Posts
The Philippine House of
Representatives on Monday advanced a sex education and contraception bill that
has been stalled in Congress for 14 years. The House voted to close debate on
the Reproductive Health Bill and allow amendments to it, a key procedural step.
The measure would direct the Department
of Health to distribute “medically safe, legal, accessible, affordable, and
effective reproductive health care services nationwide”; it further mandates
“age-appropriate reproductive health and sexuality education” beginning in
fifth grade and continuing through high school.
Roman Catholic leaders have
denounced the bill, but a group of Catholic academics said they were “deeply
disturbed and saddened” by the church’s opposition to a law “that promises to
improve the well-being of Filipino families, especially the lives of women,
children, adolescents, and the poor.”
Contraceptives are sold legally in
the Philippines, but the nation has no program to help the poor obtain them. To
become law, the bill still needs the approval of the Senate and the president’s
signature. President Benigno S. Aquino III strongly supports the measure, and
his allies control the Senate.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
