BLE CRITIQUE ON THE RESPONSI Wie PARENTHOOD AND COLL ain ACT OF 2012, REPUBLIC ACT NO. known as RH LAW LESSON 24 Lesson Objectives: isions, and potential im This module discusses background, rationale, salient provist Pacts 1 12” or RA to: of the “Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act oe Pee ete known as RH Law. This module also discusses the pros and cons o! end of this module, you should be able to: 1. understand fully the background, rationale, salient provisions and potential impacts of the “Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012” or RA 10354; and 2. _ havea stand/position on whether helshe agrees/disagrees on the existence and legality of the said law. Introduction As you will notice, itis quite common for your grandparents have seven (7) or eight 8) siblings. Some even have more. This is not the commonplace nowadays, as most couples settle for two (2) or three (3) kids, that is why most of you have few siblings unlike previous times. This phenomenon is very simple-rearing children became costly in terms of time and resources. CONTEMPLATE. Do the activity and reflect on the question Posed to you. How much is your weekly allowance? a What are your personal expenses that you spend your noe ae it A Course Module for Gender : eA nae Ecol Bical Ap, ProachNow out of your classroom and visit your nearest ask for the costs of the following products in th a e table there Quantity {g, mL, packs) sari store or grocery store below: : Infant formula (o-6mos) Diapers | Baby shampoo Baby lotion [Baby oil a Alcohol Feeding bottle Crib [stroller How much would be the minimum cost for raising a baby? What are your insights from this activity? ‘als that babies must use during their early months. The items mentioned are the essenti uu are prepared t0 ing the costs of these items will enable you to assess whether you = me a parent or not. Rat tionale of the RH Law aig ne BeponsbleFarenthood and Reproductive Health Acto! Mean qt 2” ¥28 primarily enacted on a vision that the poor will have access to Reproductive (RH) goods and services which they cannot afford. With this law, the Poor will likely have access to information about che proper use and effectiveness ofthese RH products £2012” or RA 10354,also known Unit IV: Political-Legal Perspective in Gender and Sexualityd services to reach marginalizeg an Apparently, the failure of the market of RH goods measures to address in and initiate women compelled the Philippine Government to step in a — ing abortion and abortifacient However, RH Law was depicted by paintings of promoting ic ‘h. products — thus, sinful and frowned upon by the Catholic Chur Elements of RH Law The elements of the recently enacted RH Law are as follows: @ family planning information and services; | ding; (2) maternal, infant, and child health and nutrition, including breast feeding; i ications; (3) prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion compli (4) adolescent and youth reproductive health guidance and counseling; (5) _ prevention and management of reproductive tract infections (RTIs), HIV/AIDS, and STIs; (6) elimination of VAWC and other forms of sexual and GBV; (7) education and counselling on sexuality and reproductive health; (8) treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers and other gynecologic conditions and disorders; (9) male responsibility and involvement and men’s RH; (10) prevention, treatment, and management of infertility and sexual dysfunction; (1) RH education for the adolescents; and (12) mental health aspect of reproductive health care, Salient provisions Midwives for skilled birth attendance: The law manda ? tes every ci Ser, ‘oemploy an adequate number of midwives and other skilled ae a a nts, Emergency obstetric care: Each and operation of hospitals with adequ: Province and city sh, all . ae aia Snsure the establishment emergency obstetric care. es and quali And qualified personnel that provide scant sPitahbated family planning: The law requires fami jetion, vasectomy, andintrauterinedevice WUD) placema "'Y Planning services like hospitals, ‘obeavailablein all government Contraceptivesas essential medicines:Reprodyer essential medicines and supplies and sh ee tehealt th all form part of the Nationa shall be considered ‘ACourse Module for Gender and Society: A Human Ecology logical Appro, achReproductive health education: RH education shall be taught by vache inan age-appropriate manner. adequately trained Employers’ responsibilities: Employers shall respect the reproductive health rights ofall their workers. Women shall not be discriminated against in the matter of biting regularization of employment status, or selection for retrenchment, Employers shall provide free reproductive health services and education to workers. Capability building of community-based volunteer workers: Community-based workers shallundergo additional and updated training on the delivery of reproductive health care services and shall receive not less than 10% increase in honoraria upon successful completion of training. Prohibited Acts The law also provides for penalties for persons who perform certain prohibited acts such as the following: + knowingly (with malicious intent) withholding or impeding the dissemination «of information about the programs and services provided for in this Act or intentionally giving out incorrect information; + refusing to perform voluntary ligation and vasectomy and other legal and medically-safe reproductive health care services on any person of legal age on the ground of lack of spousal consent or authorization; + refusing to provide reproductive health care services to an abused minor and/ oran abused pregnant minor, whose condition is certified to by an authorized DSWD official or personnel, even without parental consent particularly when the parent concerned is the perpetrator; * refusing to extend reproductive health care services and information on account of the patient's civil status, gender or sexual orientation, age, religion, personal circumstances, and nature of work: Provided that all conscientious objections of health care service providers based on religious grounds shall be respected: Provided, further, that the conscientious objector shall immediately refer the person seeking such Care and services to another health care service provider within the same facility or one who is conveniently accessible: Provided, finally, that the patient is not in an emergency or serious case, as defined in RA 8344, penalizing the refusal of hospitals and medical clinics to administer appropriate initial medical treatment and support in emergency and serious cases; and requiring a female applicant or employee, as a condition for employment or continued employment, to involuntarily undergo sterilization, tubal ligation, or any other form of contraceptive method. Unit 1V;Political-Legal Perspective in Gender and Sexuality — [EENLegislating RH ‘The road to the enactment of the RH Law was a painstaking path. The main blockade was the constitutional provision, particularly that provided in Article II, Section 12 of the 198) Constitution which mandates that: “The State recognizes the sanctity of life shall equally protect the life of the mothe 7 and the life of the unborn from conception.” In this regard, the 1987 Constitution itself mandates that the Philippine Governmeny must recognize the importance of life and protect the life of the mother and unborn, Inasmuch as artificial family planning methods (ie., IUDs, condoms) are labeled a, “anti-life” and against conception, these are interpreted to be against the sanctity of life making them contrary to the said fundamental law of the land. In addition, these “pro-life groups strongly advocate the use of natural methods (i.e, abstinence, calendar methods), On the other hand, advocates of the RH Law counter this concept of proliferating abortion or abortifacient products by scientific findings which claimed otherwise. What these debates are missing outis clearly the spirit of the law-to allow women to choose freely whatever method of family planning is fit and appropriate to them. Claiming that one is better as compared to the other delimits these supposedly “free choice” that women truly deserve, COMMUNICATE: Group yourselves into two. As a group, do the following: 1. Eachgroupshall choose stand (Pro or Against) in the enactment ofthe “Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012” of RA 10354. 2. The group shall search the Internet for al issues, concerns, and relevant matters | about the law to support their stance/position. Write your stand (Pro/Against) and all your reasons below. Stand: Reasons: Present your stand and reasons in class. 5 FEE A course Module for Gender and Society: A Human Ecological Approachlitical battle Jong P° he bout a unified reproductive health poli Talks ae way back the 1960s with th ppilipPiDe re of population control to mana i the backlash of the CBCP was uni Hence! — y had been roamin © creation of a Po, Be high fertility rates relenting, RH Law, which was finally enacted in 2012, The actment, lobbyists of this law thought its fe March 2013, the law was challenged befo 8 the spheres of the Pulation Commission and alleviate poverty Was a product of a t4-year struggle, that victory was already achieved re the SC of the Philippines, delaying the law was held to be valid, except for clauses therein, luctive health services without the wri that dian and penal measures for government officials who did not impl guar Ate vevely ter jmplementation, Ayear after, its’ : : itten consent ofa minors to access reprod: it mae lemient the law. a further temporary restraining order (TRO) issued again by the nation's SC ie ne Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Philippines from procuring, : : ee : are or issuing new certificates of product registration on more than 50 differem jistributing, s i ae allowing many licenses to eventually expire. contraceptives, oO istered a contraceptive implant called ched after the FDA registered a ; ie vn h ears could be used to induce abortion. Two (2) yeasafer i sai : stified t bortifacients. Sarthe certified that Implanon and Implanon NXT are not abort TRO, the ly. distributes h the TRO finally lifted, the Department of Health now freely With the = contraceptives to their regional offices and to various N ee = COLLABORATE. Find a pair. Each pair will do the following: Interview a woman from your community who has availed of the products and from y‘ ity iew a wo! i i if the RH Law. services brought about by the implementation o} 2 Ask her the fc it wers in the spaces provided: lowing and write her answers in the spa : the fol a Name: eee eS No. of children, if any: _—_—$—____———_ Occupation, if any: _——$—$—___—__ ices were used? What RH products and services were cantsety EM ive in Gender ective in Unit IV: Political-Legal PersP*: ae £ Where were these RH products and services obtained! ct ‘ices? 8 How long have you been using these RH products and service: fre Fog h. Were there differences in the access, distribution, and oo ese RH products and services from the time the RH Law was enactet i, Did these differences affect your life positively? How? Report the output of the interview in class. Summary The “Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012” truly a landmark legislation which has the noblest intention of allowing those who are poor, to have a choice on their family planning methods, or RA 10354, was women, especially No matter the debates and the long winding journey, the RH Law is now implemented and it is expected that all actors must comply to the sam e. As can be seen, the RH Law is *eplete with substantial provisions envisioning an empowered Filipino woman with choices in her life. ‘ive Module for Gender and Society: A Human Ecological Approach