Free birth control in big Catholic country

PHILIPPINES: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has signed an executive order directing government agencies to provide contraception to 6 million Filipino women who don’t have access to birth control and other reproductive health-related services.

The executive order implements a landmark legislation signed by Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino III.

The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, also called the RPRH Act, provides poor women access to reproductive health information and services.

The law, which was fiercely fought by abortion rights advocates, ‘‘recognises the right of Filipinos to decide freely and responsibly on their desired number and spacing of children’’.

Citing 2013 findings by the Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey, the order states that at least 6 million Filipino women, including 2 million who are poor, don’t have access to contraception.

Duterte has ordered several government agencies, including the education and health departments, to implement policies and mechanisms designed to meet the requirements of the RPRH Act. These include a comprehensive ‘‘gender-sensitive’’ sexuality education in the school curriculum, health insurance benefit packages for women and onthe-ground education campaigns.

‘‘There is a plan in the next six months for local governments to go out in the field, to do house-tohouse visits, identify those in need of family planning, [and work] with all these agencies,’’ National Economic and Development Authority director General Ernesto Pernia said.

But the government’s efforts will likely face strong resistance from the Catholic Church. About 80 per cent of the country’s population – about 74.2 million – are Roman Catholic, according to the last census of the National Statistics Office in 2010.

– Washington Post