Contraceptives, sex education, abortion, population control – these things automatically come to mind at the mention of the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill. Thanks to strong and vocal opposition led by the Catholic Church leaders, controversies and heated debates surrounded the bill’s ratification. Regrettably, majority of the issues raised and given focus by the media and RH critics paved the way for the real essence of the bill to be overlooked. Critics focused on the contraceptive aspect but the bill is not limited to family planning; its spirit is the attainment of holistic human development. Legislators formulated it for a crucial concern – a comprehensive and effective reproductive health policy in the Philippines is long overdue.
