The on-Going Debate over the Rh Law

Health Secretary Enrique Ona (2013) said, “The (RH) Law will empower women, through informed choice and voluntarism, improve access to information, facilities and services, increased stability and sustainability of health policy across national and local government.” The long debate over the once-called RH Bill has finally been concluded. Some of the highlights of the Law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) include the further development of the health service, hiring and training of skilled health professionals, and the continuous review and close monitoring of the reproductive health programs. Although the RH Law is said to be revolutionary, it is still considered as “controversial”. This particular Law is a vital factor for the complete employment of the Philippine government’s widespread health care policy, which aims to reduce deaths due to pregnancy or giving birth, and improve overall reproductive health of the Filipinos. According to the United Nations Population Fund (2009), and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (2012), “More mothers die from childbirth due to the poor implementation of modern family planning methods, bad public health service, and more.” The revolutionary RH Law, as proclaimed by Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, the principal author of the Bill, will not have immediate results. It is said that even with much work and plenty of funds, for the free contraceptives, the Law’s results may approximately initiate after five years. Even the authors of the Bill, now a Law, sadly announced that the RH Law is not perfect; much improvement and revision is still taking place. With the implementation of this Law, the government hopes to see great changes, especially on our public and reproductive health. As it was mentioned before, these changes include the improved access to information, facilities and services, increased stability and sustainability of health policy across national and local government. Hopefully, with their