Reproductive Health

Bill
IAN KIRBY F. SOLPICO
Introduction
Reproductive Health and
Population Development
Act of 2008
House Bill No. 5043
RH Bill of 2010
History
An Act Providing for a Comprehensive
Policy on Responsible Parenthood,
Reproductive Health and Population
Development and for Other Purposes
Proposed in 1998, during the 15th
Congress,
RH Bills filed are those authored by
(1) then House Minority Leader Edcel
Lagman of Albay (and others)
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

This policy is anchored on the rationale
that sustainable human development
is better assured with a manageable
population of healthy, educated and
productive citizens.

Declaration of Policy
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.

Elements of RH Bill
Responsible Parenthood
Family Planning
Reproductive Health
Reproductive Health
Rights
Gender Equality
Gender Equity
Reproductive Health
Care
Reproductive Health
Education (Mandatory,
age-appropriate)
Male involvement and
participation
Reproductive tract
infection (RTI)
Basic Emergency
Obstetric Care
Comprehensive
Emergency Obstetric
Care
Maternal Death Review
Skilled Attendant
Skilled Attendance
Sustainable Human
Development (family
size)
Population Development
Function of DOH
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

c. To ensure active and full participation of
the private sector and the citizenry 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 of NGOs 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, pre-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
(6) Provision of information and services addressing
the reproductive health needs of the poor, senior
citizens, women in prostitution, and women and children
in war and crisis situations.
g. To direct all public hospitals to make
available to indigent mothers, upon the
mothers request, the procedure of ligation
without cost to her
h. 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
Prohibited Acts
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
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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

Prohibited Acts
3. Refuse to provide reproductive
health care services to an abused
minor and abused pregnant minor

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,
the Labor Code, and Presidential
Decree 79, as amended
15
Prohibited Acts
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:
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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
Prohibited Acts
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;

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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;
Prohibited Acts
d) Any person who shall falsify a certificate
of compliance as required in Section 14
of this Act;
e) Any person who maliciously engages in
disinformation about the intent or
provisions of this Act.
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Penalties
Imprisonment ranging from one (1) month
to six (6) months or a fine ranging from
P10,000.00 to P50,000.00 or both; such
fine and imprisonment at the discretion of
the court.

An offender who is an alien shall, after
service of sentence, be deported
immediately without further proceedings by
the Bureau of Immigration.

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CBCP Stand
1. We are deeply concerned about the plight of
the many poor, especially of suffering women,
who are struggling for a better life and who
must seek it outside of our country, or have
recourse to a livelihood less than decent.
2. We are pro-life. We must defend human life
from the moment of conception or fertilization
up to its natural end.
3. We believe in the responsible and natural
regulation of births through Natural Family
Planning for which character building is
necessary which involves sacrifice, discipline
and respect for the dignity of the spouse.
+NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, D.D.
Bishop of Tandag
President, CBCP
January 30, 2011
http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/14472
4. We believe that we are only stewards of our
own bodies. Responsibility over our own
bodies must follow the will of God who speaks
to us through conscience.
5. We hold that on the choices related to the RH
bill, conscience must not only be informed but
most of all rightly guided through the teachings
of ones faith.
6. We believe in the freedom of religion and the
right of conscientious objection in matters that
are contrary to ones faith. The sanctions and
penalties embodied in the proposed RH bill are
one more reason for us to denounce it.
CBCP Objections
1. We object to the non-consideration of
moral principles, the bedrock of law, in
legislative discussions of bills that are
intended for the good of individuals and for
the common good.
2. We are against the anti-life, anti-natal and
contraceptive mentality that is reflected in
media and in some proposed legislative
bills.
3. We object strongly to efforts at railroading
the passage of the RH bill.
+NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, D.D.
Bishop of Tandag
President, CBCP
January 30, 2011
http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/14472
4. We denounce the over-all trajectory of the
RH bill towards population control.
5. We denounce the use of public funds for
contraceptives and sterilization.
6. We condemn compulsory sex education
that would effectively let parents abdicate
their primary role of educating their own
children, especially in an area of life
sexuality which is a sacred gift of God.
Governments Stand
freedom of choice with no bias for either
modern or natural method of family planning
it is about health and rights, not demographics
individuals are provided free, full access to
relevant, adequate and correct information on
reproductive health and human sexuality by the
State and professional private practitioners
gender equality and women empowerment and
their protection, promotion and guarantee are
central elements
aims to ensure birth and care of healthy
children
Governments Stand
promotes responsible parenting
promotes breastfeeding through joint effort
between local government and national
government
abortion remains a crime and is punishable
by law but post abortion complications shall
be treated, counseled in a humane,
nonjudgmental and compassionate manner
respect for, protection and fulfillment of
reproductive health rights of children to
adults are guaranteed
Governments stand
aims to uplift the quality of life of people,
especially the poor, the needy and
marginalized
aims to seek active participation of
government and non government
organization
the RH Bill does not legalize abortion
aims active participation between
government, non government and people's
organizations and communities
Thank you.