Advocates’ call on 10th anniv of RH Law passage: Sustain gains, address gaps

As the nation commemorates the 10 anniversary of the passage of Republic Act 10345 or the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RH) Law, various sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) advocates and legislators convened to celebrate the successes of the landmark law enabled and outline the gaps in implementation that need urgent action.

Signed into law by the late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III on December 21, 2012, RA 10345 was considered one of the biggest wins for SRHR legislation. The law’s passage was marked by years of struggle, as it faced strong opposition from powerful groups for over a decade. Even after the law’s enactment, it had to surmount legal battles from 2013 to 2017.

“A decade after its enactment, it is everybody’s task to sustain the gains and maintain the momentum of the RH Law. We need to address gaps in policy and implementation and guarantee that the benefits of the law reach especially the most vulnerable women and girls in the country,” said UNFPA Philippines Country Representative Dr. Leila Saiji Joudane.

Successes, gaps
In the gathering convened by PLCPD, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Philippines, and the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) on December 13, advocates and stakeholders highlighted improvements in SRHR.

Present at the said gathering were Department of Health OIC Sec. Maria Rosario S. Vergeire, UNFPA Philippines Country Representative Dr. Leila Joudane, Representatives Edcel Lagman, Angelica Natasha Co, and Arlene Brosas, as well as former legislators and RH advocates Sarah Elago and Teddy Baguilat, one of the authors of the law. Senators Pia Cayetano and Risa Hontiveros also joined the event virtually.

During the successive panel discussions, legislators and advocates reviewed recent figures highlighting the RH Law’s triumphs.

The latest data from the National Demographic and Health Survey 2022 (2022 NDHS) showed that the modern contraceptive prevalence rate increased from 40.4% in 2017 to 41.8% in 2022, while the total fertility rate (TFR) and unmet need for family planning (FP) have seen a continuous decrease over the years.

The TFR decreased from 2.7 in 2017 to 1.9 children per woman in 2022, and the unmet need for FP decreased from 17% in 2017 to 12% in 2022.

Following the success of the RH Law, several landmark legislations were also passed in recent years, significantly contributing to SRHR. These include the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act of 2018, the First 1,000 Days Act of 2018, the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Act of 2019, the Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act of 2019, An Act Prohibiting the Practice of Child Marriage, and the Act Increasing the Age to Determine Statutory Rape.

“Despite these significant gains, several essential gaps remain, including barriers to minors’ access to modern contraceptives and the absence of comprehensive sexuality education. The lessons we learned in the RH Law journey should be again used to immediately address these gaps,” said Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) Executive Director Romeo Dongeto.

According to the 2022 NDHS, 5.4% of young women 15-19 years old have begun childbearing—an improvement from 9% in the 2017 NDHS. However, the number of births among very young adolescents or girls 10-14 years old is a cause of concern. According to POPCOM and PSA, there were 2,411 births among very young adolescents in 2019. This figure doubled in just over a decade, from 1,116 births in 2008.

Other challenges to the full implementation of RH Law include budget and the integration and streamlining of RH activities into a comprehensive set of services that local government units can adopt.

Strong public support

PLCPD stressed that legislators should maximize the fact that public support and demand for RH and family planning remain strong to push for new laws and regulations that address the gaps seen in the implementation of RA 10345.

A public opinion poll conducted in March 2022 revealed that 9 out of 10 Filipinos believe that it is important to have the ability to plan the family and that the government allocates funds for modern family planning methods.

“As we celebrate the victories ushered by the landmark passage of the RH Law, we cannot stop until the promise of SRHR for all is attained. How do we reach that point? By unceasingly working towards addressing gaps in policy and implementation, and guarantee that the benefits of the law reach all intended recipients,” Dongeto concluded.###