MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines should sustain the gains of the of the reproductive health law and address the gaps in the implementation of the measure, sexual and reproductive health rights advocates said Tuesday.
Late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III signed Republic Act 10345 in December 2012 amid staunch opposition from various groups, including the Catholic Church. Even after the law’s enactment, it had to overcome legal battles.
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“A decade after its enactment, it is everybody’s task to sustain the gains and maintain the momentum of the RH Law,” said Leila Saiji Joudane, country representative of the United Nations Population Fund Philippines.
“We need to address gaps in policy and implementation and guarantee that the benefits of the law reach especially the most vulnerable women and girls in the country,” she added.
Citing data from the National Demographic and Health Survey 2022, the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. said the modern contraceptive prevalence rate rose to 41.8% in 2022 from 40.4% in 2017.
The total fertility rate decreased to 1.9 children per woman in 2022 from 2.7 in 2017, while the unmet need for family planning also declined to 12% in 2022 from 17% in 2017.
In a briefing Tuesday, Department of Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said that taking birth control pills remain the most common contraceptive method in the country.
She added there is an increased use of implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs). More people are also undergoing vasectomy and bilateral tubal ligation.
Gaps
“Despite these significant gains, several essential gaps remain, including barriers to minors’ access to modern contraceptives and the absence of comprehensive sexuality education,” said Romeo Dongeto, executive director of PLCPD.
Vergeire acknowledged the difficulties in implementing the reproductive health program, especially in local communities. She also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the access to and utilization of of sexual and reproductive health services.
“The DOH commits to centrally procure commodities that we can be able to provide high gap areas and low capacity areas. We will not neglect areas and women whose local governments are unable to provide these commodities for them,” the health official said.
According to PLCPD, other challenges to the full implementation of RH law include budget, and the integration and streamlining of RH activities into a comprehensive set of services that local government units can adopt. — Gaea Katreena Cabico