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RH Bill is unnecessary
Marian Baltazar
Class of 1980, University of the Philippines Manila
Political Science
The passing of the Reproductive Health Bill, known as the RH Bill, has not only been a controversial issue but
has raised a lot of objections upon the Filipino people. There were a lot of contentions on the pros and cons
of the said bill but at the end of the discussion, the question still remains, “Is this bill really necessary to be
enacted as a law?” A lot of critics even government officials has been very vocal about this measure, i.e., they
strongly oppose the passage of this bill.
The RH Bill is unnecessary and superfluous. Many of its provisions are already included and well covered in
the Magna Carta for Women which recognize the rights of women and families in their choices of family size
and the rearing of their children. As it is, we have enough laws and the executive branch has sufficient
administrative powers to enforce what the vaunted RH Bill purports to provide. All that this bill will bring about
is to promote promiscuity since you will let the people believe that contraception prevents pregnancy. It will
then encourage young people to engage in premarital sex. This promiscuity is what brings about “unwanted
pregnancies” and when contraceptives fail, abortion follows.
The passage of this bill will also mean that the employers will be compelled to provide free reproductive health
care services, supplies, devices, surgical procedures (including vasectomy and ligation) to their employees and
if they fail to comply will be subjected to fines or even imprisonment. The bill also makes a recommendation
for two children per family (the basis of which is population reduction) but in doing so it begins to encroach
upon the constitutional statement that “The State shall defend the right of spouses to found a family in
accordance with their religious convictions and the demands of responsible parenthood”. Parents too will not
agree to the RH Bill, that their children (ages 10-17) be taught their sexual rights and the means to have a
satisfying and safe “sex” life as part of their school curriculum. They also lose their parental authority over a
minor child who was raped and found pregnant. As citizens, we would not want to be subjected to
imprisonment or fine for expressing an opinion against the RH Law if passed.
To sum it up, will the RH Bill benefit the people (to combat poverty) or is it against our moral principles and the
use of public funds for contraceptives alone? For me, the RH Bill is a question of conscience; one can not
legislate or enact any law which is directly related to conscience. If this will be passed as a law, it becomes
mandatory for each couple to follow some of the provisions of the bill. Then, it is no longer according to the
dictate of their conscience or any other institutions except the government.
Questions for discussion:
1. Is the RH Bill necessary to be passed as a law?
2. Will it be better for the RH Bill to be a policy instead of a law?
3. Will the passage of the RH Bill prove beneficial to the people?
4. Wouldn’t we lose some of our human rights the moment RH Bill is passed?
5. What does your conscience dictate about the RH Bill?