Reproductive health advocates are challenging national and local candidates to ensure the full implementation of the Reproductive Health (RH) Law.
“The national and local governments should make RH Law implementation a top priority. This means formulating programs that will provide access to RH information and services, including family planning commodities and age-appropriate sex education, and allocating sufficient budget for their implementation,” said Romeo Dongeto, Exceutive Director of the Philippine Legislator’s Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD).
Read: WITH RESERVATIONS: PH misses RH goals: teen pregnancies & HIV rise
The Philippine PLCPD stressed the importance of the RH law in improving maternal health and promoting family planning and responsible parenthood, adding that candidates should have a strong political will to go against the relentless challenge posed by anti-RH forces, particularly the Catholic Church.
Former Secretary of the Department of Health, Dr. Esperanza Cabral, convener of the Purple Ribbon for RH Movement, also emphasized that reproductive health is a fundamental human right that the government should protect and provide for.
“It is primarily the government’s responsibility to uphold RH as part of our country’s commitment to various international agreements recognizing RH as a fundamental human right. Elected officials are bound by law to fulfill this commitment and meaningfully implement the RH Law,” she said.
The Purple Ribbon for RH Movement formally launched its campaign to urge voters and candidates to support RH on Tuesday, March 15, at Kamuning Bakery, Judge Jimenez St., Quezon City. The group likewise announced which candidates it will support in the coming elections.
Next: The status of RH in the Philippines
Lagging behind on RH targets
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently revealed that the Philippines has failed to meet its RH targets under the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).
According to the WHO, around 2 out of 3 Filipinas do not employ any birth control method, resulting in about 28% of all pregnancies being unwanted. While maternal deaths have decreased from 152 deaths per 100,000 births in 1990 to 114 in 2015, the country has yet to meet its target of 52 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Maternal mortality instead increased to 221 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births from 162 in 2006, according to the 2011 Family Health Survey.
Meanwhile, seventy Filipinas induce abortion per hour, 11 are hospitalized, and 3 die from abortion-related complications.
In addition, the country has also failed to decrease the number of teen pregnancies.
Every two and a half minutes, a 15-19 year old girl gives birth in the Philippines, revealed May-I Fabros, Youth Commissioner of the Philippine Commission on Women. Fabros added that adolescents account for a third of abortions in the country.
“One in ten 15-19 year olds are mothers already. Many induce abortions,” said Clarita Padilla, Executive Director of Engenderights in a previous press conference.
Next: Unmet family planning needs
Unmet family planning needs
Based on data from the Commission on Population, contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) rose from 39 percent in 2012 to 46 percent in 2014. However, the Department of Health says seven million Filipino women still have unmet needs for family planning services.
Dongeto also added that giving young people access to RH services will help curb rising teenage pregnancy and HIV cases among the youth.
According to the Philippine National Aids Council, the country is one of only seven countries worldwide that has failed to curb the spread of HIV.
In 2008, one new HIV case was reported per day in the Philippines. This rose to 4 cases a day in 2010, 9 cases a day in 2012, 17 cases a day in 2014, and 22 cases a day in 2015.
All 17 regions of the country are reporting HIV cases. Seventy-two out of 80 provinces are also reporting HIV cases.
As of July 2015, 206 or 30% of all HIV cases were reported among young people between the ages of 15-24 years old. Ninety-four percent of these were males. Similarly, ninety-four percent or 204 were infected through sexual contact, of which 19 were heterosexual contact; 113 male to male sexual contact; and 72 were from sex between both males and females.
One percent or 2 resulted from sharing needles for illegal drug use.
Next: RH advocates support RH friendly election candidates
RH advocates declare support for candidates
“The RH struggle continues until we see the full fruition of our decade-long effort to pass the RH Law. The 2016 election is upon us and we must use this opportunity to win the fight for Filipino women and families,” Dr. Cabral concluded.
“The 2016 elections is an opportune time that we use our power to make those who subvert our right to reproductive health like Senator Tito Sotto pay for their crime (sic) and vote for candidates who champion RH,” Dr. Cabral added.
Cabral was referring to the fact that Senators Sotto and Loren Legarda were behind the P1 billion cut on the 2016 budget for family planning. RH advocates have criticized the budget cut as it “threatens to reverse gains in reproductive health in recent years”.
The groups also declared Manny Pacquiao as unfit sit in government, and encouraged voters not to vote the senator.
The gathering of women's groups and reproductive health advocates meanwhile declared their support for Leni Robredo for Vice President; and Risa Hontiveros, Walden Bello, and Leila de Lima for Senator.
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