The group emphasized that the State obligation to provide reproductive health services and information must be fulfilled based on the government’s commitment to international human rights agreements. However, the group also said that, “While people are debating whether family planning is moral or immoral and whether government funding for contraceptives is right or wrong, the issue of maternal and infant deaths resulting from untimely and unwanted pregnancies is being left out.”
The letter also said “Each day that the debates continue, 11 mothers die, leaving behind some 30 children motherless, and putting the lives of their newborn infants at risk as well.”
Signatories of the letter also include Washington Z. Sycip, Mercedes B. Concepcion, Oscar M. Lopez, Loida Nicolas Lewis, Dante B. Canlas, Menardo R. Jimenez, Ma. Yolanda V. Ong, Leticia Ramos Shahani, Carmelita Villanueva, Perter L. Wallace, Benjamin D. De Leon, Alberto G. Romualdez, Jr., Corazon M. Raymundo, Eden R. Divinagracia, Cecilia Oreña Drilon, Felipe M. Medalla, Ernesto M. Pernia, Jaime Z. Galvez-Tan, Cyndy Tan-Jarabata, Tomas M. Osias, Jose Miguel R. De La Rosa, Margarito M. Teves and Elizabeth Eder Zobel.
The group also makes up the Forum for Family Planning and Development (The Forum), an NGO established in 2004 and driven by the membership’s advocacy for a population and development policy that puts reproductive health rights as a key element in development thereby ensuring improved health and quality of lives among Filipinos, a more stable economy and a sustainable natural environment for generations to come.
Here is the letter of the supporters of President Aquino:
WE FIRMLY SUPPORT P-NOY
October 11, 2010
H.E. Benigno Simeon Aquino III
President of the Philippines
Malacañang, Manila
Dear Mr. President,
In 1994, the Philippines joined 178 other nations in Cairo, Egypt for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The conference put the individual’s rights and needs at the center of its 20-year Programme of Action rather than achieving demographic targets. Nations also agreed that population and sustainable development are inextricably linked and committed to save the lives of women who die unnecessarily during pregnancy and childbirth. It advocated to make family planning universally available by 2015.
Again, at the Millennium Summit in 2000, the Philippines was one of the 189 countries that adopted the Millennium Development Goals, which calls for the reduction of maternal mortality and universal access to reproductive health by 2015.
With just five years to 2015 it is unfortunate that we continue to debate on the reproductive health issue. It is unfortunate that attempts to enact a law that could accelerate the country’s efforts to reduce maternal deaths and provide Filipino women and their families a better opportunity to improve their lives remains a dream.
While people are debating whether family planning is moral or immoral and whether government funding for contraceptives is right or wrong, the issue of maternal and infant deaths resulting from untimely and unwanted pregnancies is being left out.
Each day that the debates continues, 11 mothers die, leaving behind some 30 children motherless everyday, and putting the lives of their newborn infants at risk as well.
They have spoken in surveys borne out by the prestigious Social Weather Stations and the Pulse Asia. They want a law that would institute a family planning program providing couples information, services and commodities as well as a budget that would help them plan the size of their family and the spacing of their children.
They have spoken during the elections. Despite the Roman Catholic Church’s aggressive campaign against pro-RH candidates, the Filipino people – most of whom are Catholics – elected these candidates, including a President who has expressed his pro-choice stance on family planning.
It is about time that we heed the voice of the people. The reproductive health issue is not just about sex and contraceptives. More than anything, it is about saving the lives of mothers; mothers who make up the very fabric of society; the women who bore us. Saving lives should be a concern not only of lay people, but more so of the people who preach about the value of life.
We are for the quality of our population which heretofore our country will be most proud of.
Mr. President, we are one with you in your unequivocal support for families who want information and services on family planning and responsible parenthood. Likewise, we agree that neither the state nor religion should dictate the kind of family planning method once couples or individuals have decided to plan their families based on proper information.
Signed:
Eminent Persons
Fidel V. Ramos
Cesar EA Virata
Washington Z. Sycip
Mercedes B. Concepcion
Oscar M. Lopez
Loida Nicolas Lewis
Advisers
Dante B. Canlas
Menardo R. Jimenez
Ma. Yolanda V. Ong
Leticia Ramos Shahani
Carmelita Villanueva
Perter L. Wallace
Trustees
Benjamin D. De leon
Alberto G. Romualdez, jr.
Corazon M. Raymundo,
Eden R. Divinagracia
Cecilia Oreña Drilon
Felipe M. Medalla
Ernesto M. Pernia
Jaime Z. Galvez-Tan
Cyndy Tan-Jarabata
Tomas M. Osias,
Jose Miguel R. De La Rosa
Margarito M. Teves
Elizabeth Eder Zobel
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