RH Advocates To Candidates: We Will Only Vote For Those Who Will Stand Up To Protect Access To Reproductive Health Care

Reproductive health advocates said on Friday they will only vote for candidates who will stand up to protect access to reproductive health care and fight back against anyone who tries to go against the current reproductive health law.

In a statement issued by former Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Esperanza Cabral and delivered by Mina Tenorio, an advocate of RH and member of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD), during a media forum at Max’s Restaurant on Sct. Tuazon St., Quezon City, she said they will not vote for those who will go against the current reproductive health law in the May 9 polls.

The former DOH chief also urged voters to elect leaders who have demonstrated strong commitment to champion reproductive health and protection of women’s rights which should not be trampled upon and be set aside by the next set of leaders in the country.

Cabral lamented that in her observation of the ongoing election campaign, it is obvious that candidates have resorted to motherhood statements instead of laying down specific plans to promote women’s rights, particularly ensuring women’s sexual and reproductive health.

She said that the act of one candidate who made fun of rape was something unacceptable and insensitive to rape victims and survivors.

“We have to end the culture that reduces women to sexual objects, the belief that women are just for child-bearing and development where reproductive health is a major component,” she added.

She further said that even the recent joke of the presidential candidate on persons with disabilities was also unacceptable.

“You don’t make joke about tragedy of a woman and any citizen in this country, including PWDs,” she stressed.

In the entire forum, the advocates coming from different sectors of society shared the importance of proper implementation of the RH law by the next administration and ensuring that there will be a budget for it because policies and actions that are not supportive of RH or reverse actions against it can lead to more cycle of poverty and will leave no choice for women to decide and plan the number of their children.

Usually, it is in the poor sectors that will be denied of RH services and benefits if the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) law will not be supported.

The different sectoral representatives present in the forum explained the impact of supporting programs and policies related to the implementation of the RPRH law or Republic Act No. 10354.

They said that problems with rising cases of HIV (human immunodeficiency syndrome), upward trends of teen pregnancies, maternal and infant mortality rates, malnutrition and poverty are all inter-connected and can be eliminated by strong commitment and strengthening the RH law and addressing the specific needs of the sectors involved and affected by it. (PNA) SCS/LSJ