Related
Stories
- Fierce debate over Philippine contraception bill
- Church vs state in Philippine sex education row
- Philippines profile
The Catholic church led a protest against the bill on Saturday |
The United
Nations has urged the Philippines to pass a bill that will allow the government
to provide free contraceptives.
A UN
official said passing the law would significantly reduce the maternal mortality
rate, which is one of the highest in south-east Asia.
But the
bill has met strong opposition from the Catholic church, with priests leading
the protest against it.
They say
introducing the law would corrupt moral values in the country.
More than
80 percent of the Philippines population is Catholic.
On
Saturday, bishops led a rally of thousands of people urging the rejection of
the Reproductive Health Bill.
President
Benigno Aquino supports the planned legislation, which would also encourage
families to have no more than two children.
Ugochi
Daniels, from the UN Population Fund, said she remained "cautiously
optimistic" that President Aquino could drum up enough support to pass the
bill on Tuesday.
Ms Daniels
said she was "very concerned" about the rising number of maternal
deaths.
Overcrowded
wards
According
to the government's 2011 Family Health Survey, the maternal mortality rate rose
36 percent to 221 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2006 and 2010.
Many of
those giving birth were girls between 15 and 19 years old, she said, and most
were from poor families.
The maternity ward in Manila's Jose Fabella hospital, where women often share two, or three, to a bed |
She urged
lawmakers to pass the bill and "stop failing our young".
Tuesday's
vote will be the fourth attempt to pass a bill dealing with family planning
issues.
The last
three bills have been blocked by the Church and its political allies.
Contraceptives
are freely available in the Philippines, but are expensive, our correspondent
in Manila says.
For those
on low incomes, a packet of condoms can cost as much as a weekly food bill, she
says.
Many of the
country's maternity hospitals are struggling to cope with the number of births
- in the Jose Fabella Hospital in Manila it is common for two, or even three
women, to have to share a bed, she says.
Our
correspondent adds that many senior members of society - politicians, media
commentators, businessmen - are openly siding with the bishops.
And one of
the country's most popular and influential figures, boxer-turned-congressman
Manny Pacquiao, has joined the debate, saying contraception is against God's
will.
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