DoH seeks to buy 2M condoms from P400-M budget for family planning

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE 2) The Department of Health has set aside P400 million for the purchase of natural and artificial means of family planning, including two million condoms to be distributed next year, Health Secretary Enrique Ona said Wednesday.

Ona made the disclosure when he defended before the Senate finance committee the department’s proposed budget of P32.6 billion for 2011.

Of the proposed budget, Ona said P931 million would go to family health budget, in which P400 million would be spent for family planning.

The use of pills, injectibles, condoms, and cycle beads are among those being considered for the government’s family planning program, Ona said. Cycle beads is “a natural birth control option that enables a woman to track her cycle and know if she is on a day when pregnancy is likely or not.”

According to Cycle beads, this is used by women around the world because it is:
• More than 95 percent Effective
• Side-effect free
• Easy to use
• Inexpensive
• Educational and empowering

Ona did not say how much would be spent for the purchase of cycle beads but said that the DoH allocated P280 million for pills, P100 million for injectibles, and P8 million for condoms.

Ona said a condom costs from P5 to P10 each and the P8 millionbudget would mean two million condoms that would be made available to Filipinos.

These condoms, he said, would be given to “couples who will ask for it.”

Besides, he said, condoms would not be used only for contraceptives but also to prevent HIV disease.

But Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile reminded the DoH chief that allowing the budget for the said purposes could mean that the state was adopting the policy, which is part of the contentious reproductive health proposal.

“If we are going to authorize this amount in effect the policy is in place which is going to be part of the RH bill which is the contentious issue now,” said Enrile.

Ona pointed out, however, that the budget was not only intended to promote artificial method but also the natural family planning method such as cycle beads, birth spacing, and providing necessary vitamins to keep the mothers healthy.

“It’s not a population control program,” he stressed.

He explained that the budget would be given to the local government, which would decide based on the need of their constituents.

“We are a democratic country…No coercion,” Ona added. –Maila Ager, INQUIRER.net