MANILA, Philippines — Mothers in indigent communities would greatly benefit from the passage of the Reproductive health (RH) bill now being debated in Congress by getting better access to modern family planning methods.
Sen. Pia Cayetano, chair of the Senate committees on health and demography and youth, women and children, stressed this point during heated plenary debates on the bill.
Citing different names and cases of women, Cayetano said many of them would want to avail themselves of contraceptives from local health centers but could not do so as many local government units (LGUs) have passed ordinances banning use of contraceptives.
She said she does not believe the contention of a colleague, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, a staunch critic of the Rh bill, who believes contraceptives should be the least of local governments’ priorities.
“I don’t believe that contraceptives should not be a priority. It does not have to be number one priority, but if you look and take the time to speak to these women, it is very important to many of them to plan their families,” Cayetano said.
The senator said it is vital for RH services to be made available and accessible to women in respective towns or barangays as opposed to making them avail of these services elsewhere. Historically, she said women traditionally bear the brunt of suffering with their children.
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