The Withdrawal of Support of Rep. Nikki Prieto-Teodoro on the Reproductive Health Bill

Media Statement by the Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc.
4 December 2009

We, supporters of the reproductive health bill, are appalled with the sudden withdrawal of support of Rep. Nikki Prieto-Teodoro, wife of Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential aspirant Gibo Teodoro, on reproductive health.

We can only surmise one simple and plain reason: in search of ways to increase Gibo’s popularity and enhance his “winnability” in the coming elections, Rep. Teodoro decided to drop the RH bill like a hot potato expecting that support from the Catholic hierarchy for his husband’s presidential candidacy will follow.

Dismayed over the confusing statements made by Rep. Teodoro, we were compelled to answer some of the issues she raised.

She said she would rather spend the country’s meager resources in directly feeding the poor, clothing the naked, giving shelter to the poor and educating them.  In a country where 50% of families consider themselves poor, 2.9 million families experienced hunger and did not have anything to eat in the last 3 months, 4.5M Filipinos are homeless, and 40% of the youths are out of school, we ask: how can the government, with its meager resources, support a ballooning population which has reached 92.2 million this year.

Contrary to her claim that House Bill 5043 is “defanged and toothless” in addressing her key advocacies which are food, shelter, education and clothing for poor Filipino children, passage of the RH bill will in fact help address these needs.

The reproductive health bill is a pro-poor legislation. It will ensure a strategic balanced approach on population and development issues.  The bill will help couples to plan the family size that they want, address unmet need on family planning, thus ensuring quality education and health for their children.

Experiences of other East Asian countries have shown that development is brought about by correct governance; effective economic, education, and health programs; and reproductive health and family planning policies.

Rep. Teodoro’s claim that majority of maternal deaths are caused by the lack of proper medical facilities and care and that the reproductive health bill does not address this lack of basic health care services, is baseless.  Improving maternal health is one of the main components of HB 5043.  Eleven mothers die of childbirth and pregnancy complications everyday.  With modern technology, nearly all maternal deaths can be preventable.

However, the problem lies in poor women not being able to plan their pregnancies, unavailability of emergency obstetric care, pre and post natal care and skilled birth attendants during actual deliveries.

The National Statistics Office reveals that only half of all Filipino mothers are aware of danger signs of pregnancy-related complications and where to go in case of complications.  HB 5043 establishes a reproductive health program that includes accessible and affordable maternal health care services.  Specifically, it mandates local governments and public health facilities to employ adequate number of midwives or other skilled attendants.  It also ensures the establishment and operation of hospitals with quality emergency obstetric care, and regular review of maternal deaths.

We however agree with her that it is our impoverished children who suffer the most; that children’s innocence is broken because they have to struggle to meet their basic needs.  Indeed, our children are the ones suffering due to lack of political will and integrity of our lawmakers and government leaders.