Reproductive Health Law

The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10354), informally known as the Reproductive Health Law, is a law in the Philippines which guarantees universal access to methods on contraception, fertility control, sexual education, and maternal care.[1] While there is general agreement about its provisions on maternal and child health, there is great debate on its key proposal that the Philippine government and the private sector will fund and undertake widespread distribution of family planning devices such as condoms, birth control pills (BCPs) and IUDs, as the government continues to disseminate information on their use through all health care centers. On October 2012, a revised version of the legislation was renamed the Responsible Parenthood Act and was filed in the House of Representatives as a result of re-introducing the bill under a different impression after overwhelming opposition in the country, especially from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines.[2][3] The law is highly divisive and controversial, with experts, academics, religious institutions, and major political figures supporting and opposing it, often criticizing the government and each other in the process. Debates and rallies proposing and opposing the bills, with tens of thousands of opposition particularly those endorsed by the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church and various other conservative groups, have been happening nationwide.

Benefits of the RH Bill

Allow couples to make decision to plan for their families The RH Bills gives the couples and the women, specifically, the choice and freedom on the mode of family planning they want to pursue depending on their needs, choice, personal convictions and religious beliefs. But the RH Bill is not just about the family planning Prevents spread of sexually transmitted disease like aids and STDs and eventually control population growth necessary for economic development The liberal minds view the RH Bill as a strategy in fighting overpopulation and the spreading of AID and STD diseases. Thats what they say. They believe that the natural way of family planning is passe in this time of modern age. They want children as early as in their pre-teens to be taught about sex education. Enhance woman's health as she will be able to determine when to get pregnant The women can determine when they want to get pregnant. Through this will, it will ensure the health of the women, which can be put to risk with pre-existing condition such as diabetes or pregnancies with not much gap or spaced-closed together. They will gain more control over their bodies and health. This will also ensure the children of having a healthy mother to take care of them.

Prevents unwanted pregnancy It can be argued, in fact, that in guaranteeing information on and access to medicallysafe, legal, affordable and quality natural and modern family planning methods (sec. 2), the bill seeks to prevent unwanted, unplanned and mistimed pregnancies the main cause of induced abortions

What are the Disadvantages of Reproductive Health Bill?

Although the proposed Reproductive Health Bill is national in scope, comprehensive, rights-based, and provides adequate funding for the population program, there are some criticisms. (1) It is in favor of birth control measures, which are opposed by some groups on religious or ethical grounds. (2) It mandates sex education, which some parents would prefer to keep out of grade schools. (3) It requires education on contraception as a prerequisite to marriage, opposed by some religious groups. For instance, a Certificate of Compliance must be obtained by all marital couples. No marriage license shall be issued by the Local Civil Registrar unless the applicants present a Certificate of Compliance issued for free by the local Family Planning Office. The document should certify that they had duly received adequate instructions and information on family planning, responsible parenthood, breast feeding and infant nutrition. (4) It mandates population control, or zero population growth, as a national policy or strategy of indoctrination. For example: "The State shall encourage two children as the Ideal Family Size." However, this view is neither mandatory nor compulsory, and no punitive action may be imposed on couples having more than two children. (5) It mandates that employers subsidize onerous reproductive health programs. To illustrate, "Employers shall provide free reproductive health services and commodities to workers, whether unionized or unorganized."