DOH seeks for SC reconsideration on ‘unrestrained’ enforcement of Reproductive Law

DOH Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial. (PNA photo)

MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH), through the Office of the Solicitor General Office, on Monday filed a motion for reconsideration (MR) on the decision of the Supreme Court not to lift the temporary restraining order (TRO) on implants.

“The DOH is here to act on President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive for the full implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law (Republic Act 10354) ,” said DOH Secretary Dr. Paulyn Jean B. Rosell Ubial in a press briefing held at Max Restaurant, UN Avenue, Manila.

Ubial said that the need for removal of roadblocks would be of great help to the efforts in the prevention in the maternal and infant deaths in the country.

In this light, Ubial also appealed to the public for full support and understanding, which are vital to succeed in the battle against those hampering the RH implementation into full force by continuing to limit the choice of women.

The “MR” also sought to contest the decision of the 2nd Division of the Supreme Court which continue to restrain the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from certifying the use of contraceptive products.

The decision also restrains the DOH from buying, selling, distributing, promoting and dispensing the contraceptives implants, Implanon and Implanon NXT.

The ruling also barred re-certification as well as certification of new contraceptives.

Atty. Jose Calida, Solicitor General of the Philippines, who joined the filing, said that he normally did not do such thing personally but because of his full support for the rights of women in the country (to plan the number of their children through informed choices and availability of family planning commodities and services).

“I’m also here to signify the unwavering support of our President Rodrigo R. Duterte for the implementation of RH Law as it should be,” Atty. Calida said.

It can be recalled that President Duterte in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July called for full implementation of the RPRH Law.

The SC TRO decision was issued last Aug. 24.

The TRO was issued in response to petitions of “pro-life” group Alliance for Life and the Family, Inc. (ALFI).

“The SC decision could result in over 900 additional maternal deaths every year arising from almost 1 million unintended pregnancies that could had been addressed by the full implementation of the Family Planning Program,” Population Commission (PopCom) executive director, Dr. Juan Antonio Perez III.

Dr. Perez added that SC decision, if not lifted, could also result to possible rise of family planning commodities in the coming years.

“By the end of 2017, more than half of the contraceptives will lose their registration and Filipino consumers will be faced with more expensive products while the government will also be limited in the choice of methods to procure,” Perez added.

He said that scenario was a far cry from the expectation of the people in 2012 when the law was approved by the people’s legislators.

Although, RH Law as passed in 2012, and its IRR was approved in March 2013, there have been restraints through TROs on its implementation since the said period up to now.