RH Bill No. 5043 Section 3

SEC. 3. Guiding Principles. – This Act declares the following as basic guiding principles:

a. In the promotion of reproductive health, there should be no bias for either modern or natural methods of family planning;

b. Reproductive health goes beyond a demographic target because it is principally about health and rights;

c. Gender equality and women empowerment are central elements of reproductive health and population development;

d. Since manpower is the principal asset of every country, effective reproductive health care services must be given primacy to ensure the birth and care of healthy children and to promote responsible parenting;

e. 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;

f. Freedom of informed choice, which is central to the exercise of any right, must be fully guaranteed by the State like the right itself;

g. While the number and spacing of children are left to the sound judgment of parents and couples based on their personal conviction and religious beliefs, such concerned parents and couples, including unmarried individuals, should be afforded free and full access to relevant, adequate and correct information on reproductive health and human sexuality and should be guided by qualified State workers and professional private practitioners;

h. Reproductive health, including the promotion of breastfeeding, must be the joint concern of the National Government and Local Government Units(LGUs);

i. Protection and promotion of gender equality, women empowerment and human rights, including reproductive health rights, are imperative;

j. Development is a multi-faceted process that calls for the coordination and integration of policies, plans, programs and projects that seek to uplift the quality of life of the people, more particularly the poor, the needy and the marginalized;

k. Active participation by and thorough consultation with concerned non-government organizations (NGOs), people’s organizations (POs) and communities are imperative to ensure that basic policies, plans, programs and projects address the priority needs of stakeholders;

l. Respect for, protection and fulfillment of reproductive health rights seek to promote not only the rights and welfare of adult individuals and couples but those of adolescents’ and children’s as well; and

m. While nothing in this Act changes the law on abortion, as abortion remains a crime and is punishable, the government shall ensure that women seeking care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner.

My opinion and understanding.
*There will be a freedom of choice given by the state to exercise the bill.
*The bill will protect the people from ages 11 to adult.
*Maternal Health will be discussed in the educating part of the bill and safe delivery will be promoted in the country. The education will include the right of the person to achieve full human development and responsible parenting will be taught to mothers.
*The services for reproductive health will be more accessible to people and supplies and services will be effective and affordable for the promotion of the people’s right to health.
*All the methods will be taught, may it be the natural planning or the modern way of planning the family.

Family planning as defined does not include artificial reproduction (which is inconsistent with the definition of reproductive health) but does include potential embryocides. Were abortion legalized, the state would be obliged to provide access to it.

The obligation noted in (f) requires the State to promote childbearing by single people and unmarried couples, a practice that some people find morally objectionable. Consistent with the definition of reproductive health, this subsection also implies the obligation to provide artificial reproductive services.

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