Abortion in the Philippines: Reasons and Responsibilities

Aileen Grace Delima

The State recognizes the sanctity of family life

shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception.. -Article II, Section 12 of Philippine Constitution-

Legal Basis of Abortion

Revised Penal Code of the Philippines (1930)

Articles

256, 258, 259

House Bill 6343 United Nations

Unintended pregnancy is the root cause of abortion.

Prevalence of Abortion

Figure 1. Nearly half of pregnancies each year end in an induced abortion or an unplanned birth.

Figure 3. Between 1994 and 2000, abortion rates did not change much nationally, but they increased in Metro Manila and Visayas.

The majority of women having abortions are:

Nine in 10 have ever been married or in a consensual union.

The majority of women having abortions are:

More than half have at least three children.

The majority of women having abortions are:

Roughly two-thirds are poor.

The majority of women having abortions are:

Nearly 90% are Catholic.

The majority of women having abortions are:

Seven in 10 have at least some high school education.

Reasons
Economic cost Family planning Health Rape incest Age Societys moralism

Fig.3. Both poor and nonpoor women seeking abortion are concerned with the high cost of raising children.

Responsibilities
All stakeholders:
this

means taking the necessary steps to address this problem.

Addressing the Problem

Young
on

people, as well as adults, need:

and accurate information

complete

reproductive health and contraception, the risks of unsafe abortion, health and societal benefits of family planning

Addressing the Problem

Policymakers must:
clarify

the legal and medical grounds on which abortion may be allowed

Addressing the Problem

Increased
help

use of effective contraceptives

achieve desired family size require knowledge, access and government funding

Addressing the Problem

Increased

resources should be directed

at improving the quality of postabortion care by expanding services such as: PMAC (Prevention and Management of Abortion and its Complications) program

Addressing the Problem

To

receive the care that women need:

medical professionals should be trained carry out the full range of reproductive health services

In Davao City
absence of comprehensive local health ordinance increase unwanted pregnancies and alcoholism abortion and early marriages among youth aborted fetuses dumped in trash bins

Plans
Provisions to provide women with preand post-natal care Provide reproductive health and rights education Reproductive Health Care Act:

establishment

of a Reproductive Health Clinic reproductive health education program for women and men

-end-