MANILA, Philippines–Reproductive Health advocates on Tuesday trooped to the Supreme Court and urged it to affirm the constitutionality of Republic Act (RA) No. 10354, also known as the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, and commonly known as the Reproductive Health Law.
In an open “mothers’ letter” to the high court, they said anti-RH advocates twisted their arguments to support the claim that the law’s provisions on contraceptives and reproductive health education are violative of the 1987 Constitution.
The group insists that the law aims to ensure that women have the freedom of choice and are able to take care of their physical well-being, and that of their unborn child.
“Kami po ay nababagabag sa pagbaluktot sa nilalaman ng [Reproductive Health Law] — ang batas na kumikilala sa karapatan ng mga inang magpasya sa sariling katawan at nagtitiyak sa aming kaligtasan mula sa nakamamatay na kumplikasyon ng pagbubuntis at panganganak.
(We are deeply concerned about the twisting of the contents of Reproductive Health Law – the law that recognizes the rights of mothers to determine what is best for their body in order to prevent us from deadly complications of pregnancy and giving birth.)
They said the law upholds the basic human right to reproductive self-determination in which couples and women are empowered to freely and responsibly determine the number and spacing of their children.
They pointed out that 54% of pregnancies and 36% of child births in the Philippines are either unplanned or unwanted.
Petitions have been filed with the high court assailing the constitutionality of the law. The high court on the other hand issued a status quo ante order stopping the implementation of RH Law while case is being heard.