PRO

Women’s Right to Choose

Firstly, women have the right to make their own choices about their bodies.
This includes the right to choose whether or not to have a child. By making
abortion illegal, we are denying women this basic human right. Women
should have the ability to make choices about their own lives, including
having an abortion if they so choose.

Safety and Regulation

Secondly, banning abortion does not stop it from happening. When abortion
is illegal, it is often done in unsafe and unsanitary conditions, leading to
health complications and even death. Legalizing abortion would help to
ensure that it is done in a safe and regulated environment, reducing the risk
of complications.

Reduction of Unwanted Pregnancies

Thirdly, legalizing abortion can reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.
This is because women who have access to safe and legal abortions are
more likely to use contraception to prevent future unwanted pregnancies.
Additionally, by providing access to education about contraception and
family planning, we can help reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies
and the need for abortion.

Preventing Children from Being Born into Unsafe Environments

Fourthly, legalizing abortion can help reduce the number of children born
into poverty or abusive households. Women who are unable to care for a
child may choose to have an abortion rather than bring a child into an
environment that is not safe or stable. By allowing women to make this
choice, we can help prevent children from being born into situations where
they may not receive the care and support they need.
Reducing Stigma and Shame
Legalizing abortion can help reduce the stigma and shame surrounding the
topic. Women who have had abortions often face discrimination and
judgment from others, which can lead to feelings of shame and isolation. By
legalizing abortion, we can help reduce this stigma and create a more
supportive and accepting environment for women who have made this
choice.

Conclusion
The debate around whether abortion should be legal continues to be a
divisive issue. However, the reasons why abortion should be legal are
compelling and numerous. By legalizing abortion, we can ensure that women
have access to safe and regulated procedures, reducing the risk of
complications and even death. Additionally, women should have the right to
make choices about their own bodies, which includes the right to choose
whether or not to have a child. Legalizing abortion can also help reduce the
number of unwanted pregnancies and prevent children from being born into
unsafe or unstable environments. Finally, reducing the stigma and shame
surrounding the topic can create a more supportive and accepting
environment for women who have made this choice.
Ultimately, it is important to prioritize women’s health, safety, and autonomy
in deciding whether abortion should be legal. By doing so, we can ensure
that women are empowered to make decisions about their own bodies and
lives.
The Philippine Safe Abortion Advocacy Network (PINSAN) is committed to
work towards achieving full realization of women and girls’ human rights –
including their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
If women and girls cannot control their own bodies, sexualities, and fertility
including their right to access safe abortion services and information – they
cannot exercise other civil, political, economic, social or cultural rights.

We object to the absolute criminal ban on abortion in the Philippines and

recognize that this violates women’s fundamental human rights, including
the rights to life, health, non-discrimination, privacy, and freedom from cruel,
inhuman, and degrading treatment.
We are concerned that the country’s restrictive law has not prevented
abortion and only made it extremely unsafe, leading directly to the
preventable deaths of thousands of women each year.

We are aware of and condemn the abusive practices and discrimination

committed against women seeking post-abortion care. We believe that every
woman has the right to humane, compassionate, non-judgemental, and
qualitative post-abortion care.

We believe that these abuses, complications, and deaths could be

prevented. The Philippine Government needs to act to ensure that the
reproductive health policies, services and programs explicitly include access
to safe abortion services and information.

While the legality and morality of abortion remains a divisive topic, for the
Philippine Safe Abortion Advocacy Network (PINSAN), the answer is clear:
safe abortion is part of human rights, and is essential healthcare that helps
save lives. PINSAN is among the several organizations spearheading the
Philippines’ participation in the International Safe Abortion Day every 28th of
September. Originating from Latin America and the Caribbean, the
September 28th movement has been around for over two decades, and now
has 85 active countries in the campaign.
As with many countries fighting for safe abortion, draconian legislation in the
Philippines makes abortion unnecessarily arduous for everyone involved.
The harsh punishments meted on both people seeking and providing
abortion services force women and girls to undergo unsafe procedures, or to
continue a possibly life-threatening pregnancy. “Our backward abortion laws
disrespect the bodily autonomy of our women and girls.” says PINSAN
spokesperson Atty. Clara Rita Padilla. “Abortion should be treated as a basic
healthcare procedure, and not a crime. Whether or not abortion is legal in
the Philippines, women and girls will need an abortion. Decriminalizing
abortion would save the lives of women and girls, and also allow healthcare
professionals to uphold their duty to provide necessary care to their
patients.” Padilla asserted.

In a study entitled The Spectre of Unsafe Abortions in the

Philippines published in 2022 on the Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific,
researchers found that 1.1 million abortions are induced in the Philippines
yearly, 1000 of which lead to deaths caused by post-abortion complications.

“It’s all the more important for the Philippines to participate in global
movements campaigning for safe abortion. The louder our collective voices
can be, the greater our ability to affect change.” opined Maya Vincencio,
MEAL Officer of the FPOP, on the importance of solidarity. “If the Philippine
government truly understood how the decriminalization of abortion benefits
our women and girls, our laws would reflect that. But as it stands, abortion
remains restricted. And this is precisely why we must continue to collectively
demand that the government take action, and address the people’s
struggles, as all governments should.” Vincencio added.
An analysis by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of
Economic and Social Affairs concluded that although the Revised Penal Code
does not list specific exceptions to the general prohibition on abortion, under
the general criminal law principles of necessity as set forth in article 11(4) of
the Code, an abortion may be legally performed to save the pregnant
woman's life.
PRO
 Legalizing abortion would ensure safer procedures and reduce the risks
associated with unsafe abortions, which can lead to serious health
complications and even death.
 It would also alleviate the burden on women, their families, and society
by reducing the health and economic consequences of unsafe
abortions.
 Legalizing abortion would provide women with more reproductive
autonomy and the ability to make choices about their own bodies

- 1st AFFIRMATIVE: Good (morning/afternoon), let me start with this by

giving you a simple context about abortion. Abortion is termination of a
pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Our group is
agreeing with abortion, why? First of all, banning abortion does not stop it
from happening. We are not that sure that even though abortion is
implemented as illegal it is not yet happening, fyi there are still many
women who have abortions even though it is illegal, but it's done secretly,
right? We can't assure the safety of the patient, how sure are we that the
procedure is being done in right way? As we all know, when abortion is
illegal, it is often done in unsafe and unsanitary conditions, leading the
health of the woman in danger and worst even death. Legalizing abortion
would help to ensure that it is done in a safe and right environment,
reducing the risk of putting the patient in danger.
- The Benefits of Legalization of Abortion the Philippines Rio Michelle A. Corrales* The paper
proposes that abortion should be legalized in the Philippines. Between decriminalization and
legalization, it is argued that abortion should be legalized rather than decriminalized as the
former provides more benefits than simply removing the penal nature of abortion. Abortion is
defined as the termination of pregnancy orthe killing of the fetus - a definition that characterizes
the attitude of Philippine law toward abortion. Legalization depends on the legislative to re-
interpret Article II Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution as well as how the Supreme Court would
adjudicate cases. The provisions of the Revised Penal Code should be repealed in order for the
removal of the said restrictions on abortion. Legalization of abortion will provide better health
benefits towomen because it will mitigate unsafe and often deadly procedures; it will also give
women choices or options especially when they are at risk, are victims of rape, or simply bearing
an unwanted pregnancy; consequently, the legalization will have positive long-term effects
tosociety especially decreasing criminality and the like. In fine, the findings of studies from
around the world comparinthe social situations before and after legalization of abortion clearly
show that we will provide more benefits that harm to women n addition to the Constitutional
mandate, abortion in the Philippines is criminalized by law in Articles 256, 258 and 259 of the
Revised Penal Code (RPC) of the Philippines provides imprisonment for women who undergo
abortion, and for any person who assists in the procedure. In Article 258 of the RPC, imposition
of higher prison term on the woman or her parents if the abortion was committed "in order to
conceal [the woman's] dishonor”.27 As to medical abortion, there is no law in the Philippines
that authorizes it expressly, in order to save the life of a woman. As it follows, the general
provisions which do penalize abortion make no qualifications if the life of the woman is
endangered in anyway. It may be contended, although no adjudication of the Supreme Court can
be found, that an abortion to save the life of a woman could be considered a justifying
circumstance in Article 11 of the RPC for the medical practitioner in fulfillment of a duty, that
would bar criminal prosecution. Legal Basis of Abortion in the Philippines As presented,
legalization is better than decriminalization of abortion because legalizing the act would bring
more benefits. Decriminalization still imposes some sanctions in connection to the act while
legalization would only impose regulation. If abortion would be legalized, there are three
benefits or consequences that would be clear; 1. Legalization of abortion would prevent
mortality or morbidity for women and better health support; 2. Legalization meant that women
have choices to terminate pregnancy especially in situations of risk, or as victims of rape, or of
unwanted pregnancy, and; 3. Legalization of abortion would have impact on socio-economic
status especially its adverse effect on criminality. Levitt and Dubner in their popular book
entitled Freakonomics in 2005 has given us the insight on the long-term effect of legalized
abortion to society.⁴⁸ The study of Levitt has given the world an idea of the impact of legalizing
abortion on crime which since has been largely debated. According to Francois, Magni-Berton,
and Weill: Positive Long-Term Effect on Societ Legalizing abortion is supposed to lead to
diminishing crime in two ways. First, it reduces the fertility rate, reducing the proportion of
young males in the population, which are generally overrepresented among criminals. Second, it
selects non-criminal profiles because mothers abort when they feel that they are unable to raise
children under favorable material or emotional conditions. This second version is advocated by
 Levitt, who expresses it as follows: Unwantedness leads to high crime; abortion leads to less
unwantedness; abortion leads to less crime.⁴⁹ In their cross-country investigation across
European jurisdictions, Francois, Magni-Berton and Weill concluded that: … abortion rate has a
significant and negative impact on crime rates, specifically, homicide and theft. We also observe
support for the impact of legalization of abortion on the reduction of crime when considering
different calculations of the accumulation of abortions based on different criteria for the
legalization of abortion. Thus, our results are consistent with the findings of Donohue and Levitt
(2001) for the US.⁵⁰ t is perhaps time for the Philippines to re-examine abortion in the light of
benefit than relying on outdated traditions that further side-step the rights of women. From the
studies conducted around the world on the I effects and consequences of the legalization of
abortion it is clear that we can benefit more, especially the women. It is clear from

CONS -First, everyone should have responsibility for their behavior. Some people think that
abortion is an easy way to avoid having a baby. Therefore, they mate whenever they want. And
after that, if they notice a pregnancy, they'll go to the hospital. It sounds very easy; however, it
sounds like they lack responsibility for their behavior to me. Abortion means to kill a new life
and to endanger a woman's body. It seems that people who have an abortion easily think the fetus
is just a "thing." If they don't want to have a baby, there are ways to avoid having a baby before
pregnancy. Therefore, to rely on just abortion means they don't have any responsibility.

-Second, as I mentioned before, abortion is dangerous for a woman's body. Recently, many
people try to have an abortion; thus, it causes misunderstanding. Abortion is not the easy way
that people think. It's possible that a woman can't have a baby anymore because it hurts the
woman's body. Besides, it's possible that women die because of it. Unfortunately, many people
don't know the reality. From my point of view, it's because of the lack of education about
abortion. The women who are pregnant don't know what abortion does to their body.

-Third, the baby, whether he/she is born or not, has the right to live. Who can say that the baby
has no hope? It's possible that the baby can have a better life than ours. We don't have any right
to kill a newborn baby. Moreover, I think only human beings do abortion. Humans are the only
animals that kill their babies intentionally.

-One of the most significant side effects of abortion is secondary infertility. Studies have proved
that most women who undergo abortion find it challenging to attain a second pregnancy
(Holmund et al. 135).

-The act of abortion is expensive. Some of the methods used for abortion are very costly as it
requires high-level experience, and therefore one has to pay a lot of money. Unsafe abortion
leads to health issues that require a lot of money for treatment (Lattof et a.l, (2020). Individuals
who practice abortions need to get good care as they lose a lot of energy and blood during the act
(Lattof et a.l, (2020). To regain the energy and blood lost, money has to be used to regain them;
hence extra money is needed. The individuals who conduct abortion charge a higher amount as
the act is illegal, and as for anything that can arise, they can be reached out to.