BENEFITS

It is known that Abortion is criminalized in the Philippines. According to the Constitution

of the Republic of the Philippines (1987), Article II, Section 12, “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 receive the support of the Government.”

A pleasant morning to everyone in the room. It is my great pleasure to be standing in

front of you to further discuss our side, which agrees with legalizing abortion. As my co-member
discussed the necessities of legalizing abortion, I, Jerssene Fhaye B. Parino, was present in front
of you to discuss the different benefits that would accrue if the legalization of abortion were
granted in the Philippines.

To repeal discriminatory laws against women and eliminate stigma and

discrimination against women who induce abortion (EnGendeRights, Inc.)

The 1930 Revised Penal Code abortion law is a restrictive, colonial, and antiquated law that
continues to perpetuate discrimination against women. This law was directly translated from
Spanish into English from the 1870 Old Spanish Penal Code which 3 provisions can be traced
back to the older 1822 Spanish Penal Code. This law has infringed Filipino women’s right to
bodily autonomy to end their pregnancies leading to maternal deaths and morbidities from
unsafe abortion complications.

Decriminalizing abortion will put a stop to women who require induced abortion care for
therapeutic/medical necessity, including those who require emergency post-abortion care
owing to unsafe abortion complications. This is a step toward eliminating sexism,
misogyny, and gender discrimination. According to Padilla of engenderights inc, women
suffering from unsafe abortion complications bleed to death or die from sepsis because
they do not seek medical attention for fear of being prosecuted.because according to the
Revised penal code under article 258 states that Abortion practiced by the woman herself
 of by her parents. – The penalty of prison correccional in its medium and maximum
periods shall be imposed upon a woman who shall practice abortion upon herself or shall
consent that any other person should do so. with the fear of this, others denied emergency
treatment and exposed to harsh and delayed treatment.

To reduce maternal deaths related to unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions during
humanitarian crises (EnGendeRights, Inc.)

Firstly, preventing women and girls from accessing an abortion does not mean they stop needing
one. That’s why attempts to ban or restrict abortions do nothing to reduce the number of
abortions, it only forces people to seek out unsafe abortions. (according to center of reproductive
rights)The Philippines' criminal abortion prohibition in 2008 was believed to have resulted in the
tragic loss of at least 1,000 women's lives.

According to (Shroedel , 2020) ,The health and well-being of women and children suffer the
most in states that have the most stringent laws that restrict access to safe and legal
abortion.Therefore, Abortion laws and regulations are very restrictive and indeed a cause
for stigma and distress in women .That is why legalizing abortion is beneficial to women
who still continuously seek into engaging unsafe procedures. It can prevent unsafe, illegal
abortions that may lead to serious health complications or even death.

With the proper tools, facilities, and medical professionals, far safer procedures may be
carried out to ensure the safety of the woman should abortion become legal in the
Philippines.
 To provide incest and rape survivors the opportunity to end unwanted pregnancies
through safe abortion procedures (EnGendeRights, Inc.)

According to Cameleon Association, About 7,000,000 children are sexually abused every
year in the Philippines.
More than 70% of sexually abused children are between 10 and 18 years old.. The incest
percentage is another alarming data: 33%. children’s life are put at risk in terms of bearing the
child.

Teenage pregnancy is one off the main issues in our country.Results from Philstar showed that,
according to experts, The Philippines is among the countries in Southeast Asia with the highest
adolescent birth rate of 47. With abortion being criminalized here in the Philippines ,adolescent
moms are forced to keep the pregnancy.

Denying safe and legal abortion to rape and incest survivors is torture injustice, and it
straightly discriminates women and girls. Without access to safe and legal abortion, these
rape and incest victims end up part of the statistics of women and girls who die from unsafe
abortion complications.

A lot of adolescent moms come from rape. Results cites about 40 to 50 adolescent girls aged 10-
14 give birth every week. It has been found that many adolescent girls aged 15 and below
became pregnant due to sexual assault.
In 2018, a 14-year-old girl in Paraguay who became pregnant after being raped by a 37-year-old
man died during childbirth. The hospital director said, “Her body was not ready for a
pregnancy.” this would wildly state that abortion should be accessible and freely offered to
women and girls who have exceptional circumstances.

A young child cannot bear the physical torment and mental anguish of the trauma she
experienced from rape. Result’s also shows that a young child’s body does not have the
capability in giving childbirth. giving childbirth as a young child puts their life at an ultimate
risk.
Therefore, Legalising abortion provides hope and justice for rape victims who are not
emotionally and mentally ready of handling pregnancy. This highlights the imperative need
to address such gender-based violence with due diligence including by providing access to
emergency contraceptives and safe abortion and in effective prevention by raising the age of
sexual consent to 16 as recommended by the Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW Committee).
PRACTICABILITY

(Center for Reproductive rights)

 It is stated in the Articles 256, 258 and 259 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines
mandate imprisonment for women who undergo abortion, as well as for any person who
assists in the procedure. A woman performing an abortion on herself to conceal her
dishonor is subject to the minimum or medium period of this penalty.

 Physicians and midwives who perform abortions in the Philippines with the
consent of a pregnant woman may face up to six years in prison under the
Revised Penal Code.
REBUTTALS
 The bill would legalize abortion during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy—and later, if the

pregnancy resulted from rape or threatened the person’s life or health, exceptions

currently allowed under the Criminal Code.

 The ESCR Committee also recommended that the state “expand and strengthen

comprehensive, age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health education” as

recommended by the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against

Women as a result of a special inquiry in 2012.

 Even with the Reproductive Health (RH) Law (RA 10354), Magna Carta of Women (RA

9710), AntiHospital Deposit Law (RA 10932), and DOH AO ensuring access to post-

abortion care, it is not only women suffering complications from unsafe abortions who
 have been denied post-abortion care and other life-saving emergency medical care--legal

medical procedures to save women’s lives--but also women suffering complications from

naturally occurring medical conditions such as spontaneous abortion (commonly known

as miscarriages), incomplete abortion, and intra-uterine fetal demise. 20 In one

documented case, life-saving care was also denied to a woman where the fetal demise

was caused by violence committed by the abusive partner.21 Even when these naturally

occurring medical conditions are not penalized by law, women are still at risk of dying

when they are unlawfully denied timely emergency life-saving care.

 In Paraguay, two adolescent girls died during their risky childbirth after being raped and

forced to carry their pregnancy to term (forced pregnancy): In 2018, a 14-year-old girl in

Paraguay who became pregnant after being raped by a 37-year-old man died during

childbirth. The hospital director said, “Her body was not ready for a pregnancy.”40 In

2018, a 12-year-old in Paraguay was raped and forced to carry her pregnancy to term.

She died during her child birth.

 In August 2015, Maria, not her real name, a 21-year-old Filipino woman with dwarfism

condition who became pregnant as a result of rape, died a day after her risky childbirth

due to complications resulting from her dwarfism condition.