Philippines' Reproductive Health Law

 

RESPONSIBLE  PARENTHOOD and

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ACT 2012

( Republic Act No. 10354 )

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 of contraception, fertility control, sexual education, and maternal care.

While there is general agreement about its provision 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 disseminates information on their use through all health care center.

This law is all about human population.Their is always advantages and disadvantages regarding this law, in my own understanding about this law you has always a freedom to choose about your sex life, but now you have a limitation.Weather you like it or not it's our Law now, law is always a law so you must obey our law. But it is always the choice of both parent to do such things, to use contraceptives or not,its their choice but make it sure that you has/have a capability to give the basic needs of a child when it was made.I thinks this law is more on futuristic event to be happen. But I am agree by this law, nowadays as I observe by my own two eyes many children are suffering by their parents fault. They are starving no food to eat cause by their own parent can't sustain their food to eat, so now the problem is in here the new life that they made suffering by the fault of his/her parent who cant sustain his/her basic needs esp. the food the very important to a human being like a child. So now I am agree by this law if ever we are not being educated by this law our country will be much populated by the people who has no care about what they made. I am not telling that you should use contraceptives it is a way of telling someone to be educated about sex life. We all know that abortion is a part of our law anyone caught by this things probably be in prison, using contraceptive for me is not killing life its about educating someone to be able to know what they are doing or let us say be a responsible one of what they are making of. 

Be a responsible one, don't do a things just to sustain or be satisfy about your sex life. Do it when you think you can be a responsible parent, you has/have a permanent work a settle life to build a family. Think about the future of what would you done before thinking about yourself. Its all about life we are talking about life here. 

Senate Bill 2378 defines the term "reproductive health care" as follows:

Reproductive Health Care – refers to the state of complete 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 functions 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 attain equal relationships in matters related to sexual relations and reproduction.

Reproductive Rights is defined by Senate Bill 2378 as follows:

the rights of individuals and couples, to decide freely and responsibly whether or not to have children; 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 do so; and to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health.

The opposition says that by supporting such definitions, the country will guarantee this same right of having "a satisfying and safe sex life" and the freedom of decision to unmarried children and teenagers, since they are "people." They argue that this will lead to promiscuity among the young, as they will be granted the unstoppable right to "decide if, when and how often to reproduce.

 Summary of Major 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.

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 are for the delivery of the reproductive health services.

Employers with more than 200 employees shall provide reproductive health services to all employees in their own respective health facilities. Those with less than 200 workers shall enter into partnerships with health professionals for the delivery of reproductive health services. Employer shall inform employees of the availability of the family planning services. They are also obliged to monitor pregnant working employees among their workforce and ensure that they are provided paid half-day prenatal medical leaves for each month of pregnancy period that they are employed.

The national government and the local governments will ensure the availability of the 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 fine.