Ten Good Reasons to Pass the RH Bill Now

In 1998, RH was a bland program that 2 DOH secretaries wished to mainstream into the health system. Now, RH or reproductive health is a byword that has gripped the public consciousness. Majority have supported RH in endless surveys while congressional and presidential debates have erupted on the issue. Why is there majority support for RH? Many strategic and practical reasons. Here are 10 easy ones: RH DOES 1 Protect the health & lives of mothers The WHO (World Health Organization) estimates that complications arise in 15% of pregnancies , serious enough to hospitalize or kill women. From the 2 million plus live births alone, some 300,000 maternal complications occur yearly. This is 7 times the DOHs annual count for TB, 19 times for heart diseases, and 20 times for malaria in women. As a result, more than 11 women die needlessly each day. Adequate number of skilled birth attendants and prompt referral to hospitals with emergency obstetric care are proven life-saving solutions to maternal complications. For women who wish to stop childbearing, family planning (FP) is the best preventive measure . All 3 interventions are part of RH. 2 Save babies Proper birth spacing reduces infant deaths. The WHO says at least 2 years should pass between a birth and the next pregnancy. In our country, the infant mortality rate of those with less than 2 years birth interval is twice those with 3 . The more effective and userfriendly the FP method used, the greater the chances of the next child to survive. 3 Respond to the majority who want smaller families Couples and women nowadays want smaller families. When surveyed about their ideal number of children , women in their 40s want slightly more than 3, but those in their teens and early 20s want just slightly more than 2. Moreover, couples end up with families larger than what they desire. On average, Filipino women want close to 2 children but end up with 3 . This gap between desired and actual family size is present in all social classes and regions, but is biggest among those who are poor. 4 Promote equity for poor families RH indicators show severe inequities between the rich and poor. For example, 94% of women in the richest quintile have a skilled attendant at birth compared to only 26% in the

poorest. The richest have 3 times higher tubal ligation rates compared to the poorest. This equity gap in tubal ligation partly explains why the wealthy hardly exceed their planned number of children, while the poorest get an extra 2. Infant deaths among the poorest are almost 3 times compared to the richest, which partly explains why the poor plan for more children. An RH law will promote equity in health through stronger public health services accessible to poor families. 5 Prevent induced abortions Unintended pregnancies precede almost all induced abortions. Of all unintended pregnancies, 68% occur in women without any FP method, and 24% happen to those using traditional FP like withdrawal or calendar-abstinence. If all those who want to space or stop childbearing would use modern FP, abortions would fall by some 500,000close to 90% of the estimated total. In our country where abortion isstrictly criminalized , and where 90,000 women are hospitalized yearly for complications, it would be reckless and heartless not to ensure prevention through FP. 6 Support and deploy more public midwives, nurses and doctors RH health services are needed wherever people are establishing their families. For example, a report by the MDG Task Force points out the need for 1 fulltime midwife to attend to every 100 to 200 annual live births. Other health staff are needed for the millions who need prenatal and postpartum care, infant care and family planning. Investing in these core public health staff will serve the basic needs of many communities. 7 Guarantee funding for & equal access to health facilities RH will need and therefore support many levels of health facilities. These range from barangay health stations, for basic prenatal, infant and FP care; health centers, for safe birthing, more difficult RH services like IUD insertions, and management of sexually transmitted infections; and hospitals, for emergency obstetric and newborn care and surgical contraception. Strong RH facilities will be the backbone of a strong and fairly distributed public health facility system. 8 Give accurate & positive sexuality education to young people Currently, most young people enter relationships and even married life without the benefit of systematic inputs by any of our social institutions. As a result of just one faulty sexual decision, many young women and men can lose their future, their health and sometimes their lives. We insist on young voters education for an activity that occurs once every 3 years, but leave our young people with little preparation to cope with major life events like puberty and sexual maturation. 9 Reduce cancer deaths Delaying sex, avoiding multiple partners or using condoms prevent genital warts or HPV infections that cause cervical cancers . Self breast exams and Pap smears can detect early

signs of cancers which can be cured if treated early. All these are part of RH education and care. Contraceptives do not heighten cancer risks ; combined pills actually reduce the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers . 10 Save money that can be used for even more social spending Ensuring modern FP for all who need it would increase spending from P1.9 B to P4.0 B, but the medical costs for unintended pregnancies would fall from P3.5 B to P0.6 B, resulting in a net savings of P0.8 B. There is evidence that families with fewer children do spend more for health and education .

Reproductive health bill (RH bill) one step closer to our Goal:
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproductive_Health_bill generally: "RH bill, is a Philippine bill aiming to guarantee universal access to methods and information on birth control and maternal care. " The Reproductive Health Bill and Population Development Act of 2008 (hereafter RH Bill) is an act providing for a national policy on reproductive health, responsible parenthood and population development, and for other purposes. It was primarily authored by Albay First District Representative Edcel Lagman and is now co-authored by about 130 more lawmakers. The bill covers the following aspects: "information and access to natural and modern family planning; maternal, infant and child health and nutrition; promotion of breast feeding; prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications; adolescent and youth health; prevention and management of reproductive tract infections, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases; elimination of violence against women; counseling on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health; treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers; male involvement and participation in reproductive health; prevention and treatment of infertility; and reproductive health education for the youth." (House Bill No. 5043 Sections I-III, 2008) More than a year has passed since the bill's original authorship, but it still remains a controversial issue in the legislative assembly. Consequently, it has also sparked debates among economists, sociologists, health experts, religious organizations and ordinary members of the community. This is why it is only appropriate for me, a concerned student and Filipino citizen, to offer my assessment. After reading the full text of the bill and the opposing arguments among different sectors, I am now brought to an unwavering stand. The RH Bill must be immediately legislated because as clearly stated in its policies and objectives, it promotes awareness and education, ensures public health and disease prevention and enables the government to play its role in the overall welfare of the citizens.

One of the reasons why our countrymen still has not experienced the intended benefits of this bill is the continuing campaign of the Catholic Church to discredit it. According to them, the promotion of artificial contraceptives and sex education will eventually lead to threatening accounts of divorce, euthanasia, abortion, total contraception methods and

homosexual marriage (D.E.A.T.H.). In an interview with Catholic-run Veritas 846 Radio, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines' (CBCP) Commision on Family Life Chairperson and Pampanga Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, counts that the bill is anti-poor and anti-life. According to him, human resources are a great advantage. The government should focus on programs that would make them useful and productive. Obviously, sick and uneducated humans are not the resources we would like to have. They cannot be dynamic if they are devoid of information, inflicted with diseases that can be prevented and treated, or worried about a family of ten that they cannot support. These can all be avoided upon the approval of the RH Bill, which, as we will soon after see, is not just pro-life but pro-quality life.

First of all, the RH Bill promotes awareness and education, which are the initial steps to creating a well-founded society. One of the key components of this bill is the advocacy of family-planning for couples. This way, they can decide on the proper timing, spacing and number of their children, according to what their family can support. Included in this clause is the recommendation of the ideal family size to have two children only, but it is still for the family to decide for their own welfare. This will inhibit the rapid growth of our population, and all the negative implications of this on our society as a whole. Aside from this, campaigns and counseling will be funded in order to provide parents with appropriate methodologies and information regarding sexuality and sexual health. Men and women alike will be more aware of their rights and responsibilities, and will therefore become equal contributors to their families and communities. Even the youth at their curious, growing years will benefit, as sex education will be incorporated in their school curriculum. This will ensure that their questions will be properly addressed, their changing bodies will be better understood and take care of, and their future decisions will be based on the rational teachings inculcated onto them early on. In effect, this can also prevent cases of unplanned pregnancies, sexual abuse and bodily disorders, all because the citizens are fully equipped with the right information. Another objective of this bill is to ensure public health and disease prevention. Researches show that only 60 percent of the births in the Philippines are properly supervised by a skilled attendant, and some 160 women die every 100,000 births. (United Nations Population Fund, 2009) Through this bill, proper funding will be allotted to ensure the accessibility of vaccinations, consultations and safer deliveries from professional midwives, especially in rural areas. This will decrease infant mortality rates and other deaths caused by complications during pregnancy. After the passage of this bill, gynaecological and reproductive tract diseases will also be given attention and treatment. Citizens will be assisted with proper diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Some Filipinos do not even know that they are already sick, or are usually afraid to ask. Through mobile health centers and campaigns, they will be properly educated by health experts. Another controversial clause is about the prevention and management of abortion and its complications. Abortion is undeniably present in the black market, but with proper treatment and information against it, it will less likely prevail. Lastly, infertility and sexual dysfunctions will also be solved. There are couples who want to have a family but cannot, and through modern medicine and technology, they can now gain access to this possibility.

The third and most time-appropriate advantage of the RH Bill is the fact that it enables the government to play its role in the overall welfare of the citizens. As expected by the citizens, the government must be the first to see the realities of our society today. People are having unprotected sex. Couples need effective contraceptives. Parents are not ready for ten children that they cannot feed, clothe and send to school. The youth learn about sex from incompetent sources like the internet, teen shows and their experienced peers. People are getting sick and spreading diseases without them knowing or admitting it. It is appropriate for a central body such as the government to intervene. They are not being intrusive; they are only ensuring that they are able to seek and address our best interests. This way, they are making sure that we become responsible for ourselves. Is this not what we need? Is this not what we want from our officials? Evidently, it must be. According to the Third Quarter 2008 Social Weather Stations Report, 71 percent favor passage of the RH Bill. That is seven out of ten Filipinos, Catholics and non-Catholics alike. This is the reality today, and we must soon take action. It is true that the RH Bill does not directly solve poverty or protect us from killings and wars. However, it still brings us one step closer to our goal. With the passage of this bill, we can be rich with information. We can be safe from health risks. We can be truly empowered as individuals. After that, we will be able to contribute better to our own communities. Although the bill is strongly discouraged by the Catholic church, we must not be easily convinced by misinformation. As responsible citizens, we must look deep into present issues and evaluate how it affects us individually and as a whole. We may see that the realities today encompass our traditional beliefs; however, we must be responsive to the call of the times.This way, we can face our present problems with modern, and possibly more effective solutions (Aura Azarcon, 2009).

Advantages of RH Bill vs. Anti-RH Bill (PART I)

One of the biggest problems of Philippine government is the increasing rate of poverty in our country. Less job opportunities, food and oil price hike, low family income are some of the reason of the increasing rate of poverty but for my own opinion, overpopulation is the major reason of it, having a big number of family members are the closest cause of poverty, they cannot sustain their everyday needs for each of the family member because of unavailability of a decent job or having a less income that cant support their needs, but I have a solution to stop the overpopulation and prevent the continuous increase of poverty rate in our country, Its RH Bill. One of the content of RH Bill is family planning that includes contraceptive methods; it can help to reduce the birth rate in a family that causes overpopulation. Contraceptive method can prevent the sperm cell of males and egg cell of females to meet because when the sperm and egg cell meet inside the reproductive organ of females they will later develop as a baby inside the mothers womb.

The word prevent is not synonymous for killing the catholic church stand for using this method shows that using this method of preventing is a way of killing ones life, they say that sperm and egg cells are the victim of this method, for me they doesnt have a life yet they are only a part of a humans lives, so if they are saying that contraception can kill those cells then I consider that all teenagers, young adult, adult or even some of the elderly males are killers because it is a nature and normal for the males to masturbate and if the orgasm occur the semen will ejaculate from the males reproductive organ and the one content of semen are millions of sperm cells and in a matter of seconds the sperm cell will die if they are exposed to air, so we kill millions of it and killing is a mortal sin. Killing is only when the two cell are develop and formed as fetus then you terminate it and try to remove from your womb, that is already killing and it is called Abortion Through RH Bill, it can lessen the problems of the government with regards to the health of the Filipinos by preventing the spreading of AIDS in our country, it is very threatening that the number of Filipinos who are positive in AIDS is increasing, the usual victim of this syndrome are teenagers, theyre very active in engaging with sex maybe because of curiosity and lack of parents guidance, aside from AIDS they will also acquire various of sexually transmitted disease and infection but through RH Bill, those diseases will be prevented by using contraceptives and education regarding sex, enough knowledge regarding these topic can lead to a healthier life and a problem free living.

RH bill benefits poor mothers

MANILA, Philippines Mothers in indigent communities would greatly benefit from the passage of the Reproductive health (RH) bill now being debated in Congress by getting better access to modern family planning methods. Sen. Pia Cayetano, chair of the Senate committees on health and demography and youth, women and children, stressed this point during heated plenary debates on the bill. Citing different names and cases of women, Cayetano said many of them would want to avail themselves of contraceptives from local health centers but could not do so as many local government units (LGUs) have passed ordinances banning use of contraceptives. She said she does not believe the contention of a colleague, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, a staunch critic of the Rh bill, who believes contraceptives should be the least of local governments priorities. I dont believe that contraceptives should not be a priority. It does not have to be number one priority, but if you look and take the time to speak to these women, it is very important to many of them to plan their families, Cayetano said.

The senator said it is vital for RH services to be made available and accessible to women in respective towns or barangays as opposed to making them avail of these services elsewhere. Historically, she said women traditionally bear the brunt of suffering with their children. For most of the poor, any additional expense would already pose a problem, like the transportation fare they would need, for instance, to travel to and from their barangay all the way to the Department of Health (DoH) or a television station in the hopes of getting assistance. It is the women who have to balance the household budget and they are the ones who are forced to make decisions like sending their children to the province, giving up their children to a neighbor, giving up their children to a stranger, leaving their child at the door of a rich neighbor, leaving their children inside a basket in the church, she said. Women do these not because they do not want to be a mother to these children, but because they do not know how to feed their children. And they will explore; they need to find ways to support their children and plan their families, said Cayetano. At the same time, Cayetano lauded Sen. Ferdinand Bong Bong Marcos Jr. for standing up and defending her point by sharing his own experience as a governor. Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on local government and has manifested his support for the RH Bill, said, In my experience in local government, this kind of problem comes to us very often. And it is precisely this reason why I have thrown my hat in support of the RH Bill. If there is a mandate from the national government that the LGU can ask for assistance under the auspices of this proposed law [RH Bill], then I guarantee that every local government official will try everything possible, do everything they can to help, Marcos said. It is not being done not because it is not the desire of the LGU to help but because there is no clear guidance as to how these kinds of problems are handled, and secondly, there is no funding for the LGUs to be able to provide that service, he said. Most of the time, Marcos said the problem does not always boil down to money saying that it is the education facet of the measure that is very significant. If we give the capability to the LGU, then they would be able to exercise that ability and provide better assistance to their constituents, Marcos said.