RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ACT OF 2012

A Policy Critique Paper on REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10354

In Fulfillment of the Final Requirement

for SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY (STNS01A)

Submitted by:

GROUP 2 (A112)

FAULVE, Yeda Marie P. IDANAN, Aunice R.

BARNUEVO, Alexandra ARENAS, Juan Angelo A.

CONTRERAS, Myra Grace P. BANDOLA, John Carlou A.

FLORES, Samantha Jean L. DAGALE, Ragie M.

ILARDE, Micka Gyle C. DOMINGO, Athena Nicole T.

JARAMILLA, Nica Laze S. MARQUEZ, Sean John G.

NAVOA, Chantal H. PAQUIT, Mark Jay D.

REYES, Arrent Chrislyn P. SAYSON, Kelvin R.

VIZCARRA, Camille Gail YUSON, Tricia May L.

Submitted to:
Ms. Mayette Aromin

Date Submitted:

December XX 2021
SECTION I. INTRODUCING THE DILEMMA

Early pregnancy is one of the pressing issues Filipino youths are facing today. It is

considered as an ethical dilemma, because teenage pregnancies are nothing new in the historical

context. It was normal for girls to marry in their late teens and have their first child in their

second decade during much of human history, however, in recent times preventing young

pregnancies and teenage motherhood is now a public health priority in practically all developed

and developing nations.

Based on our observations, young women with some primary education and those from

the poorest households are more likely to begin childbearing than young women with higher

education levels and those from the wealthier households. We could chalk it up to the lack of sex

education, there are minors who are not yet open and educated when it comes to sex; how to

practice safe sex, what are the contraceptives and the risks involved in an unsafe sexual

intercourse.

Sex education in the Philippines isn’t as helpful as it seems, especially since the only

things we learned there are about the reproductive system, genders, etc. And we believe it’s

because people tend to think that sex is a taboo that we shouldn’t talk about. “The Young

Adolescent Fertility Research”, a 2015 study done by the University of the Philippines

Population Institute says that while teenagers express an interest in learning general information

about sex, with more females than males expressing an interest in learning about contraception,

the same survey also reveals that young people would rather consult their friends than their

parents when they have reproductive health problems or concerns, necessitating the need for a

comprehensive intervention not only by government agencies but by all sectors of society.
SECTION II. PROVIDING RATIONALE

It is a public health problem that not enough people speak about. Sexually transmitted

diseases (STDs) such as HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea, genital herpes, and others, which can be passed

from one person to another due to risky sexual activity conceivably caused by a lack of

information about sex. According to the Department of Health, newly diagnosed cases in the

Philippines from January 2021 totaled 890 confirmed HIV-positive persons, accounting for 1%

of the total diagnosed cases (83,755) since January 1984.

STDs affect anyone it can including adults, teenagers, children, infants, and in some

cases even unborn children. The root cause is the lack of sexual education that leads to being

vulnerable from the diseases.

 The Philippines is dealing with a “new wave” of HIV/AIDS cases that have spread

mostly among young people. According to Paula Munderi, United Nations Program on

HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Prevention team leader, the country had the fastest growing HIV

epidemic in the world, with 111,000 people living with HIV or PLHIV reported in 2020. A data

from the Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau indicated that from January 1984 to

February 2021, there were 84,610 cases of HIV/AIDS, broken down to 855 cases every month or

30 cases every day. Of these cases, 804 are males and 51 were females, and 80 percent of those

infected were between 15 and 34 years old. Munderi said AIDS-related deaths jumped by 450%

despite the availability of free life-saving treatment for AIDS in 160 facilities across the country.

(Mendoza, R., May 2021. AIDS Cases Surge, Philippines: The Manila Times.)

SECTION III. APPROPRIATE JURISDICTION

SECTION IV. BACKGROUND OF RH BILL

It is the state’s duty to protect and strengthen the family as a basic social institution along

with protecting the lives of mothers, their children and the life of the unborn, women, and people

in general. All of these while still recognizing and ensuring gender equality and equity, as well as

women empowerment and their rights to reproductive health.

The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 is a mandate to meet

Filipinos' needs in terms of responsible parenthood and reproductive health. Moreover, it was
created to address and advance the reproductive healthcare in the country, and the growing

number of teenage pregnancies, infant mortality, and even HIV/AIDS cases.

Its essence was to allow and empower the Filipino people to make informed decisions for

themselves through appropriate education and access to information, together with the universal

access to methods on contraception, and maternal care.

The reproductive health act was officially signed into law on the 21st of December in

2012 under the Aquino administration— over more than a decade since being filed into Congress

in 1999. As dictated by Section 30 of Republic Act No. 10354, the act would take effect fifteen

days upon its circulation in two news publications on the 17th of January in 2013; however, total

implementation was subject to delay due to questions pertaining to its constitutionality up until

April 2014—with the nullification of eight provisions by the Supreme Court—while legal

challenges were resolved in November 2017.

In the passing of another decade since its enactment, the Responsible Parenthood and

Reproductive Health Law has yet to be fully mandated, with pilot testing in regards to sexual

education having only been conducted in selected regions of the country as of late.

SECTION V. IDENTIFYING STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES

Reinventing the Weaknesses

SECTION VI. REVISION OF THE POLICY

SECTION VII. REFLECTIONS & CONCLUSION

INDIVIDUAL REFLECTIONS

Arenas, Angelo

Bandola, John

Barnuevo, Alexandra

Contreras, Myra
Dagale, Ragie

Domingo, Athena

Faulve, Yeda

Flores, Samantha

Idanan, Aunice

Ilarde, Micka

Jaramilla, Nica
Marquez, Sean

Navoa, Chantal

Paquit, Mark

Reyes, Arrent

Sayson, Kelvin

Vizcarra, Camille

Yuson, Tricia
References (APA FORMAT)