REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BILL

INTRODUCTION Science has therefore been charged with undermining morality, but the charge is unjust. A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death. ~Albert Einstein~ Philippines today have increasing number of maternal mortality rate, neonatal death, and abortion which is the result of unplanned pregnancy; adults and adolescences lack of knowledge about sexual reproduction its pros and cons, parents shortcomings, lack of parental guidance, and the inaccessibility of health care services in the area. Due to these alarming occurrences, Hon. Edcel Lagman drafted a bill that shall prevent or decrease such occurrences, promote health, and wellness towards responsible parenthood and reproductive health, thus Republic Act 10354 is passed. The Roman Catholic Church Authorities in the Philippines oppose this proposed bill because according to them, it promotes artificial methods of birth control and the legalization of the abortion. Artificial Birth control and abortion are against to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. While other non-religious groups called themselves, Pro-Life consider the artificial birth control as abortifacient or is life threatening not only to the unborn children but also the pregnant mothers. So, what is the RH Bill all about? It is an Act providing a national policy on Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health. Reproductive Health (RH) according to Section 4(p) of RA 10354 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 responsible, safe, consensual and satisfying sex life, that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to do so. This further implies that women and men attain equal relationship in matters related to sexual relations and reproduction. The reproductive health (RH) bill promotes information on and access to both natural and modern family planning methods, which are medically safe and legally permissible. It assures an enabling environment where women and couples have the freedom of informed choice on the mode of family planning they want to adopt based on their needs, personal convictions and religious beliefs. The bill does not have any bias for or against either natural or modern family planning. Both modes are contraceptive methods. Their common purpose is to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Coverage of RH is (1) Information and access to natural and modern family planning (2) Maternal, infant and child health and nutrition (3) Promotion of breast feeding (4) Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications (5) Adolescent and youth health (6) Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections, HIV/AIDS and STDs (7) Elimination of violence against women (8) Counseling on sexuality and sexual and reproductive

health (9) Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers (10) Male involvement and participation in RH; (11) Prevention and treatment of infertility and (12) RH education for the youth. Reproductive health education. RH education in an age-appropriate manner shall be taught by adequately trained teachers from Grade 5 to 4th year high school. As proposed in the bill, core subjects include responsible parenthood, natural and modern family planning, proscription and hazards of abortion, reproductive health and sexual rights, abstinence before marriage, and responsible sexuality. The bill is not antilife. It is proquality life. It will ensure that children will be blessings for their parents since their births are planned and wanted. It will empower couples with the information and opportunity to plan and space their children. This will not only strengthen the family as a unit but also optimize care for children who will have more opportunities to be educated, healthy and productive. The bill does not interfere with family life. In fact, it enhances family life. The family is more than a natural nucleus; it is a social institution whose protection and development are impressed with public interest. It is not untouchable by legislation. For this reason, the State has enacted the Civil Code on family relations, the Family Code, and the Child and Youth Welfare Code. The bill does not legalize abortion. It expressly provides that abortion remains a crime and prevention of abortion is essential to fully implement the Reproductive Health Care Program. While, management of post-abortion complications is provided, this is not to condone abortion but to promote the humane treatment of women in life-threatening situations as in the case of therapeutic abortion. Contraceptives do not have life-threatening side effects. Medical and scientific evidence shows that all the possible medical risks connected with contraceptives are infinitely lower than the risks of an actual pregnancy and everyday activities. The risk of dying within a year of riding a car is 1 in 5,900. The risk of dying within a year of using pills is 1 in 200,000. The risk of dying from a vasectomy is 1 in 1 million and the risk of dying from using an IUD is 1 in 10 million. The probability of dying from condom use is absolutely zero. But the risk of dying from a pregnancy is 1 in 10,000. The bill will not promote contraceptive mentality. The bill does not prohibit pregnancy. Critics are mistaken in claiming that because contraceptives would be readily available, people would prefer to have no children at all. Couples will not stop wanting children simply because contraceptives are available. Contraceptives are used to prevent unwanted pregnancies but not to stop pregnancies altogether. Timed pregnancies are assured. The bill does not impose a two-child policy. It does not promote a compulsory policy strictly limiting a family to two children and no punitive action shall be imposed on parents with more than two children. This number is not an imposition or is it arbitrary because results of the 2003 National Demographic and Health Survey show that the ideal of two children approximates the desired fertility of women. Sexuality education will neither spawn a generation of sex maniacs nor breed a culture of promiscuity. Age-appropriate RH education promotes correct sexual values. It will not only instill consciousness of freedom of choice but also responsible exercise of ones rights. The UN

and countries which have youth sexuality education document its beneficial results: understanding of proper sexual values is promoted; early initiation into sexual relations is delayed; abstinence before marriage is encouraged; multiple-sex partners is avoided; and spread of sexually transmitted diseases is prevented. It does not claim that family planning is the panacea for poverty. It simply recognizes the verifiable link between a huge population and poverty. Unbridled population growth stunts socioeconomic development and aggravates poverty. The connection between population and development is well-documented and empirically established. Ethics is the normative science which teaches man how to distinguish good from evil with the special emphasis of overcoming evil and the practice of good. It uses morality as a tool. Morality is defined as the quality of human acts by which we judge them right or wrong, good or evil. The concept of morality revolves around the problem of good and evil. Its sole basis is human actions. Human actions are either good, bad or indifferent, depending on the relationship of the act having moral perfection and fullness required by the object of the actions. An act is good when it agrees to the dictates of right reason or the rules of morality. An act is bad when it disagrees with the dictates of right reason or the rules of morality. An act is indifferent when it stands no positive relation to the dictates of the right reason or the rules or morality. Beneficence is the ethical theory to do what is good. This priority to do good makes an ethical perspective and possible solution to an ethical dilemma acceptable. This principle is also related to the principle of utility (Utilitarianism), which states that we should attempt to generate the largest ratio of good over evil possible in the world. This principle stipulates that ethical theories should strive to achieve the greatest amount of good because people benefit from the most good. Non-malfeasance is to do no harm. Respect for autonomy states that an ethical theory should allow people to reign over themselves and to be able to make decisions that apply to their lives. This means that people should have control over their lives as much as possible because they are the only people who completely understand their chosen type of lifestyle. The Deontological theory states that people should adhere to their obligations and duties when analyzing an ethical dilemma. This mans that a person will follow his or her obligations to another individual or society because upholding ones duty is what is considered ethically correct. Deontology provides a basis for special duties to specific people, sucha a those within ones family.

Conclusion

Reproductive Health Bill is Moral because it agree to the dictates of right reason or the rules of morality. Beneficence is shown that the programs of RH bill such as (1) Information and access to natural and modern family planning (2) Maternal, infant and child health and nutrition (3) Promotion of breast feeding (4) Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications (5) Adolescent and youth health (6) Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections, HIV/AIDS and STDs (7) Elimination of violence against women (8) Counseling on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health (9) Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers (10) Male involvement and participation in RH; (11) Prevention and treatment of infertility and (12) RH education for the youth will benefit, not only a few, but all citizens of the Philippines. It will generate the largest ratio of benefited youth than those deprived of sexual education in terms of health, productivity of life, and lifestyle [Utilitarianism]. It prevents risks of diseases and promotes health, thus it does no harm [Non-maleficence]. As stated previously, the RH Bill allows legal use of contraceptives. It holds no bias for people who prefer modern family planning over natural or vice versa. It encompasses the free giving of condoms, a type of contraceptive, to the people, to promote reproductive health. This is to give freedom of informed choice, which is central to the exercising of any right [respect for Autonomy]. Another of the bills guiding principles is the protection and promotion of gender equality, especially women empowerment, to allow women to exercise their right to control their own bodies. Lastly, it is the prime duty of the Government to protect the nation through making a policy on responsible parenthood and reproductive health, and it is also the duty of the future parents to be responsible for their own actions, to be of good example to the youth, to promote health and provide maximum level of wellness. Reference: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/bishops-women-argue-morality-grand-rh-bill-debate161306573.html http://quierosaber.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/morality-and-the-rh-bill/ http://www.studymode.com/essays/Rh-Bill-Pro-Stance-598998.html http://www.studymode.com/essays/Rh-Bill-656830.html http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/kabernd/indep/carainbow/Theories.htm http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/talkofthetown/view/20080803152296/Reproductive-health-bill-Facts-fallacies http://www.scribd.com/doc/63571191/Ethics-Morality-of-Act