More than 200 Students of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Support the RH Bill

I will comment almost every line and will focus more on the erroneous side of this Bill, minimizing religious talks as much as possible.

SEC. 2. – Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes and guarantees the exercise of the universal basic human right to reproductive health by all persons, particularly of parents, couples and women, consistent with their religious convictions, cultural beliefs and the demands of responsible parenthood. Toward this end, there shall be no discrimination against any person on grounds such as sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, disabilities, political affiliation and ethnicity.

--> Therefore when this bill becomes a law, Filipinos can either use contraceptives or natural birth control.

SEC. 2(Continued) - The State likewise guarantees universal access to medically-safe, legal, affordable, effective and quality reproductive health care services, methods, devices, supplies and relevant information and education thereon even as it prioritizes the needs of women and children, among other underprivileged sectors.

--> Philippines are already economically unstable. How can the government spent millions to provide the said serveices to all Filipinos where in fact oil prices nowadays are already increasing? "Spend much money on contraceptives so that Philippines will wake up from economic crisis" is an argument which makes the temporary decrease of the budget permanent. Prior the Philippine budget is spent for contraceptives, Philippines is more poorer at that time, unminding other costs such as educational system costs, salaries for workers, etc.

SEC. 3. (a) Freedom of choice, which is central to the exercise of right must be fully guaranteed by the State; (f) The State shall promote, without bias, all effective natural and modern methods of family planning that are medically safe and legal;
--> Another statement which leads us to think that we have a choice to either use contraceptives or not.

SEC. 3. (g) The State shall promote programs that: (1) enable couples, individuals and women to have the number and spacing of children they desire with due consideration to the health of women and resources available to them;

--> If we decide to have the number of children be 12 as long as the parents have the available resources, population is still uncontrolled. But with regards that parents have the financial support to support their children, it won't be a problem. How about those financially unstable parents who decided to have 12 children? Their is even no punishment for bearing children where parents are not financially stable enough. That makes the Philippines still poor.

SEC. 3. (i) Active participation by non-government, women’s, people’s, 1 civil society organizations and communities is crucial to ensure that reproductive health and population and development policies, plans, and programs will address the priority needs of the poor, especially women;

--> This statement only gives remedy to population control and responsible parenthood in terms of population control. The argument starts when the officials focus only of population control. The moral values, the human dignity of person, bad health effects of the bill, the application of the teens prior to them watching pornographic movies, and the like are not being considered here.

SEC. 3. (j) While this Act recognizes that abortion is illegal and punishable by law, 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;

--> Here abortion is said illegal but when abortion complication happens it will be treated in a good manner, is a contradictory statement. It is emphasized that abortion has complications. RH Bill may be a solution to reduce or at most eliminate the risk of abortion that is when all the contraceptives are working perfectly. However, use of contraceptives MAY lead addiction to sex to some young people (based on the proof that pornographic streaming in the internet are rampant to teens nowadays). Sex between teenagers may be fine to some people as long as they use contraceptives; but given that addiction is there, the woman teenager may get pregnant when the contraceptives fail. However, research shows that contraceptives will reduce sex addiction. But research also shows that this is not always true to many couples. From this statement, the human dignity of the person as a whole is not considered because situations like when the teenage lovers had sex and the boy leave her girlfriend would reduce the human dignity of the girl (as heard from many girls bearing this sentiment). Also, pornographic viewing will become more rampant as their will be a not-so-common case that teenagers would make a pornographic videos for themselves. Worse, when children are involved in sex, which is not good for some concerned parents.

SEC, 3, (m) The limited resources of the country cannot be suffered to be spread so thinly to service a burgeoning multitude that makes the allocations grossly inadequate and effectively meaningless;

--> This shows that not all people can have birth control. Based onthe argument on SEC. 2, population is still uncontrolled by the totality of the Filipinos.

SEC. 4. Adolescence refers to the period of physical and physiological development of an individual from the onset of puberty to complete growth and maturity which usually begins between 11 to 13 years and terminating at 18 to 20 years of age;
Adolescent Sexuality refers to, among others, the reproductive system, gender identity, values and beliefs, emotions, relationships and sexual behavior at adolescence;

--> Sex on children is not prohibited on this statement.

SEC. 4. Family Planning refers to a program which enables couples, individuals and women to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children, acquire relevant information on reproductive health care, services and supplies and have access to a full range of safe, legal, affordable, effective natural and modern methods of limiting and spacing pregnancy;

--> The same argument as on SEC. 3 (g). Children are included here.

SEC. 4. Poor refers to members of households identified as poor through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or any subsequent system used by the national government in identifying the poor.

--> A paradoxical definition of what is poor. That is, "poor" is used in the definition of "poor". It is obvious that the word poor is the common understanding to everone. The definition of "poor" should be elaborated further in this statement.

SEC. 4. Population and Development refers to a program that aims to: (1) help couples and parents achieve their desired family size; (2) improve reproductive health of individuals by addressing reproductive health problems; (3) contribute to decreased maternal and infant mortality rates and early child mortality; (4) reduce incidence of teenage pregnancy; and (5) recognize the linkage between population and sustainable human development;

--> For (1), see SEC. 3(g). For (3), see SEC. 3(j).

Reproductive Health 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;

--> Moral well-being should be included here, i.e in promotion of the human dignity of the person; because from the international standards of what "sexuality means", Sexuality refers to the person as a whole--his dignity, his life, his mentality, everything as a whole--and not just the sex organ.

SEC. 4 (Continued). (3) proscription of abortion and management of abortion complications;

--> Again, abortion is illegal but is treated when complication happens as a result of abortion. A contradictory statement.

SEC. 4 (Continued). (4) adolescent and youth reproductive health;

--> This statement proves that sex on the young is not prohibited, which is not okay for most parents. Some parents would say, "Studies first before relationships" as they fear that their child will become a parent at an early age. But with contraceptives, pregnancy is avoided. Hence, it is okay for the young unmarried couples to have sex with contraceptives with them. From this, the education of the individuals will be affected. Research shows that sex can reduce the cognitive analysis of individuals, especially to males. This is the reason why sex should have been prohibited to young who are still educating. Also, American statistics shows that about 40% of teens engaging in sex early in middle school have low grades.

SEC. 4 (Continued). (6) elimination of violence against women;

--> A not-so-common event resulting from this RH bill is the introduction of promiscuity, rape, and the like, to the women. This may be exaggerating to some, but is actually true to others. The arguments of the latter is obvious: Why afraid to have sex to anyone when they cannot be pregnated through contraceptives. Again, this is an issue of moral values which others did not care of.

SEC. 4. Reproductive Health Rights refer to the rights of couples, individuals and women to decide freely and responsibly whether or not to have children; to determine the number, spacing and timing of their children; to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence; to have relevant information; and to attain the highest condition of sexual and reproductive health;

--> See SEC. 4(Family Planning Definition)

SEC. 4. Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education refers to a lifelong learning process of providing and acquiring complete, accurate and relevant information and education on reproductive health and sexuality through life skills education and other approaches;

--> One approach would be to educate the child about condoms, pills, etc to avoid pregnancy. Another would be to show a pornographic film to educate the child about the necessary life skill about sex. Worse approach would be to have a demonstration in class and have a pratical exam. Another approach would be to discuss how human dignity is affected from RH Bill. Another approach would be dealing to physiological matters about fertilization, etc (this has already been discussed in Biology in highschool). For some, another approach would be to discuss moral matters regarding the sexuality of the person as a whole.

SEC. 4. Responsible Parenthood refers to the will, ability and commitment of parents to adequately respond to the needs and aspirations of the family and children by responsibly and freely exercising their reproductive health rights;

--> Responsible Parenthood can not only be exercised through reproductive health rights. On can be a responsible parent through fostering their child in education, avoiding their child to illegal drugs and snares of evil acts, fostering their child through moral values to be good socially and mentally, fostering their family to be happy always and minimize problems, and the like. According to

SEC. 5. Midwives for Skilled Attendance. – The Local Government Units (LGUs) with the assistance of the DOH, shall employ an adequate number of midwives to achieve a minimum ratio of one (1) fulltime skilled birth attendant for every one hundred fifty (150) deliveries per year, to be based on the annual number of actual deliveries or live births for the past two years; Provided, That people in geographically Isolated and depressed areas shall be provided the same level of access.

--> Getting the relative-extremum value of midwives:

Approximate Maximum Skilled Attendant = 80 X 10^6 / (150 * 2) = 270 X 10^3 (approx.) That is assuming that all couples in the Philippines would give birth at the same time.

Approximate Minimum Skilled Attendant = 0. That is assuming that all couples in the Philippines did not give birth at the same time.

Studies shows that 14% of all women gets pregnant when using contraceptives, and 46% of all women gets pregnant without contraceptives, provided that couples do sex at the same time for a month on a corresponding days interval.

Provided that people use condoms, the approximate maximum skilled attendant would be:

aMAXsa = 270 X 10^3 * 0.14 = 37800(approx).
aMAXsa for each island = 37800 / 7000 = 5 (approx), a negligible number when couples are using contraceptives.

Therefore, the maximum skilled attendant for each island in the Philippines ranges from 5 to 20, w/c is insufficient because it will still be divided among different cities. The point is that, the ratio 1:150 is not sufficient. That means, the couples would need to transfer far away to another place to be provided with such service. Take note that this is the MAXIMUM computation. The values lower than the maximum would lead to lower number of midwives, ie. nb_midwives < 20. A bill should not a informed to public without sufficient proofs ofnd effect.

SEC. 6. Emergency Obstetric Care. - Each province and city, with the assistance of the DOH, shall establish or upgrade hospitals with adequate and qualified personnel, equipment and supplies to be able to provide emergency obstetric care. For every 500,000 population, there shall be at least one (1) hospital with comprehensive emergency obstetric care and four (4) hospitals or other health facilities with basic emergency obstetric care; Provided, That people in geographically isolated and depressed areas shall be provided the same level of access.

--> Let us derive the data again. From, http://www.trueknowledge.com/q/population_of_philippines_in_2011, the population of the Philippines is 91 million. Let us exaggerate this number. Suppose the maximum population of the Philippines is 100million. Therefore:

MAX#hospitals = 100 X 10^6 / (500000 * 2) = 100, assuming that half of the population are females and that all needs obstetric care. Assume that the Philippines today have 7000 islands. Oh, how should the 100 maximum number of hospitals be divided among all cities in the Philippines? Take note that this is the maximum value. For popluation less than the given would result to a number of hospitals less than 100. A bill should not a informed to public without sufficient proofs ofnd effect.

SEC. 8. Maternal and Newborn Health Care in Crisis Situations. – Local government units and the Department of Health shall ensure that a Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for reproductive health, including maternal and neonatal health care kits and services as defined by the DOH, will be given proper attention in crisis situations such as disasters and humanitarian crises. MISP shall become part of all responses by national agencies at the onset of crisis and emergencies. Temporary facilities such as evacuation centers and refugee camps shall be equipped to respond to the special needs in the following situations: normal and complicated deliveries, pregnancy complications, miscarriage and post-abortion complications, spread of HIV/AIDS and STIs, and sexual and gender-based violence.

--> See SEC. 2, SEC. 3g and SEC. 3j

SEC. 10. Family Planning Supplies as Essential Medicines. – Products and supplies for modern family planning methods shall be part of the National Drug Formulary and the same shall be included in the regular purchase of essential medicines and supplies of all national and local hospitals and other government health units.

--> Contraceptives can be bought exactly similar as we buy Biogesic

SEC. 15. Mobile Health Care Service. - Each Congressional District shall be provided with at least one Mobile Health Care Service (MHCS) in the form of a van or other means of transportation appropriate to coastal or mountainous areas. The MHCS shall deliver health care supplies and services to constituents, more particularly to the poor and needy, and shall be used to disseminate knowledge and information on reproductive health. The purchase of the MHCS shall be funded from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of each Congressional District. The operation and maintenance of the MHCS shall be subject to an agreement entered into between the district representative and the recipient focal municipality or city. The MHCS shall be operated by skilled health providers and adequately equipped with a wide range of reproductive health care materials and information dissemination devices and equipment, the latter including, but not limited to, a television set for audio-visual presentations. All MHCS shall be operated by a focal city or municipality within a congressional district.

--> See Section 2.

SEC. 16: Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education.
Age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education shall be integrated in all relevant subjects and shall include, but not limited to, the following topics:
(a) Values formation;
--> This has already been taught in my highschool: Values Education, 1st yr to 4th yr.

(b) Knowledge and skills in self protection against discrimination, sexual violence and abuse, and teen pregnancy;
--> This has already been taught in my highschool: Values Education, 3rd year to 4h year.

(c) Physical, social and emotional changes in adolescents;
--> This has already been taught in my highschool: Biology, 2nd year; 2nd, and 3rd grading period.

(d) Children’s and women’s rights;
--> This has already been taught in Economics: 4th year high school. And in college: PolSci

(e) Fertility awareness;
--> This has already been taught in 2nd year highschool: Biology, 3rd and 4th grading period.

(f) STI, HIV and AIDS;
--> This has already been taught in 2nd year and 4th year highschool: PEHMS (2nd yr) and MAPEH (4th yr).

(g) Population and development;
--> All subjects in highschool and in college leads to Development. For population, this has already been taught in 2nd year highschool (PEHMS) and Social Studies on 2nd year and 3rd year highschool.

(h) Responsible relationship;
--> This was not well taught in highschool but was covered up when I was 4th year highschool, 1st grading period on our HomeRoom class. Is this needed to be taught in elementary and highschool? Study shows that falling in love is an intrinsic tendency of the human which is called by the reaction on the signals from the hypothalamus and the cortex of our brain. And actions to handle relationships are subject to moral values of the human person.

(i) Family planning methods;
--> This has been taught in PEHMS / MAPEH in 2nd year and 4th year highschool. However, only the natural family planning. Also in Biology, 2nd year, hs, 3rd grading period.

(j) Proscription and hazards of abortion;
--> This was not taught in my highschool. But my parents and our church leaders taught me about the hazards of abortion.

(k) Gender and development; and
--> This doesn't need to be taught as it is obvious that I am male and you are female. The development of genders is attributed by the values formation in (a).

(l) Responsible parenthood.
--> This was taught in my PEHMS and homeroom classes on 4th year highschool.

--> The general point here is that, why focus on things which has already been taught and not focus on what has not been taught. A proof: In Japan, highschool students have already learned how to make a robot from circuits they created. That is, they know basic engineering methods. They know Jacobian theorem which is essential in robotics. They know Calculus which is essential in some engineering fields. This is the reason why Japan has advanced technology than us. Yes, we are an agricultural country but not at all times. Internet are already flowering. Technologies have flourished. Many people in the Philippines doesn't know Cloud Computing, Neural Networks, Agricultural Bound, Global Transmission System, etc, which highschool students in Japan already know! Philippines has not enough resources for such? Educational system such as of Japan focuses more on theory first. Teachers here in the Philippines know little theory. As a result, we are always behind the development of the modern world today. Philippines is behind innovation.
--> Also, more information can be obtained through the use of internet. I would say "intelligent person knows many about many, not just what is around him".

SEC. 16 (continued). The DepEd, CHED, DSWD, TESDA, and DOH shall provide 1 concerned parents with adequate and relevant scientific materials on the age-appropriate topics and manner of teaching reproductive health education to their children.

--> I wonder what these scientific materials are. We have different views so no need to argue on this part.

SEC. 18. Certificate of Compliance. – No marriage license shall be issued by the Local Civil Registrar unless the applicants present a Certificate of Compliance issued for free by the local Family Planning Office certifying that they had duly received adequate instructions and information on family planning, responsible parenthood, breastfeeding and infant nutrition.

--> More than 50% of the Filipinos TODAY produced babies even without marriage. But with contraceptives, the percentage may reduce to 10%. But the case of rape, promiscuity, mental defficiency, breast and cervical cancer, and the likes, will increase to 70%.

SEC. 20. Ideal Family Size. – The State shall assist couples, parents and individuals to achieve their desired family size within the context of responsible parenthood for sustainable development and encourage them to have two children as the ideal family size. Attaining the ideal family size is neither mandatory nor compulsory. No punitive action shall be imposed on parents having more than two children.

--> No assurance can be imposed upon that population in the Philippines be controlled when some couples have as much as 10 children.

SEC. 28 Prohibited Acts
(2) Refuse to perform legal and medically-safe reproductive health procedures on any person of legal age on the ground of lack of third party consent or authorization. In case of married persons, the mutual consent of the spouses shall be preferred. However in case of disagreement, the decision of the one undergoing the procedure shall prevail. In the case of abused minors where parents and/or other family members are the respondent, accused or convicted perpetrators as certified by the proper prosecutorial office or court, no prior parental consent shall be necessary; and

--> Natural Family Planning is MEDICALLY safe and is legal--just to emphasize.

SEC. 29. Penalties. - Any violation of this Act or commission of the foregoing prohibited acts shall be penalized by imprisonment ranging from one (1) month to six (6) months or a fine of Ten Thousand (P 10,000.00) to Fifty Thousand Pesos (P 50,000.00) or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the competent court; Provided That, if the offender is a public official or employee, he or she shall suffer the accessory penalty of dismissal from the government service and forfeiture of retirement benefits. If the offender is a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed upon the president any responsible officer. An offender who is an alien shall, after service of sentence, be deported immediately without further proceedings by the Bureau of Immigration.

--> I wonder how many will be imprisoned and what is their cause of imprisonment.

SEC. 33. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, orders, issuances, rules and egulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

--> Hopefully.

General Comment:
For those who failed to read all the points of the comments, here are the general points:
(1) RH Bill has good and bad effects.
(2) RH Bill controls population and thus economy may increase.
(3) RH Bill increases the rate of rape, promiscuity, mental deficiency, breast and cervical cancer, and the likes.
(4) Sex on teenagers is not good for their studies as it affects their mental/cognitive capacity to think, learn, innovate, and develop. Thus, sex leads to lower grades.
(5) The Philippines may spend millions to provide the contraceptives to all cities. Those millions could be spent to other more important needs of the country. Oil prices are already increasing.
(6) The educational system of the Philippines focuses more on agricultural, moral, and family matters (including rh). Technological, technical, and other modern aspects of life should be taught in the Philipppines in addition.

Proofs of the 6 statements are proven on my comments above.