Appendix “A” of Philippines RH Act: Rx for controversy
Sean Murphy*
Establishment of POPCOM
In 1967, President Ferdinand Marcos joined other world leaders in adding his signature to a Declaration on Population that had been made the previous year by representatives of 12 countries (often incorrectly cited in Philippines government documents as “the UN Declaration on Population”).1 Two years later, Executive Order 171 established the Commission on Population (POPCOM), and in 1970 Executive Order 233 empowered POPCOM to direct a national population programme.2
The Population Act
The Population Act [RA 6365] passed in
1971 made family planning part of a strategy for
national development.
Subsequent Presidential Decrees required increased
participation of public and private sectors, private
organizations and individuals in the population
programme.3
Under President Corazon Aquino (1986 to 1992) the
family planning element of the programme was
transferred to the Department of Health, where it
became part of a five year health plan for
improvements in health, nutrition and family
planning. According to the Philippines National
Statistics Office, the strong influence of the
Catholic Church undermined political and financial
support for family planning, so that the focus of
the health policy was on maternal and child health,
not on fertility reduction.4
The Population Management Program
The Ramos administration launched the
Philippine Population Management Program
(PPMP) in 1993. This was modified in 1999, incorporating “responsible parenthood” as a central theme.3
During the Philippines 12th Congress (2001-2004)
policymakers and politicians began to focus on
“reproductive health.”5
Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning Program
In 2006 the President ordered the Department of
Health, POPCOM and local governments to direct and
implement the Responsible Parenthood and Family
Planning Program.
The Responsible Parenthood and
Natural Family Planning Program’s primary policy
objective is to promote natural family planning,
birth spacing (three years birth spacing) and
breastfeeding which are good for the health of the
mother, child, family, and community. While LGUs can
promote artificial family planning because of local
autonomy, the national government advocates natural
family planning.3
Population policy effectiveness and outcomes
The population of the Philippines grew steadily from about 27million in 1960 to over 100 million in 2018. Starting from similar populations in 1960, Thailand, Myanmar and South Korea now have much lower populations (Figure 1) . . . [Full text]
