[Note: This is the Fact Sheet from the Committee on Health on House Bill No. 5043 [full text], in substitution to HB Nos. 17, 812, 2753 & 3970. Introduced by Reps. Edcel C. Lagman, Janette L. Garin, Narciso D.Santiago III, Mark Llandro Mendoza, Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel, Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona. The full text of the explanatory note of Rep. Edcel Lagman’s House Bill No. 17, one of the substituted bills, is also reproduced below.]
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND POPULATION DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2008
OBJECTIVE/S:
- To uphold and promote respect for life, informed choice, birth spacing and responsible parenthood in conformity with internationally recognized human rights standards.
- To guarantee universal access to medically-safe, legal and quality reproductive health care services and relevant information even as it prioritizes the needs of women and children.
KEY PROVISIONS:
- Mandates the Population Commission, to be an attached agency of the Department of Health, to be the central planning, coordinating, implementing and monitoring body for effective implementation of this Act.
- Provides for the creation of 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.
- Provides for a maternal death review in LGUs, national and local government hospitals and other public health units to decrease the incidence of maternal deaths.
- Ensures the availability of hospital-based family planning methods such as tubal ligation, vasectomy and intrauterine device insertion in all national and local government hospitals, except in specialty hospitals.
- Considers hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices, injectables and other allied reproductive health products and supplies under the category of essential medicines and supplies to form part of the National Drug Formulary and to be included in the regular purchase of essential medicines and supplies of all national and local hospitals and other government health units.
- Provides for a Mobile Health Care Service in every Congressional District to deliver health care goods and services.
- Provides Mandatory Age-appropriate Reproductive Health Education starting from Grade 5 to Fourth Year High School to develop the youth into responsible adults.
- Mandates the inclusion of the topics on breastfeeding and infant nutrition as essential part of the information given by the City or Municipal Office of the Family Planning to all applicants for marriage license.
- Mandates no less than 10% increase in the honoraria of community-based volunteer workers, such as the barangay health workers, upon successful completion of training on the delivery of reproductive health care services.
- Penalizes the violator of this Act from one month to six months imprisonment or a fine ranging from ten thousand to fifty thousand pesos or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the Court.
Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 17
Introduced by HONORABLE EDCEL C. LAGMAN
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The present population of the country of 88.7 million has galloped from 60.7 million 17 years ago. This makes the Philippines the 12th most populous nation in the world today.The Filipino women’s fertility rate of 3.05% is at the upper bracket of 206 countries. With four babies born every minute, the population is expected to balloon to an alarming 160 million in 2038.
It is worth noting, however, that available studies, data and statistics show that the Filipinos are responsive to having smaller-sized families through free choice of family planning methods:
- a. The desired fertility rate of Filipino women is 2.5 children per woman. However, the actual total fertility rate is 3.5 or a difference of one child because of the lack of information and absence of access to family planning. The current unmet need for contraceptives for example is 23.15% for poor women and 13.6% for women who are not poor (2003 National Demographic and Health Survey)
- b. 61% of currently married women do not want additional children (2003 National Demographic and Health Survey)
- c. 50.6% of the youth want to have only two children (2002 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Survey)
- d. 97% of all Filipinos believe it is important to have the ability to control one’s fertility or to plan one’s family. It is significant to note that 87% of the total respondents are Roman Catholic (February 2004 Pulse Asia Survey)
- e. Nearly nine in ten Filipinos or 86% say that candidates for elective positions who advocate a program for women’s health should be supported while only 2% say they should be rejected and 12% are undecided on the matter;
- f. 82% say that candidates in favor of couples’ free choice of family planning methods should be supported while only 3% think otherwise and 15% are undecided;
- g. 82% of Filipinos consider candidates supporting a law or measure on population issues worthy of their voltes while only 3% say such candidates should not be backed at the polls and 15% are undecided;
- h. 83% of Filipinos say they are in favor of candidates who support the allocation of goverment funds for family planning while only 2% say they are not and 15% are undecided; and
- i. A mere 8% of Filipinos believe that a candidate’s championing of family planning issues will spell that candidate’s defeat at the polls.
- j. In July 1991, the Social Weather Stations conducted a survey that revealed that 97% of Filipinos want to have the ability to control their fertility and plan their families.
Notwithstanding these findings that favor smaller-sized families, this bill is not a population control measure with the sole objective of limiting population growth. It provides for population development that aims to:
- (a) help couples/parents achieve their desired fertility size in the context of responsible parenthood;
- (b) improve reproductive health of individuals and contribute to decreased maternal mortality rate, infant mortality and early child mortality;
- (c) reduce incidence of teenage pregnancy and other reproductive health problems; and
- (d) contribute to policies that will assist government to achieve a favorable balance between population and distribution, economic activities and the environment.
This measure is not coercive. It gives couples the freedom to decide whether or not to plan their families or space or limit their children. Those who decide to plan their families also have the freedom to choose what method of contraception is best suited for them. The so called “two child policy” is voluntary, not compulsory; suggestive, not coercive; and absolutely not punitive. It is not even a policy. It is a suggested ideal or norm.
Accordingly, this bill seeks to provide the enabling environment for couples and individuals to enjoy the basic right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have the information, education, and access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of family planning of their choice.
This proposed law aims to uphold and promote the four pillars of population and development enunciated by no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself in her statement of support for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) namely: (1) responsible parenthood, (2) informed choice, (3) birth spacing, and (4) respect for life.
It should be clarified, however, that this bill does not only protect the life of the unborn from the moment of implantation but that of the mother as well. Hence, the bill seeks to promote the reproductive health of women basically through massive and sustained information campaign on reproductive health rights, care, services and facilities coupled with universal access to all methods of family planning ranging from the natural to the modern which are medically safe and legally permissible. In the event they fail to prevent pregnancy and resort to abortion, they shall be provided with appropriate health and medical care. Despite the provision for humane and compassionate management of post abortion complications, this bill continues to proscribe and penalize abortion which is a crime under the Revised Penal Code.
To contribute to the empowerment and responsible behavior of the youth, this proposed legislation provides for age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education that may be initiated by parents at house, and shall be sustained and complemented by formal education in school.
An effective reproductive health education does not only instill consciousness of freedom of choice but responsible exercise of one’s rights. According to the United Nations Population Fund: “It has been, repeatedly shown that reproductive health education leads to responsible behavior, higher levels of abstinence, later initiation of sexuality, higher use of contraception, and fewer sexual partners, These good effeds are even greater when parents can talk honestly with their children about sexual and reproductive matters.”
To guarantee the right of all persons to a full range of information on family planning methods, services and facilities and to ensure their access to an equally full range of medically safe and effective family planning methods at an appropriate time and by competent and adequately trained persons,the bill mandates the Commission on Population (POPCOM) to be the central planning, coordinating, implementing and monitoring body for the comprehensive and integrated policy on reproductive health and population development. Section 5 of the bill specifies the functions of POPCOM as the lead agency in the implementation of the “Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development Act of 2007”.
This proposed Act doses not only seek to protect and promote reproductive health and rights and to empower couples, individuals, more particularly women, and the youth, but it also aims to improve the quality of life of the people in general. Studies show that rapid population growth exacerbates poverty while poverty spawns rapid population growth. Consider the following:
- The Family Income and Exfenditures Surveys by the National Statistics Office (NSO) from 1985-2000 disclose that 57.3% of families having many children are poor but only 15.7% of families having two children are poor.
- Large family size is associated with negative determinant of school participation and poor health and survival rates among children. (Orbeta, Population and the Fight Against Poverty, 2003)
- The prevalence of child labor rises, and school attendance falls, with the number of children in the family (Raymundo, 2004). Moreover,the odds of a child becoming underweight and stunted are greater if he/she belongs to a household with 5 or more members (FNRI 1998). This partly explains why poverty tends to be transmitted and sustained from one generation to the next.
- According to the UN Population Fund 2002 Report, “lower birth rates and slower population growth over the last three decades have contributed faster economic progress in a number of developing countries.”
- Moreover,the same Report disclosed that fertility declines accounted for 1/5th of the economic growth in East Asia between 1960 and 1995. Additionally, it showed that countries that invest in health, including reproductive health and family planning, and in education and women’s development register slower population growth and faster economic growth.
A consistent and coherent national population policy along with sound monetary and fiscal policies and good governance could propel our people toward sustainable human development.
Accordingly, approval of this measure is earnestly sought.
(See also: Full text of House Bill No. 5043 (Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008)
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no to REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BILL!!! may natural way po to prevent pregnancy. dapat nating tandaan na ang pagbubuntis po ay di isang sakit na dapat iwasan, ang ovulation po ay di rin isang sakit na dapat pigilan. natural po lamang ang ovulation, ang dapat po dito ay alamin kung kelan ito nangyayari, kami pong mag-asawa ay volunteer teacher ng natural family planning, handa po kaming magturo nito sa kahit kanino, ano man ang iyong katayuan sa buhay, ano man ang antas ng iyong pinag-aralan. ito po ay libreng pagtuturo at pag-aaral. kami po ay nakalaan upang magturo nito ng walang bayad. ang atin pong simbahan ay di ninais na tayo po ay mapahamak, gaya ng ating mga magulang na walang sawa sa pangangaral sa mga anak sapagkat ayaw natin silang mapahamak. ganun din po ang simbahang katolika, na laging nandiyan upang manguna at mangaral. di po namin sinasabi na dapat lang na magparami o mag-anak lang ng mag-anak, ang pag-aanak po ay may kalakip na responsibilidad ang parehong magulang. wag po nating i-bombard ng artificial contraceptive ang ating mga kababaihan sapagkat may natural na paraan kung saan dapat malaman ng mag-asawa kung kailan dumarating ang ovulation ng asawang babae, sa pamamagitan nito ay mapipigilan ang pagbubuntis. ang ovulation po ay kusang nangyayari, gaya ng bulkan na kusang sumasabog sa takdang panahon na di kayang pigilan ng tao. ang artificial contraceptive po ay susubukang pigilan ang ovulation, ngunit sa marami at madalas na pagkakataon ay di niya ito mapipigilan sa kadahilanang ito nga ay natural na mangyayari sa kababaihan, dahil di niya ito napigilan ang susunod niyang gagawin ay ang padulasin ang endometrium lining ng sa ganun kapag may nangyaring fertilization ay di ito mag-iimplant sa endometrium lining sapagka’t ito ay pinadulas na ng artificial at susunod ay mahuhulog na ang sanggol sa sinapupunan, na di pa man naisisilang ay binawian na ng karapatan upang mabuhay. kung ang sariling ina o ama ay kayang gumawa nito sa kanyang anak paano pa kaya niya ito di magagawa sa kanyang kapwa. sana po ay may natutunan tayo. laganap pa rin naman ang pagbibigay at paggamit ng artificial di po ba? u can contact us at 09204763227 karen (free teaching of nfp)
uu nga..!!! tama si Tita Karen… hindi nmn kailangan ng mga bata, katulad ng mga Gr. 5, ang sex education.. sa tingin nyo, maintindihan ba nila..? if ever mka intindi sila, then they will have curiosity.. then wat will they do next..? try it dba..? typical kids would do that.. pero im not sayin na hindi maganda ang sex Ed. kung pwde mag simula sa 1st year oh second year… pero alam ko na kailangan ito… pero may tanong ako, sinu-sinon yong mga tao na nka pabuntis ng babae na wala sa tamang sitwasyon? sino yung palagi nagpabuntis ng kanilang mga asawa..? no offense but ang mga tao na palagi nkagawa nito ay yong hindi nagaaral o hindi nka tapos ng highschool… so wats the use of the RHB and sex ed if the person your aiming to stop is not schooling..? RHB is partly useless… im only concerned for my fellow kids… thank you for reading…
“hindi nmn kailangan ng mga bata, katulad ng mga Gr. 5, ang sex education.. sa tingin nyo, maintindihan ba nila..?”
–> Grade 4 kami tinuruan ng Sex education. It was part of our Health Class. Siyempre naintindihan namin. Grade 5.. kala niyo lang bata sila. But they’re not stupid. Alam na nila anong sperm at egg cell. kasali yan sa biology/anatomy class.
Just because we are a predominantly Catholic country does not mean we should deprive our citizens of proper contraceptives. Nor should we deprive them of information. What about our non Catholic brothers and sisters? Paano naman sila?
This bill is not just about controlling overpopulation. It’s also about helping the poor women have access to proper health care.
“Section 11 of the proposed bill mandates congressional districts to acquire, operate, and maintain “a van to be known as the Mobile Health Care Services” to deliver reproductive health care services to the poor and needy.
The poor’s lack of access to health services is blamed for the poor maternal and child health situation in the Philippines.
· 10 women die every 24 hours from almost entirely preventable cases of related to pregnancy and childbirth.
· 6 out of 10 women deliver at home, where they rarely have access to a skilled birth attendant.
· 24 out of 1,000 babies under one year old die every year.”
source: “14 Ateneo professors: ‘RH bill adheres to Catholic social teaching’”
Proponents of this bill speak like this is the answer to all our nation’s problems. It’s as if this is the only “depravity” of our people.
This women who are so-called deprived and the children in the streets don’t have food and go hungry because our government is one of the most corrupt in the world!
If only the funds for social services would go to where they should, the children would be cared for. Each Filipino can also help if the government is not doing its job. The hard way is to help the poor, have a relationship with them, teach them the most natural and effective way as well as give them livelihood opportunities.
I’d rather we pour more money into health benefits as a whole. Contraception has been going on since the 70s but it has not helped the country. Rather I see the young people today wanting to be more and more like the West and losing their values of chastity and purity.
Facts?!! all of us know that the Philippines is NOT “YET” OVERPOPULATED, these people regarding their recommendations about Contraception, LACK the SPIRIT of TRUE VIRTUES and wants to remove it in minds of the young!
The specific SOLUTIONS ABOUT THIS ISSUE is simple.
-first of all this country doesn’t and wont need corruption!
-the money to be spent for this bill should be used for a PROPER and for a “MORAL” education of our people.
-they should always tell the people about its TRUE EFFECTS in our country and to US.
-INSTEAD OF KILLING THE POPULATION GROWTH, IT IS MORE LIKELY TO USE IT FOR ITS FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS!
EFFECTS OF THE RH BILL
-the DISSOLUTION and Removal of the SIGNIFICANCE and IMPORTANCE of a proper family and matrimony.
-increase of PROSTITUTION and ABUSES!
-the loss of moral values or virtues towards our youth.
-women will loose their socio-cultural pregnancy and motherhood as to men.
– the consideration of the/our body ONLY as SEX OBJECTS!
-INCREASE in homosexuality
-Euthanasia of the Philippines
-more killings
-DEMOGRAPHIC WINTER!
FOR DISCUSSIONS AND UNDERSTANDINGS OF THE RH BILL EFFECTS, YOU CAN EMAIL ME AT; elhsa_enaj@yahoo.com THANK YOU…
the problem with filipinos is that most of us think that everything is caused by our government, i wont be surprised if someday we blame the government for the typhoons and volcanic eruptions.
my dad is elementary graduate (a jeepney driver) and my mom was a garment factory worker BUT they were able to give us a great life (read: 3 engineers and a doctor of medicine) because of their perseverance and hard work and not trusting their entire life to the government. the gov’t is not the reason for every misfortune (most misfortune though) in our life…corruption is a part of every civilized culture from the government to the church…
i believe that we should support bills such as this to promote the use of safe artificial contraceptives (such as condoms, vasectomy etc..). if your wife/husband is so gorgeous that you can’t stop having sex with them then it’s time to do something so that you can have sex with them without worries…
—-> This women who are so-called deprived and the children in the streets don’t have food and go hungry because our government is one of the most corrupt in the world! <—-
the problem with filipinos is that most of us think that everything is caused by our government, i wont be surprised if someday we blame the government for the typhoons and volcanic eruptions.
my dad is elementary graduate (a jeepney driver) and my mom was a garment factory worker BUT they were able to give us a great life (read: 3 engineers and a doctor of medicine) because of their perseverance and hard work and not trusting their entire life to the government. the gov’t is not the reason for every misfortune (most misfortune though) in our life…corruption is a part of every civilized culture from the government to the church…
i believe that we should support bills such as this to promote the use of safe artificial contraceptives (such as condoms, vasectomy etc..). if your wife/husband is so gorgeous that you can’t stop having sex with them then it’s time to do something so that you can have sex with them without worries…
Here are some of the potential consequences of the passage into law of the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill (HB O5043) which have dawned upon me; to wit:
1.0 BIG BUSINESS, BIGGER MONEY. If RH Bill passes into law, condom suppliers may earn from the Philippine government (which will be mandated to distribute free condoms to 4.9 million youth aged 15-27), PhP 2.548 billion every year. (Or 4.9 million youth times 1 sex act per week times 52 weeks per year times condom usage of 1 piece per sex act times supplier’s price of P10 per piece of condom.) The assumption of a youth engaging in sex at the average of once a week, I am afraid, is in order and conservative. It will be unthinkable for a young student to obey the reminder of his RH teacher or older relatives that abstinence is the most effective birth control method when that young student is aware, the government is duty-bound to provide him or her with free condom for his or her sexual cravings anytime, anywhere. Condom supply is therefore a big business if RH Bill passes into law. Nevertheless, what is bigger money is when government canvassers, signatories of purchase orders, receivers of condom deliveries, as well as check payment signatories and releasers may connive with condom suppliers to price the condom at P 100 per piece instead of P 10. The over price of P 90 per piece of condom will be distributed among the involved government officials. Therefore, due to the passage of the RH Bill, there is an opportunity for a PhP 25.48 billion condom scam to happen.
2.0 BOARS AND GILTS. These 4.9 million youth who are recipients of the government’s free supply of condoms may naturally crave for sex like animals (considering the additional enticement from the immodest mass media and the internet pornography). The young male may act like boar while the young female behaves like gilt that is in heat. This promiscuity or multiple sexual relationships, is probably just a take off point. The Law of Diminishing Extra Satisfaction (as adopted from the psychological and economic law of diminishing marginal utility) that governs pure human and animal endeavors including sexual relations will be fully operational. In other words, if sex will be a preoccupation of the Filipino youth, then the satisfaction that a young male derives having sex with female partner/s, will decrease or wane eventually. He then ventures to partner sexually with his fellow male/s to seek new level of satisfaction. He may push further by engaging in bisexual activities. But most likely he will end up as a pure homosexual. A young female may also follow the same path as she craves for sex and sexual satisfactions. She may graduate as a pure lesbian. But this scenario will not be glaring overnight. It will take a generation – ten years span. This may then translate to the need of a new advocacy – to support the passing into law of the bill on same-sex marriages and divorce in the country.
3.0 POPULATION REDUCTION. The ultimate aim of RH Bill, I understand, is achieving economic prosperity (particularly for the poor) however through population reduction approach. In case the RH Bill is passed, its success will be measured therefore by, among others, whether its respective population reduction target (PRT) is attained. And the critical factor in attaining PRT is the effective distribution and use of condom of the 4.9 million Filipino youth in particular. Effective means here, making a condom available for free, on demand of the youth, either male or female, anywhere, anytime. As mentioned above, this will cost the Philippine government, PhP 2.548 billion every year. If the government will have limited or doesn’t have that amount of taxpayers’ money (for condom purchase and distribution) then the full attainment of the PRT will be jeopardized. Thus RH Law may prove to be ineffective to reduce population in the country. If this is the case, other population reduction measures or Bills will be therefore sought. So there will be a future need to support for the passage into law of Pro-abortion Bills as well as of Pro-euthanasia Bills.
So then, to all the RH Bill advocates, if your support for the passage into law of RH Bill (which may lead to additional opportunity for corruptions in the Philippine government, to transformation of the Filipino youth as homosexuals and lesbians, to eventual murder of unborn babies and to future mercy-killing of senior citizens, etc.) makes your Mama proud of you, then go full speed ahead of your RH Bill advocacy. Otherwise, please resign as a RH Bill supporter and lobby harder for our legislators to vote against RH Bill.
well, don’t you think we have the freedom to think. being a psychology major, i think all the Filipinos have their morals and their values. we think what is right and wrong. and should it bother you to have these young children being sexually active at a very young age? well yes it is somehow our concern but most of their parents. i personally don’t think that passing this bill would create a bigger change because condoms could be bought anywhere and there are some organizations passing out unnatural contraceptives.
think about it this way it all depends on the person if they want to be sexually active towards the opposite sex and/or the same sex at anytime any age. and it all depends on how parents bring their children up wether they are okay with it or not. it really depends…
PASS THE REPRODUCTION HEALTH BILL
think about those people with no education at all or who can’t afford to give to their children!!!! are you crazy??? it wont make a change…
and i think parents who are concerned with the PHILIPPINES WOULD BE SO PROUD IF THEY KNOW I CHOOSE TO BE PRO RH BILL… and parents with brains and knowledge about how many people are suffering….
JUST PASS IT and LIKE EVERY OTHER BILL IT WONT MAKE A DIFFERENCE..
and i do not think that the PHILIPPINES WOULD CONSIDER AN ABORTION BILL and even if they do… it still wont make a change.. you know why??? ill tell you why because more than 470,000 women have gone through abortion and about 17 percent of that resulted in complications. so would it still make a difference legalizing or not legalizing condoms and abortion… i tell you honestly even the children that come from respected families or less fortunate families have premarital sex even if condoms aren’t encouraged.
COPY FOR http://pnl-law.com/blog
February 25, 2009
For : Batang Buotan
http://gervacio.wordpress.com
I could not help but post my second set of ideas in your blog, for two reasons: firstly, I wish to thank you for reacting to my February 1, 2009 comments regarding potential consequences if the Reproductive Health bill becomes a law. By dignifying my 02/01/09 posting, you have proven to me that democracy is very much alive in our country Philippines – for now. Secondly, I would like to take advantage of the situation that the RH Bill is still not yet a law. It is creepy to note that in case House Bill 5043 passes into a law, I will no longer be free to share my ideas because of the Bill’s specific prohibition in Sec. 21 (e) which penalizes,
Any person who maliciously engages in disinformation about the intent or provisions of this Act.
Since the bill is silent as to what constitutes “malicious disinformation”, any one who expresses ideas against the bill after it becomes a law, makes one person legally liable. If Reproductive Health Bill becomes a law, this statement of prohibition will most likely be included and replicated in the future legislation like bill on same-sex marriages and divorce, pro-abortion bills (the physical type since the indirect abortion – by abortifacient drugs and devices – is already covered by the RH Bill), pro-euthanasia bills, etc. Then we have the beginning of the end of the freedom of speech, of expression, of the Supreme Court (a Supreme Court judge may be penalized for engaging “malicious disinformation” if he makes dissenting opinions about the RH Law), of the Constitution and of Philippine Democracy.
Also, this is the first time (I hope I am wrong) that I have encountered a bill with this kind of provision which makes it untouchable or next to impossible to be amended. Is RH Bill hiding something fishy that has to be protected legally by this provision? Like what? Well, I encountered this unverified report that supports and funds from foreign sources were distributed to Philippine local governments which were able to meet the quota of the number of women being sterilized or inserted with intrauterine device or IUD; please see below.
No other options besides the IUD or sterilization are offered to women, Garcia said, “because these are once-and-done procedures. They do not require the continuing voluntary participation of the women in question.”
Then there’s the quota system, which also shows up in countries such as the Philippines–where it was introduced by none other than the U.S. government itself.
“In conjunction with the Philippine Department of Health, USAID identifies certain local governments whose family-planning activities are to be ‘accelerated,’ ” said Bernadette Ocampo, a Filipino nurse. “Yearly performance benchmarks for family-planning acceptors [i.e., the number of people who accept contraception] are then set for those areas. If local governments meet those quotas, USAID releases funds to them.”
That’s standard procedure around the world for the American government, even though it violates a United Nations agreement–signed by U.S. representatives–forbidding population-control quotas.
“USAID evaluates its programs by the numbers,” Morrison said. “If you’re somebody whose job depends on the program and the people who fund it want to see results . . . you’re going to do it that way.”
Source: http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Evils in Government/AIDS and Population Elimination/depopulation_bomb.htm
I hope that this abovementioned report is not true. Otherwise, if RH Bill becomes a law, then the alleged IUD quota will surely be satisfied however at taxpayers’ expense while the so called foreign aid will be awarded directly to the pocket of the concerned government officials.
To your question, “Are condoms really distributed like candies by the government with Reproductive Health law?” my answer is a definite Yes. Please examine the following:
a) According to the document, Essential Medicines for Reproductive Health:
Guiding Principles for Their Inclusion on National Medicines Lists. (by PATH, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Population Fund. Seattle: PATH; 2006) Condoms as barrier contraceptive devices have been on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines since 1988 (Page 72). Condoms, an important method in preventing pregnancy and the primary method for preventing transmission of STIs (sexually transmitted infections) , including HIV, were listed on only 35 percent of the (Essential Medicine Lists or) EMLs (Page 3)
b) SEC. 10 of the RH Bill. 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 local hospitals and other government health units.
In other words, condom, unless categorically and specifically excluded in the bill/law, forms part of the National Drug Formulary which has to be made available and dispense with (or distribute like candies) free in any government hospital, health center/unit, under the RH Law. Then, the Filipino youth, ages 15 to 27, (unless categorically and specifically excluded in the bill/law) has the legal right as an individual to demand a condom for his or her “decisions concerning reproduction” as indicated by RH Bill’s Section 4 (d). Furthermore, no ascendancy or no one particularly government personnel can refuse to accommodate this legal demand of a condom of a Filipino citizen (including the youth), other wise that health care service provider, whether public or private, will be violating Section 21 (a.1).
As to the question “ Is there any study that support the claim that when people receive free condoms will get sexually active and crave for sex like animals?” , let me borrow few lines from the Philippine Star feature article Mind Your Body written by Willie T. Ong, MD, dated February 3, 2009, Page D-3:
a) Dr. Eduardo Gatchalian, an urologist and past president of the Philippine College of
Surgeons, candidly says (regarding sex drive), “At 20, you have sex three times a day. At 30, you have sex three times a night. At 40, you have sex three times a week. AT 60, you have sex only thrice a month. At 70, he tries and tries. And at 80, he tries to remember”.
(Column 1)
b) The apparent shyness of Filipinos is due to our conservative cultural values. But make no mistake, the sex drive is there – it is just repressed by the environment. (Column 2)
The abovementioned point that human sex drive or craving is a medical fact (so no need for a
study) but its intensity depends on how repressive or conducive the environment is, for casual
sex. Availability of free condom (complemented by the formal sex education being
mandated by RH Bill), at the top of the present sensuous/provocative mass media and
advertisements plus internet pornography, will literally and figuratively open the flood gate of free
expression of sexual activities – eventually. RH Law will therefore accelerate the liberation of
Filipinos from its conservative cultural values about sex up to the end point of open craving-for-
sex-like-animals.
Are you now enjoying the thought that your fellow Filipinos (who patronize your blog) are losing
their freedom of speech and expression because of a totalitarian prohibition of the RH Law? Are
you now enjoying the thought that your kid sisters, teenage daughters, grand daughters, great
grand daughters, teenage nieces, grand nieces or great grand nieces are being deflowered even
before graduating high school because they are sexually liberated by the RH Law? Are you now
enjoying the thought that your kid brothers, teenage sons, grand sons, great grand sons, teenage
nephews, grand nephews or great grand nephews practice safe sex complement by the RH Law
thus have turned to be oversexed, then homosexual and “sugar mommy”? If you answer NO to all
these questions, then resign as a RH Bill advocate and push harder for our legislators to vote
against the passage of the RH Bill into law. May God bless you!
JUST FOR THE RECORD, I HAVE INVOKED THE INTERCESSION OF ST. JOSEPH, THE
DEFENDER OF THE CHURCH, FOR THE NON-PASSAGE INTO LAW OF THE RH BILL.