The GUIDON outlines some of the most significant provisions in Rep. Edcel Lagman’s House Bill no. 96, one of the six Reproductive Health Bills filed in the Fifteenth Congress. Gabriela, Akbayan, and other lawmakers have also filed their own versions of the bill.

Family planning

Modern family planning methods will be available in PhilHealth-accredited facilities. The access of poorer patients to contraceptives will be covered by PhilHealth Insurance.

Essential medicines

The government, through the Department of Health, will regularly purchase family planning instruments such as hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices, etc., as part of the ‘essential medicine’ supplies of government health facilities.

Midwives

Local government units will hire more midwives, with the goal of having one full-time midwife for every 150 deliveries per year. The number of deliveries will be based on the average number of live births for the past two years.

Emergency attention

For every 500,000 people in each province and city, there will be at least one hospital that can provide comprehensive emergency obstetric care, and at least four hospitals that can provide basic emergency obstetric care.

Sex education

Starting Grade 5, students will be taught about reproductive health and sexuality. The curriculum will be devised by an inter-agency committee, and will be followed for both public and private schools.

‘Two-child policy’

With the help of the government, couples and parents will be guided towards their desired family size in the context of responsible parenthood. Though this is not mandatory, the State will promote having two children the ideal.