PCW supports PNoy’s stand on family planning

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) strongly supports President Aquino’s stand on family planning and responsible parenthood.

Frequent and unplanned pregnancies take a debilitating toll on women’s health. According to the Department of Health (DOH), 11 mothers die everyday due to pregnancy and childbirth- related complications. In the 2006 Family Planning Survey (FPS) of the National Statistics Office (NSO), maternal mortality rate was recorded at 162 deaths per 100,000 live births, with postpartum hemorrhage, hypertension, and other complications during pregnancy or childbirth as leading causes of maternal deaths.

It is the obligation of the Philippine government, as primary duty-bearer, to provide all means to help women, men and couples, especially among the poor, plan the number and spacing of their children at the same time provide for education and jobs.  PCW posits that responsible parenthood, including family planning, promotes the Filipino family’s total development.

PCW respects the Catholic Church’s view on Family Planning and as the national machinery for women’s empowerment and gender equality, we are duty bound to fulfill and protect women’s rights. We support the immediate passage of the Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development which will improve the lives of Filipino women who are more affected by poverty and high mortality.