Philippines

ABORTION POLICY
Grounds on whi h !"or#ion is per$i##ed: To save the life of the woman To preserve physical health To preserve mental health Rape or incest Foetal impairment Economic or social reasons Available on request Addi#ion!l re%uire$en#s& Authorization of an abortion requires consultation with a panel of professionals. Yes No No No No No No

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CONTEXT

overnment view on fertility level: overnment intervention concernin! fertility level: overnment policy on contraceptive use: $ercenta!e of currently marrie# women usin! mo#ern contraception %a!e# &'())* &++,-: Total fertility rate %&++'(.///-: A!e(specific fertility rate %per &*/// women a!e# &'(&+* &++'(.///-: overnment has e2presse# particular concern about: 3orbi#ity an# mortality resultin! from in#uce# abortion 4omplications of chil#bearin! an# chil#birth 3aternal mortality ratio %per &//*/// live births* &++/-: National 5outh(eastern Asia Female life e2pectancy at birth %&++'(.///-: Too hi!h To lower "irect support provi#e# ., 0.1 )0 Yes Yes .,/ ))/ 6/..

Source: $opulation $olicy "ata 7an8 maintaine# by the $opulation "ivision of the "epartment of Economic an# 5ocial Affairs of the 9nite# Nations 5ecretariat. For a##itional sources* see list of references.

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Philippines
BAC'GROUND
Abortion in the $hilippines is !enerally ille!al. 9n#er the abortion provisions of the Revise# $enal 4o#e of &+0/* as amen#e#* a person who intentionally causes an abortion with the consent of the pre!nant woman is sub:ect to a penalty of prison correccional %i.e.* imprisonment for from si2 months to si2 yearsin its me#ium or ma2imum perio#. A physician or mi#wife who causes or assists in the performance of an abortion is sub:ect to the ma2imum perio# of this penalty* as well as suspension from the ri!ht to follow a profession. A woman performin! an abortion on herself to conceal her #ishonour is sub:ect to the minimum or me#ium perio# of this penalty. A person performin! an abortion without the consent of the pre!nant woman is sub:ect to a penalty of prison major %i.e.* 1(&. years; imprisonment-. Althou!h the $enal 4o#e #oes not list specific e2ceptions to the !eneral prohibition on abortion* un#er the !eneral criminal law principles of necessity as set forth in article &&%)- of the 4o#e* an abortion may be le!ally performe# to save the pre!nant woman;s life. <n a##ition to these provisions* the 4onstitution of &+,6 provi#es that the 5tate =shall equally protect the life of the mother an# the life of the unborn from conception>. This provision reinforces the provision containe# in a $resi#ential "ecree of &+6' establishin! the 4hil# an# Youth ?elfare 4o#e* which stipulates that a chil# has the #i!nity an# worth of a human bein! from the moment of conception an# has the ri!ht to be born well. "espite the severity of the law* abortion appears to be wi#ely practise# in the $hilippines as a means of birth control an# is rarely prosecute#. The <nternational $lanne# $arenthoo# Fe#eration reports estimates ran!in! from &''*/// to 6'/*/// in#uce# abortions per year. @owever* ille!al abortion is performe# in a climate of fear an# shame resultin! from stron! cultural* reli!ious an# le!al prohibitions. 5urveys in#icate that women resortin! to abortion are often from economically #isa#vanta!e# !roups an# ta8e this step because they are unable to provi#e for another chil#. 5urveys also in#icate a hi!h inci#ence of repeat abortion. <n a conte2t of poor health con#itions an# wi#esprea# malnutrition* an# where some 61 per cent of #eliveries occur at home an# only .& per cent are atten#e# by a physician* in#uce# abortions are poorly performe# an# result in hi!h maternal mortality an# morbi#ity. The maternal mortality ratio was estimate# at .,/ #eaths per &//*/// live births in &++/. @ospital surveys have foun# that about one thir# of maternal #eaths occurrin! in hospitals can be attribute# to in#uce# abortion. The overnment of the $hilippines is !reatly concerne# about the hi!h inci#ence of in#uce# abortion an# hopes to re#uce ille!al abortion throu!h an e2pansion of family plannin! activities an# throu!h information* e#ucation an# communication services. As early as &+6.* the Revise# $opulation Act referre# to abortion as an unacceptable metho# of birth control* which shoul# be #iscoura!e# an# prevente#. <n &+,,* a $resi#ential $roclamation on the Respect an# 4are for Aife ?ee8 emphasize# the constitutional provision that the 5tate has an obli!ation to protect the life of the unborn from conception. The $hilippines; total fertility rate has #ecline# in the last ten years* from a &+,'(&++/ rate of ).0 chil#ren per woman to a &++'(./// rate of 0.1. The overnment see8s to lower the fertility level on an on!oin! basis. The national family plannin! pro!ramme in the $hilippines has encountere# many obstacles.

Source: $opulation $olicy "ata 7an8 maintaine# by the $opulation "ivision of the "epartment of Economic an# 5ocial Affairs of the 9nite# Nations 5ecretariat. For a##itional sources* see list of references.

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Philippines
4ontraceptive use is relatively low an# has !rown slowly. The mo#ern contraceptive prevalence rate was estimate# to be .. per cent in &+,, an# ., per cent a #eca#e later* in &++,. Access to family plannin! services is limite# an# a#equate services are often unavailable. <n#ee#* after a first phase of e2pansion in the &+6/s* the national family plannin! pro!ramme was lar!ely ne!lecte#B an# as of &++.* only about . per cent of fiel# personnel in the "epartment of @ealth ha# been traine# to provi#e family plannin! services. 3oreover* accor#in! to the Republic Act of &+11* contraceptives can be sol# only in license# pharmacies an# can only be purchase# with a prescription from a qualifie# physician. 3any women cannot affor# contraceptives* an# many encounter #ifficulties in obtainin! access to overnment(#ispense# supplies. <n &++/* the overnment launche# a new family plannin! pro!ramme an# establishe# a number of incentives* inclu#in! ta2 e2emptions for couples that limite# their family size to two chil#ren. @owever* the family plannin! pro!ramme encountere# stron! opposition from the 4atholic 4hurch. Followin! a series of ne!otiations* the 4atholic 7ishops 4onference of the $hilippines sanctione# in &++/ the !overnment policy of provi#in! support for artificial metho#s of contraception %the con#om* the pill an# the intrauterine #evice* as well as sterilization- in e2chan!e for the overnment;s commitment to promote natural metho#s of family plannin!. @owever* in &++0* the 4hurch #enounce# the new overnment;s plan to e2pan# the national family plannin! pro!ramme. Followin! some !overnment concessions* the pro!ramme was launche#* but the 4atholic 7ishops 4onference once a!ain voice# its opposition an# calle# for a boycott by health practitioners. <n implementation of the <4$" $ro!ramme of Action* the overnment create# the $hilippine Repro#uctive @ealth $ro!ramme in &++, to #eliver ten #ifferent services as part of a comprehensive repro#uctive health service pac8a!e* inclu#in! family plannin!* maternal an# chil# health* an# prevention an# mana!ement of abortion complications. The accessibility an# #elivery of health services continues to be the main challen!e in this nation of ,,/ inhabite# islan#s.

Source: $opulation $olicy "ata 7an8 maintaine# by the $opulation "ivision of the "epartment of Economic an# 5ocial Affairs of the 9nite# Nations 5ecretariat. For a##itional sources* see list of references.

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