Romance Mathematics
Smart man + smart woman = romance
Smart man + dumb woman = affair
Dumb man + smart woman = marriage
Dumb man + dumb woman = pregnancy.
                                                        - Jimmy Teo

Quoted above is a practical bit of 21st century wisdom attributed to Singapore journalist Jimmy Teo. Like me, Jimmy writes regularly for ASEAN BizTimes, a widely circulated magazine in the Asia-Pacific region. His sardonic commentary on modern-day man-woman relationships may not be completely accurate, but does portray today's dilemma of couples (married or not) who are into some romantic or intimate involvement.

Saving The HR Bill From Oblivion

This column, however, is not really about mathematics per se, but is really one more appeal for the approval of the Reproductive Health Bill – perhaps my last hopeful try – before the 14th Congress lapses into history on 05 February. The entire tedious cycle of sponsorship, hearings, debates, "horse-trading," bicam compromises, and Malacañang approval may have to be again undertaken in the next Congress – if it reaches that point. But, the present RH Bill, and other equally meritorious pending legislative proposals which are on the verge of extinction, could still be saved from the oblivion of "nice-tries."

Only PGMA now, and her Cabinet advisers and Congressional allies – thru their exercise of consistent political will – still can get such urgent legislation finally approved before the deadline. It would take firm Presidential direction to get essential reforms enacted with few days remaining – even if this would entail a Special Session.

But, this can be done. In earlier times, even more contentious legislative issues were resolved through the President's power to certify, persuade and compel.

Forum for Family Planning and Development

Population management advocates and women's rights champions got together last 15 January to make one more push. The occasion was the investiture of Loida Nicolas-Lewis as FFPD's 6th Eminent Person. She joins a select company of concerned Filipinos: former PM Cesar Virata, SGV founder Washington Sycip, PopCom Commissioner Mercedes Concepcion, Lopez Group Chairman Oscar Lopez, and FVR.

The FFPD's investiture program says it all, thus:

"Families have the right to choose"

It is State's responsibility to provide them the means to make that choice

"We recognize that every couple has the right to decide how many children they can raise while ensuring health/well-being. But it is a grim reality that in the Philippines, poorer families are the ones who have more children than they want and can decently provide for.

Population, economic growth and poverty

"We also recognize that women bear a disproportionate portionate burden in child-bearing, child-rearing, producing, and managing family resources to meet everyday needs. We refuse to accept that mothers should still die from pregnancy and childbirth-related causes as almost all are preventable.

"Further, we acknowledge the close association between population growth, economic development, and persistent poverty. Population affects everything – from food security to education, health, housing, water, energy, environment, transportation, communications, law and order, productivity, and human welfare in general.

Clear, firm government policy

"We call on the government in partnership with business and civil society to adopt a clear, firm population policy to enable couples to freely and responsibly manage their families, using all available effective and safe family planning methods according to their values and beliefs. Such population policy and family planning development minimize unintended and mistimed pregnancies, thereby preventing induced/illegal abortions which total over 500,000 annually. This we find absolutely abhorrent and unacceptable.

RH Bill is against abortion

"We believe that the Reproductive Health Bill – which is explicitly against abortion – will be an effective instrument of national population policy. Therefore, we strongly endorse its passage by Congress and urge the national leadership's full support – to indicate Government's seriousness in pursuing long-term economic growth and poverty reduction."

Loida Nicolas-Lewis, women's rights champion

And who is Loida Nicolas-Lewis? She, is first of all, a highly respected FIlipino-American, a world-class entrepreneur, mother of two Harvard cum-laude daughters, and member of New York's St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Church. Loida also is:

Chairperson of the multi-million dollar TLC Group;
An attorney by profession; first Filipina to pass the N.Y. bar without attending a U.S. law school;

One of the founders, now Chair Emeritus, of the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (NaFFAA);
Founder/President of Lewis College in Sorsogon.

Commission on Population

In 1970, the National Population Program was launched following the creation of the Commission on Population (POPCOM). Its principal thrust was the reduction of fertility and the provision of family planning services using a clinic-based and contraceptive-oriented approach.

According to the 2002 National Demographic and Health Survey of the National Statistics Office, the weak Philippine economic situation in the early 1980s and during the Aquino Administration affected population policy. In addition, the program was faced with institutional instability because of changing POPCOM leadership and opposition from the Catholic Church. In response, the program changed its emphasis to family welfare/development, which broadened to include status of women; maternal/child health; and mortality/morbidity. Other areas included population distribution/structure and migration.

Its two-pronged strategy was: 1) integration of population and development, and 2) responsible parenthood and family planning.

Philippine Population Management Program

The NSO went on to record that the Ramos Administration, which strongly supported the population program, paved the way for the redefinition of the country's "population control" to "population program" to "population management." Anchored by the "population-resource-environment" (PRE or sustainable development) framework, its totality was renamed the Philippine Population Management Program. This led to the Philippines' participation in various international fora as a model for developing countries. Under the Local Government Code, health service delivery including family planning, and counseling, became a mandate of LGUs.

Better quality of life

POPCOM further expanded this framework by: 1) considering human resource development (expansion of knowledge/skills, and improved health/nutrition to enhance productivity), 2) incorporating other major concerns of reproductive health, adolescent health, and gender equity, and 3) reducing unmet needs for family planning, and helping couples achieve fertility preferences.

Besides respecting the balance among population, resources, and environment, the Population and Sustainable Development framework redefined "development" as the "sustained capacity to achieve people's well-being or a better "quality of life," meaning the capacity to be free from avoidable illness, be nourished, be educated, have employment and income opportunities, meet one's fertility preferences, and enjoy social justice and equity."

The 2008 population survey

The 2008 NDHS is a nationally representative survey of 13,594 women, covering 794 clusters throughout the Philippines. Its main findings are:

High Fertility Level. Current Philippine fertility level is relatively high compared with other countries in Southeast Asia, such as Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia, where the rate is below 2 children per woman.

Unplanned Fertility. Despite a steady rise in the level of contraceptive use, unplanned pregnancies are common. Overall, one in three births in the Philippines is either unwanted (16 percent) or mistimed/wanted later (20 percent).

Fertility Preferences. A significant desire exists among married Filipino women to stop having children. Over half (54 percent) of married women do not want another child and an additional 9 percent are already sterilized. Nineteen percent of married women want to have another child, but prefer to wait two or more years.

Use of Contraceptives. At least 90 percent of married women have heard of the pill, condoms, injectables, IUDs and sterilization. The most commonly used modern method is the pill (16 percent), followed by female sterilization (9 percent). Another 17 percent are using traditional methods, including abstinence and withdrawal.

Unmet Need. "Unmet need" for family planning is that percentage of married women who either do not want any more children or want to wait before having another birth, but are not using any family planning method. Current data shows that total unmet need for family planning in the Philippines is 22 percent, of which 13 percent is for "limiting" and 9 percent is for "spacing," an increase from 17 percent in 2003 – which represents retrogressive backsliding.

Loida's intimate admonition

"No one else should be in the matrimonial bedroom when the man and woman express their love for each other in that most intimate expression of love – their physical union.

"The decision of how many children the couple should have remains between the husband and wife, because they alone know how best to maintain the harmony and love they have for one another and their children," admonishes Loida-Nicolas-Lewis.

LAST CHANCE FOR QUALITY POPULATION???
TODAY'S RH BILL MAY BE OUR LAST CHANCE FOR DEVELOPING QUALITY POPULATION – WITHIN A GENERATION. YES, IT TAKES AT LEAST 20-25 YEARS TO ACHIEVE THAT, BUT WE'VE ALREADY LOST 9 YEARS UNDER PGMA.
THINK OF THE ADVANTAGE OF QUALITY PHILIPPINE POPULATION, WITHOUT BEGGARS AND STREET CHILDREN. UNBEATABLE!!!

Please send any comments to fvr@rpdev.org. Copies of articles are available at www.rpdev.org.