MANILA, Philippines – Seven in 10 Filipinos, mostly residents of Metro Manila, favor the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, the recent Ulat ng Bayan Survey conducted by Pulse Asia showed.
The survey results also showed a high awareness rate of the bill’s existence among the general public – 80 percent of the 1,200 respondents across all socio-economic classes nationwide.
A majority of the respondents in all geographic areas have heard of, read or watched something about the bill, broken down as follows: National Capital Region (90 percent), Luzon (82), Visayas (66) and Mindanao (80).
The same is true for a majority of the respondents in all socio-economic classes: Classes ABC (93 percent), Class D (82), Class E (72).
Only 20 percent of respondents learned of the existence of the bill while being interviewed for the survey.
The survey showed that 69 percent of the respondents across all geographic areas and socio-economic classes agree with the bill.
Geographically, this is broken down as follows: NCR (74 percent), Luzon (67), Visayas (66) and Mindanao (72).
Across economic classes: Classes ABC (78 percent) Class D (66), Class E (72).
Only seven percent of respondents, mostly in Mindanao, disagree with the bill; 24 percent, on the other hand, remain undecided.
Pulse Asia said the disagreement may be attributed in part to a provision seeking to include reproductive health and sex education in the school curriculum.
The minority who disagree with the bill were asked for their opinion regarding specific provisions.
Respondents in the group agree with the following provisions: recognizing the rights of women and couples to choose the family planning method that they want on the basis of their needs and personal and religious beliefs (79 percent); promoting information about and access to natural and modern family planning methods (70); and stipulating the use of government funds to support modern family planning methods (55).
Forty-four percent of the minority disagree with the proposal to include “Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education” in the school curricula; 39 percent, however, agree with this provision.
Fifty percent of the minority in Luzon and 55 percent in Mindanao are not in favor of including sex education in schools; 47 percent of the minority in socio-economic class E disagree to this provision.
Opinion among the minority in socio-economic classes ABC and D is split, with 41 percent to 43 percent expressing agreement and 42 percent to 43 percent supporting the provision.
Fifty percent, however, of the minority in Metro Manila and Visayas favor the inclusion of reproductive education in schools. Public indecision on the provision is more prominent in Visayas at 32 percent.
The survey has a plus or minus error margin of three percent at 95 percent confidence level.
‘Misleading’
Lawmakers with a pro-life stance said the conduct of the survey was misleading because most of the respondents have likely not read the bill.
“I understand at least 90 percent of the folks have not read the RH bill. How can someone who has not read the bill have an informed opinion on the bill?” said Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez.
“If it is about reproductive health as a general issue, just like cardiovascular health, or pulmonary health or gastric health, etc, the answer will be positive. In fact, who would go against reproductive health as a general health
issue?” he added.
He said the respondents should have first been asked if they have read the measure.
Bacolod City Rep. Anthony Golez, a medical doctor, said the survey “clearly shows that 69 percent of Filipinos are not informed about the danger of the health services the RH bill is offering to our people.”
“More than half of the services it (RH bill) offers are abortifacients. This should signal the different medical society groups and medical scientists to come out and inform our public that when we consider that life begins during fertilization, many of RH services can kill a life in utero,” he said.
“When we offer an informed choice as a pillar of family planning, we should make sure that the choices we give to our people are considered lawful, legitimate or do not violate any provision of our Constitution,” he added.
Fence sitting
Amid the new discussion on the controversial bill, President Aquino still refuses to take sides, maintaining that he wants couples to decide for themselves on the birth control method they consider appropriate.
“I’m not going to base any of my decisions or my stand on what the survey says. But, let me reiterate, I have not changed my position, it’s still called responsible parenthood and what it seeks to do is remind all those who will become parents or are already parents that they must fulfill their responsibilities,” Aquino said in a chance interview at the Palace.
He said even the softening of the Vatican’s stand on the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS would not change his position.
“I have a responsibility as leader of this land. My bosses, who are the people, are having a hard time fulfilling the needs of their families. So that’s where it begins, if the Church will be more sensible, of course it would also help,” Aquino said. –(The Philippine Star) with Aurea Calica, Paolo Romero
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