HOUSE BILL NO.

5043 AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL POLICY ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD AND POPULATION DEVELOPMENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008. SEC. 2. 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. The State shall uphold the right of the people, particularly women and their organizations, to effective and reasonable participation in the formulation and implementation of the declared policy. This policy is anchored on the rationale that sustainable human development is better assured with a manageable population of healthy, educated and productive citizens. 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. SEC. 3. Guiding Principles. This Act declares the following as basic guiding principles: a. In the promotion of reproductive health, there should be no bias for either modern or natural methods of family planning; b. Reproductive health goes beyond a demographic target because it is principally about health and rights; c. Gender equality and women empowerment are central elements of reproductive health and population development; d. Since manpower is the principal asset of every country, effective reproductive health care services must be given primacy to ensure the birth and care of healthy children and to promote responsible parenting; e. The limited resources of the country cannot be suffered to, be spread so thinly to service a burgeoning multitude that makes the allocations grossly inadequate and effectively meaningless; f. Freedom of informed choice, which is central to the exercise of any right, must be fully guaranteed by the State like the right itself; g. While the number and spacing of children are left to the sound judgment of parents and couples based on their personal conviction and religious beliefs, such concerned parents and couples, including unmarried individuals, should be afforded free and full access to relevant, adequate and correct information on reproductive health and human sexuality and should be guided by qualified State workers and professional private practitioners; h. Reproductive health, including the promotion of breastfeeding, must be the joint concern of the National Government and Local Government Units(LGUs); i. Protection and promotion of gender equality, women empowerment and human rights, including reproductive health rights, are imperative; j. Development is a multi-faceted process that calls for the coordination and integration of policies, plans, programs and projects that seek to uplift the quality of life of the people, more particularly the poor, the needy and the marginalized; k. Active participation by and thorough consultation with concerned non-government organizations (NGOs), peoples organizations (POs) and communities are imperative to ensure that basic policies, plans, programs and projects address the priority needs of stakeholders; l. Respect for, protection and fulfillment of reproductive health rights seek to promote not only the rights and welfare of adult individuals and couples but those of adolescents and childrens as well; and m. While nothing in this Act changes the law on abortion, as abortion remains a crime and is punishable, the government shall ensure that women seeking care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner.

SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall be defined as follows: a. Responsible Parenthood refers to the will, ability and cornmitTrient of parents to respond to the needs and aspirations of the family and children more particularly through family planning; b. Family Planning refers to a program which enables couple, and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have the information and means to carry out their decisions, and to have informed choice and access to a full range of safe, legal and effective family planning methods, techniques and devices. c. Reproductive Health -refers to the state of 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 funcitions and processes. This implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life, that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so, provided that these are not against the law. This further implies that women and men are afforded equal status in matters related to sexual relations and reproduction. d. Reproductive Health Rights refers to the rights of individuals and couples do 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 carry out their decisions; and to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. e. Gender Equality refers to the absence of discrimination on the basis of a persons sex, in opportunities, allocation of resources and benefits, and access to services. f. Gender Equity refers to fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits and responsibilities between women and men, and often requires. women-specific projects and programs to eliminate existing inequalities, inequities, policies and practices unfavorable too women. g. Reproductive Health Care refers to the availability of and access to a full range of methods, techniques, supplies and services that contribute to reproductive and sexual health and well-being by preventing and solving reproductive health-related problems in order to achieve enhancement of life and personal relations. The elements of reproductive health care include: 1. Maternal, infant and child health and nutrition; 2. Promotion of breastfeeding; 3. Family planning information end services; 4. Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications; 5. Adolescent and youth health; 6. Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections (RTIs), HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmittable infections (STIs); 7. Elimination of violence against women; 8. Education and counseling on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health; 9. Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers and other gynecological conditions; 10. Male involvement and participation in reproductive health;, 11. Prevention and treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction; and 12. Reproductive health education for the youth. h. Reproductive Health Education refers to the process of acquiring complete, accurate and relevant information on all matters relating to the reproductive system, its functions and processes and human sexuality; and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, interpersonal relationships, affection, intimacy and gender roles. It also includes developing the necessary skills do be able to distinguish between facts and myths on sex and sexuality; and critically evaluate. and discuss the moral, religious, social and cultural dimensions of related sensitive issues such as contraception and abortion.

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 reproductive health concerns specific to men. j. Reproductive tract infection (RTI) refers do sexually transmitted infections, sexually transmitted diseases and other types of-infections affecting the reproductive system. k. Basic Emergency Obstetric Care refers to lifesaving services for maternal complication being provided by a health facility or professional which must include the following six signal functions: administration of parenteral antibiotics; administration of parrenteral oxyttocic drugs; administration of parenteral anticonvulsants for pre-eclampsia and iampsia; manual removal of placenta; and assisted vaginal delivery. l. Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care refers to basic emergency obstetric care plus two other signal functions: performance of caesarean section and blood transfusion. m. Maternal Death Review refers to a qualitative and in-depth study of the causes of maternal death with the primary purpose of preventing future deaths through changes or additions to programs, plans and policies. n. Skilled Attendant refers to an accredited health professional such as a licensed midwife, doctor or nurse who has adequate proficiency and the skills to manage normal (uncomplicated) pregnancies, childbirth and the immediate postnatal period, and in the identification, management and referral of complication in women and newborns. o. Skilled Attendance refers to childbirth managed by a skilled attendant under the enabling conditions of a functional emergencyobstetric care and referral system. p. Development refers to a multi-dimensional process involving major changes in social structures, popular attitudes, and national institutions as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality and the eradication of widespread poverty. q. Sustainable Human Development refers to the totality of the process of expending human choices by enabling people to enjoy long, healthy and productive lives, affording them access to resources needed for a decent standard of living and assuring continuity and acceleration of development by achieving a balance between and among a manageable population, adequate resources and a healthy environment. r. Population Development refers to a program that aims to: (1) help couples and parents achieve their desired family size; (2) improve reproductive health of individuals by addressing reproductive health problems; (3) contribute to decreased maternal and infant mortality rates and early child mortality; (4) reduce incidence of teenage pregnancy; and (5) enable government to achieve a balanced population distribution. SEC. 5. The Commission on Population (POPC0NI). Pursuant to the herein declared policy, the Commission on Population (POPCOM) shall serve as the central planning, coordinating, implementing and monitoring body for the comprehensive and integrated policy on reproductive health and population development. In the implementation of this policy, POPCOM, which shall be an attached agency of the Department of Health (DOH) shall have the following functions: 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, taking into account regional and local concerns; c. To provide the mechanism to ensure active and full participation of the private sector and the citizenry through their organizations 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 and participation of non-government organizations 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, pen-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; and (6) Provision of information and services addressing the reproductive health needs of the poor, senior citizens, women in prostitution, differently-abled persons, and women and children in war AND crisis situations. g. To ensure that reproductive health services are delivered with a full range of supplies, facilities and equipment and that service providers are adequately trained for reproductive health care; h. To endeavor to furnish local Family Planning Offices with appropriate information and resources to keep the latter updated on current studies and research relating to family planning, responsible parenthood, breastfeeding and infant nutrition; i. To direct all public hospitals to make available to indigent mothers who deliver their children in these government hospitals, upon the mothers request, the procedure of ligation without cost to her; j. To recommend the enactment of legislation and adoption of executive measures that will strengthen and enhance the national policy on reproductive health and population development; k. To ensure a massive and sustained information drive on responsible parenthood and on all methods and techniques to prevent unwanted, unplanned and mistimed pregnancies, it shall release information bulletins on the same for nationwide circulation to all government departments, agencies and instrumentalities, non-government organizations and the private sector, schools, public and private libraries, tri-media outlets, workplaces, hospitals and concerned health institutions; l. To 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; m. 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; and n. To perform such other functions necessary to attain the purposes of this Act. The membership of the Board of Commissioners of POPCOM shall consist of the heads of the following AGENCIES: 1. National Economic DevelopmentAuthority 2. Department of Health 3. Department of Social Welfare and Development 4. Department of Labor and Employment 5. Department of Agriculture 6. Department of the Interior and Local Government 7. Department of Education 8. Department of Environment and Natural Resources 9. Commission on Higher Education 10. University of the Philippines Population Institute 11. Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines 12. National Anti-Poverty Commission 13. National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women 14. National Youth Commission (NYC) (VEDA) (DOH) (DSWD) (DOLE) (DA) (DILG) (DepEd) (DENR) (CHED) (UPPI) (ULAFI) (NAPQ (NCRFW)

In addition to the aforementioned, members, there shall be three private sector representatives to the Board of Commissioners of POPCOM who shall come from NGOs. There shall be one (1) representative each from women, youth and health sectors

who have a proven track record of involvement in the promotion of reproductive health. These representatives shall be nominated in a process determined by the above-mentioned sectors, and to be appointed by the President for a term of three (3)years. SEC. 6. Midwives for Skilled Attendance. -Every city and municipality shall endeavor to employ adequate number of midwives or other skilled attendants to achieve a minimum ratio of one (1)for every one hundred fifty (150) deliveries per year, to be based on the average annual number of actual deliveries or live births for the past two years. SEC. 7. Emergency Obstetric Care. Each province. and city shall endeavor to ensure the establishment and operation of hospitals with adequate and qualified personnel that provide emergency obstetric care. For every 500,000 population, there shall be at least one (1) hospital for comprehensive emergency obstetric care and four (4) hospitals for basic emergency obstetric care. SEC. 8. Maternal Death Review. All LGUs, national and local government hospitals, and other public health units shall conduct maternal death review in accordance with the guidelines to be issued by the DOH in consultation with the POPCOM. SEC. 9. Hospital-Based Family Planning. -Tubal ligation, vasectomy, intrauterine device insertion and other family planning methods requiring hospital services shall be available in all national and local government hospitals, except: in specialty hospitals which may render such services on an optional basis. For indigent patients, such services shall be fully covered by PhilHealth insurance and/or government financial assistance. SEC. 10. 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 lord hospitals and other government health units. SEC. 11. Mobile Health Care Service. -Each Congressional District shall be provided with a van to be known as the Mobile Health Care Service (MHOS) to deliver health care goods and services to its constituents, more particularly to the poor and needy, as well as disseminate knowledge and information on reproductive health: Provided, That reproductive health education shall be conducted by competent and adequately trained persons preferably reproductive health care providers: Provided, further, That the full range of family planning methods, both natural and modern, shall be promoted. The acquisition, operation and maintenance of the MRCS shall be funded from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of each Congressional District. The MHCS shall be adequately equipped with a wide range of reproductive health care materials and information dissemination devices and equipment, the latter including but not limited to, a television set for audio-visual presentation. SEC. 12. Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health Education. Recognizing the importance of reproductive health rights in empowering the youth and developing them into responsible adults, Reproductive Health Education in an ageappropriate manner shall be taught by adequately trained teachers starting from Grade 5 up to Fourth Year High School. In order to assure the prior training of teachers on reproductive health, the implementation of Reproductive Health Education shall commence at the start of the school year one year following the effectivity of this Act. The POPCOM, in coordination with the Department of Education, shall formulate the Reproductive Health Education curriculum, which shall be common to both public and private schools and shall include related population and development concepts in addition to the following subjects and standards: a. Reproductive health and sexual rights; b. Reproductive health care and services; c. Attitudes, beliefs and values on sexual development, sexual behavior and sexual health; d. Proscription and hazards of abortion and management of post-abortion complications; e. Responsible parenthood. f. Use and application of natural and modern family planning methods to promote reproductive health, achieve desired family size and prevent unwanted, unplanned and mistimed pregnancies; g. Abstinence before marriage; h. Prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other, STIs/STDs, prostate cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and other gynecological disorders;

i. Responsible sexuality; and j. Maternal, peri-natal and post-natal education, care and services. In support of the natural, and primary right of parents in the rearing of the youth, the POPCOM shall provide concerned parents with adequate and relevant scientific materials on the age-appropriate topics and manner of teaching reproductive health education to their children. In the elementary level, reproductive health education shall focus, among others, on values formation. Non-formal education programs shall likewise include the abovementioned reproductive Health Education. SEC. 13. Additional Duty of Family Planning 0ffice. Each local Family Planning Office shall furnish for free instructions and information on family planning, responsible parenthood, breastfeeding and infant nutrition to all applicants for marriage license. SEC. 14. Certificate of Compliance. 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 certifying that they had duly received adequate instructions and information on family planning, responsible parenthood, breastfeeding and infant nutrition. SEC. 15. Capability Building of Community-Based Volunteer Workers. Community-based volunteer workers, like but not limited to, Barangay Health Workers, shall undergo additional and updated training on the delivery of reproductive health care services and shall receive not less than 10% increase in honoraria upon successful completion of training. The increase in honoraria shall be funded from the Gender and Development (GAD) budget of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). SEC. 16. Ideal Family Size. The State shall assist couples, parents and individuals to achieve their desired family size within the context of responsible parenthood for sustainable development and encourage them to have two children as the ideal family size. Attaining the ideal family size is neither mandatory nor compulsory. No punitive action shall be imposed on parents having more than two children. SEC. 17. Employers Responsibilities. Employers shall respect the reproductive health rights of all their workers. Women shall not be discriminated against in the matter of hiring, regularization of employment status or selection for retrenchment. All Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) shall provide for the free delivery by the employer of reasonable quantity of reproductive health care services, supplies and devices to all workers, more particularly women workers. In establishments or enterprises where there are no CBAs or where the employees are unorganized, the employer shall have the same obligation. SEC. 18. Support of Private and Non-government Health Care Service Providers. Pursuant to Section 5(b) hereof, private reproductive health care service providers, including but not limited to gynecologists and obstetricians, are encouraged to join their colleagues in non-government organizations in rendering such services free of charge or at reduced professional fee rates to indigent and low income patients. SEC. 19. Multi-Media Campaign. POPCOM shall initiate and sustain an intensified nationwide multi-media campaign to raise the level of public awareness on the urgent need to protect and promote reproductive health and rights. SEC. 20. Reporting Requirements. Before the end of April of each year,the DOH shall submit an annual report to the President of the Philippines, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on a definitive and comprehensive assessment of the implementation of this Act and shall make the necessary recommendations for executive and legislative action. The report shall be posted in the website of DOH and printed copies shall be made available to all stakeholders. SEC. 21. Prohibited Acts. The following acts are prohibited: 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; 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.

3. Refuse to provide reproductive health care services to an abused minor, whose abused condition is certified by the proper official or personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or to duly DSWD-certified abused pregnant minor on whose case no parental consent is necessary. 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, theLabor Code, and Presidential Decree 79, as amended; and 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: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 penalizing the refusal of hospitals and medical clinics to administer appropriate initial medical treatment and support in emergency and serious cases. 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; 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; d) Any person who shall falsify a certificate of compliance as required in Section 14 of this Act; and e) Any person who maliciously engages in disinformation about the intent or provisions of this Act. SEC. 22. Penalties. The proper city or municipal court shall exercise jurisdiction over violations of this Act and the accused who is found guilty shall be sentenced to an imprisonment ranging from one (1) month to six (6) months or a fine ranging from Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) to Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court. If the offender is a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed upon the president, treasurer, secretary or any responsible officer. An offender who is an alien shall, after service of sentence, be deported immediately without further proceedings by the Bureau of Immigration. An offender who is a public officer or employee shall suffer the accessory penalty of dismissal from the government service. Violators of this Act shall be civilly liable to the offended party in such amount at the discretion of the proper court. SEC. 23. Appropriations. The amounts appropriated in the current annual General Appropriations Act for reproductive health and family planning under the DOH and POPCOM together with ten percent (10%) of the Gender and Development (GAD) budgets of all government departments, agencies, bureaus, offices and instrumentalities funded in the annual General Appropriations Act in accordance with Republic Act No. 7192 (Women in Development and Nation-building Act) and Executive Order No. 273 (Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development 1995-2025) shall be allocated and utilized for the implementation of this Act. Such additional sums as may be necessary for the effective implementation of this Act shall be Included in the subsequent years General Appropriations Acts. SEC. 24. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health shall promulgate, after thorough consultation with the Commission on Population (POPCOM), the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), concerned non-government organizations (NGOs) and known reproductive health advocates, the requisite implementing rules and regulations. SEC. 25. Separability Clause. If any part, section or provision of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect. SEC. 26. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, Orders, issuances, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. SEC. 27. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Table 1. Summary of Projected Population by Single-Year Interval, Philippines: 1995-2005 Sex 1995 1996 1997 1998 2004 2005 Low Assumption Male 34,449,556 35,166,216 35,880,920 39,336,708 39,991,565 40,648,225 41,303,083 Female 33,899,896 34,616,708 35,331,559 38,796,628 39,455,908 40,116,987 40,776,265 Both Sexes 68,349,452 69,782,924 71,212,479 78,133,336 79,447,473 80,765,212 82,079,348 Medium Assumption Male 34,449,556 35,249,629 36,047,517 40,022,651 40,812,289 41,604,100 42,393,739 Female 33,899,896 34,696,576 35,491,076 39,453,594 40,242,015 41,032,589 41,821,008 Both Sexes 68,349,452 69,946,205 71,538,593 79,476,245 81,054,304 82,636,689 84,214,747 High Assumption Male 34,449,556 35,294,227 36,136,591 40,395,489 41,260,234 42,127,358 42,992,104 Female 33,899,896 34,739,279 35,576,365 39,810,673 40,671,052 41,533,780 42,394,157 Both Sexes 68,349,452 70,033,506 71,712,956 80,206,162 81,931,286 83,661,138 85,386,261 Source: National Statistics Office. Manila, Philippines 1999 36,595,621 36,046,413 72,642,034 36,845,404 36,285,581 73,130,985 36,978,954 36,413,456 73,392,410 2000 37,310,325 36,761,264 74,071,589 37,643,292 37,080,081 74,723,373 37,821,318 37,250,542 75,071,860 2001 38,026,985 37,478,076 75,505,061 38,443,365 37,876,761 76,320,126 38,665,989 38,089,925 76,755,914 2002 38,681,843 38,137,354 76,819,197 39,233,004 38,665,180 77,898,184 39,530,735 38,950,302 78,481,037 2003

94.01M

7th in ASIA 12 in the WORLD

th

Total population grew by 2.04 percent annually As of August 1, 2007, the Philippines had a total population of 88,548,366 persons, an increase of 12,041,438 persons over the May 1, 2000 population count of 76,506,928 persons. The 2007 census figure is almost twelve times the Philippine population in 1903 (7,635,426 persons), when the first census was conducted. The increase in Philippine population translated to an average population growth rate (PGR) of 2.04 percent annually during the period 2000 to 2007. The annual PGR recorded during the period 1995 to 2000 was 2.36 percent. The household population of the country in 2007 was 88,304,615 persons, higher by 11,991,134 persons from the household population of 76,313,481 persons in 2000. The number of households, meanwhile, increased by 21.4 percent from 15,275,046 in 2000 to 18,539,769 in 2007. The average household size in 2007 was 4.8 persons, lower than the average household size of 5.0 persons in 2000.

More than half of the population resided in Luzon Luzon, which is composed of eight regions, comprised more than half (56.2 percent) of the country's total population. It was followed by Mindanao (24.4 percent) which has six regions and Visayas (19.4 percent) which has three regions. Among the 17 regions in the Philippines, Region IV-A (CALABARZON) had the biggest population size in 2007. It had a total population of 11,757,755 persons comprising 13.3 percent of the country's total population. It was followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) with 11,547,959 persons (13.0 percent) and Region III (Central Luzon) with 9,709,177 persons (11.0 percent). When combined, these three regions comprised 37.3 percent of the total population of the Philippines. The least populated region was the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) with 1,520,847 persons or 1.7 percent of the country's total population. Average household size of the country in 2007 was 4.8 persons The average household size in the Philippines in 2007 was 4.8 persons. Seven regions had average household sizes higher than the national figure, namely: the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), 5.8 persons; Region XIII (Caraga), Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), and Region V (Bicol), each with 5.0 persons per household; and Region X (Northern Mindanao), Region VI (Western Visayas), and Region VIII (Eastern Visayas), each with 4.9 persons per household. Meanwhile, the NCR had the lowest average household size of 4.4 persons. Twenty-four provinces reached more than one million population Twenty-four out of 80 provinces reached more than one million population in 2007. Fourteen of these 24 provinces were in Luzon, six in the Visayas, and four in Mindanao. Cavite (2.86 million persons) of Region IV-A, Bulacan (2.82 million persons) of Region III, Pangasinan (2.65 million persons) of Region I, Laguna (2.47 million persons) also of Region IV-A, and Cebu (excluding its three highly urbanized cities) (2.44 million persons) were the top five most populous provinces in the Philippines. Among the 32 highly urbanized cities, Quezon City (2.68 million persons), City of Manila (1.66 million persons), Caloocan City (1.38 million persons), and Davao City (1.37 million persons) led in terms of population size. Meanwhile, the provinces with less than a hundred thousand population were Siquijor (87.7 thousand persons), Camiguin (81.3 thousand persons), and Batanes (16.0 thousand persons). Males outnumbered females Of the 88,304,615 household population, 50.5 percent were males while 49.5 percent were females. This resulted to a sex ratio of 102 males for every 100 females, slightly higher than the sex ratio of 101 males per 100 females in 2000. Regions VIII and XIII posted the highest sex ratio of 106 each. Moreover, NCR, Region IV-A, and ARMM were the only three regions which reported more females than males, that is, with sex ratios of less than 100. Median age increased to 22 years In 2007, the median age of the country's household population was 22 years, which means that half of the household population was below 22 years old. The median age in 2000 was 21 years. Median age was highest in the NCR (24 years) and lowest in ARMM (18 years).

Children aged 0 to 4 years and 5 to 9 years comprised the largest age groups, each making up 12.0 percent of the total household population, followed by age groups 10 to 14 years (11.6 percent) and 15 to 19 years (10.5 percent). The age-sex distribution of the household population showed more males than females in age groups 0 to 54 years. Females outnumbered their male counterparts in the older age groups (55 years old and over). Higher proportion of females than males among the voting-age population At the national level, the voting-age population (18 years old and over) in 2007 numbered 51.1 million, accounting for 57.9 percent of the total household population. The size of the voting-age population recorded in 2000 was 43.4 million, or 56.8 percent of the total household population. There were more females (50.1 percent) than males (49.9 percent) among the voting-age population. The five regions with the highest proportion of voting-age population were all located in Luzon: NCR (63.6 percent), Region I (59.9 percent), Region IV-A (59.7 percent), and Regions II and III (59.6 percent each). ARMM had the lowest proportion of voting-age population with 50.1 percent. Dependency ratio decreased to 66 dependents per 100 persons in the working-age group Of the total household population, 60.3 percent belonged to the working-age population (15 to 64 years). Young dependents (below 15 years) comprised 35.5 percent while old dependents (65 years and over) accounted for 4.1 percent. The overall dependency ratio of the Philippines in 2007 was 66 dependents for every 100 persons in the working age group, down from 69 dependents in 2000. Of the 66 dependents, 59 were young dependents while seven were old dependents. Across the country, 10 regions posted a dependency ratio higher than the national figure: Region V (83.7 percent), Region IVB (83.0 percent), ARMM (80.6 percent), Region VIII (80.4 percent), Region XIII (74.0 percent), Region IX (70.5 percent), Region VI (69.6 percent), Region X (69.3 percent), Region XII (67.7 percent), and Region VII (67.4 percent). NCR had the lowest reported overall dependency ratio of 51 dependents for every 100 persons in the working age group. More males than females among never-married Of the household population 10 years old and over, 45.3 percent were married while 44.3 percent were never married. The rest of the household population was categorized as follows: widowed (4.3 percent), divorced/separated (1.2 percent), in common law/live-in marital arrangement (4.5 percent), and had unknown marital status (0.4 percent). Among never-married persons, a higher proportion of males (53.8 percent) than females (46.2 percent) was reported in 2007. Meanwhile, the proportion of females was higher than males among married persons (50.4 percent), widowed (76.0 percent), divorced/separated (62.7 percent), and those in common law/live-in marital arrangement (50.7 percent). Across regions, CAR (47.4 percent) had the highest proportion of never-married persons while Region II (51.9 percent) had the highest proportion of married individuals. Moreover, it is observed that Region I (5.4 percent) reported the largest proportion of widowed while NCR had the largest proportions of common law/live-in (7.3 percent) and divorced/separated (1.9 percent) persons. Females outnumbered males among academic degree holders Of the household population 5 years old and over, 36.7 percent had attended or completed elementary education, 32.5 percent had reached or finished high school, 8.0 percent were college undergraduates, and 8.6 percent were academic degree holders. Among those with academic degrees, there were more females (56.2 percent) than males (43.8 percent). Similarly, among those with post baccalaureate courses, females (56.3 percent) outnumbered males (43.7 percent). Moreover, the highest proportion of household population 5 years old and over who had not reached nor completed any grade level was in ARMM. Similarly, ARMM had a population with the least proportion of academic degree holders (3.4 percent). The NCR had the least proportion of household population with no grade completed (3.7 percent) and the highest proportion with academic degree holders (15.1 percent). The region with the highest proportion of household population with post baccalaureate course was CAR (0.3 percent) and the least was Region III (0.1 percent). School attendance was higher among females than among males

About three out of five persons (63.3 percent) in the household population 5 to 24 years old had attended school at anytime during the School Year 2007 to 2008. School attendance was higher among females (64.0 percent of all females aged 5 to 24 years) than among males (62.7 percent of all males aged 5 to 24 years) during the said school year. For the whole Philippines, the top five regions in terms of school attendance among persons 5 to 24 years old during the School Year 2007 to 2008 were CAR (68.9 percent), Region V (67.2 percent), Region VI (66.9 percent), Region I (66.0 percent), and Region IV-B (65.6 percent). ARMM had the lowest in terms of school attendance with 55.5 percent. 102 households per 100 occupied housing units In 2007, there were 18.2 million occupied housing units in the country. This number is 22.0 percent higher than the 14.9 million occupied housing units recorded in 2000. A ratio of 102 households per 100 occupied housing units was recorded in 2007, slightly lower than the ratio of 103 households per 100 occupied housing units posted in 2000. The number of persons per occupied housing unit was 4.9 persons in 2007, lower than the ratio of 5.1 persons per occupied housing unit in 2000. Majority of occupied housing units had outer walls and roof made of strong construction materials Among the 18.2 million occupied housing units in the Philippines in 2007, the most common construction materials used for outer walls were concrete/brick/stone (36.8 percent), half concrete/brick/stone and half wood (20.8 percent), and bamboo/sawali/cogon/nipa (19.8 percent). In 2000, the most common construction materials used for the outer walls were concrete/brick/stone (30.8 percent), bamboo/sawali/cogon/nipa (22.8 percent), and wood (22.7 percent). As to the construction materials of the roof, 75.0 percent of occupied housing units had roofs made of galvanized iron/aluminum in 2007. In 2000, galvanized iron/aluminum was also the main construction material used for the roof with 67.6 percent of all occupied housing units in the country.

Article II Section 5. The maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty, and property, and promotion of the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy. Section 6. The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable.

Section 12. The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. The natural and primary right and duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and the development of moral character shall receive the support of the Government. Section 13. The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs. Section 14. The State recognizes the role of women in nation-building, and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men. Section 15. The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. ARTICLE XIII WOMEN Section 14. The State shall protect working women by providing safe and healthful working conditions, taking into account their maternal functions, and such facilities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enable them to realize their full potential in the service of the nation.

Theres The Rub Rx By Conrado de Quiros Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 00:46:00 04/28/2011 Filed Under: Population, Legislation, Benigno Aquino III,Churches (organisations), Conflicts (general) OVER THE past several weeks, I?ve heard these arguments against the RH bill. None of them finds its mark. The first is that the RH bill won?t solve poverty. Of course it won?t. Not by itself anyway. What bill or measure will solve poverty? Not land reform, not environmental protection, not government subsidy for food production. Not by themselves anyway. That is not an excuse to drop land reform, protecting the environment, and giving farmers enough to live on. Taken singly, they can, and do, help to push back poverty. Taken collectively, they can, and do, help mightily to push back poverty. The same is true of the RH bill. Taken singly, it can, and will, help to push back poverty. Taken along with other things, it can, and will, help mightily to push back poverty. Variations on the theme include: One, what matters is not the size of the population but the distribution of wealth. Two, limiting the size of the population is counterproductive because a country?s real wealth is its people. Well, China is one country that has redistributed its wealth more resolutely than others, but it still feels the need to limit its population. For good reason: Limiting population and redistributing wealth are not opposed. They go together. There?s just no way even a well-intentioned government can feed a runaway population, never mind distribute wealth. China is the second richest country in the world after the US, but it still maintains?arguably draconian?a policy of one couple, one child. RH is nowhere near that. As to the people being a country?s wealth, yes and no. Depends on the quantity and quality of the people. This is a case where more is less. You have a teeming mass of uneducated people, you don?t have an asset, you have a liability. You don?t have inducement to creativity, you have an invitation to criminality. While at this, the people who say this should stay at least a day in Payatas or a squatter area anywhere in Metro Manila so they can have an insight into the meaning of wealth and poverty. The second is that contraception kills, producing a host of unborn children. That one really takes the cake. RH is not abortion. President Benigno Aquino III has been absolutely clear on that. Edcel Lagman has been absolutely clear on that. The supporters of RH have been absolutely clear on that. Using a condom no more produces an unborn child than sleeping produces an unborn masterpiece. An unborn child does not exist. It is no more real than an unborn thought, an unborn romance, an unborn heroism. You want to light a candle on the grave of the child that ?died? from contraception, feel free to do so. But don?t include others in your lunacy. You want to have an idea of life and death, again go visit the teeming mass huddled inside cardboard boxes that pass for shelter beside the mountains of trash and jutting over dead creeks and rivers. And see what that does to very real, very tangible, very born children. The third is that contraception is ineffective anyway. It?s just using taxpayers? money for something that doesn?t really bring down the population. Well, land reform hasn?t worked famously either, but that?s no reason to throw it away. Economic planning hasn?t worked famously either, but that is no reason to throw it away. Even marriage hasn?t worked famously either, but that?s no reason to throw it away?although some will want to make a case for it. I don?t know that contraception drives haven?t worked in most parts of the world. I do know they have met with all sorts of problems in societies like ours, not least the opposition of religious fundamentalists. That is quite apart from bureaucratic bumbling, or corruption. If so, then the problem is not the conception, it is the implementation. The solution is not for government to forget the campaign, it is for government to push it more vigorously. The solution is not for government to spend less for it, it is to make every peso count. The RH bill cannot guarantee that the population will decrease dramatically anytime soon. That is so for reasons that go beyond the opposition of the Catholic Church or bureaucratic baggage. That is so for reasons of culture. What the RH bill will really be up against is a culture that puts a premium on huge families. Part of that owes to machismo. This is a macho culture, one given to men drinking themselves to a stupor, engaging in knife fights, and boasting not just about conquests but about how many children they?ve fathered. Not being able to accomplish the last leaves one open to barbs about having a broken pipe, or butas ang tambutso. Not surprisingly, the preferred gender of the children is male. Having a brood of females is pambayad ng utang, payment for the women one made to weep. But the other part of it owes to the very poverty that runaway population spawns, which makes it a vicious cycle. The most popular, and insidious, form of gambling in this country is not jueteng, it is breeding. One has as many children as possible, hopefully male, to get one out of the rut of poverty. Maybe one of them can make it well enough to get the rest of the family by. A gamble that almost always makes one lose. A gamble that certainly always makes the country lose. That is the culture the Church abets by its position on the RH bill: By all means breed like rabbits. That is good not just in the eyes of man, or rabbits, but in the eyes of God. Thankfully, that is not how most thinking Catholics in this country see things. For them President Aquino is no more a bad Catholic for pushing RH than Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a good Catholic for pushing her luck. For them, being challenged by a priest to leave Mass if they believe in RH is for them to rise to that challenge. For them RH is just Rx. Just what the doctor ordered

Section 17. Women's Right to Health. - (a) Comprehensive Health Services. - The State shall, at all times, provide for a comprehensive, culture-sensitive, and gender-responsive health services and programs covering all stages of a woman's life cycle and which addresses the major causes of women's mortality and morbidity:Provided, That in the provision for comprehensive health services, due respect shall be accorded to women's religious convictions, the rights of the spouses to found a family in accordance with their religious convictions, and the demands of responsible parenthood, and the right of women to protection from hazardous drugs, devices, interventions, and substances. Access to the following services shall be ensured: (1) Maternal care to include pre- and post-natal services to address pregnancy and infant health and nutrition; (2) Promotion of breastfeeding; (3) Responsible, ethical, legal, safe, and effective methods of family planning; (4) Family and State collaboration in youth sexuality education and health services without prejudice to the primary right and duty of parents to educate their children; (5) Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections, including sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, and AIDS; (6) Prevention and management of reproductive tract cancers like breast and cervical cancers, and other gynecological conditions and disorders; (7) Prevention of abortion and management of pregnancy-related complications; (8) In cases of violence against women and children, women and children victims and survivors shall be provided with comprehensive health services that include psychosocial, therapeutic, medical, and legal interventions and assistance towards healing, recovery, and empowerment; (9) Prevention and management of infertility and sexual dysfunction pursuant to ethical norms and medical standards; (10) Care of the elderly women beyond their child-bearing years; and (11) Management, treatment, and intervention of mental health problems of women and girls. In addition, healthy lifestyle activities are encouraged and promoted through programs and projects as strategies in the prevention of diseases. (b) Comprehensive Health Information and Education. - The State shall provide women in all sectors with appropriate, timely, complete, and accurate information and education on all the above-stated aspects of women's health in government education and training programs, with due regard to the following: (1) The natural and primary right and duty of parents in the rearing of the youth and the development of moral character and the right of children to be brought up in an atmosphere of morality and rectitude for the enrichment and strengthening of character; (2) The formation of a person's sexuality that affirms human dignity; and (3) Ethical, legal, safe, and effective family planning methods including fertility awareness.

3.5B for medical care unwanted pregnancies 4 b from 1.9 bilion saved 8oo m