Rh Bill 4110 Reaction

Introduction

The author of this reaction paper to explicate the objectives, give reaction to the Bill and the issues regarding it. Debates about the sanctity of life because of the House Bill 4110 have been hot these past few months. The Bill which is introduced by Congresswoman Bellaflor Castillo is also known as “Reproductive Health Care Act of 2002”. It has the objectives to: •

Provide couples and individuals timely, complete and accurate and education on reproductive health;

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Provide couples and individuals access to safe, affordable and quality reproductive health care services;

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Ensure the planning, implementation, and evaluation of appropriate and effective reproductive health care programs at the national and local levels including maternal, peri-natal, infant, and child health care; family planning information and services; services for the prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications; adolescent and youth health services; prevention and management of reproductive tract infections; elimination of violent against women; education and counseling on sexuality and sexual health; treatment of breast, reproductive tract cancers and other gynecological conditions; male involvement in reproductive health; and prevention and treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction. Why it is said to be unethical? Why did the Catholic Church launch campaigns

contrary to this Bill? What does the Bible has to do with it? How God’s laws pertain to it? These are just few questions waiting to be answered.

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Review of the Related Literature HOUSE BILL 4110 INTRODUCED BY HONEORABLE BELLAFLOR J. ANGARA CASTILLO AN ACT PROVIDING FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE STRUCTURES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: SEC.1.Title. - This Act shall be known as the "The Reproductive Health Care Act of 2002" SEC.2.Declaration of Principles. - The State recognizes and guarantees the human rights of all persons including the right to equality and equity, the right to development, the right to reproductive health, the right to education and the right to choose and make decisions for themselves in accordance with their religious convictions, cultural beliefs, and the demands of responsible parenthood. Moreover, the State recognizes and guarantees the promotion of gender equality, equity and women's empowerment as a health and human rights concern. The advancement and protection of women's human rights shall be the efforts of the State to address reproductive health care. As a distinct but inseparable measure to the guarantee of women's human rights, the State recognizes and guarantees the promotion of the welfare and rights of children. In furtherance of these principles, the State shall guarantee access to information and education, and universal access to safe, affordable, and quality reproductive health care services. The State shall positively address and seek to eradicate discriminatory practices, laws and policies that infringe on a person's exercise of sexual and reproductive health and rights. SEC.3.Objectives. - The Reproductive Health Care Act aims to:

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a)

Provide couples and individuals timely, complete and accurate

and education on reproductive health; b Provide couples and individuals access to safe, affordable and )

quality reproductive health care services; c) Ensure the planning, implementation, and evaluation of appropriate and effective reproductive health care programs at the national and local levels including maternal, peri-natal, infant, and child health care; family planning information and services; services for the prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications; adolescent and youth health services; prevention and management of reproductive tract infections; elimination of violent against women; education and counseling on sexuality and sexual health; treatment of breast, reproductive tract cancers and other gynecological conditions; male involvement in reproductive health; and prevention and treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction. SEC.4.Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this Act, the following terms

shall be defines as follows: a)

Reproductive health - is the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its function and processes. This implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and women and men attain equal relationships in matters related

b )

to sexual relations and reproduction. Reproductive rights - are the rights of individuals and couples to 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 do so; and to attain the highest standard of sexual and

reproductive health. c) Gender equality - is the absence of discrimination on the basis of a person's sex, in opportunities, in the allocation of resources or benefits, or in access to services. d Gender equity - is fairness and justice in the distribution of

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)

benefits and responsibilities between women and men, and often requires women - specific projects and programs to end existing e)

inequalities. Reproductive Health Care - is the constellation of methods, techniques and services that contribute to reproductive health and well being by preventing and solving reproductive health-related problems. The elements of reproductive health care include: 1. maternal, infant and child health and nutrition; 2. family planning information and services; 3. prevention of abortion and management of its complications; 4. adolescent and youth health; 5. prevention and management of reproductive tract infections (RTIs), HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmittable infections (STIs); 6. elimination of violence against women; 7. education and counseling on sexuality and sexual health; 8. treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers and other gynecological conditions; 9. male involvement and participation in reproductive health; 10. prevention and treatment of infertility and sexual

f)

dysfunction; Responsible parenthood - is the will and the ability to respond to

the needs and aspirations of the family and children. g Family planning - is that which enables couples and individuals )

to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and to have informed choice and access to a full range of sage and effective family planning methods, provided that abortion is not included as a family planning method. h Adolescent sexuality - refers to the reproductive system, gender

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)

identity, values or beliefs, emotions, relationship and sexual behavior of young people as social beings. Adolescence pertains to people aged 13 to 24. 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 the care of

j)

reproductive health concerns specific to men. Reproductive tract infections (RTI) - includes sexually transmitted infections, sexually transmitted diseases and other types of

infections in the reproductive organ. SEC.5.Reproductive Health Care Program. - A Reproductive Health Care Program shall: a)

Undertaken programs and services towards educating people of their reproductive health and rights and increasing their access throughout their life to appropriate, affordable and quality reproductive

b )

health care , information and related services; Provide accurate information and education and counseling regardless of marital status, sex and age on the full range of legal and medically-safe family planning methods that include the relative

c)

benefits and risks of each method; Provide maternal , peri-natal, and post-natal education, care and

services d Develop and implement specific services that promote male )

involvement and responsibility in reproductive health as well as other reproductive health concerns of men; e) Undertaken programs for the prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications. The government shall take appropriate steps to help women avoid abortion such as the conduct of education programs on preventing unintended pregnancies and ensuring access to quality family planning methods; the prevent of sexual violence on women and girl-children; and provision of social support to indigent women. While nothing in this Act changes the law on abortion, the government shall ensure that women seeking care for post-abortion

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complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, nonjudgmental and compassionate manner. f) Develop and undertake reproductive health programs for adolescents including information that will enable them to understand their sexuality and sexual responsibility. These shall include education on gender roles and values. Further, the program shall provide access to maternal health care, including pre-natal, peri-natal and post-natal care and services for pregnant adolescents; and services geared towards the special reproductive health needs of adolescents including the marginalized, street children, sexually abused children, the differentlyabled person, and out-of-school youth. g Undertake programs and services for the prevention and ) h )

appropriate treatment of infertility; Undertake programs and services for the treatment of reproductive tract infections, HIV/AIDS and other STIs, breast cancer

i)

and other gynecological disorders; Provide education and information on human sexuality and

responsible parenthood in schools, workplaces and communities; j) Provide information and services addressing the reproductive health needs of the marginalized, older persons, women in prostitution, the differently-abled person; and women and children in war crisis situations. k Ensure that reproductive health services have adequate and a full )

range of supplies, facilities and equipment and that service providers are fully trained for reproductive health care. SEC.6.Implementing Mechanism. - A Reproductive Health Management Council

(RHMC) shall be established in the Department of Health to incorporate reproductive health and rights concerns into its plans, programs and services. The RHMC shall be composed of various national agencies, local government units and the civil society. The RHMC shall, as it may deem necessary, establish mechanisms that will implement the provisions of this Act. The RHMC shall have the following functions and responsibilities: a)

Formulate an integrated national policy and program on

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reproductive health that shall be implemented in the DOH - retained hospitals, the local government unit-managed health facilities, other health-related facilities operated by government organization, as well as health facilities and services operated and managed by the private sector, NGOs and other civil society organizations opt to participate in implementing said policy: b Review national and local law s and policies that infringe on the )

sexual and reproductive health and rights of all individuals and couples and recommend to appropriate executive and/ or legislative bodies the amendment and/ or repeal of such law as and policies; c) 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; d Take active steps to expand the coverage of the National Health

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Insurance Program (NHIP), especially among the poor and marginalized women, to include the full range of sexual and reproductive health services, commodities and supplies as health insurance benefits. e) Promote the involvement and participation of and provide actual policy, program and financial support to civil society in reproductive health and family planning supplies and commodities to make them accessible and affordable to ordinary citizens. Civil society, represented by NGOs, women's organizations, and other groups shall be at least thirty per cent of all seats in the Reproductive Health Management Council. SEC.7.Prohibited Acts. - The following acts are prohibited: a)

Restrictions on the dissemination of information regarding family planning including requirements for third party authorizations in voluntary sterilizations and other voluntary sexual and reproductive

b )

health procedures; Restrictions on the banning of reproductive health care and services issued by any government agency or any its instrumentalities, any local government unit, and any individual government official at

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both national and local levels with power and authority over any subordinate; c) Refusal to extend quality health services and information on the basis of marital status, gender or sexual orientation, age, religion and nature of work. All conscientious objections based on medical, ethical and religious grounds shall be recognized provided that upon demand of any reproductive health care and services, the person or persons demanding such care and services is immediately referred officially to another health practitioner or professional with a verified proof that such person or persons have been provided adequate attention and care. d The provision of limited, incorrect or inaccurate information )

regarding reproductive health and sexuality. SEC.8.Penalties - Any act or policy that violate against the exercise of one's

sexual and reproductive rights and/or violate any provision of this Act is punishable by imprisonment of one month to six months and/or a fine of Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20, 000.00). SEC.9.Reporting Requirements - Before the end of April each year, the DOH shall submit an annual report to the President of the Philippines. The report shall provide a definitive and comprehensive assessment of the implementation of its programs and those of other Government agencies and instrumentalities, civil society and the private sector and recommend appropriate priorities for executive and legislative actions. The report shall be printed and distributed to all national agencies, the LGUs, civil society and the private sector involved in said programs. The annual report shall evaluate the content, implementation, and impact of all policies related to reproductive health, and family planning to ensure that such policies promote, protect and fulfill women's reproductive health rights. SEC.10.Appropriations - An initial allocation of Fifty Million Pesos (P50, 000,000.00) shall be included in the General Appropriations to support the policies and objectives under this act. Upon creation and establishment of the Reproductive Health Management Council, the DOH shall consolidate any surplus funds from previous years

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and/or existing budgets pertaining to reproductive health and family planning services into the new agency. Congress shall provide subsequent appropriations in the annual budget of the Department of Health under the General Appropriations Act. SEC.11.Separability Clause - If any part, section or provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect. SEC.12.Repealing Clause - All other laws, decrees, orders, issuances, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. SEC.13.Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers or general circulation.

Body of the Report

“The Philippines is in a bad spot. Our population is ballooning at an alarming rate and our economy, already in shambles, cannot possibly keep up. The situation is snowballing. The country’s overall health and education is declining rapidly. Families are no longer able to feed and educate their children, yet they are unable to keep themselves from procreating. “

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- [Read from a chat room in yahoo]-

The Philippines is really has its population ballooning to 86 264 000a on the latest census, our country is in a grave threat of having a very low economy and food shortage and everything “end time events”. Let’s just focus on the population, Philippines is a small country yet we rank 12th on the ‘Most Populous Countries in the World’. It’s not that bad if we formulate a law introducing population control. Good thing is there are population control act and the reproductive health bill, which tends to control the population of the Philippines. It is good for the economy but ethically and intrinsically wrong in terms of moral aspects. Reproductive health and services language globally includes abortion as defined by the United Nations, and agreed to by the Philippine government in various. The Catholic Church is too hot against this bill. WHY? Abortion, of course is wrong, as it is said in the Bible. I, as a born-again Christian also say that it is really wrong to use abortion just to control my family’s growth. It is wrong because it constitutes the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. When people defend abortion, their arguments should always be evaluated in light of the fact that the unborn baby is a human being, a separate individual from its mother. Therefore, deliberately killing it would be just as wrong as killing any other innocent human being. Does God care for the unborn? Yes. Psalm 139 is one of the most beautiful regarding how precious and detailed God's design is for each of us. Verses 13-16 speak specifically of God designing us both while

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unborn as well as before the beginning of the world (when as yet there were no days). This is how precious we are in the sight of God, from His foreknowledge, to conception and onward:

13. For You formed my inward parts; .... You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; .... Marvelous are Your works, .... And that my soul knows very well. 15. My frame was not hidden from You, .... When I was made in secret, .... And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. .... And in Your book they all were written, .... The days fashioned for me, .... When as yet there were none of them. Though not “mandatory and obligatory,” the bill proposes a 2-child policy. It also proposes the increase of government personnel to service the requirements of the proposed legislation. In all these, the Catholic taxpaying persons will be made to fund programs and projects contrary to their moral and religious convictions and the teachings of their Christian faith. It also encourages the use of oral contraceptives as to prevent ovulation. Recent studies show that oral contraceptives increase the risk of breast cancer by 44%. What’s wrong with other contraceptives?

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Religions vary widely in their views of the ethics of birth control. In Christianity, the Roman Catholic Church accepts only Natural Family Planning, while Protestants maintain a wide range of views from allowing none to very lenient. Views in Judaism range from the stricter Orthodox sect to the more relaxed Reform sect. In Islam, contraceptives are allowed if they do not threaten health or lead to sterility, although their use is discouraged. Hindus may use both natural and artificial contraceptives. A common Buddhist view of birth control is that preventing conception is ethically acceptable, while intervening after conception has occurred or may have occurred is not. If you are going to ask my opinion to this matter, I agree with contraception as long as the ovum is not yet fertilized, but if a contraceptive will intervene on the pregnancy, it is a no-no. The bill has clean intentions to eradicate poverty, but, unconsciously, the bill also withholds the future of the Philippines as a Christian Nation. Maybe not now, but God only knows what will happen to the bill, or to the Philippines. The following pages are excerpts publications which I chose to react to regarding this bill.

Officials urged: Focus on poverty not RH bill By Bernadette Parco Government officials should focus on providing basic services such as food and shelter for Filipinos than formulating a family planning program, said a Catholic priest. “They (legislators) should focus on addressing poverty per se,” said Msgr. Achilles Dakay, media liaison officer of the Archdiocese of Cebu yesterday. Dakay questioned how the family planning program is being used as part of a development plan to reduce poverty. 12

“They are following the rationale that development funds can be used to address poverty. They believe that if they do not have a family planning program then they will not be able to receive funds to finance a development plan,” he said. Dakay was referring to the Reproductive Health (RH) Care Act of 2008, a bill seeking to establish a national policy on reproductive health, responsible parenthood and population development. My reaction: •

I suggest that we just have to focus on the poverty, not on the population. You know, we can’t control population without inducing abortion. We can overcome poverty without turning our back from the One who created us. We just can’t. I’m against this bill. FOCUS ON POVERTY or suffer its consequences. ERRADICATE POVERTY or let it kill us.

Bibliography •

The House Bill No 41110 (http://www.remedios.com.ph/fhtml/legislation_hb4110.htm)

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The Bible

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Officials urged: Focus on poverty not RH bill (http://inquirer.net)

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Wikipedia Encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia)

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