Glaiza Fe A.

Gomez

BSA II-1

I. Introduction
The Reproductive Health bills, popularly known as the RH Bill, are Philippine bills aiming to guarantee universal access to methods and information on birth control and maternal care. The bills have become the center of a contentious national debate. There are presently two bills with the same goals: House Bill No. 4244 or An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development, and For Other Purposes introduced by Albay 1st district Representative Edcel Lagman, and Senate Bill No. 2378 or An Act Providing For a National Policy on Reproductive Health and Population and Development introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.

Provisions: The bill mandates the government to promote, without bias, all effective natural and modern methods of family planning that are medically safe and legal. Although abortion is recognized as illegal and punishable by law, the bill states that the government shall ensure that all women needing care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner. The bill calls for a multi-dimensional approach integrates a component of family planning and responsible parenthood into all government anti-poverty programs. Under the bill, age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education is required from grade five to fourth year high school using life-skills and other approaches. The bill also mandates the Department of Labor and Employment to guarantee the reproductive health rights of its female employees. Companies with less than 200 workers are required to enter into partnership with health care providers in their area for the delivery of reproductive health services. Employers are obliged to monitor pregnant working employees among their workforce and ensure they are provided paid half-day prenatal medical leaves for each month of the pregnancy period that they are employed. The national government and local governments will ensure the availability of reproductive health care services, including family planning and prenatal care. Any person or public official who prohibits or restricts the delivery of legal and medically safe reproductive health care services will be meted penalty by imprisonment or a fine.

II. Reaction
The Reproductive Health Bill is one of the hottest issue and controversy of the country today. Its about the reproductive health, to control the population growth of the country. It has been undergo debates on the congress just to decide if it will be pursue as a law, but until now there is no result yet. The big question s that... what will really be the true essence of this bill? And do we need to agree with it or not? On my stand as a student, I dont agree with the house bill base on my understanding about it. I believe that it is an anti-life bill. As a Roman Catholic, only God can take our life because he is the one who give it to us. Another reason is that the bill is against the will of God because it is an anti-life bill. If this bill will become a law, the use of contraceptives will be legalize and abortion as well. If certain woman dont use contraceptive then she will get pregnant, all she can do is abort the baby just to abide the law which is the two-child policy or the reproductive health control. In abortion, I cant imagine the aborted baby. I really felt self pity because it is life that you take away and I believe that only God could do this thing. Another thing is if this bill will become a law, teaching of sex education to the children will be done. With in fact children must not teach about this for they are still young. Yes, at our elementary years we are taught about reproductive system but not to the extent that sex education and on how to have safe sex in order not to produce a new individual. Abortion is a crime. If they passed the RH Bill, from then, killing innocent children is a big sin. I dont think its right for a woman to get pregnant and get an abortion just because she just "isnt ready" or "just dont want one right now". I think that abortion should only be used in serious situations such as ,god forbid, if a woman gets raped or if its a medical issue. I would agree IF the provision on abortion should not be included. If they passed the RH bill, the justice system in the Philippines would not be effective. Other than that..every baby deserves a chance..and if your not ready to be a parent there are LOTS who cant have kids and would love to have that baby! Responsible parenthood should be the right thing to do and not killing innocent children. If you are not ready to have a child, then do the abstinence or rhythm method.

I disagree with the bill because reasons stipulated are shallow. One of their reasons is to control population growth of the country because they believe that overpopulation leads the people in the community suffer poverty. Population is not a problem, it is the government who handle the country. It is there duty and responsibility to seek solutions to the problems that the country is suffering nowadays. If they believe that reproductive control is the main solution of this then for me they are wrong. As base on the survey, we are not facing overpopulation today, the problem is only few dies but many are born but it doesnt mean that it is overpopulation. There are many countries and nations that have high population but they remains as a developing nations. The true problem which we are facing right now is CORRUPTION not the reason that Philippines have 90,000,000 in population. I dont really think that this bill could be the solution to the problems we are facing now in our country - poverty! It is the government who is responsible to produce and provide enough necessity of the people. It is not that they will make a law that will control the child birth. If this decision that the government believe is the solution base on their statistics and studies in the countrys economic standing then I strongly disagree about this. The future depends on the decision of the couple if they will raise many children but not using contraceptives. Progress in the country can be achieved if people in the community will work hand in hand; population is not the problem.