Thread: Philippines to offer 6 million women free contraceptives

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is trying to expand access to contraceptives as part of his anti-poverty plans.

JANUARY 11, 2017 —Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order on Monday creating free access to contraceptives for as many as 6 million women who have unmet family planning needs, in what his government describes as a poverty-reduction measure.

Of those women, 2 million who have been identified as poor will get access by 2018, followed by the remaining 4 million. The order directs government agencies to partner with civil services and mobilize at the village level to locate eligible couples.

That drive, economic planning secretary Ernesto Pernia told the Associated Press, is designed to achieve “zero unmet need for family planning” as part of the government’s larger goal of cutting the poverty rate before the end of Mr. Duterte's term of office: from 21.6 percent in 2015 to 13 or 14 percent by 2022.

The move could add a bit of unexpected shading to the profile of a president who is known mostly in the West for his bloody war on drugs and impertinent treatment of foreign emissaries. It isn’t the first such gesture, as The Christian Science Monitor noted in a November article on Duterte’s meeting with the leader-in-hiding of the secessionist Moro National Liberationist Front rebels, an effort to jump-start peace talks:

While it may seem contrary that the same leader who is spearheading the nationwide peace process also espouses a controversial war on drugs that has killed more than 2,000 people, the dual roles that Duterte plays may not be mutually exclusive. Despite wariness about his strategies potentially violating human rights, his strong hand methods and record in bringing peace to one of the most violent cities in the Philippines when he was mayor of Davao City are seen by some as assets that may help him finally clinch the long-sought peace deals in the country.

“The first job of the president is not to go to war but rather to bring peace in this country,” Duterte said in July, as reported by Rappler. “My job is to bring peace. My job is to talk to the enemies of the state, to the Communist Party of the Philippines, to the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front), and to the men, and see if I could make a difference in our lives.”

The executive order could face resistance from the Roman Catholic Church, as have similar initiatives in the past. A landmark law passed in 2012, for instance, established free and universal access to contraceptives and mandated reproductive-health programs in government schools. Legal challenges from conservative Catholic groups managed to get several of the law’s provisions struck down, and in 2015 the Supreme Court suspended indefinitely the distribution of a contraceptive implant and renewal of licenses for other contraceptives.

The church has taken a leading role in ousting Philippine leaders in the past: Along with the “People’s Power” movement that dethroned dictator Ferdinand Marcos, it helped get president Joseph Estrada impeached in 2001. But it has kept quiet on the wave of drug-war killings in the early months of Duterte’s administration, as Reuters noted in October.

The UN Population Fund said last year that the Philippines was the only Asia-Pacific country where the rate of teen pregnancies rose over the past two decades, although its overall fertility rate declined – a potential obstacle, it said, in the Philippines’ hopes for faster economic growth.

Philippines to offer 6 million women free contraceptives - CSMonitor.com

They still have to wait a year...The first "wave," that is...And yes, the church, of course...Jaysus...

What grounds are needed to be an "eligible couple" to get free condoms?

Surely those condoms are needed where the demand's the highest, knock-shops, queer hangouts and goat farms, along with other pick-up joints.

Not going to work unless the Paedos rubber stamp it, and they never will.

More dumb Catholics = More money.

Originally Posted by misskit;

The UN Population Fund said last year that the Philippines was the only Asia-Pacific country where the rate of teen pregnancies rose over the past two decades, although its overall fertility rate declined – a potential obstacle, it said, in the Philippines’ hopes for faster economic growth.

[url=http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2017/0111/Philippines-to-offer-6-million-women-free-contraceptives

Philippines to offer 6 million women free contraceptives - CSMonitor.com[/url]

No big surprise flip girly are damn good looking and are up for a shag, church keeps telling them no neeed contraception, the new prez has a fight on his hands changing that mentality

Honestly, looking at overbreeding as a solution to "faster economic growth".

The world is fucked if that's the thinking.

There already up to a hundred million population I think your looking at it the wrong way harry, do dirty is saying contraception is a good thing, I think the blokes a nutter but maybe he is on the right track? Don't forget it's a deeply catholic country. And he is fighting a deeply ingrained church culture 10 kids in 1 family is not un common, perhaps if meralco got there shit together and stopped the frequent brown outs the locals could just watch tv all night like we do in the west, but when the powers of in the Bahay might as well give the missus one.

Originally Posted by beerlaodrinker

There already up to a hundred million population I think your looking at it the wrong way harry, do dirty is saying contraception is a good thing, I think the blokes a nutter but maybe he is on the right track? Don't forget it's a deeply catholic country. And he is fighting a deeply ingrained church culture 10 kids in 1 family is not un common, perhaps if meralco got there shit together and stopped the frequent brown outs the locals could just watch tv all night like we do in the west, but when the powers of in the Bahay might as well give the missus one.

I really don't see how having the problem of having half of your population waking up not knowing if they are going to be able to feed everyone in the family by nightfall is going to be helped by adding a few million more poor starving fuckers.

Added: Unless you count economic growth by how much aid you can scab off the West. Which if you're a Flip politician probably does equate to "economic growth" *cough*.

^I'm afraid it's all too true.

I may not approve of all of Duterte's policies & actions, but if his administration is able to implement a good family planning policy, then I'm all for it. BLD is right, that the pop'n is 100+ M and still increasing. Teen pregnancies have increased in the past 20 yrs, accdg to the article. These birth rates are just not sustainable, that's why more & more pinoys are looking for work abroad. (And that's why Jollibee continues to expand. Heh)

If Duterte's got the balls to fight the church grps, then good luck to him!

Just threaten to give pedophiles the same treatment Deterte's giving drug dealers and the Catholic Church will cease all opposition to birth control.

Actually, that's not a bad idea though they should have a trial first.

Big problem is getting the men to use them. Free birth control pills that women could take without telling their significant others would work better than condoms.

^In that case birth control implants, which last up to three years, would be the best option.

Originally Posted by misskit

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order on Monday creating free access to contraceptives for as many as 6 million women who have unmet family planning needs, in what his government describes as a poverty-reduction measure.

Maybe they have "plans" for offering more than just condoms...

The Catholics will prolly start a riot over this! Silly bunch!

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

Big problem is getting the men to use them. Free birth control pills that women could take without telling their significant others would work better than condoms.

Must be the leftover cultural influence from occupation by Spain (the macho Hispanic male thing) but why not offer free vasectomies for men?

When I got mine 30 years ago I was amazed at how many men I knew asked me "how could you do that to yourself" or "you're not a man any more." These weren't people being hateful, I worked in East L.A. at the time and they were male Mexican friends and co-workers. I tried to explain the difference between castration and a vasectomy but they just couldn't or wouldn't understand it.

^could be. In my circle of friends or acquaintances, I know of many women whose tubeshave been tied. But don't know of any Pinoy who's had vasectomy. I only know 2 guys who've had it, and both not Pinoy. One was a German boss (it was well known in the office) and another is a friend from the US.

Even my male friends/colleagues - they find it weird/abhorrent to have a vasectomy. But think nothing of ligation in women.