What's behind Reproductive Health Bill?

   

HB 5043 PROMOTES ABORTION THROUGH ABORTIFACIENT

The Bill promotes contraceptives that are abortifacient like the IUD, oral contraceptives or pills.
Preventing the newly conceived life in its embryonic stage from being transported to the uterus and preventing implantation in the wall of the uterus are the "abortifacient" properties of the pill. 

THE BILL IS AGAINST CATHOLIC TEACHINGS

It's the Catholic Teaching that human life begins at conception. The use of artificial contraception is a grave evil. The early Church Fathers such as Augustine of Hippo, John Chrysostom and many others condemned contraception. The Catechism of the Catholic Church prohibits it and the Humane Vitae of Pope Paul VI in 1968.

HB 5043 violates the Philippine Constitution:

The Philippine Constitution Article II, Section 12 states that: "The state recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. The natural and primary right and duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and the development of moral character shall perceive the support of the government."

HB 5043 is anti-women and anti-poor:

While HB 5043 claims to prevent maternal death, its supporters fail to grasp that the great majority of such deaths are caused by the lack of proper medical facilities and care. Instead of using resources on controversial contraceptive methods and services, more good will be done by using such funds for basic health care, eliminating the real cause of maternal deaths. The Bill, however, does not address this lack of basic health care services, and will allow the problem to persist while it wastes funds on abortifacients and other ineffective reproductive health measure.

THE RH BILL VIOLATES FREEDOM OF SPEECH


Section 21 (e) of the proposed bill lists the following as a prohibited act: “Any person who maliciously engages in disinformation about the intent or provisions of this Act.” This provision is overly broad and “disinformation” could (and most probably will) be construed as prohibiting the expression of objections to the Bill, such as what we are presently doing. This provision is is obviously going to be used to suppress dissent, and is an undue restriction of freedom of speech. It has no place in any of the laws of a democratic nation.

Section 17, on the other hand, mandates employers must provide such abortifacients and other contraceptives to employees. It states that, “All Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) shall provide for the free delivery by the employer of reasonable quantity of reproductive health care services, supplies and devices to all workers, more particularly women workers.” Employers, therefore, are not given any choice despite the fact that distribution of these abortifacients and contraceptives may be against their conscience.

Section 21, number 5, requires doctors and health workers to dispense such abortifacients and other artificial contraceptive devices and methods. If they refuse to do soon religious grounds, they must still refer those who want to use such abortifacients to another person who will dispense them. Conscientious objectors are thereby required to cooperate in such acts, and if they refuse, they are slapped penalties ranging from one to six months imprisonment and a fine of P10,000-P50,000! HB 5043 eliminates any choice for conscientious objectors and makes no room for their legitimate concerns.

References:
Katoliko.org/2008/12/08-a-position-paper-against-hb5403
The Pill: How does it work? Is it safe -1993 The Couple to Couple League International, Inc.