development. Is it
really healthy for a reproductive organ to be invaded by synthetic substances?
There have been numerous reports stating that levels of dependence of farms on
synthetic substances for fertilizers and pesticides which are being injected into
it, have progressively increased thru the years. These farms have already
reached the point of already becoming sterile. Thus the nutrients of the plants on
the soil will be perpetually sustained solely by synthetic substances. Is this the
kind of food we want? As the natural cycle of nutrient production within the soil
is continuously being damaged by synthetic substances, the cycle will reach the
point of death. The life of plants then will be no different from a patient whose
practically all organs are already dead but is till being made to pump oxygen to
the body by machines, tubes, and synthetic substances just to make his heart
beat continuously. As it is with the farm, so it must be with human beings who
are more sensitive to life than farms.

Is it really healthy to let our body be invaded by synthetic substances?

10. Jos MiguelOct 9th, 2010 at 12:12 am

Sec 3 on Guiding Principles of the Reproductive Health Bill stated at paragraph
e: The limited resources of the country cannot be suffered to, be spread so thinly
to service a burgeoning multitude that makes the allocations grossly inadequate
and effectively meaningless.

Is it because the rate of increase of number of lives to be sustained, to the

increase of amount of resources that could provide sustenance, is higher?

I agree that our material resources are limited as everything in this world is
limited right from the beginning. Back to thousands of years earlier than 2000
years ago, did the people live in a situation of abundance of material resources
for sustenance? Sustenance for material resources was derived merely from
gathering and hunting. Was that abundance compared to today? Even during the
later period, when agriculture became the technology for material resources
sustenance, there was yet no such mass movements to suppress population
growth. There were those who lived with enough. But there were those like the
rich and powerful kingdoms who conquered other territories of other kingdoms
and slaughtered or enslaved the vanquished and looted their resources as a
means to sustain the conqueror kingdom. They lived then, as if resources for
them was limited. From those events, was there actually a shortage of material
resources at that time? Or was it more of fear due to greed? Was the behavior of
people then, towards the share of material resources any different from that of
now? The technology then, was mass murder of the living.

Today, the same fear of limited resources is gripping us. Yet, inspite of all the
supposedly more advanced technology for material resources sustenance of the
world, why is it that not all families can have food available for them? How is it
that today, we can have one family who, aside from owning long chain of
supermarkets and large tracks of lands, could very well afford to feed each
member of that family of say 12, the quantity equivalent of more than one
hundred meals at three times a day if they could accommodate that much in
their stomach? Is this amount, not more than the equivalent of three good meals
a day for 70 families with 12 children each? Is this amount of food not excess?
Yet how is it that today, there are families who could afford to eat that much
quantity of food, while there are families of 6 children who could not eat three
adequate meals a day? Is this not greed causing hunger?

Some of those who belong to such families who could well afford to be fed
more than a hundred meals in one mealtime if their stomach could
accommodate that much, have blamed families who could not afford to have
three meals a day to be lazy. Have they not seen family members who had to
labor 12 hours a day to be able to eat two times a day everyday because that is
the only capability they have as a result of the business of this well-fed family
members which: control markets; have contractual policies; have oppressive
compensation policies; or which have been displacing small retailers from the
areas they have established their own giant businesses? Is this the general result
of greed or laziness? Is not the RH Bill then promoting greed for blaming high
population growth as cause of hunger while ignoring greed as the cause? Or is it
promoting laziness for providing easy instant artificial technology to an
imbalance of nature which can be corrected by a long and hard working natural
developmental process?

By having the same fear and technology for material resources sustenance of
many of the powerful people back in the period of more than 2000 years ago,
this time is it not a more subtle technology which the bill is promoting RH or
Replicating Herod?

11. banshee rabidcatOct 6th, 2010 at 11:39 am

Mr Bungangkahoy, I implore you to read before ranting. may I highlight the

following for you since you obviously are too lazy to gather necessary
information before yapping.
SEC. 12. Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health Education.
Recognizing the importance of reproductive health rights in empowering the
youth and developing them into responsible adults, Reproductive Health
Education in an age-appropriate manner shall be taught by adequately trained
teachers starting from Grade 5 up to Fourth Year High School. In order to
assure the prior training of teachers on reproductive health, the implementation
of Reproductive Health Education shall commence at the start of the school year
one year following the effectivity of this Act. The POPCOM, in coordination
with the Department of Education, shall formulate the Reproductive Health
Education curriculum, which shall be common to both public and private
schools and shall include related population and development concepts in
addition to the following subjects and standards:

a. Reproductive health and sexual rights;

b. Reproductive health care and services;

c. Attitudes, beliefs and values on sexual development, sexual behavior and

sexual health;

d. Proscription and hazards of abortion and management of post-abortion

complications;

e. Responsible parenthood.

f. Use and application of natural and modern family planning methods to

promote reproductive health, achieve desired family size and prevent unwanted,
unplanned and mistimed pregnancies;

g. Abstinence before marriage;

h. Prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other, STIs/STDs, prostate

cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and other gynecological disorders;
i. Responsible sexuality; and

j. Maternal, peri-natal and post-natal education, care and services.

12. Jos MiguelOct 3rd, 2010 at 1:49 am

Sec 3 on Guiding Principles of the Reproductive Health Bill stated at paragraph

e: The limited resources of the country cannot be suffered to, be spread so thinly
to service a burgeoning multitude that makes the allocations grossly inadequate
and effectively meaningless.

Is it because the rate of number of lives to be sustained is higher than the rate of
the amount of resources that could provide sustenance?

I agree that our resources are limited as everything in this world is limited right
from the beginning. Did we perish when we did not stop population growth
from the beginning? That means we did not run out of resources then as to have
caused us to perish today. That means that each family had food available. Now
how come that today, in this supposedly advanced technology of the world, not
all family can have food available for them? If true, then how is it that today, we
can have one family who, aside from owning long chain of supermarkets and
large tracks of lands, could very well afford to eat food the quantity equivalent
of more than one hundred meals at three times a day if they could accommodate
that much in their stomach? Is this amount, not more than the equivalent of
three good meals a day for 30 families with 10 children each? Is this amount of
food not excess? Yet how is it that today, for every one family who could afford
to eat that much quantity of food, we have thirty families of 6 children who
could not eat three adequate meals a day?

13. jlocuteMay 7th, 2010 at 8:22 am

We are really at the end of time era. These are all Satans work. We should be
aware how he works. As he said I Pretend to love men, in order to destroy
them; serve them, in order to ruin them and deceive them; help them, in order to
pervert them and draw them into these my hellish regions.

People have been persuaded by the devil that they are entitled to have sex when
they choose, rejecting any unwanted life that may result. The enemy may tell
you God is too demanding and unreasonable. If we distributed more
condoms we would not have disease or the need to abort babies. Its Gods
fault because Gods Church is against the use of condoms.

Sexual intercourse, by its nature and intent is potentially life giving act. This is
Gods version. The enemys version is that sex can be closed to give life and
used for physical pleasure only. Enemys version of sex is selfish, emotionally
dangerous, and bad for humanity. The enemy offers an answer to this too, and
led souls to avoid consequences by offering
widespread contraception and abortion. Both men and women are now told that
sinful sexual behaviors are allowable and acceptable. God intends that a man
and woman enter a blessed union (through marriage) and then share their
sexuality with one another. The devil is mocking God because he depicts Gods
purpose. He is laughing because many led astray on this sin.
14. Eustaquio BungangkahoyMay 3rd, 2010 at 10:44 am

Proponents of H.B, 5043 Reproductive Health bill always cite that that the
Philippines is over-populated at 90+ million people to rationalize their support
for artificial birth control. But is the country really overpopulated? And the
implication is that our country is poor because of that 90-million figure.

Population figures are meaningless if we dont take into consideration the area
where that figure lives. For example, what does it mean that Japan has 127
million people? Or that the U.S.A. has 309 million?

Lets take a look at a sample of Wikipedias listing of countries according to

population DENSITY, or the number of people in every square kilometer
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_populati
on_density), April 24, 2010:
Rank Country People/Sq.Km.
1 Macau 18,534
2 Monaco 16,923
3 Singapore 7,022
4 Hong Kong 6,348

43 Philippines 307

129 Ethiopia 71

Compared to the thousands of the top 4 most-densely populated countries, the

Philippines at 307 is hardly over-populated!

And what about the overpopulation=poverty myth? The top 4 countries are so
RICH! Macau is Asias playground for billionaires, streets choked with Rolls
Royces. Monaco is summer capital to Europes kings, princes, dukes and other
royalty. No need to say anything about Singapore and Hong Kong.

These top 4 countries are so small and have no natural resources to brag about
but yet so rich. So is the Philippines poor because there are too many
Filipinos and that we have no natural resources? Look at Ethiopia in Africa. If
less people means more wealth to be shared, Ethiopia should be at the top of the
list, instead of being one of the worlds poorest.

Some people may argue that the top 4 are rich because they are small and easy
to manage in spite their large population. So lets look at huge China with its 1.3
BILLION. It is the fastest growing economy in the world, predicted to overtake
the U.S.A. in about a decade, and even now lends money to the U.S.A.!
Right within our own country, compare the population-to-wealth ratio of
Sequijor, Cebu and Manila. Obviously, the more population, the wealthier the
place!

Now guess what is our countrys biggest dollar earner? Its our Overseas
Foreign Workers human life.

Clearly, life is Gods GIFT and a nations WEALTH!

So what is causing our poverty?

RIIIGHT! CORRUPTION! And the guilty ones hide their sins by blaming us
the people for having too many children! What if by a miracle, our population is
cut in half a year from now, will our country start getting richer if corruption is
still there? Of course not!

(How true is the rumor that those who support H.B. 5043 are offered millions by
giant foreign pharmaceuticals who make birth control pills and devices?
Hopefully not true)

=====

So okay, the Philippines is not over-populated AND over-population does not

cause poverty. But what about on the family and personal level?

No one can argue that feeding more mouths requires more money. But will it
make us poor? We have all heard of stories of immigrants from China escaping
the poverty and oppression there. They came in dirt-poor, ate lugaw, had 10
children, worked hard, became millionaires, and now control our economy!
Many successful Filipinos share the same life story, coming from very large
families, and struggling and sacrificing all the way to the top. Yet we also know
many families with only one or two children but remain very poor all their lives.
Children do not make us poor. Poverty is caused by many more crucial factors
like lack of education, lack of opportunities, lack of drive, lack of discipline,
lack of inheritance, even lack of luck. But one thing is sure, lack of children will
not make us rich.

=====

But what if we just want to give more quality time and better education to fewer
children? Now THERE is a very good and very noble intention! The healthiest
and the BEST way to do this is to abstain during fertile days.

Abstention (self-denial) is self-discipline and builds our character. It is the same

discipline we use to abstain from stealing government money; to abstain from
cheating at school and at taxes; to abstain from extra-marital affairs; to abstain
from skipping classes and cutting work hours; to abstain from bribing
policemen; and to abstain from selling our votes.

And this abstention we practice is exactly the same abstention we are teaching
our children: to abstain from eating too much candy, to abstain from over-
spending, to abstain from pre-marital sex, and to abstain from drugs to be
children of strong character and will-power, not weaklings and spoiled brats.

Artificial birth control on the other hand, offers us the choice of indulging in
pleasure without responsibility; the same easy choice of accepting bribe
money instead of hard work and sacrifice; the same easy choice to cheat
during exams rather than study diligently; the same choice for instant
gratification over self-denial and patience; the same choice to behave like
dogs and monkeys, urinating and copulating, anytime and anywhere the urge
strikes them, rather than conduct ourselves as the noble descendants of Lapu-
lapu, Gabriela Silang, and the Katipuneros.
Let us re-learn the values of abstention, self-denial and discipline. Such virtues
will harden us, strengthen our character, enrich our families, make our country
great again, and get us to heaven some day.

15. anne08Oct 5th, 2008 at 4:25 am

how about for those family who cant afford to supply the contraceptives. for
those family has less income to buy those modern contraceptives such as
injectibles or pills.

how about for those less fortunate family that dont have any idea or knowledge
about the health bill.