Thursday, June 30, 2022
manilastandard.net
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
manilastandard.net
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion Columns Power Point by Elizabeth Angsioco

Defunding implants: Sotto vs. women

Elizabeth AngsiocobyElizabeth Angsioco
December 7, 2019, 12:40 am
in Power Point by Elizabeth Angsioco
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
73
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

"Is this a case of not knowing all the facts about contraceptives?"

 

 

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, the foremost anti-women’s rights legislator, strikes again. This time, he hit women, particularly poor Filipino women, by removing the P195 million from the Department of Health’s proposed 2020 budget for the purchase of subdermal implants.

The subdermal implant is a contraceptive that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as safe, legal, and non-abortifacient. Since its introduction some years back, it has become popular with Filipino women because it is easy to use and long-acting. It only takes about five minutes to insert, yet is effective for three years. After insertion, women can go back to their usual routine and there is no restriction in terms of what they can do.

Moreover, it is reversible, meaning if at anytime within the three years that it is effective the woman with the implant decides that she wants to get pregnant, the contraceptive can easily be removed.

ADVERTISEMENT

A report quoted Sotto as saying that the Senate “removed an unauthorized provision from the 2020 budget of the DOH for purchase of P195 million worth of abortifacients.” Wow. This statement is loaded and so WRONG.

First, the subdermal implant does NOT cause abortion. In a Senate deliberation on the health budget, Sotto mentioned that this contraceptive is abortifacient, quoting Donna Harrison’s opinion criticizing the FDA for approving its use by Filipino women.

But who is Donna Harrison? She is an American obstetrician/gynecologist who is also the Executive Director of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologist. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Trinity International University, an evangelical Christian university. Clearly, Dr. Harrison is anti-contraceptives, and her opinion is not surprising, being a pro-lifer. 

What is surprising is that a senator of a secular State would choose to side with Harrison’s bigoted opinion over those of international medical and health experts. The subdermal implant is among the most recently developed contraceptives and was approved in the United States in 1990. Despite it being new, it has already been approved as a contraceptive by regulatory agencies of more than 60 countries worldwide, including the Philippines’ FDA.

Contraceptives do not induce abortion. They prevent, not terminate pregnancy. Contraceptives act BEFORE pregnancy occurs and thus, are not abortifacient. As former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral often says, contraceptives cannot abort pregnancy because there is nothing to abort.

The World Health Organization in its 2019 List of Essential Medicines has clearly made this distinction. In the list, number 22 is Medicines for Reproductive Health and Perinatal Care. 22.1. is Contraceptives and under this, 22.1.5. is Implantable Contraceptives, which means subdermal implant. Item 22.3. is Uterotonics and under this are the medicines that may be used for abortion (which is legal in a good number of countries).

Clearly, the WHO has categorized contraceptives like subdermal implant separately from those that may be used to for abortion. Surely, the WHO is more authoritative than Dr. Harrison.

In removing the budget for implants, Sotto tried to appease the women who will be adversely affected by saying that anyway, other methods are available. Did he mean the so-called “natural” family planning methods? If yes, it should be emphasized here that the NFP is the least liked by women because these are quite difficult to use, and requires the full cooperation of their male partners. The latter is hard to achieve because of the inequality that exists in many relationships.

If, however, Sotto was referring to birth control pills and injectables, well, we have news for him. Implants contain the SAME hormones found in other hormonal contraceptives. Why then would Sotto single implants out, and curtail Filipino women’s access to it? Why did he not remove the budgets for the other contraceptives? Is this a case of not knowing all the facts about contraceptives?

Thus, there is no truth to Sotto’s assertion that the P195-million budget he removed was unauthorized because it was for abortifacient supplies.

Removing the budget for implants means that poor women will not have access to this highly effective and long-acting family planning method. The cut does not mean that implants will no longer be available. It means that government will not be able to provide the service to the women who want and need it, but it may be available through private medical providers.

The problem is, only government provides this important and needed service to economically marginalized women. Implants are not cheap. If one gets this from a private doctor, one should be ready to shell out between P8,000 to P15,000. This amount is way beyond the means of poor women. Only rich women will not wince in paying this amount. When I checked a few years back, government bought the supplies at a wholesale price of P500 per implant. This is equivalent to three years of protection from unwanted pregnancies per woman.

Outside of the DOH, NGOs like ours also provide family planning services, including implants to poor women for free. However, our supplies also come from the DOH. Therefore, Sotto’s budget cut will deprive poor women of their right to choose which method they want to use. Consequently, this will impact on the implementation of the RH law because family planning is a vital program.

Based on the 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey, we have a situation where Filipino women, on the average only want two children. The richest women are able to achieve this because their average number of children is 1.7. The poorest women, however, have 4.3 children on the average.

Also, the demand for family planning and the unmet need for these services remain high with the latter at 36.3 percent. The highest unmet need (37.5 percent) is among the 15 to 19 year olds.  It is not surprising then that teen pregnancy is now a national crisis. Around 24 babies are born to teen mothers every hour or 576 babies a day.

The situation is problematic and must be addressed. Tito Sotto is not helping any. There is still hope because the Bicameral Conference Committee on the budget can still restore the P195 million that Sotto deleted. We are hoping that RH champions in the bicam will succeed in putting back the resources for subdermal implants. Sotto must be defeated.

@bethangsioco on Twitter; Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

Tags: 2020 budgetDepartment of HealthFilipino womenSenate President Vicente Sotto IIIsubdermal implants
ADVERTISEMENT
Elizabeth Angsioco

Elizabeth Angsioco

Related Posts

Collective grief

byElizabeth Angsioco
May 14, 2022, 12:25 am
0
1.1k
Sneak preview of a Robredo presidency

"Many are heartbroken, frustrated, and angry." If the partial and unofficial election results are true, where is the jubilation from...

Read more

Only Leni and Kiko can!

byElizabeth Angsioco
May 7, 2022, 12:25 am
0
597
Make 2022 safe from COVID-19

On Monday, May 9, Filipino voters will troop to the polls to determine the country’s direction for at least the...

Read more

Why Leni and Kiko deserve our vote

byElizabeth Angsioco
April 30, 2022, 12:10 am
0
1.8k
Make 2022 safe from COVID-19

"We will again be proud as Filipinos." Will the country be in a better situation in the next years? Our...

Read more

Of endearing moments, ‘tantrums,’ and ‘deadma’

byElizabeth Angsioco
April 23, 2022, 12:10 am
0
665
Make 2022 safe from COVID-19

As the elections draw near, we are witnessing more telling signs of how the leading presidential candidates Marcos Jr., Vice...

Read more

Never again!

byElizabeth Angsioco
April 9, 2022, 12:20 am
0
1.3k
Make 2022 safe from COVID-19

"Yes, we are very—too—invested in this campaign." Why are Vice-President Leni Robredo’s volunteers invested in the coming elections? The kind...

Read more

My President, Leni Robredo

byElizabeth Angsioco
March 26, 2022, 12:10 am
0
1.3k
Make 2022 safe from COVID-19

"No one else will do." Only 40-plus more days before the general elections on May 9 and for national position...

Read more

Stories you may like

  • Ex-Naga dad links Leni’s brother-in-law to illegal drugs

    Ex-Naga dad links Leni’s brother-in-law to illegal drugs

    36812 shares
    Share 14725 Tweet 9203
  • Of course, it was BBM’s project

    30915 shares
    Share 12366 Tweet 7729
  • INC endorses BBM, Sara

    28812 shares
    Share 11525 Tweet 7203
  • Duterte’s seven biggest achievements

    22126 shares
    Share 8850 Tweet 5532
  • Marcos leads SWS survey on presidentiables at 50%

    13584 shares
    Share 5434 Tweet 3396

Print Edition

View More

Recent Posts

  • Asian markets mostly down but China data offers some light
  • Hong Kong on high alert as Xi Jinping visit expected for handover
  • ‘No progress made’ on Iran nuclear talks: US State Department
  • UK urged to cleanse ‘stain’ of dirty Russian money
  • GLOBAL-ESTATE RESORTS, INC.: Notice of the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting
  • Sneakers for Makati : AB4.0
  • Handover: Fresh start begins
  • First Family to showcase local fashion design in barong, terno

Advertisement

Latest News

Sneakers for Makati : AB4.0

byManila Standard
June 30, 2022, 2:05 am
0
976
Sneakers for Makati : AB4.0

Read more

Handover: Fresh start begins

byRey E. Requejoand2 others
June 30, 2022, 2:00 am
0
234
No signal jamming at inauguration site

BBM takes oath as 17th President at 12 noon amid high hopes At 12 noon today and with the eyes...

Read more

First Family to showcase local fashion design in barong, terno

byMervin Vince Lopez
June 30, 2022, 1:55 am
0
371
Teen kills 19 children in Texas school

For his inauguration today, President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family will wear several barong Tagalog shirts made by local...

Read more

No signal jamming at inauguration site

byWillie Casas
June 30, 2022, 1:50 am
0
316
Vax wastage, infection surge feared in Odette-hit areas

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said there are no plans to jam mobile phone signals during...

Read more

Marcos: I’ll sue agri smugglers; Sotto: I’ll spill all

byMacon Ramos-Aranetaand3 others
June 30, 2022, 1:45 am
0
483
Musk buys Twitter, vows to let users fight trolls, disinformation

President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed to prosecute all personalities involved in agricultural smuggling in the country, as he had...

Read more

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

ABOUT US

Manila Standard

Manila Standard website (manilastandard.net), launched in August 2002, extends the newspaper’s reach beyond its traditional readers and makes its brand of Philippine news and opinion available to a much wider and geographically diverse readership here and overseas.

Digital Edition

In tone and content, the online edition mirrors the editorial thrust of the newspaper. While hewing to the traditional precepts of fairness and objectivity, MS believes the news of the day need not be staid, overly long or dry. Stories are succinct, readable and written in a lively style that has become a hallmark of the newspaper.

Download – Today’s Paper

Search

No Result
View All Result

6th Floor Universal Re Bldg., 106 Paseo De Roxas cor. Perea Street, Legaspi Village, 1226 Makati City Philippines

Trunklines: 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Pop.Life
    • Newsmakers
    • Hangouts
    • A-Pop
    • Post Its
    • Performances
    • Malls & Bazaars
    • Hobbies & Collections
  • Technology
    • Gadgets
    • Computers
    • Business
    • Tech Plus
  • MS ON THE ROAD
    • Sedan
    • SUV
    • Truck
    • Bike
    • Accessories
    • Motoring Plus
    • Commuter’s Corner
  • Home & Design
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Construction
    • Interior
  • Spotlight
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Events
    • Seminars
    • Exhibits
    • Community
  • Biyahero
    • Travel Features
    • Travel Reels
    • Travel Logs
  • Pets
  • Advertise with Us

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Install Manila Standard Web App

Install App