1.

Members of the NIT are DOH, POPCOM, FDA, DSWD, NEDA, DepEd, DILG,
PhilHealth, NAPC, PCW, NCDA, ULAP and CSOs.- member agencies of National
Implementation Team

2. RA 10354 “Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of

2012”

It is an act providing for a national policy on responsible parenthood and

reproductive health. The law, which stemmed from the strong advocacy of
stakeholders and the commitment of the Government, is a point for
convergence of multi-sectoral efforts toward the improvement of health
outcomes of the country. It mandates the government to adequately address
the needs of Filipinos on responsible parenthood and reproductive health.

The law aims to empower the Filipino people, especially women and youth,
through informed choice and age- and development- appropriate education.
Further, the law guarantees access to information, facilities and services most
especially for the poor by ensuring stable and sustainable reproductive health
programs are in place through partnerships between national and local
governments in collaboration with CSOs, basic sectors, academe and private
sector.

What is rh law? What does it aim?

3. What is responsible parenthood (RP)?

Responsible parenthood is the will and ability of parent(s) to respond to the

needs and aspirations of the family and children. It is the shared responsibility
between parents to determine and achieve the desired number and timing of
their children according to their own aspirations.

4. What is Reproductive Health (RH)?

Reproductive health can be defined as a state of complete well-being in matters

relating to one’s sexual and reproductive life. It implies that people are able to
have a responsible, safe, consensual and satisfying sex life and that they have
the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide of, when, and how often
to do so. Further, it implies that men and women attain equal relationships in
matters related to sexual relations and reproduction.

5. What are the guiding principles that govern the RP-RH Law?
  The right to make free and informed decisions of every person
particularly couples, adult individuals, women and adolescents including
preference and choice for FP methods, determination of ideal family size;
 The provision of effective and quality RH care services by the state that
will lead to universal access to affordable and quality RH care and
services;
 The provision of truthful information and education on RH; and
 The preferential access to the poor and the marginalized.

6. RPRH Education for Adolescents

topics:
 Rights of the Child;
 Child Health and Nutrition;
 Child and Adolescent Development;
 Gender and Development;
 Life skills;
 Age-appropriate Sexuality Education;
 Population and development;
 Marriage and family;
 Prevention of STIs, including HIV, and
 Recognition and elimination of gender-based violence.

7. Who will be the lead agency in implementing the RPRH education

for adolescents?
The Department of Education (DepEd) is mandated by the Law to formulate a
curriculum including concepts and messages on reproductive health. The
National Implementation Team (NIT) created a Technical Working Group for
Comprehensive Sexuality Education (TWG on CSE) to support the DepEd in this
endeavor. It is composed of DepEd as Chair, POPCOM as Secretariat, and DOH,
DSWD, NYC, and CSOs as members.

8. Are other agencies also providing RPRH education for adolescents?

Several government agencies and CSOs have also initiated their own RPRH
education for adolescents.
POPCOM in collaboration with LGUs conduct U4U teen trails and maintain teen
centers in school and communities; DOH provide counseling and services on
adolescent sexuality and health; DSWD developed youth development sessions
(YDS) for 4Ps beneficiaries, POPDEV education have been integrated in selected
schools, NYC conducts various for a on sexuality and reproductive health for
youth among others

9. What agency will monitor the implementation of the RPRH

education?
DepEd is mandated to institute regular monitoring and reporting on the
integration of RPRH education and information in the formal, non-formal,
community-based education and indigenous learning systems.
10. Reproductive Health (RH) Care
Reproductive health care refers to the access to a full range of methods,
facilities, services and supplies that contribute to reproductive health and
well-being by addressing reproductive health-related problems. It also includes
sexual health, the purpose of which is the enhancement of life and personal
relations.

11. what are The 12 RH Elements?

1. Family planning information and services
2. Maternal, infant and child health and nutrition including breastfeeding
3. Proscription of abortion and management of abortion complications
4. Adolescent and youth reproductive health guidance and counseling
5. Prevention, treatment and management of reproductive tract infections,
HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmittable infections
6. Elimination of violence against women and children and other forms of
sexual and gender-based violence
7. Education and counseling on sexuality and reproductive health
8. Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers and other
gynecological conditions and disorders
9. Male responsibility and involvement and men’s reproductive health
10. Prevention, treatment and management of infertility and sexual
dysfunction
11. Age- and development- appropriate RH education for adolescents in
formal and non-formal educational settings
12. Mental health aspect of RH care

12. Who can procure family planning (FP) supplies?

The DOH shall procure and distribute to LGUs and monitor the usage of FP
supplies for the whole country.

13. How would the bill contribute to the reduction of maternal deaths?

The RH bill provides emergency obstetric and new born care, the hiring of
skilled personnel, and the inclusion of family planning programs. It also
provides access to family planning supports, including essential medicines
which are provided in Section 9. The measure included the provision on
essential medicines to ensure that they are made available especially to
women whose dilemma is how to support a family without compromising a
baby.

14. Is this law a population control measure since it provides access to

birth control devices?
No. Birth control means the freedom of the mother to make an informed
choice on how many children she shall have and how much space in years
she should observe. Population control does not refer to the mother. It refers
to the power of the state to limit how many people shall be allowed to live in
a territory under its control. There is NO provision in this bill limiting the
number of children that couples should have.

15. How can this bill alleviate poverty?

RH bill shall alleviate poverty by making all methods of family planning

and reproductive health services available and affordable to all; this will
bring down fertility rates of poor couples. The less children they have, the
less household expenses they incur. In addition, smaller families will be
able to have higher amounts of savings which can be channelled to
investments and business ventures, thus spurring economic growth.

16. The Church recommends natural family planning only. What’s

wrong with sticking to NFP?

The core of the RH bill is freedom of informed choice. To this end, the bill
guarantees information and education on and access to ALLl forms of
family planning methods from the natural to the modern, all of which should
be medically safe, effective, legal, and affordable. As repeatedly stated
throughout the provisions of this bill, the government will be mandated to
provide information, education on and access, without bias to all methods of
family planning.

If we deprive couples, particularly women, of medically safe, legal and

effective modes of family planning, including contraception, by limiting
them to what has been endorsed by the Catholic hierarchy on
traditional and natural modes of family planning, our women would be
exposed to high-risk pregnancies which result to the death of so many
mothers. In fact, 11 mothers die in the Philippines daily as a complication
of pregnancy and childbirth.

17. Does the bill espouse abortion?

There is nothing in the text of the RH bill that espouses abortion. Neither
do any of the sponsors intend for the bill to promote abortion. One of the
guiding principles of this act is found in Sec. 3(i) which provides: “While
this Act does not amend the penal law on abortion, the government shall
ensure that all women needing care for post-abortion complications shall be
treated and counselled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate
manner.”

18. Does this bill not violate the right to free exercise of religion of the
Catholics? What is the prevailing doctrine on Church-State
relationship?

The Constitution, Article 2, Section 6 states: “The Separation of the Church

and State shall be inviolable.” This provision is almost useless statement
because in the end, if we look at the jurisprudence on the church and state,
arguments are based not on the separation of church and state but on the
non-establishment clause in Section 5 of the Bill of Rights.

We should always remember that religious dogma should be confined

within the Church community; adherence to religious tenets and beliefs
should be solely between the Church and the faithful; observance of the
teaching of the Church cannot be imposed by legislation upon the public,
particularly in a secular state like the Philippines.

The State has the power to legislate particularly in the exercise of police
power for the welfare of the public, and in that process of legislation, the
State is definitely ascendant. If there is any conflict between religious
dogma and the State policy, the State policy must prevail.