Abortion in the Philippines

An abortion is defined as a procedure to end a pregnancy. It uses medicine or surgery

to remove the embryo or foetus and placenta from the uterus. For a very long time, abortion
has been criminalized in the Philippines through the implementation of Penal Code of 1870
under Spanish colonial rule. Criminal provisions were then later incorporated on into the
Revised Penal Code passed in 1930 under U.S. occupation of the Philippines. Since that time,
countries around the globe have taken steps into liberalizing and decriminalizing abortion.
Philippines on the other hand, seem to be reluctant to do the same. Catholic Church hierarchy
on the country currently wields strong influence on its people. The church not only condemns
abortion, but forbids the use of modern contraceptives. Despite this resistance, past legislative
developments have been supportive of reproductive health. The policy was strongly opposed
by the church hierarchy; however, it is generally supported by the Philippine public.

Despite the efforts to improve access to contraceptive services, abortion is illegal

under all circumstances and is highly stigmatized by the Filipinos. Nonetheless, abortion is
common, but is often performed in unsanitary conditions and using out-dated procedure.
Unsafe abortion carries significant risks for Filipino women: About 1,000 die each year from
abortion complications, which contributes to the nation’s high maternal mortality ratio.

People have been divided on the morality of abortion. The abortion debate deals with
the ethical and unethical dilemma of deliberately ending a pregnancy before normal
childbirth, killing the foetus in the process. There are various arguments that defend the idea
of abortion and those that persecute and strongly against it.

Abortion advocates exemplifies the idea that it is the women’s right and entitlement to
decide whether or not she wants to continue her pregnancy. Health related reasons such as
life threatening pregnancies are brought onto the table of the debate. Advocates also argue
that the criminalization of abortion is unfair for women who are victims of abuse. Rape
victims should have the right to stop the pregnancy she never intended. Poverty is also one of
the reasons why aborting pregnancy is viewed as a rightful act. Parents who do not have the
capacity to sustain and support a child, takes the steps in to terminating pregnancy. By doing
so, the child will be saved from the oppression and difficulties brought by scarcity.

An argument was raised by Don Marquis, author of Why abortion is immoral,

pertaining to the pro-choice movement or people who sees abortion as an exercise freedom
and individuality says “The pro-choicer wants to find a moral principle concerning the
wrongness of killing which tends to be narrow in scope in order that foetuses will not fall
under it.” If an embryo is a person, so, abortion is certainly a homicide. So, it accounts
against abortion morally if that involves homicide, violating the foetus’s right to life.

The morality of abortion depends on question about women’s right to bodily

autonomy and the foetus’ right to live. The status of abortion in the Philippines was clearly
not been addressed accordingly with the current provisions. It still exists and the process of
extraction or abortion, are proven to be harmful and deadly. The debate about the morality of
abortion will go surely go on as debating principles about the right for autonomy and right for
life are unresolved. Whatever it is, what I can derived from this exploration about the current
situation of abortion in the Philippines is that, the current provisions about abortion are
ineffective and are consequently backfired because it did not stop abortion from happening,
but drive the people to do the operations underground. Legislators should focus on studying
interventions that could mitigate the existing problems about abortion in the Philippines.

REFERENCESS:

Goncena A. (2020). Reproductive Health in the Philippines: Poverty, Religiosity, and

Navigating Reproductive Choices.Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343813300_Reproductive_Health_in_the_
Philippines_Poverty_Religiosity_and_Navigating_Reproductive_Choices
Tadir, A. (1989). Commentary on the law and abortion in the Philippines.Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/20564698_Commentary_on_the_law_and_
abortion_in_the_Philippines/citations

Likhaan.(2007), Reproductive Health, Rights and Ethics Center for Studies and Training
(ReproCen), and CRR, Imposing Misery: The Impact of Manila’s Ban on
Contraception, Quezon City, Philippines: Likhaan; Manila, Philippines: ReproCen;
and New York: CRR

Weiss K.(2012), Philippines birth control: Filipinos want it, priests don’t,  Los Angeles
Times,Retrievedfrom<http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/population/l
a-fg-population-matters5-20120729-html,0,5897961.htmlstory>

Philippines Department of Health (DOH), Passage of Reproductive Health Bill, press

release, (2012). Retrieved from <http://www.doh.gov.ph/content/press-statement-
passage-reproductive-health-bill.html>