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Republic Act No. 10354

The Fifteenth Congress of the Philippines defined Republic Act No. 10354 as “An act providing for a National Policy on Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health” (Republic Act No. 10354, n.d.). This law has been known to be one of the most controversial yet significant piece of legislation in the Philippines.

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44 views2 pages

Republic Act No. 10354

The Fifteenth Congress of the Philippines defined Republic Act No. 10354 as “An act providing for a National Policy on Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health” (Republic Act No. 10354, n.d.). This law has been known to be one of the most controversial yet significant piece of legislation in the Philippines.

Uploaded by

fernandezkristine135
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The Fifteenth Congress of the Philippines defined Republic Act No.

10354 as “An act


providing for a National Policy on Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health”
(Republic Act No. 10354, n.d.). This law has been known to be one of the most controversial yet
significant piece of legislation in the Philippines. Prominent academics, religious institutions,
and political personalities declared their support or opposition while RH law was still in the
legislative process, making its passage quite controversial and divisive (Wikipedia contributors,
2023). Despite facing such legal and morality issues, the law is still in force, enabling individuals
and couples to make informed choices about their reproductive health. It attempts to give people
the knowledge and resources they need to make responsible decisions about when and how to
have children, while also recognizing that people should have the right to make such decisions.
Benefits provided by this Republic Act encompass various aspects, including family planning,
maternal and child healthcare, education on sexual health, and the availability of contraceptives.
Overall, this law highlights the great significance of gamily planning and responsible parenthood
through proper sex education and guaranteed free access to birth control resources.
Statistics show that the Philippines, with 71 unplanned pregnancies per 1000 women
annually, is ranked 56th out of 150 countries. Unintended pregnancies account for 51% of all
pregnancies which is almost the same as the global average.
Problems and/or complications for the mother and child are more likely to arise during an
unintended pregnancy. If the mother had no intention of becoming pregnant, she might engage in
unhealthy habits, which could have an impact on the baby's health.
Pros:
1. It promotes the education and awareness of reproductive health and family planning.
2. It provides access to contraceptives and other reproductive health services for women and
couples.
3. It seeks to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates.
4. It helps address issues of overpopulation and poverty.
5. It gives women the right to make informed choices about their reproductive health.

Cons:
1. It conflicts with some religious beliefs.
2. It may encourage promiscuity and immoral behavior.
3. It may lead to the promotion of abortion.
4. It may not be accessible to everyone, particularly in rural areas.
5. It may have unintended consequences in terms of demographic shifts and economic impacts.

The bill aids in addressing the population and mortality rate problems. One benefit of the
Reproductive Health Bill is that the state will offer midwives for skilled attendance at childbirth
and emergency obstetric care, even in geographically remote and depressed areas, in addition to
providing ethical and medically safe, legal, accessible, affordable, non-abortifacient, effective,
and quality reproductive health care services and supplies. Thus, one of the factors contributing
to maternal mortality—unattended births—will be discussed. In addition, it promotes and
defends mothers' rights to good health. As previously indicated, the state will also offer fertility
treatments and contraceptives that have received FDA approval, which may help reduce the
number of unintended pregnancies and abortion rates. To prevent unprotected sex that could
result in STDs and to raise awareness about proper family planning, the bill also calls for
providing appropriate education, including to youths and people of all genders as well as
couples. Nevertheless, it also states that there should be no demographic or population targets, so
there is no pressure to contribute to or limit people to a certain population. Finally, the bill
promotes gender equality and women's empowerment by allowing them to make educated
decisions regarding their reproductive health.
Although these are the advantages, one of the bill's disadvantages is the religious and
cultural opposition to the consequences of contraception. They prevent life from being created
and disrupt the process of giving birth naturally, even if they are guaranteed to be non-
abortifacient. According to a study, the majority of women (55.9%) expressed health concerns
regarding modern contraception, and 2.9% received counseling to address their concerns (Nagai,
2018). This measure also has the disadvantage that using such pills and birth control has negative
side effects, despite the fact that they are legal and safe. Furthermore, this might promote
abortion. Dr. Malcolm Potts, a former medical director of the International Planned Parenthood
Federation and a proponent of both contraception and abortion, states that "As people turn to
contraception, there will be a rise, not a fall in the abortion rate." If a method has a 5% success
rate, then 5% of the couples trying it will be expecting babies by the end of the year. Second,
using contraceptives might lead to feelings of insecurity that promote riskier sexual behavior.
The result is more "unplanned" pregnancies, which leads to more abortions. Moreover, the state's
current financial difficulties may have an impact on the funding for health services, which could
impact both the quality and quantity of the services offered. Finally, the bill promises to
eliminate any discriminatory laws, practices, or policies that restrict a person from exercising
their right to reproductive health. Although it appears paradoxical, the bill itself will prioritize
the use of artificial techniques to prevent pregnancy without taking into account the potential
health risks and negative effects on different individuals.
REFERENCES:
Republic Act No. 10354. (n.d.). https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2012/ra_10354_2012.html
Senator urges sexuality education to sustain drop in teenage pregnancies. (n.d.).
https://www.pids.gov.ph/details/news/in-the-news/senator-urges-sexuality-education-to-
sustain-drop-in-teenage-pregnancies
Unintended Pregnancy | CDC. (n.d.).
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/contraception/unintendedpregnancy/index.htm
Wikipedia contributors. (2023). Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012.
Wikipedia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsible_Parenthood_and_Reproductive_
Health_Act_of_2012?
fbclid=IwAR0Zi5VEXeNvBqXeqxuYiUwacmlsOxU4YD5puQwbSBIA-
fJcLebdMrlnc08

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