THE City Health Office (CHO) expressed support for the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill amid heated arguments over the measure in the City Council.

In an emailed statement, CHO Population Officer Jeff Ysulat said Councilor Teresita Mata-Marañon's arguments against the RH Bill are "unfounded".

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"I cannot help but wonder if the honorable councilor was informed or briefed by her legislative staff regarding the truth and the fact behind the RH bill. The councilor's arguments are all presumptions which are unfounded," Fuentes said.

"The City Health Office of Davao City strongly believes that one of the solutions to the growing problem of high maternal mortality rate in the country, particularly in the city, is the passage of House Bill (HB) 5043, otherwise known as the 'Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008.' It is but high time to confront the challenges to the Reproductive Health of the people in the country through a determined and responsive action that only the passage of HB 5043 could exemplify and achieve," Fuentes said.

Fuentes pointed out that the controversy over HB 5043 is just fanned by strong opposition from sectors who claim detrimental effects that are mostly unfounded.

"Davao City is not foreign to reproductive health issues as it similarly confronts its own maternal health data in 2008 which reflects all the more the need for a responsive and effective mechanism which will address such issues. The number of maternal deaths in the City stood at 138 in every 100,000 deliveries," Fuentes said.

Fertility rate in the city is 3.17 percent while contraceptive prevalence rate is 48 percent, which Fuentes said is similar to the rates in other areas. This high fertility and relatively high maternal mortality are happening and yet government is not even putting up measures to ensure maternal health.

All oppositors can say is that the bill, which seeks to put in place the measures to ensure reproductive health, is promoting abortion.

"You couldn't refer to any provision in the bill that would make her think it is for legalization of divorce, abortion, same sex marriage and euthanasia. When she cited Secretary Clinton and a certain Canadian ambassador who allegedly mentioned that abortion is a component of RH, it was taken out of context because abortion in Canada and majority of the states in the US is legally accepted," Fuentes said.

"The proposed RH Bill doesn't support or promote abortion in the Philippines. To reiterate, the core of the bill is the promotion of well-being of the people by providing access to FP information and services."

The refusal of the Catholic Church to budge even amid pressing health concerns, he added, is no longer responsive to modern needs and concerns.

"It is important to note that based on latest surveys, 92 percent of the Filipino people favor family planning. Added to this is the fact that many of Catholics are FP users themselves. Theologians and academicians from the Jesuit-run institution Ateneo de Manila categorically support the RH bill," he added.

"I hope Marañon will be able to hear these sentiments and manifestations of FP users in our city, who mostly come from the grassroots level, so she can be truly informed of what her constituents are clamoring for and bring their voices in the council as an elected representative of the people," Fuentes said.

Fuentes said the bill covers the following:
(1) information and access to natural and modern family planning;
(2) maternal, infant, and child health and nutrition;
(3) promotion of breast feeding;
(4) prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications;
(5) adolescent and youth health;
(6) prevention and management of reproductive tract infections, STIs, HIV, and Aids,
(7) elimination of violence against women;
(8) counseling on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health;
(9) treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers
(10) male involvement and participation in RH
(11) prevention and treatment of infertility; and
(12) health education for the youth.

The bill, he said, will definitely ensure that women are provided with information allowing them to make informed decisions that will eventually lower and eradicate maternal and child deaths in the country.

"What is at stake here is the reproductive health of the people. We should always keep in mind that the people's interest must always be the crux of every matter in issue."