Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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.
of
Health,
to
be
the
central
planning,
coordinating,
Mandates no less than 10% increase in the honoraria of communitybased 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.
-
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
ones fertility or to plan ones 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 womens 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 candidates championing of family
planning issues will spell that candidates 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
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
coordinating,
implementing
and
monitoring
body
for
the
The prevalence of child labor rises, and school attendance falls, with
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;
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;
organizations
(NGOs),
peoples
organizations
(POs)
and
to
make
other
decisions
concerning
reproduction
free
of
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
Male involvement
and participation
refers
to the involvement,
manage
normal
(uncomplicated)
pregnancies,
childbirth
and
the
health of individuals
with
the
concurrent
strengthening
and
enforcement
of
National
2.
3.
4.
Department
9.
Department
Social
of
of
the
Department
of
Labor
11.
Union
of
and
on
the
Local
Commission
Development
Agriculture
Interior
and
Local
Natural
Higher
Philippines
Authorities
the
Role
Resources
Population
of
the
Institute
Philippines
Commission
of
Filipino
(DSWD)
(DOLE)
(DA)
(DILG)
(DepEd)
Education
Anti-Poverty
on
Government
Education
and
(VEDA)
(DOH)
Employment
of
Environment
National
National
and
of
Commission
of
Health
Welfare
Department
University
13.
of
Department
10.
12.
of
Department
7.
8.
DevelopmentAuthority
Department
5.
6.
Economic
Women
(DENR)
(CHED)
(UPPI)
(ULAFI)
(NAPQ
(NCRFW)
10. Contraceptives
as
Essential
Medicines.
Hormonal
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. 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.