Unit 2: Health

Trends, Issues, and

Concerns
NATIONAL LEVEL
 As an adolescent,
you experience
numerous health
issues that pertain
to your well-being.
What are some
examples of these
concerns?
 NEW MAIL

1. What is the letter

senders dilemma?
2. What consumer right
is the letter sender
practicing?
CONSUMER HEALTH

Republic Act No. 7394 or the Consumer Act of

the Philippines has three objectives (Galvez Tan,
et al., 2009):
1. Protect the interest of the consumer
2. Promote his/her general welfare
3.Establish standards of conduct for business
and industry
 In connection with the Consumer Act, Republic
Act 8423 or the Traditional and Alternative
Medicine Act of 1997 (TAMA) provides for the
improvement of quality and delivery of
healthcare services in the country through the
development of traditional and alternative
healthcare and its integration into the national
healthcare system.
ALTERNATIVES
Reproductive Health

Another pressing health issue that

concerns you as an adolescent is
reproductive health. Reproductive health
is defined as a state of physical, mental,
and social well-being in all matters relating
to the reproductive system, at all stages of
life (Galvez Tan, et al., 2009).
 With the sudden physical and emotional
changes in your body, more and more
questions are starting to surface.
Reproductive health is crucial for it paves
the way for your social and economic
development.
 Furthermore, it has also a great influence
in the health of the next generation. The
health of newborn children will be
dependent on the health of the parents,
particularly the mother.
Responsible Parenthood and
Reproductive Health Act
Toaid the reproductive health needs of
the citizens, the government mandated
the RA 10354 or most commonly known as
the Responsible Parenthood and
Reproductive Health Act. Get to know
more about the Act by answering the
activity.
PILLARS OF FOUNDATION

TheResponsible Parenthood and

Reproductive Health Act builds it
foundation on four pillars.
1. Identify these pillars by unscrambling
the letters.
2. Read the provisions beside each pillar.
 Reproductive health also concerns problems
such as sexually-transmitted infections.
According to Dr. Natividad (2013), in the Young
Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study of 2013 (YAFS-
4), a survey of Filipino college and high school
graduates;
36.2
percent and 43.5 percent respectively
admitted to having engaged in premarital sex.
Inaddition 66.7 percent and 79.6 percent did not
use any protection at first premarital sex.
These scenarios are most often the causes of
infections.
 Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or
AIDS is caused by human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which usually
does not have symptoms in its early
stages.
 Initially, people with HIV were diagnosed
as having AIDS only when they developed
blood infections, the cancer known as
Kaposis sarcoma, or any of the 21 other
indicator diseases (Donatelle, 2006).
 In addition, HIV is highly infectious through
unprotected sexual intercourse, breastfeeding
(of an infected mother to infant), and blood
transfusion/injecting drugs (needles used for
infected patients). Currently, there are several
treatment options for HIV and AIDS, but no
known cure yet.
In this light, the government also puts its efforts to
eradicate these sex-related diseases especially
AIDS.
The Philippine AIDS Prevention
and Control Act
The Republic Act No. 8504 or the Philippine AIDS
Prevention and Control Act of 1998 was passed
by the Congress on July 28, 1997.
The Act promulgates policies and prescribing
measures for the prevention and control of
HIV/AIDS in the Philippines, instituting a
nationwide HIV/AIDS information and
educational program, establishing a
comprehensive HIV/AIDS monitoring system,
strengthening the Philippine National AIDS
Council, and for other purposes (PNAC).
 The Act also provides for education and
information dissemination in various
institutions and agencies, safe practice
and procedures (testing, screening, and
counseling) in health organizations and
associations, monitoring of cases with
confidentiality, and programs for anti-
discriminatory acts (in the workplace,
hospitals, and other public institutions).
Substance Use and Abuse
Gateway drugs may be considered as windows
to unprotected sex. These are drugs that
people use initially that may eventually lead to
the abuse of illegal drugs (Galvez Tan, et al.,
2009).
Alcohol and tobacco are gateway drugs. When
alcohol is consumed, the central nervous system
is affected.
Thus, a person is more vulnerable to doing
dangerous acts because of depressed decision-
making skills.
The Comprehensive Dangerous
Drugs Act
Republic Act No. 9165 or the
Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs
Act of 2002 protects citizens from
the harmful effects of dangerous
drugs to their physical and mental
well-being.
Unlawful acts that are subject to
penalties and fines.
a. Importing of dangerous drugs and/or
controlled precursors and essential chemicals
(narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances)
b. Selling, trading, administering, dispensing,
delivering, distributing, and transporting
dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors
and essential chemicals
c. Maintaining a drug den, drive, or resort
d. Manufacturing of dangerous drugs and/or
controlled precursors and essential chemicals
 e. Manufacturing or delivery of equipment,
instrument, apparatus, or other paraphernalia
for dangerous drugs and/or controlled
precursors and essential chemicals
f. Possessing dangerous drugs, equipment,
instrument, apparatus, or other paraphernalia
g. Possessing dangerous drugs during parties,
social gatherings or meetings
h. Cultivating or culturing plants classified as
dangerous drugs or sources of such
i. Unnecessary prescribing dangerous drugs
The Tobacco Regulation Act

On the other hand, Republic Act

No. 9211 or the Tobacco
Regulation Act of 2003 protects
people from the sale, use, and
advertisements of hazardous
tobacco products.
 In order to promote a healthful
environment, the Act absolutely bans
smoking in public places, most especially
in centers of youth activities, elevators and
stairwells, fire-hazardous places, within
public and private hospitals and medical
clinics, airport and other terminals, and
food preparation areas. In this light, a
designated smoking and non-smoking
area should be utilized.
 TheAct also restricts access to sale of
tobacco products to minors. Tobacco
may not be put in a vending machine,
unless it verifies age, and may not be sold
within 100 meters of a school. Should
tobacco be sold, there should be proper
signage that indicates target consumers.
 When it comes to advertising
and promotions, the Act
provisions the printing of
warnings on cigarette packs
in either Filipino or English. In
addition, health warnings
should also be included.
 Lastly,
the government should
provide programs and projects for
those who shall be affected by the
passing of the Act. One example of
which are the tobacco growers. The
Act provisions the establishment of a
cooperative and assistance program
for the said people.
Social Health

Peerinfluence also concerns you as

adolescents. You are in the
developmental stage wherein you
build lasting relationships with peers.

Here
are some issues that you may
encounter:
1. Cybercrime
With the advancement of technology, there are various
platforms where you may express yourself. This diversity
may do both good and harm to you.
Cyber refers to a computer or a computer network, the
electronic medium in which online communication takes
place.
Thus, cybercrime is simply any crime committed in
cyberspace. To protect the citizens from this concern,
the government mandated Republic Act No. 10175 or
the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. The law
mandates the prohibition of cybersex, child
pornography, unsolicited commercial communications,
and computer-related identity theft.
2. Child Pornography
Inrelation to cybercrime, child
pornography has become a pressing
concern of this generation. Republic
Act No. 9775 or the AntiChild
Pornography Act of 2009 defines the
crime of child pornography.
 Asdefined, Child pornography refers to
any representation, whether visual, audio,
or written combination thereof, by
electronic, mechanical, digital, optical,
magnetic or any other means, of child
engaged or involved in real or simulated
explicit sexual activities (Official Gazette,
2009).
 In
addition, it is also important to note
how the Act defines a child.
The Term CHILD
Child refers to a person below eighteen (18) years of age or
over, but is unable to fully take care of himself/herself from abuse,
neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a
physical or mental disability or condition. For the purpose of this
Act, a child shall also refer to:
(1) a person regardless of age who is presented,
depicted or portrayed as a child as defined herein; and
(2) computer-generated, digitally or manually crafted images
or graphics of a person who is represented or who is made to
appear to be a child as defined herein.
 Child pornography may also be syndicated if
there are three (3) or more persons
confederating with one another. In this light, it is
not only the victim who can file a complaint, but
the parents or guardians, relative within the third
degree, officer or social worker of a licensed
child-caring institution or DSWD, barangay
chairman, law enforcement officer, at least
three concerned responsible citizens in the same
place where the pornography occurs, and a
person who is knowledgeable of the law may do
so.
3. Hazing

Fraternities and sororities, gangs, and social

groups are starting to become more and more
identified and publicized. Because of their
alleged prestige and prime, more teens are
encouraged to be a part of them.
For some of these groups, hazing may be an
option to test an applicants willingness and
commitment. On the other hand, hazing is very
dangerous, and proven to have killed many
lives.
The Anti-Hazing Law

The government protects the youth

through the Republic Act No. 8949 or the
Anti-Hazing Law. The Act penalizes those
who will go too far during initiation rites
wherein the applicant is subjected to
severe physical and emotional pain and
suffering.
4. Blood Donation

Being proactive citizens of the country, you must

willingly help others in ways that will not harm
you. One of the emerging forms of voluntary
service is blood donation. Republic Act No. 7719
or the National Blood Services Act of 1994 aims
to promote and encourage voluntary blood
donation by the citizenry, provide for adequate,
safe and affordable and equitable distribution
of blood and blood products.
In order to attain these aims, the Act provisions the
establishment of a Blood Services Network which
consists of the following:
a. National Council for Blood Services and its various
committees
It serves as the governing body of the network and is
responsible for the approval of various policies on blood
services.
b. Philippine National Blood Services
Under its Blood Centers, it works on the recruitment,
retention, and care of voluntary blood donors, collection
of blood from qualified donors, testing of units of blood for
infectious diseases, and the like.
 c. Authorized Blood Collection Units and
Facilities
d. Private and Public Hospital Blood Banks and
Blood Stations
e. Non-Hospital Health Facilities
f. National Reference Laboratories for
Immunology and Immunohematology
Safety in the Environment

Pollution and road safety are two

of the most usual issues that
concern you as a member of your
community. Here are some
policies most appropriate to
address these concerns.
1. Pollution

With the exponential growth in population, more

resources are being demanded and supplied to
the people. However, people do not manage
these resources properly. Thus, pollution arises. That
is why the government mandated the Republic
Act No. 9512 or the National Environmental
Awareness and Education Act of 2008.
The National Environmental
Awareness and Education Act
This
Act promotes environmental
awareness through environmental
education. Various educational
agencies, DSWD, DOST, and DENR
shall integrate environmental
education in their curricula.
Inaddition, environmental
education shall also be part of
the National Service Training
Program (NSTP).
 It shall encompass the concepts and
principles, laws, international and national
best practices, threats of degradation and
its impacts to human well-being,
responsibilities of humans in conservation,
protection and rehabilitation of resources,
and sustainable development through the
environment.
2. Road Safety

Road accidents are one of the

most frequent causes of death
among Filipinos. To respond to this
alarming situation, citizens are
protected by law through these
Republic Acts.
The Seat Belts Use Act

Republic Act No 8750 or the Seat Belts Use Act

of 1999 aims to secure and safeguard
passengers and drivers of motor vehicles from
injuries and other effects of vehicular accidents.
The policy includes the mandatory wearing of
seatbelts by the driver and front seat passengers
of any running motor vehicle. The Act also
prohibits children from sitting in the front seat of
any motor vehicle.
 In addition, Republic Act No. 10586
or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged
Driving Law also penalizes those who
will be caught driving under the
influence of alcohol, drugs, and other
similar substances.
WE ARE DONE!