Position Paper on Reproductive Health Bill

A Position Paper AGAINST H.B. 5043 Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development Act of 2008 As introduced by Honorable Edcel C. Lagman

To our Honorable Legislators, We are one with you in our pursuit to alleviate poverty and to seek solution to move the country towards economic progress. We are respectfully submitting to you the findings of our study. These affirmed and substantiated our stand that H.B. 5043 does not give us the right solutions to our real problems.

Respecfully, Faith Buenaventura M.D. Lili Rose Embuscado, MS Pharmacology, UP Manila Dess Narvaez, BS Economics, UP Diliman Mihlgrace Samonteza, BS Architecture, University of Santo Tomas Sherla Najera, Faculty, UP Diliman Cherry Cristobal, School of Statistics Faculty, UP Diliman Karen Montevirgen, BS Psychology, UP Diliman Noreen Bautista, BS Computer Technology Management, Ateneo Celine Socrates, BS Political Science, UP Diliman Berna Angangco, BS Political Science, Ateneo Isabel Diaz, BS Education, UP Diliman Ingrid Silapan, BS Computer Science, UP Diliman Kathy Navarrete, BS Management Engineering, Ateneo Pia Lorenzo, BS Home Economics, UP Diliman Yna Shalimar Sta.Maria, BA Humanities, Ateneo Camille Diola, BA Journalism, UP Diliman Sofie Im, BS Biology, UP Diliman

18 September 2008

Email us: [email protected]

The proposed Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008 promotes the universal access to reproductive health care services to reduce the growth of our increasing population and thereby reducing poverty. 1. The first question is: Is the population significantly increasing? The proposed bill assumes that our population growth rate is increasing. However, statistics show otherwise. According to data from the National Statistics Office (NSO), the average population growth rate in the period 2000 to 2007 in 2.04 and the lowest since the 1960s. Furthermore, it is decreasing over the years and the projected average annual population growth rate for the period 2005 to 2010 is 1.95 percent. Based on these facts, it is evident that there is no need for this measure to reduce the claimed increasing population. (National Statistics Office Manila page last updated April 21, 2008. http://www.census.gov.ph/data/pressrelease/2008/pr0830tx.html)

2. If there is a decrease in the average population growth rate, why is it so crowded in Manila? There are more people in the National Capital Region and other highly urbanized cities located in Metro Manila. NSO declared that “Calabarzon, NCR, and Central Luzon comprised more than onethird of total population”. As opposed to this, twelve other regions have population growth rates below the national figure, 2.04%. One cannot conclude the problem of overpopulation with only the basis of a few urbanized cities which are indeed populous.

3. Do we really become poor with more people? The Filipinos are not fairly distributed in all parts of the country, leaving some places congested, and others with few inhabitants. Just take a look at how congested Manila is, with 14 million people as of 2000, and how the province of Southern Leyte only has 360,160 Filipinos (NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing), considering a land area of 1,734 km2, a lot bigger than Manila’s (38.3 km2 ) We say that the appropriate indicator to use in order to make valid comparisons is population density (i.e. population per unit of land area). Still, even with this appropriate gauge, one still cannot use a country’s population density as the scapegoat for poverty. Using this indicator one would find, for example, that Belgium has a very high population density, Pakistan is in the middle, and Somalia ranks very low. Of these countries, Belgium is not the one with the most difficulties. Nor does Somalia have the fewest. Clearly, just looking at population or even population density, tells us very little about a society’s problem, all the more how it causes poverty in the country. The problem here is not overpopulation, but defective resource allocation and unequal wealth distribution. It is not scarcity that we’re facing, because it is not experienced by the entire population. One percent of the country’s population owns more than 50% of the country’s wealth, while the majority who are below poverty line are the once facing scarcity. As Mahatma Gandhi says, “there are enough resources in the world to satisfy everyone’s need but not enough resources to satisfy one man’s greed.”

4. Are the artificial contraceptive methods safe? There are three types of contraceptives as presented to the medical students of the University of the Philippines Manila-PGH in 2005 by Dra. Leah Zamora of the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society: Types hormonal

Examples oral, injectables, implants, and patch

mechanical methods

IUD, Condom, Diaphragm, and Spermicides

permanent sterilization

tubal ligation, hysterectomy, vasectomy

Effects Oral (pill)- Weight gain, Nausea, vomiting, Headache, Menstrual changes, Increased cervical mucus, Vulvovaginitis/vaginal discharge, UTI, Decreased breast milk,Breast changes / tenderness, Change in sexual desire, Depression, Skin problems, Hyperpigmentation, Acne, Gum inflammation, Cramps, Risk of cancer after 5 years of use, risk for birth defects Oral (Mini-pill)Ectopic pregnancy, Functional ovarian cysts Injectable (Depo-Provera) Prolonged amenorrhea, Abnormal uterine bleeding, Delayed return of fertility after discontinuation of use, Loss of bone density in long-time users Implant (Norplant)Same as oral contraceptives, Blood clots formation IUD- Uterine perforation during insertion, Uterine cramping / bleeding upon insertion, Heavy or prolonged menstruation, Higher incidence of anemia, ectopic pregnancy, Pelvic infections, Pelvic abscess / septic abortions, infertility, sterility, and DEATH, sterilizing infection, risk of HIV infection, IUD displacement / expulsion, Condom- Latex sensitivity, Contraceptive failure due to Slippage and displacement rate: 8% Breakage rate (latex): 1.1% Breakage rate (polyurethane): 7.2% Diaphragm- UTI, Toxic Shock Syndrome, Ulceration of the vagina, Latex sensitivity SpermicidesBurning sensation, Irritation of the vagina Tubal ligationAnesthetic complications, Injury to the uterus or, around the fallopian tubes, Hemorrhage / hematoma, Sepsis (infection), Pulmonary embolism (rare), Death HysterectomyAnesthetic complications, Injury to structures near the uterus, Urinary tract injury, Greater intra-operative blood loss, Infection, Psychological effects, Loss of libido, Death, Hemorrhage / hematoma VasectomySterility is not immediate, Sterilization failure (