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SUBMITTED TO: Professor Emil Flores

Giselle Anne Paredes

English 13 THW2

Inquiry Paper # 1

Sexual Health of Urban Poor Women in the Philippines

Pamilya Ordinaryo or ‘Ordinary People’ is a 2016 Filipino critically renowned film

that won numerous awards from the international and local scene. It is a movie about poverty,

teenage pregnancy, and security. It is directed by Eduardo Roy Jr. that tells the story of two

teens, Jane and Aries living on the streets of Manila, who have found themselves having a baby,

as they were struggling to raise themselves and their child, they resorted to stealing from people.

The story unfolds with Arjan being taken from Jane when they are at a market, and the

subsequent storyline predominantly revolved around the couple’s relentless search to find their

child. With limited resources and societal biases against them, they face numerous challenges

and encounters along the way. They approach the police, barangay captain, and the television

network seeking help and in the hope that these people would lend them a hand. However, they

discovered how most of them were quick to turn their back, dismiss, and judge impoverished

people whom they deem powerless.

It is never easy to watch these kinds of films that delve into difficult realities about

life. Some of these are disturbing, concerning, and even heartbreaking. One prominent reality

from the film is the presence of numerous homeless children roaming the streets, lacking
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parental guidance, and eventually resorting to begging for money and food from strangers for

sustenance. with little to no parental guidance. These poor children also cannot read or write as

they do not have access to education. Another harsh reality is the prevalence of teenage

pregnancy that is rampant in all social classes. The film shed light on the burden of raising a child,

particularly for families that belong to the lower socioeconomic class. Additionally, the film

underscores how the poor and vulnerable are often exploited and taken advantage of. The

mistreatment Jane experienced at the hands of the police exemplifies this. Instead of fulfilling

their duty to assist her, the policeman subjected Jane to invasive and inappropriate questioning,

exploiting her powerlessness and desperation for his own gain. Furthermore, the self-centered

perspective was consistently observed from the people who helped the couple, such as the press

who covered their story since it is good press, and the others who helped just for their own

pleasure and because of money. The movie explores the thin line between selfishness and

selflessness, revealing that people do prioritize their own interests and personal benefits. Lastly,

the film highlights the unwavering determination of a mother to be reunited with her child.

Despite being deceived, mistreated, and disrespected during her quest to find her son, Jane did

not stop. In stark contrast to her own mother, Jane exemplifies a decent and caring mother who

will do everything for their child. (Ralfonso)

Jane is just one case of many women that is at risk of sexually transmitted

diseases, early pregnancies, and other sexual health problems. Women living in poverty in the

Philippines have little to no access to sexual healthcare, education, and support as compared to
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women that came from well-off families, and that puts them at risk of sexually transmitted

diseases, and early pregnancies.

Sexual Health, Sexuality, and Sexual Rights

The World Health Organization aims for sexual and reproductive health awareness

to be attained by everyone at the highest level possible. With this regard, WHO together with

the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) consulted with experts to have a clear terminology

and identify program options relating to sexual reproductive health. The following terminologies

were defined:

Sex refers to the biological characteristics that categorize females or males apart.

While Sexual Health refers to “a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in

relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual

health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well

as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion,

discrimination, and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights

of all persons must be respected, protected, and fulfilled.” (WHO, 2006a) Furthermore,

sexuality is a core element of human existence throughout life that encompasses various aspects

such as sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, pleasure, intimacy, and reproduction.

Sexuality is not limited to physical acts but also includes thoughts, fantasies, desires, values,

behaviors, practices, roles, and relationships. Although all these dimensions can be part of one's

sexuality, not everyone experiences or expresses all of them. The expression of sexuality can be
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either one or the overlap of biological, psychological, social, economic, political, cultural,

religious, and spiritual factors. (WHO, 2006a) This only implies how fluid sexuality is. And lastly,

sexual rights are created to protect all people’s right to express their sexuality to whomever and

whenever they please without discrimination (WHO, 2006a, updated 2010).

“Human rights provide an international legal framework within which the sexual

and reproductive health needs and aspirations of all people can be considered” (Gruskin, 2005)

The following inference can be made about sexual health from the legal framework of human

rights:

1. Sexual Health is not about having or lacking diseases, it is about the well-

being of a person.

2. Sexual Health is free from discrimination and violence, whereas one can

freely express their sexuality.

3. Sexual Health is relevant in all the life stages of a person, from the young

until they are old.

4. Sexual Health is not limited, it can be expressed through different forms of

sexualities.

5. Gender norms, roles, relationships, and power dynamics heavily influence

sexual health. (WHO)

Background on the Philippines

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Poverty is the state in which people do not have enough money to meet

the basic needs they need to survive. Poor people live in bad conditions such as having no home,

and no access to basic services such as clean water, sanitation, education, and healthcare. Every

country varies in which metrics they use to figure out how many of the total population are poor.

(“What is poverty”) There is a national poverty line that is a benchmark for estimating the poverty

indicators to categorize citizens in their respective socioeconomic classes. (“Metadata Glossary”)

In 2021, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that almost 20 million,

or 18.1% of the population lived below the national poverty line, this implies that this number of

people are considered poor. In line with this, “the main causes of poverty in the Philippines

include slow economic growth for the past 40 years, low growth elasticity of poverty reduction,

weakness in both quantity and quality of job opportunities produced, failure to invest in the

agriculture sector, rapidly growing population, and high inflation, particularly during crisis

periods.” (Asia Development Bank 2) Furthermore, because of the current global economic crisis,

poverty incident just continues to increase, and the goal to reduce the number of people living

in extreme poverty may be difficult to achieve. With regards to gender, the Philippines has made

substantial progress in enhancing the opportunities and welfare of its women and men (ADB et

al.) nevertheless, obstacles are still apparent when it comes to enacting essential policies that

focus on the enhancement of maternal health and reproductive health (Asia Development Bank

2).

The Philippines takes pride in being the sole Christian nation in Asia, with

over 86% of the population identifying as Roman Catholic. (Miller) Despite the separation of the
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Church and the State according to the Constitution, the church maintains its conservatism

influence in shaping policies, particularly in relation to reproductive health. As a result, abortion

is prohibited in the country except for cases where the fetus will cause harm to the mother. Also

due to the conventional ideologies set by the Church, sexual health is still frowned upon that

discusses safe sex that will avoid the risks of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned

pregnancies. (Ozaki, Akihiko et al.) Statistics from 2008 show that there are on average 560,000

illegal, and unsafe abortions being done every year in the country. (GI & UPPI)

Poverty and Sexual Health

In the context of sexual health, it has been found that women are more vulnerable

to sexually transmitted diseases and other related consequences than men due to biological

characteristics, gender, and social issues. These factors subject women to conditions of

subordination and inferiority compared to men, resulting in a limited ability to make decisions

such as engaging in protected sexual activity. In addition, factors including early sexual

introduction, limited sex education, low income, and even economic dependence contribute to

women’s vulnerability, which is particularly prevalent in developing countries. The lack of

knowledge of these diseases makes women vulnerable to contracting these risks. An example of

this might be such many women only associate condom use as prevention for unplanned

pregnancies, they did not know that this is also a means of protecting oneself from sexually

transmitted infections. (Moura et. al)

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Studies about the Philippines, particularly the urban cities such as Manila and

Quezon City, the rate is of crime and violence towards women and children are higher. These

people are exposed to the threats of violence and lack the means to remove themselves from

such dangerous situations. Examples of these threats include theft and sexual harassment by

strangers in public places, domestic abuse, sexual harassment, and rape at the hands of their

partners and even fathers done in the privacy of their homes. Consequently, the stress arising

from these traumas will become an overwhelming burden for urban poor women that would

leave an impact for the rest of their lives. (Gender Equality Women’s Human Right Center 7)

Approximately 41% of females between the ages of 15 and 24 and are from poor

family backgrounds are exposed to the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs),

whereas only 22% of females from more comfortable backgrounds face the same risks. (Abrigo)

This discrepancy can be attributed to the lack of awareness and education about sexually

transmitted diseases among poor female young adults.

Furthermore, according to the survey by Family Planning Survey (FPS) in 2006,

there are an average of 44% unwanted pregnancies amongst the poorest 10% of women. There

are different studies exploring the population increase in the Philippines, particularly among

urban poor women. In the same survey, FPS found out that 22% of married women wanted to

prevent pregnancy but cannot afford to buy contraceptives such as condoms and pills. The use

of contraceptives and practicing proper family planning remains exceptionally low in the

Philippines due to a lack of access to free contraceptives and limited education on family planning

and sex education (Pernia, et al.). As a result, the rate of teenage pregnancy according to the FPS
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survey, arise from 39 per 1000 women in 2006 to 54 in 1000 women in 2011. Additionally, having

too many and too closely spaced children heightens the risk of childbirth complications that can

be lethal to both the mother and the children. Statistics based on the FPS in 2011 show that there

has been an increase in the Maternal Mortality Ratio which represents the number of maternal

deaths versus the number of live births in 2011 which is 221 deaths per 100,000 live births from

162 death per 100,000 live births in 2006.

For women to exercise their right to autonomous decision-making about their

bodies and reproductive option, it is necessary to ensure their access to family planning services.

This gives them the power to choose the timing and number of children they wish to have. Also,

providing comprehensive and safe sexual and reproductive health services allows people to

freely explore their sexuality without exposing themselves to the risks of contracting sexually

transmitted diseases like HIV, chlamydia, syphilis, etc.

It is crucial to acknowledge the existing violations of sexual and reproductive

health rights of vulnerable groups and the existence of patriarchal ideologies, gender roles, and

social norms that are well-rooted in society so that proper actions can be done. (Gender Equality

and Women’s Human Rights Center) It is imperative for the government to prioritize

comprehensive education on family planning and the correct usage of contraception and safe

sex, while actively addressing the stigma surrounding sexuality and sexual health. This is

particularly crucial for marginalized communities including young women that lack access to this

information due to their circumstances.

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Works Cited

Alcovindas, Mikhaela Marcel M, et al. “Access to Health Services among Low-Income Women in

the ... - IJRPR.” International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, Dec. 2022,

ijrpr.com/uploads/V3ISSUE12/IJRPR8786.pdf.

Asian Development Bank. Poverty in the Philippines: Cases, Constraints, and Opportunities, 2009,

www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/27529/poverty-philippines-causes-

constraints-opportunities.pdf.

“Defining Sexual Health.” World Health Organization, www.who.int/teams/sexual-and-

reproductive-health-and-research/key-areas-of-work/sexual-health/defining-sexual-

health.

Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights Center. “An Initial Situationer of Urban Poor

Women Focusing on Violence, Social ...” Situationer Report on Urban Poor Women, 2019,

chr.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/An-Initial-Situationer-of-Urban-Poor-Women-

Focusing-on-Violence-Social-Protection-and-Housing_January-February-2019.pdf.
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“Metadata Glossary.” Databank, databank.worldbank.org/metadataglossary/gender-

statistics/series/SI.POV.NAHC#:~:text=National%20poverty%20lines%20are%20the,need

ed%20to%20be%20non%2Dpoor.

Miller, Jack. “Religion in the Philippines.” Asia Society, asiasociety.org/education/religion-

philippines#:~:text=The%20Philippines%20proudly%20boasts%20to,well%20over%20100

%20Protestant%20denominations.

Moura, Samy Loraynn Oliveira, et al. “ESC Anna Nery 2021;25(1):E20190325 EAN - Scielo - Brasil.”

Women’s Perception of Their Vulnerability to Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 2020,

www.scielo.br/j/ean/a/MPPjTYjH8c6Nb4BwKRMmxdh/?format=pdf.

Ozaki, Akihiko et al. “Family Planning as a Possible Measure to Alleviate Poverty in the Philippines

- Beyond Sociocultural Norms and Pervasive Opposition.” International journal of health

policy and management vol. 6,11 683-684. 1 Nov. 2017, doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2017.57

Pernia, Ernesto M, et al. “Population, Poverty, Politics and the Reproductive Health Bill.” Per Se,

29 July 2012, econ.upd.edu.ph/perse/?p=1282.

“Poor Women in Ph More Susceptible to Sexually Transmitted Diseases–Pids

Study.”PIDS, 26 Jan. 2018,www.pids.gov.ph/details/poor-women-in-ph-more-

susceptible-to-sexually-transmitted-diseases-pids-study.
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Ralfonso. “5 Disturbing Realities That Will Make You Cringe in ‘Pamilya Ordinaryo.’” POP!, 13

Sept. 2018, pop.inquirer.net/24645/5-disturbing-realities-that-will-make-you-cringe-in-

pamilya-ordinaryo.

“What Is Poverty? Definition of Poverty, Poverty Meaning.” The Economic Times,

economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/poverty.

WHO. “Defining Sexual Health.” World Health Organization, www.who.int/teams/sexual-and-

reproductive-health-and-research/key-areas-of-work/sexual-health/defining-sexual-

health.