• Rep. Edcel C. Lagman
• Independent – Albay
• 30 December 2012
• 0916-6406737 / 0918-9120137

 

 

RH LAW NOT WATERED DOWN

 

           The RH bill which was elevated by the President to a statute as Republic Act No. 10354 is not watered down because the authors of the measure made sure that it would be delivered and approved without congenital defects.

 

          Only cosmetic and redundant amendments proposed by critics of the bill which did not destroy its essence were accepted and killer amendments were rejected outright and voted down.

 

          The following salient provisions of the RH law are substantially attuned with the pristine formulations:

 

          1. The State is mandated to promote universal access to reproductive health services and family planning, including voluntary contraception, with priority to acceptors from poor and marginalized sectors who shall receive for free RH services and commodities (Section 2 on Declaration of Policy).

 

          2. The hallmark of the RH law is freedom of informed choice which shall not be subject to any form of coercion (Section 3-a of the Guiding Principles for Implementation).

 

         3. Massive nationwide information campaign on reproductive health and rights is assured (Section 20 on Public Awareness).

 

         4. The implementation of the Act shall be the joint responsibility of the national government and the local government units with the latter receiving financial and technical support from the national government (Sections 5, 6, 8, 16 and 20).

 

         5.  The principal elements of RH are intact and enhanced (Section 4-q).

 

         6. Enhancement of services for pregnant women and safe motherhood is assured (Sections 5, 6 and 18).

 

         7. Women suffering from post-abortion complications shall be “treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner” (Section 3-j).

 

         8. Inclusion in the Philippine National Drug Formulary of hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices, injectables and other safe, legal, non-abortifacient family planning products and supplies is mandated (Section 9).

 

         9. Mandatory age and development-appropriate reproductive health education is assured for adolescents enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools with the curriculum prepared by the Department of Education adoptable by private schools (Section 14).

 

         10. PhilHealth benefits for serious and life-threatening reproductive health conditions (Section 12).

 

         11. The provisions on prohibited acts and penalties have been retained to assure compliance with the law (Sections 23 and 24).

 

          12 Private health facilities and hospitals are mandated to provide family planning services to paying patients with the option to grant free care and services to indigents (Section 7).

 

         13. Creation of a Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor the faithful compliance with the RA 10354 (Section 22).

 

         14. Funding support is assured in the 2013 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and in the subsequent years’ GAAs. (Section 25).