Introduction **isip tayo ng parang aristic intro or anecdote gusto nyo? Yung parang sa mga jurisprudence ni Cruz?

Naisip ko kais ang daming babasahin ni maam tapos sana unang line palang mag-stand out na tayo) RA 5043, The RA Reproductive Health Bill, or popularly known as the RH bill aims to guarantee access of methods and information on birth control and maternal care through a widespread distribution of family planning devices and continued educational programs with the aid of health care centers nationwide. Among the provisions found in the bill involve emergency obstetric care, access to family planning, maternal death review, mobile health care services and mandatory-age appropriate sexual education. Over the few past years, there has been a great debate over the passage of this bill that this word has gripped public consciousness due to the several moral issues, financial matters and administrative proceedings it poses. In this position paper, we argue in the affirmative for the passage of said bill because of the following reasons: the bill is aimed towards empowerment and protection of women and family and actually seeks to fortify the married life of couples, premarital sex is a reality we ought to face and with this, the bill seeks to prevent is the spread of STDs through education, the bill may help in controlling the country's population which is in present considerably and arguably one of the main problems which contribute to poverty joblessness and low economic output. First Argument: Population Control *intro on overpopulation* The RH bill provides that family planning and not abstinence is the best preventive measure because ______________________. Research has provided that the richest families have 3 times higher tubal ligation compared to the poorest. This gap explains why the rich do not exceed their planned number of children while the poor get at least 2 extra children. Infant death among the poor are also 3 times as much compared to the rich which may explain why the poor plan for more children; death of one child may not be replaced but they seek as bigger and happier family despite the loss. The RH law will not only promote equity in health services but in this regard, will also deter the booming population growth. Deployment of public midwives, doctors and nurses will serve the ailing needs of many rural communities. Second Argument: Empowerment and protection of women Through the course of Philippine history, women have gone a long way in making contributions and advancement mechanisms for this country. We are proud of OFWs**other avhieveents**However, many of the poor women belonging to large families remain crippled and cannot be said to have led better lives. One of the reasons of this is that they are burdened with unwanted pregnancies largely due to

their not having knowledge of reproductive health information nor access to reproductive services. According to Dr. Junice Demetrio-Melgar, MD, secretary general of the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN), this situation has led to unwanted pregnancies, illnesses or death due to preventable maternal complications as well as increasing incidence of unsafe abortion, teenage pregnancy and HIV/AIDS. Every day, said Dr. Melgar, 11 deaths occur due to pregnancy-related complications; multiply that by 11 years, and you come up with around 44,000 deaths which could have been prevented had the women been given access to information on reproductive health services. Deaths may even be attributed to the prevailing inequality of the rich and the poor. Philippine key indicators provide that 94% of women in the rich bracket can afford a skilled attendant as opposed to the 26% of the poorest. Third Argument: Prevent Abortion The Catholic Church has consistently argued that the bill promotes a culture of death because it prevents the conception and consummation of life. They attest that sexual intercourse should always be active and procreative. We disagree in the argument that it promotes a culture of death. If it does, then abortion should be advocated and legalized by the bill. What is does rather is, having recognized the reality of sexual activism among couple, it promotes contraception. It deters the possibility of bringing forth life through unprotected sex and not the ending of one that has already be conceived. The RH bill even prevents abortion because 68% of abortion cases result from the absence of family planning. Fourth Argument: Youth Education We face the reality that many young people today enter into relationships without the benefit of knowing the consequences of one wrong sexual decision. Sex education addresses both abstinence and age-appropriate sexual contraception. While detractors of the bill say that if sexual education will be provided for in public schools, this will prevent parents from imparting and rearing lessons to their children firsthand. Again, we disagree. This contention that parents are deprived of their right and obligation to rear their children is without merit because the attendance to said classes has already been made optional through the discretion of parents on whether or not they will allow their children to attend such as provided in Section 16 of the consolidated bill. The bill now recognizes the natural and primary right of parents in the rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and the development of moral character. (Article II, Section 12). We also think that detractors of the bill erred in saying that authors of the bill assume that children are sexual from cradle to grave. The bill provides for age-appropriate education starting from Grade Five to Fourth Year High School. It integrates values formation, Knowledge and skills in self protection against discrimination, sexual violence and abuse, and teen pregnancy, physical, social and emotional changes in adolescents and fertility awareness among others.

How do we rebut the statement freedom of religion is not mere freedom to believe but to act on it? Hence, the state should not prevent people from practicing responsible parenthood according to their religious belief? Conclusion (super kulang pa) The ongoing Chief Justice Trial has further delayed the passage of the RH bill with only a few of the Congressmen actually sitting in the plenary. We urge the other Congressmen to heed to this bill.