TUKLASIN NATIN

A national nursing organization gathers to talk about the current state of maternal health and the lack of reproductive & sexual health & unifies to support the national campaign to pass a comprehensive reproductive health law in the country.

The Alliance of Young Nurse Leaders & Advocates International Inc. (AYNLA), a national nursing organization who is very supportive to the most-debated legislative measure, the RH Bill, shall gather its leaders from NCR and the regions to know more about the current state of maternal health and the importance of reproductive & sexual health to all people this coming October 8-9, 2011 at Great Eastern Hotel, Quezon City.

AYNLA will release their National Manifesto of Support to Reproductive Health which will be signed by their national, regional and some local officers and shall be accepted by some RH champion legislators & heads of Civil Society Organizations in October 9^th. Different medical & advocacy experts such as former DOH Secretary Dr. Esperanza Cabral, former Akbayan representative Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel are invited to speak & discuss about maternal & child health, reproductive & sexual health, comprehensive sexuality education, and the role of nurses in achieving the Millennium Development Goals focusing on reducing child mortality and improving maternal health.

“We have to train more nurses who are now currently unemployed to provide better RH services, education & patient counseling. I believe that with the bountiful number of nurses, we can mobilize more health educators & service providers to address many RH issues. That is why we are pushing for the RH Bill, because it will enhance the number of health providers & facilities in poor communities which do not have these services” said Alvin Dakis, President & CEO of AYNLA and is a sexual health nurse himself.

AYNLA is the only nursing organization who is very supportive of the bill and actively joins the passage of it. AYNLA believes that nurses can venture into reproductive & sexual health practice and venture to organizing RH centers or clinics. Nurses when trained can become excellent providers of family planning, reproductive & sexual health services. Nurses are also excellent health educators who can teach appropriately across age groups, in schools, companies & communities.

Dakis urges legislators to think of their poor constituents who cannot access to life-saving services, those who cannot access correct & full information & education on their reproductive & sexual health, and those young people who were refused to be informed about their sexuality, leaving them wandering for correct answers. “All of these can be provided by our nurses, train them & approve the bill” he said. Alvin Dakis, AYNLA

Youth RH campaigners in several cities are calling for a national day of the purple ribbon on Friday, October 7 to ask Congress to vote on the RH bill.  The nationally coordinated event is expected to mobilize thousands of supporters from community-based youth organizations, students, health workers and professionals, business and interfaith groups and local government units.

In Zamboanga City, a luncheon-press conference will be held in Sky Park Hotel, German Tower Tomas Claudio cor. Antonio Orendain St. to be followed by a “March for RH” at the Western Mindanao State University where a multi-sectoral assembly will also be held in the afternoon. In Legaspi City, RH advocates will hold a parade at the Penaranda Park as early as 6:30 a.m. The group will then motorcade to Naga City where a forum with city officials and RH supporters will be held in the afternoon. Another motorcade around Naga city will be organized after the forum.  In Cebu City, a multi-sectoral forum and a motorcade will be organized in the afternoon on the same day.

Meanwhile, advocates in Central Luzon will converge in Angeles City for the Purple Ribbon March and a rally in Henson St., at 4:00 PM.  At the National Capital Region, student councils from top universities in Metro Manila will join more than 300 youth from different communities at the AS steps, University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City at 5PM. A simultaneous candle lighting ceremony will take placeat 6PM in all the areas to highlight reproductive health issues of young people and the importance of the passage of the RH bill on the future of the Filipino youth.  

Last September 7, the nationally coordinated purple ribbon for RH event was held in the Senate gate and in the cities of Baguio, Davao, and Iloilo where thousands participated in various mass actions for the RH bill.RH advocates are calling on Congress to act on the RH bill now since the debate on the controversial bill has already taken more than a decade and 11 mothers continue to die of pregnancy and childbirth complications daily due to lack of comprehensive services on maternal health and family planning. Eden R. Divinagracia, PNGOC

“Legal experts Dean Pacifico Agabin and Professor Alfredo Tadiar and legal organizations such as the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers and EnGendeRights filed their position papers with the Sangguniang Panglunsod of Balanga, Bataan last Monday, September 5, challenging the constitutionality of the barangay ordinances restricting access to contraceptives.  The Mayor and Vice-Mayor were also furnished copies of the four position papers last Monday. 

The same position papers were also mailed yesterday to the seven Sangguniang Barangays urging them to junk said ordinances for being unconstitutional.

There are two more position papers, one by the Alternative Law Groups and another one by EnGendeRights on adolescent reproductive rights, which will be submitted within the next few days to the Balanga Sanggunian Panglunsod and the seven Sangguniang Barangays urging them to junk said ordinances.

The seven barangays with restrictive ordinances are Barangay Cupang Proper, Barangay Cupang West, Barangay Puerto Rivas Ibaba, Barangay Puerto Rivas Itaas, Barangay Puerto Rivas Lote, Barangay Tortugas, and Barangay Tanato.  The seven barangay ordinances penalize the sale,  promotion, advertisement, and prescription of modern contraceptives including hormonal contraceptives and intrauterine devices (IUDs), prohibit barangay funds to be used for the purchase or provision of such contraceptives, prohibit barangay officials from soliciting, accepting, or dispensing such contraceptives,  penalize business enterprises by declaring void their barangay permits for violating the provisions of the ordinances, penalize the conduct of sex education to minor students if this is done without prior consultation and written permission of the parents, and solely promote the so-called natural family planning method (NFP) in the seven Balanga barangays.

There are reports from local residents that the Sangguniang Barangay of Catangi drafted an identical ordinance but the Sangguniang Barangay decided to withhold the signing of its draft ordinance upon hearing that the seven barangay ordinances were going to be challenged.

“The provisions of the seven barangay ordinance in Balanga, Bataan can be struck down for being ultra vires, prejudicial to public welfare, unconstitutional, inconsistent with existing laws such as the Local Government Code of 1991, Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710), Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998 (RA 8504), and for violating international laws,” said Atty.  Clara Rita Padilla, executive director of EnGendeRights.

Atty. Padilla added, “The ordinances prohibit rights that are constitutionally guaranteed.  The ordinances infringe on the rights to reproductive health, equal protection of the law and privacy by unduly restricting access to legal, safe, and effective methods of contraception.  These ordinances contribute to the unintended pregnancies and maternal deaths related to pregnancy, childbirth, and unsafe abortion which could be averted with increased access to modern contraceptives.”

“The ordinances passed by the seven barangays erroneously define contraceptives as abortifacient.  This definition is not based on medical science but on the barangay officials’ conservative religious beliefs.  The constitutional guarantees on separation of church and state and non-establishment of religion prohibit using conservative religious beliefs as basis for crafting our laws. Public officials must enact laws that ensure women’s right to life and health and public health and not those that aid religion.  As decided by our Supreme Court, our standard in law should be secular standard and not religious standards.  All these constitutional guarantees are there to maintain public good and uphold human rights,” Atty. Padilla continued.

Good governance demands ensuring the right to control one’s fertility with proper access to information, supplies and services on reproductive health including modern contraceptives and the right to sexuality education.  

In light of the obligation of the Philippine government to protect women’s rights to equality, non-discrimination, life and health under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Magna Carta of Women, it is imperative that the Sangguniang Panglunsod and Sangguniang Barangays junk these unconstitutional ordinances. 

Dismissal or Suspension of Barangay Officials who Enforce the Ordinances Despite Suspension

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Balanga City exercised its power of review on the ordinances and returned the same with its comments to the seven Sangguniang Barangays.  Having done so, the effectivity of the barangay ordinance is suspended.  Any barangay official who is enforcing the suspended ordinance may be suspended or dismissed under Sec. 58 of the Local Government Code (LGC). 

Results of interviews with Barangay Officials and Health Centers at the Seven Barangays conducted on Wednesday, September 7, 2011:

Cupang Proper

Health Center-   The Center does not allow injectables even if the women come to them with their own injectables.  They don’t prescribe pills.  One local organizer witnessed how a health provider outrightly rejected a woman last Wednesday who came to the Center seeking to get a ligation and they refused that woman saying ligation is prohibited at the Center. 

Barangay-  One barangay council member said they will warn a pharmacy if they found out that pharmacy was selling contraceptives.

Cupang West

Health Center- The Center does not prescribe pills.

Puerto Rivas Lote

Health Center – The Center does not prescribe contraceptives. 

Barangay- The barangay hall has a tarpaulin claiming to show how pills kill fetuses.

Puerto Rivas Ibaba

Health Center – The Center does not allow injectables and actively promotes NFP.  The Center does not prescribe contraceptives. 

Barangay- The barangay actively conducts an education campaign discouraging the use of contraceptives.  They have a plan to conduct a 27-week campaign to be held every Thursday educating its residents on why modern contraceptives should not be used.  They also have a tarpaulin claiming to show how pills kill fetuses.

Tortugas

Health Center – The Center does not allow injectables and pills and does not prescribe contraceptives. 

Barangay- The barangay is actively promoting the use of NFP and aims to have educated all couples in their barangay on NFP by the end of 2011.

Mounting Repression

There are reports that even before the ordinances were passed, all the health centers in the seven barangays did not provide free pills or free injection.  Health service providers claim that they have an express order to prohibit pills coming from the City Health Officer.  There are also reports from Barangay Health Workers that they are afraid of injecting women with injectables for fear of reprisal.

EnGendeRights staff personally witnessed how Barangay Health Workers were extremely fearful of attending our consultation leading to their strained decision not to attend our consultation for fear of losing their much-needed honorarium which was their main source of living.

These are examples of mounting repression by local government units in restricting access to modern contraceptives and infringing on the rights to sexual and reproductive health

Need for the Immediate Passage of a Comprehensive RH Bill into Law

“The fact that anti-choice fundamentalist groups have passed these restrictive ordinances provides additional rationale for the passage into law of a comprehensive Reproductive Health Care Law which identifies a clear program on reproductive health, disallowing restrictions on modern contraceptives, requiring budgetary allocation to make information and services on reproductive health more accessible especially to the poor and to adolescents who lack access to such information and services.   These restrictive ordinances and the human rights violations provide evidence on the urgent need to immediately pass a comprehensive reproductive health care bill (RH bill) into law.  A comprehensive RH law will prohibit local government officials from enacting these kinds of unreasonable and discriminatory ordinances,” said Atty. Padilla.

Filing of Complaints with the CHR and DILG

We are also filing of complaints against these local government officials with the Commission on Human Rights and the Department of Interior and Local Government so that these reproductive rights violations will not be committed with impunity. Atty. Clara Rita “Claire” A. Padilla, Executive Director, EnGendeRights, Inc.

Purple shirts, bandanas, headwear, umbrellas, buttons and ribbons dominated the areas where more than four thousand leaders and representatives from various groups including non-government organizations, interfaith, academe, youth, women, community, and civil society groups together with local government officials, celebrities and RH personalities in Iloilo, Davao, Baguio and in the Philippine Senate  main entrance gathered as they celebrated 7 September 2011 as the National Day of the Purple Ribbon Campaign for Reproductive Health.

The nationally coordinated mass action is a call for Congress to immediately put the long-delayed Reproductive Health (RH) bill to a vote.  “Majority of the Filipino people has spoken, the President has spoken,  that  RH education and services must be provided particularly to poor couples” said Ramon San Pascual, Executive Director of the Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD), one of the main organizers of the event.

According to San Pascual results of various surveys and as affirmed by the massive show of support from various groups in the Purple Day for RH Campaign, only indicated loud call from the people for Congress to act on the pending measure immediately.

“The strong and broad support by ordinary folks in the provinces has shown that the clamor for the enactment of the RH bill is indeed very real and is reflective of the numbers shown by various survey results,” he said. 

San Pascual said that there is no more reason for Congress to delay the voting of the RH bill since the people have spoken and the President and its Cabinet has already endorsed the measure. Vigie Benosa-Llorin, Media Advocacy Officer,  PLCPD

Various groups commend our President, Hon. Benigno S. Aquino III for including the comprehensive responsible parenthood and reproductive health bill as one of the priority measures included in the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).

“I commend PNOY for standing firm on his position on the RP-RH bill.  His action just shows that he is listening to the voices of his constituents and this can help fast track the debate in both houses.” said by Dr. Eden Divinagracia, executive director of PNGOC.

“The Filipino people are longing for a national policy that can help in giving them adequate information and services pertaining to Responsible Parenthood-Reproductive Health.  It has been more than 15 years since the first RH bill has been filed in congress and I believe that with PNOY as president, passage of this bill is imminent” added by Dr. Divinagracia.

PNGOC or the Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare Inc. (PNGOC) is a national umbrella organization with 97-members, national and local based NGOs involved in the promotion of reproductive health care such as maternal and child health, family planning, men’s reproductive health, women empowerment, STI/HIV/AIDS, sexuality education, reproductive and sexual health and gender and development. Dr. Eden Divinagracia, Executive Director, Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare, Inc. (PNGOC)

Following reports that some bishops are going to appear after the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) controversy, the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP) urged the Senate not to treat the bishops any differently from ordinary people subjected to senate investigations.

Elizabeth Angsioco, DSWP National Chairperson, stressed that while all the rights of the bishops should be respected, they are also citizens subject to the laws of the land.

Angsioco urged the senators not go soft on them just because they are bishops. She said, “the Constitution, as well as our other laws covers ALL Filipinos, bishops included. The investigation should ascertain if the bishops, by soliciting money from the PCSO to buy vehicles, have violated the law.”

DSWP is a group of women advocates working in the grassroots communities.

Angsioco said that since the investigation is done ‘in aid of legislation’ Senators will not only look into how PCSO should be able to effectively help our people who are in dire need, but also ensure that constitutional provision should be truly enforced.

Quoting a constitutional provision that says, “no public money or property shall be appropriated, applied, paid, or employed, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, sectarian institution, or system or religion, or of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher….” Angsioco stressed that the bishops, in doing what they did, undermined this provision of the constitution.

Moreover, bishops also violated the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) policy against soliciting or accepting money from gambling, whether legal or illegal, even if this is to be used to help the poor.  “Worst,” Angsioco added, “they deprived other people in dire need, those who could put the money given them in saving lives.”

She said that the Philippine Roman Catholic Church is a multi-billionaire church. Its various entities have at least 20Billion pesos in stocks of 7 corporations alone. 

Angsioco laments, “the money they used to buy the controversial vehicles is a pittance compared to the billions they have idly lying in stocks. If they needed the vehicles, they could very well afford to buy even a thousand of those.”  

“In fact, instead of competing against the poor for government money, the Roman Catholic Church should actually significantly help government in addressing urgent needs of poor Catholics,” she ended. Rhoda V. Avila, DSWP

Reacting to reports that Sen. Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson may withdraw his support from the Reproductive Health (RH) bill if a provision to add P300M to each of members of House of Representatives’ pork barrel for condom distribution will be included in the bill, Elizabeth Angsioco, staunch RH supporter and women’s right advocate, said that there is no truth to the issue.

Angsioco, National Chairperson of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP), a group of women advocates working in grassroots communities explains that there is nothing in the RH Bill that says anything about adding on to pork barrel.  “This possibly is brought about by another disinformation drive by those who are vehemently opposing the bill,” expressed Angsioco.

According to her, the only provision that may have been twisted to make it appear that there will be additional pork is the one on ‘mobile health clinic’ which mandates each Congressional district to purchase a van or any appropriate mode of transportation to bring health services nearer to people, even those in difficult to reach areas. “If this is the provision referred to, it is hard to imagine how some people can be against something that will definitely improve poor people’s access to health services,” she said. 

“The good Senator is one of the authors of the RH bill and his support is valuable to its passage, It is possible that some opponents of the bill are trying to weaken his position on the bill. It’s also possible that anti-RH groups may be looking for ways to deflect public attention from the scandals involving their champions – some of the bishops. They of course know that the pajero issue is destroying the bishops’ credibility”

Angsioco appealed to Senator Lacson to investigate further and ask those who told him about the pork barrel in the RH bill to show him the provision/s referred to. The Senator is quite smart and we trust that he will not allow himself to be used by these groups.

“We call on the anti-RH groups to help pursue the truth in the SUV scandal instead of trying to take attention away from the bishops by misinforming the public about the RH bill. If they are truly for morality, they will go against anything immoral, whoever is involved, even the bishops” she ended. -30- Rhoda V. Avila, DSWP

Residents of Barangay Payatas, one of the poorest barangays in Quezon City where people literally live on and from garbage dumped by Metro Manila residents, took a break from their usual routine to join reproductive health advocates and community leaders in launching the first Purple Ribbon campaign in an urban poor community.  

Present during the activity were more than two hundred women and men, old and young residents, school representatives, and Barangay officials from Payatas. According to Elizabeth Angsioco, Chairperson of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP), the event dubbed, “Buhay at RH sa Payatas” disproves the misconceptions about the RH bill peddled by an irresponsible misinformation campaign spearheaded by some bishops and lay leaders.

“While we fully respect freedom of religion, it is lamentable that some bishops and Catholic leaders resort to   misinformation, twisting facts about the RH bill,” said Angsioco.  “They, who are supposed to be vanguards of truth and fairness, are the people behind the misinformation campaign against the RH bill. We need to continuously engage communities so this misinformation campaign is countered with facts.”

Angsioco added, “It is very sad that because of the maneuverings of these bishops, the Philippines still does not have a law that provides reproductive health education and services to women, most especially poor women who had been clamoring for it for many years.”

“Because of the expressed need of women in the poor areas for reproductive health education and services, DSWP in cooperation with the Barangay Payatas and the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD) decided to bring Purple Ribbon campaign to this community where DSWP has several member organizations” she explained.

Purple Ribbon is the symbol for the growing RH movement in the country. 

The launch of the Purple Ribbon Campaign in Payatas featured real life stories and reproductive health experiences of some residents. It has become an eye opener among the residents who later on expressed their support for the RH bill.  Later participants of the launching went around the community and distributed RH flyers and tied purple ribbons.

Von Rondilla, a community educator and volunteer in Payatas for 12 years, expressed support for the Purple Ribbon Campaign.  He said in Filipino, “Ako bilang kabataan at mamamayan ng Payatas, masasabi ko na ito ay isang pagpapatunay ng bawat isa sa atin ay may karapatan mabuhay at at mamuhay ng maayos na may kaakibat na tungkulin at responsabilidad.”  He stressed, “Ako po ay pabor maisabatas ang RH Bill sapagkat ito ang magsasalba sa ating lahat lalo na sa mga kabataan.”

Community leader, Lilia Japson, President, Aktibong Manggagawang Kababaihan ng Dumpsite (AKMD) said,”Kung mayroong batas na maglalaan ng programa para sa information at serbisyo sa pagpaplano ng pamilya malaking tulong yan sa mga pamilya dito sa payatas. Mas maiiwasan ang sunud sunod na panganganak at maagang pagbubuntis na marami dito sa amin. Naniniwala ako na makakatulong ang karagdagang health professionals at pasilidad para masagip ang buhay ng babaeng may mga problema sa pagbubuntis at panganganak.”

Angsioco, expressed optimism despite all the misinformation campaign that the RH Bill will pass this Congress.  “RH Bill will be passed this Congress because of the sustained, broad and continuous support coming from all sectors of the country, including President Noynoy Aquino.  Only the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and its allies are against it.  But the RH bill is not for them, it’s for the poor people especially women and our lawmakers should respond by voting for it. An RH law will help poor communities,” she ended.

A group of reproductive health supporters rallied today to demonstrate strong opposition against the Barangay Ayala-Alabang anti-RH ordinance arguing that said ordinance is a cheap propaganda meant for trash bins.

Hundreds of advocacy leaders representing various non-government, community, youth, women and civil society groups together with prominent individuals sacrificed their weekend rest to stage an indignation rally against the controversial anti-reproductive health ordinance.  Messages from former Congressman Ruffy Biazon and Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral (both residents of the posh village), group chanting, and photo ops simulating the tearing off of the municipal ordinance highlighted the event.

Barangay Ayala Alabang Ordinance No. 1 titled, “An Ordinance providing for the Safety and Protection of the Unborn Child,” restricts the sale and use of all forms of contraceptives within the barangay.  The ordinance passed by Brgy. Captain Alfred A. Xerez-Burgos, Jr. and his council in early January caught the ire of reproductive health supporters as they see it as part of an orchestrated act of the Catholic hierarchy to impose their religious dogma.  Reproductive health advocates maintain that the act is a pre-testing in one barangay and if proven tolerable will be replicated in other barangays.

Women’s group Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP), one of the organizers of the indignation rally, laments that the ordinance clearly violates constitutionally guaranteed rights to health, education, privacy, and the couples’ right to found a family.

According to Elizabeth Angsioco, DSWP National Chair, Ayala Alabang anti-RH ordinance impacts not only the constituents of Ayala Alabang but the country as a whole because of its national implications.  Angsioco quotes Atty. Luis Sison who said that they (the Ayala-Alabang Bgy. Council) want this ordinance to become a model for other barangays to follow.

“This should not happen because lives of women are at stake here,” said Angsioco.  “What if like-minded officials of poor barangays follow suit?  The poor’s access to family planning programs, now already problematic, will get even worse,” she added.

As studies have consistently shown, effective family planning can reduce maternal mortality by at least 32%.  “That translates to thousands of women’s lives saved,” she explained.

“We will not allow rich barangay councils to make poor women and their families suffer more.  This ordinance should be put in a trash bin where it belongs,” she stressed.

Meanwhile, Ramon San Pascual, Executive Director of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD), a legislators’ organization advocating for the passage of House Bill 4244 or the Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2011 said, “this extremist piece of barangay ordinance is bound for oblivion, as already decided by Muntinlupa City Council.”  He explains, “it is a cheap propaganda gimmick by ultra-conservative rich individuals, not necessarily living in Ayala Alabang, and is meant to distract us from the real battle which is the swift passage of RH bill in Philippine Congress.” -30- Vigie Benosa-Llorin, PLCPD/Rhoda Avila, DSWP

March 8, 2011 is International Women’s Day which is celebrated globally celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. This year’s theme is “Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women”. This year, 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. The day was commemorated for the first time on 19 March 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, following its establishment during the Socialist International meeting the prior year. More than one million women and men attended rallies on that first commemoration.

In celebration of such feat, the Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare Inc. (PNGOC) in collaboration with various groups led by the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN) is urging the Philippine legislators to give importance to the Responsible Parenthood-Reproductive Health Bill pending in congress and in senate.

Dr. Eden R. Divinagracia, the Executive Director of PNGOC said “the celebration of the international women’s day will be unforgettable once our legislators see’s the importance of such bill and how it can help each and every one of us especially the poor”.

“I could not see why some of our legislators are afraid of such bill; do they not see the long term effect of having a bill that can help save lives of mothers and children; do they not see the importance of having a law that can help couples plan their family; the RP-RH bill is PRO-Women, PRO-Poor and PRO-Quality of life that me and my organization is pushing for”.

PNGOC which is composed of 95 national and local based NGOs all over the country supports the passage of a Reproductive Health Care Act. -30- Dr. Eden Divinagracia, Executive Director, PNGOC