Copy as filed on July 1, 2010
Republic of the Philippines HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Quezon City, Metro Manila FIFTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST REGULAR SESSION HOUSE BILL NO.
96
Introduced by HONORABLE EDCEL C. LAGMAN EXPLANATORY NOTE When the first comprehensive version of the RH bill, House Bill 8110 or “The Integrated Population and Development Act of 1999”, was filed in the 11th Congress, the Philippines had a population of roughly 75 million. Today, 10 years later, we hold the dubious distinction of being the 12th most populous country in the world with a population of 94.3 million or a staggering increase of 19.3 million. This would translate to an annual average increase of almost two million every year in a decade. However, it must be underscored that reproductive health goes beyond a demographic target because it is principally about the right to health and sustainable human development. The enactment of the RH bill is long overdue because although, reproductive health has long been considered a basic universal human right, this right remains elusive and illusory for millions of Filipinos, especially the poor. Consider the following: • • • • • • • • • • •
2.6 million Filipino women would like to plan their families but lack information and access to do so. (Family Planning Survey 2006) The poorest Filipinas are still having an average of 6 children (this is almost 3 times their desired number of children). (FPS 2006) 44% of the pregnancies in the poorest quintile are unwanted. (FPS 2006) Among the poorest women who would like to avoid pregnancy, at least 41% do not use any contraceptive method because of lack of information or access. (FPS 2006) 54% of married women do not want an additional child but 49% of them are not using any form of family planning method (2008 National Demographic and Health Survey). 22% of married Filipino women have an unmet need for family planning services (2008 NDHS), an increase by more than one-third since the 2003 NDHS. Only 67% of all births in the Philippines are planned. The rest are either mistimed or unwanted (NDHS 2008). Women want fewer children than what they actually have. The total wanted fertility in the country of 2.4 children is 27% lower than the actual total fertility rate of 3.3 children (NDHS 2008). 42% of women consider a two-child family as the ideal family size (2008 NDHS). Correct and consistent use of contraceptives will prevent one-third of all maternal deaths and family planning helps prevent 1 million infant deaths worldwide (WHO and UNFPA) Precise and regular use of contraceptives can decrease abortion rates by as much as 85% (Allan Guttmacher Institute).
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