The controversy surrounding “maternal health” in the Philippines

By Timothy Herrmann | October 19, 2011

From October 14th to the 15th, ASEAN, The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, held a Human Rights Conference on Promoting Maternal Health in Manila, Philippines. The conference addressed the progress ASEAN countries have made with Goal #5 of the Millennium Development Goals: Improving Maternal Health.

As stated on the MDGs official website, Goal #5 intends to improve maternal health globally through:

1. The reduction of the maternal mortality ratio by 3/4
2. Achieving universal access to reproductive health care

In the Philippines any mention of Reproductive health or laws related to reproductive health are controversial. Many understand these bills not only to promote contraception but also abortion. The controversy was especially charged in 2002 when the RH bill (CEDAW/C/PHI/5-6, see paragraph 481) , in a explanatory note, called for the removal of legal barriers to abortion.

All of this seems to suggest that the decision made by the ASEAN to hold a conference on the 5th goal of the MDGs in Manila was not by accident, especially given that two bills on reproductive health (HB 4244 and SB 2378) are currently before the country’s Senate and the House.

When asked about the conference, Ambassador Rosario Manalo, a strong supporter of previous RH bills that have come before congress, felt it important to affirm that “the RH (reproductive health) bill is not a question of killing babies. They must serve it to enhance our program of helping women who need to have their health promoted and protected.”

Interstingly, Manalo was chair to the UN’s CEDAW committee from 2006-2007 during its 36th session. In 2006, the committee issued concluding comments upon review of the 5th and 6th periodic reports submitted by the Philippines regarding the countries compliance with the convention. In that report, the committee explicitly calls for the Philippines to review “the laws relating to abortion with a view to removing punitive provisions imposed on women who undergo abortion”.

One of the ways in which UN committees and organizations put pressure on countries to change their laws is by supporting conferences that specifically address their agenda. This weekend’s past conference is another prime example of such calculated efforts.

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