The 29 Asian Parliamentarians' Meeting on Population And

The 29 th Asian Parliamentarians’ Meeting on Population and Development

High Level Dialogue on Population and Development in a Culturally Pluralistic Society

28 August 2013 Hotel Intercontinental Manila, Philippines

29 – 30 August 2013 Baguio, Philippines

CONTENTS Opening Ceremony ...... 9 Opening Message Hon. Yasuo Fukuda, Chair of APDA/Honorary Chair of JPFP/Former Prime Minister of Japan ...... 11 Welcome Address Hon. Juan Edgardo Angara, Senator of the Republic of the Philippines Vice- Chairperson for the Senate, Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development ..... 15 Message Ms. Anne Harmer, Regional Programme Coordinator, UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office On behalf of Director Ms. Nobuko Horibe, Director of UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office ...... 17 Keynote Address Hon. Walden Bello, Representative, Akbayan Partylist Chair for International Linkages, Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development ...... 21 Message Ms. Nora Murat, Regional Director, East & South East Asia & Oceania Region (ESEAOR) of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) ...... 23

Session 1 Population and Development Issues and Religious Perspective ...... 25 Message from the Session Chair Hon. Ahmed Abdulla, MP Republic of Maldives ...... 27 "Population and Development Challenges amid Unrelenting Catholic Hierarchy Opposition against the RH Law" Prof. Ernesto M. Pernia, Ph.D Professor Emeritus, College of Economics, University of the Philippines ...... 29 “RH Law in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao” Hon. Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman Representative, AMIN Party List and Member of PLCPD ...... 35 “Religious and Reproductive Health: The Interfaith Perspective” Bishop Rodrigo Tano President, Interfaith Partnership for the Promotion of Responsible Parenthood Member, Board of Commissioners, Commission on Population—Philippines ...... 43 Discussion ...... 47

Session 2 Population and Development Issues and Cultural Pluralism ...... 51 Message from the Session Chair Hon. Ugyen Wangdi, MP Bhutan ...... 53 “Population and Development Issues in Light of Social and Cultural Realities” Hon. Longde Wang, Member of the Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee of the National Peoples’ Congress of China ...... 55 Message Hon. Senator Pia, Cayetano PLCPD Chair for the Senate Philippine Senate, Author of the RH Law Champion of Population Development, RH, Violence against Women...... 59 “Mobilizing Community Women and Youth on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: The Struggle for the RH Law” Ms. Elizabeth Angsioco, National Chairperson, Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines Resource person in the committee meetings of the House of Representative and Senate61 “Population and Reproductive Health Challenges among Indigenous Communities” Hon. Nancy Catamco, Chairperson, Committee on Natural Cultural Communities, House of Representatives .... 65 Discussion ...... 67

Session 3 Dialogue between the Parliamentarians and the Youth ...... 71 Message from the Session Chair Hon. Francis Marus, MP Papua New Guinea ...... 73 Message Hon. Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Hemas, MP Deputy Speaker of Regional Representative Council, Indonesia ...... 75 “Upholding Women’s Rights to Reproductive Health: the Philippine Government’s Programs and Services” Hon. Janette Garin, M.D. Undersecretary, Department of Health ...... 77 “National Youth Programme on Population and Development” Hon. Percival Cerdana, MP Commissioner at Large, Philippine National Youth Commission ...... 83 “Key Challenges on the Youth’s Access to RH Services” Ms. Lady Lisondra, Registered Nurse, Clinic Operations Officer Former Youth Coordinator, Family Planning Organization of the Philippines ...... 87

“Mainstreaming Population and RH Issues in the Campus Setting” Ms. Heart Dino, Chairperson Student Council Alliance of the Philippines ...... 91 Rev. FR. Rodolfo Vicente Cancino, JR. Chairman, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Director, HIV/AIDS Ministry Head of Programs and Planning, Camillian Fathers, Inc...... 93 Message of the Moderator Hon. Dr. Vitthaya Inala, Vice-Chairman to the Committee on Foreign Affairs Chief Advisor for Economy and Industry Senate of the Kingdom of Thailand ...... 97 Presentation of Synthesis Ms. Anne Harmer, Regional Programme Coordinator, UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office ...... 99

Closing Ceremony...... 103 Closing Address Hon. Toshiko Abe, MP Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Chair of the Gender Issues, Japan Parliamentarians Federation for Population ...... 105 Closing Message Hon. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, Representative, Aurora Province PLCPD Chairperson for the House of Representatives ...... 107

Call to Action ...... 109 Participants’ List ...... 111

Organized by: Hosted by: With support from:

The 29 th Asian Parliamentarians’ Meeting and Study Visit on Population and Development High Level Dialogue on Population and Development in a Culturally Pluralistic Society

28 August 2013 Manila, Philippines 29-30 August 2013 Baguio and La Trinidad, Philippines Programme

DAY 0, 27 August 2013, Tuesday Arrival and registration of participants Reception Desk: Ground Floor DAY 1, 28 August 2013, Wednesday 8:00 - 9:00 Registration Bahia Room, 14 th Floor 9:00 - 9:45 Opening Ceremony Philippine National Anthem Opening Message Hon. Yasuo Fukuda Former Prime Minister of Japan/Chair of APDA/Honorary Chair of JPFP Welcome Address Hon. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara Senator of the Republic of the Philippines and PLCPD Vice-Chairperson for the Senate Keynote Address Hon. Walden Bello Representative of the AKBAYAN Party List and PLCPD Chairperson for International Linkages

Messages Ms. Anne Harmer Regional Programme Coordinator of UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office (APRO) On behalf of Director Ms. Nobuko Horibe, Director of UNFPA-APRO Ms. Nora Murat Regional Director, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) East & South East Asia & Oceania Region (ESEAOR) Moderator: Hon. Jun Omar Ebdane Former Representative, 2 nd District of Zambales 9:45 -10:15 Group Photo & Tea Break Bahia Room Session I: Population and Development Issues and Religious Perspectives Prof. Ernesto Pernia Professor, University of the Philippines College of Economics “Population and Development Challenges amid Unrelenting Catholic Hierarchy Opposition against the RH Law” Hon. Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman 10:15 - Representative, AMIN Party List and PLCPD Member 12:00 “RH Law in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao” Bishop Rodrigo Tano President, Interfaith Partnership for the Promotion of Responsible Parenthood “Religion and Reproductive Health: The Interfaith Perspective” 20-minute Discussion

Session Chair : Hon. Ahmed Abdulla Member of the Parliament, Maldives 12:00- 1:00 Lunch Break Poolside, Ground Floor Session II: Population and Development Issues and Cultural Pluralism Message Hon. Longde Wang Member of the Standing Committee and Vice-Chairman, Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee, National Peoples’ Congress of China Message Hon. Pia Cayetano Senator of the Republic of the Philippines and PLCPD Chairperson for the Senate Hon. Nancy Catamco 1:00 - 2:30 Chairperson of the Committee on National Cultural Communities, House of Representatives “Population and Reproductive Health Challenges among Indigenous Communities” Ms. Elizabeth Angsioco National President of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines “Mobilizing Community Women and Youth on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: The Struggle for the RH Law” 20-minute Discussion Session Chair : Hon. Ugyen Wangdi Member of Parliament, Bhutan 2:30 - 2:45 Coffee Break Bahia Room Session III: Dialogue between Parliamentarians and the Youth Message Hon. Gusto Kanjeng Ratu Hemas Deputy Speaker of Regional Representative Council Hon. Janette Garin, M.D. Undersecretary of the Department of Health “Upholding Women’s Rights to Reproductive Health: The Philippine Government’s Programs and Services” Hon. Percival Cerdana Commissioner at Large “National Youth Programs on Population and Development” Ms. Lady Lisondra Clinic Operations Officer and former Youth Coordinator, Family Planning Organization of the 2:45 - 4:15 Philippines “Key Challenges on the Youth’s Access to Reproductive Health Services” Ms. Heart Diño Student Council Alliance of the Philippines “Mainstreaming Population and RH Issues in the Campus Settings” Rev. Fr. Rodolfo Vicente Cancino, Jr., MI Head, Programs and Planning, The Camillian Fathers, Inc “HIV and AIDS Interventions for the Youth” 20-minute Discussion Session Chair : Hon. Francis Marus Member of Parliament, Papua New Guinea Moderator: Hon. Dr. Vitthaya Inala Senator of the Kingdom of Thailand and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

Synthesis 4:15 - 4:30 Ms. Anne Harmer Regional Programme Coordinator of UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office, Closing Address Hon. Toshiko Abe Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs/Chair for the Gender Issues Committee of the Japan 4:30 - 4:45 Parliamentarians Federation for Population (JPFP) Closing Message Hon. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo Rep. Aurora Province and PLCPD Chairperson for the House of Representatives 6:00 - 7:30 Dinner Reception Legaspi Room, Ground Floor DAY 2, 29 August 2013, Thursday 8:30 Departure to Baguio Lunch at “Isdaan sa Gerona”, Tarlac City 3:00 Arrival at The Manor Hotel 3:00 - 5:00 Check in and Rest 5:00 - 5:30 Travel to Philippine Information Agency Cultural Interaction with National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Cordillera Region Media, Local Government Units Moderator: Ms. Helen R. Tibaldo Director of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) 5:30 - 7:00 Hon. Mauricio Domogan Mayor of Baguio City “Opening Message” Hon. Longde Wang Member of the Standing Committee/Vice-Chair of the Education, Science, Culture and Public Health (ESCPH) Committee, National Peoples’ Congress of China (NPC) “Message” 7:00 Travel back to Hotel DAY 3, 30 August 2013, Friday 8:30 Travel to La Trinidad, Benguet Municipal Hall Forum: “Population and Development Challenges of IP Communities in the Cordillera Administrative Region in a Pluralistic Society” Moderator : Mr. Romeo C. Dongeto Executive Director of PLCPD Ms. Joan Bacoling Planning Officer of La Trinidad “Profile of La Trinidad” 9:00 - 11:30 Hon. Edna Tabanda Municipal Mayor of La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines “Welcome Message” Mr. Rafael Sallocoy Secretary to the Mayor, Baguio City On behalf of Hon. MAURICIO DOMOGAN, Mayor of Baguio City “Opening Message” Hon. Teddy Brawner Baguilat Representative of Lone District of Ifugao and PLCPD Vice-Chairperson for Luzon

“Keynote Message” Dr. Caster Palaganas Head of Social Department, University of the Philippines, Baguio “Situationer: Challenges of the Cordillera IP Tribes” Message from representatives of IP Tribes from the five provinces in the Cordillera Administrative Region and one faith-based organization Dr. Paulina Sawadan Pastor Paul Baguitay Abra Dr. Norberto Duran, Apayao Dr. Peter Cozalan, Benguet Dr. Imelda Parcasolo, Ifugao Dr. Julie. C. Cabato, Ifugao Rev. Henry Hakcholna, Ifugao Ms. Sheana G. Bumangil, Kalinga Ms. Lynn Madalang, Mt. Province Rev. Jonathen Obar, Faith Based Organization Hon. Nguyen Thi Kha, Member of Parliament, Vietnam “Message” Discussion 11:30 - Lunch and TETE-A-TETE With Media 12:30 Calajo Restaurant, La Trinidad, Benguet Exposure Visit to Bahong, Municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet 12:30 - 2:30 Observation of JICA Integrated Rural Development Project 2:30 - 3:00 Travel to KAP Convention Center Wrap-up Session Feedback from Participants: Hon. Tissa Karalliyadde Minister of Child Development and Women's Affairs, Sri Lanka Hon. Mariany Mohammad Yit Senator, Malaysia Moderator & Synthesis: 3:00 - 4:00 Mr. Romeo C. Dongeto Executive Director of PLCPD Vote of Thanks: Mr. Ramon San Pascual Executive Director of AFPPD Closing Messages: Hon. Yutaka Kumagai Member of House of Councillors/JPPF Member, Japan 4:00 Travel back to Manila Dinner at Max’s Restaurant, Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac City 10:00 Arrival to Hotel in Manila DAY 4, 31 August 2013, Saturday Departure of Participants

Opening Ceremony

Opening Message

Hon. Yasuo Fukuda Chair of the Asian Population and Development Association (APDA) Honorary Chair of the Japan Parliamentarians Federation for Population (JPFP) Former Prime Minister of Japan ______

It is a pleasure to see old faces and some for the APDA Meeting and the study visit new ones here. I thank you most heartily programme. A particular gratitude goes to for joining us at our 29 th Asian Hon. Edcel Lagman, former PLCPD Chair Parliamentarians’ Meeting on Population for the House of Representatives and who and Development and the study visit on behalf of the PLCPD served as AFPPD’s program. Deputy Secretary-General, Hon. Pia Cayetano, the PLCPD Senate Chair and the The Asian Population and Development PLCPD members. Association (APDA) serves as the Secretariat of the Japanese Now, I believe we can say that we are Parliamentarians Federation for standing at an extremely complex situation Population (JPFP), as well as the Tokyo regarding population and development. Office of the Asian Forum of That is to say, while there is still in many Parliamentarians on Population and developing countries a dire need to reduce Development (AFPPD). infant and maternal mortality rates and at the same time cope with the explosive APDA’s main role since its inception has growth of the population and meet the been to continuously call on needs of the ever-growing generation of parliamentarians in Asia and organize young people including their needs for APDA meetings in order to resolve reproductive health, and ensuring their population issues and promote sustainable education and employment. development. On the other hand, the developed Last year APDA, with AFPPD, celebrated its countries appear to be facing the very 30 th anniversary. Looking back at our opposite, namely lower birthrate and history, I believe that the consistency of rapidly aging population, putting pressure the APDA meetings held from the very to finance pension and healthcare costs. beginning has played an essential role in maintaining the commitment of Furthermore, as we turn our eyes to the parliamentarians on the issues of global environment, we see how global population and development in the Asian warming is becoming a steady menace. region. Recent shale gas revolution appears at first sight to make us complacent concerning We have none other than to thank the energy. However, from the perspective of Philippines Legislators’ Committee on global warming, it is only too clear for us Population and Development (PLCPD), for that burning fossil fuel cannot be the their genuine collaboration that enabled answer. us to be here in the Philippines together

On March 11, 2011 Japan was hit by a The theme of this conference is cultural mega disaster of earthquake and tsunami diversity and population. Statistically in the Eastern part of the country. Let me speaking, I understand that the Philippines say how grateful we all are for the has a successful demographic transition generous support from our friends around where mortality transition is concerned the world. but not in fertility transition.

Having experienced an unprecedented My sincere felicitations to our host, PLCPD, scale of tsunami, we know now clearly that for having successfully seen to the passage we must be much more cautious in using of the RH Act after years of your sincere nuclear energy which was expected to play efforts. This gives you a great start in an important role in moderating global tackling the challenges. warming. We also learned that we need a far deeper understanding to find ways to The very fact that you have succeeded in coexist with nature. enacting the RH Act against religious opposition will have tremendous These are but some of the contradictory implications in countries of Asia and Africa puzzles we face today. As politicians, how that have similar challenges. should we cope with all these? Today we know that challenges of Population issues affect each of us as we population does not simply mean reducing live our lives, while at the same time it is mortality through improved medical and one that determines the structure of our healthcare practices or providing family societies. planning commodities and services. Those days are behind us. What is needed going The seemingly contradictory challenges forward is not to push a singular way but before us are but different aspects of the to find the best way acceptable by same challenge that the population issue different cultures. casts on us, and it is essential that they be overcome if we are to achieve sustainable One of the principles of AFPPD since its development. inception is that parliamentarians represent different cultures. I believe that That implies that we should as politicians our successfulness underscores the deal appropriately with the challenges that rightness of our belief. confront our countries, and at the same time share our different perspectives on Allow me to take this opportunity to most the challenges of the population at sincerely thank Ms. Nobuko Horibe, meetings of parliamentarians such as Director of UNFPA’s Asia and the Pacific APDA Meeting and analyze them to Regional Office, as well as IPPF and all achieve a common understanding. I persons concerned for your support in believe that our cooperation in this regard enabling this conference to take place. will provide the foundation in grappling together the Asian as well as the global Following the conference, we have issues of population. scheduled a study visit programme that takes us to the northern regions of the country where ethnic minorities live. As

the organizer of the conference we will be will be put to good use in your countries. most pleased if the fruits of the conference and the study visit programme Thank you for your attention.

Welcome Address

Hon. Juan Edgardo Angara Senator of the Republic of the Philippines Vice-Chairperson for the Senate, Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development ______

Recently, the Philippines made a mark in Last week, the Philippines witnessed yet the global objective of addressing another population and development population and development concerns by challenge. Typhoon Maring, which barely enacting the Reproductive Health Law. We touched the Philippine Islands, enhanced are confident that this measure will monsoon rains inundating most parts of contribute significantly to achieving Luzon. The National Disaster Risk population and development goals of the Reduction Management Council reported country. The tedious process that we went that the monsoon rains affected at least through during the 14 years of advocating 642,884 families or some 2.9 million for the passage of the measure and the people. As of yesterday, at least 17,883 lessons that we learned in the course are families are still staying in 359 evacuation things that we will always be willing to centers. We are now bracing ourselves as share with other countries. We hope that Tropical Depression Nando threatens to do this may contribute to your efforts in the the same from Mindanao down in advocacy of parliamentarians in other Southern Philippines to the northernmost parts of the globe. part of Luzon.

But as we always said, the RH Law is not Even with the RH Law at hand, population the answer to all population and and development concerns are not development concerns. As such, we see eliminated for we deal with enormous the need to continuously study the concerns on urbanization, environmental intricacies of population and development degradation, climate change, and so forth. concerns of the country, see how other The catastrophe simply reminded us that nations addressed similar concerns, and challenges in achieving population and resolve to provide solutions to these. development will always confront us and Unfortunately, there will never be a “one- that we should not only be ready for such size-fits-all’ measure in this culturally trials but also learn from lessons that we pluralistic society. And so we need to see gain along the way. things from various angles if we wish to bring to the people the policies that will Today’s event, the 29 th Asia concretely contribute to achieving a better Parliamentarians Meeting on Population quality of life. and Development, is one significant venue to discuss what we can do in order to meet

the challenges on population and the United Nations Population Fund development in a culturally pluralistic (UNFPA), International Planned society. We look forward to sharing with Parenthood Federation (IPPF), and the you what we were able to achieve in Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on advancing the RH bill and how we were Population and Development (AFPPD). able to achieve it. More importantly, we look forward to discussions on how we can, Finally, I would like to extend our as one community of parliamentarians, be appreciation to Hon. Edna Tabanda, able to synergize our actions to address Municipal Mayor of La Trinidad, Benguet, similar population and development and Commissioner Zenaida Brigida Pawid concerns in Asia and the Pacific. from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples-CAR, for co-hosting On behalf of my colleagues in PLCPD, I the study visit and cultural interaction in wish to thank the Asian Population and the Cordillera. Development Association (APDA) for organizing this conference and bringing With pride and honor, I wish to fulfill my together a host of key people in the field task for the day. Distinguished guests, of population and development. Thank ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the you as well for allowing us to host this Philippines and welcome to the 29 th Asian conference for you. Our gratitude goes out Parliamentarians’ Meeting on Population to the supporting organizations namely, and Development.

Message

Ms. Anne Harmer Regional Programme Coordinator, UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office On behalf of Director Ms. Nobuko Horibe, Director of UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office

It gives me a great pleasure to participate opportunities within a human rights in this meeting today on behalf of Ms. framework; to advancing gender equality Nobuko Horibe, Director of UNFPA Asia and empowerment of women; promoting and the Pacific Regional Office. sexual and reproductive health, including Unfortunately she has a previous maternal health; increasing access to commitment and was unable to attend. education, especially for girls; addressing She has however asked me to say a few issues of urbanization, migration and words on her behalf, so I am very pleased environment; working to ensure that to contribute to the opening remark this everyone experiences the benefits of morning. sustainable economic development; and promoting the participation of civil society. Before the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Why, you might wonder, is the theme of you will recall that the approach to Population and Development in a population was largely about numbers – Culturally Pluralistic Society of particular how to control or stabilize population importance and relevance today? As you growth, with solutions that were often are all aware, next year is the 20 th coercive, used incentives, and/or included anniversary of the ICPD and the following demographic targets. year, 2015, is the deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals To remind you briefly of the key elements (MDGs). Considerable progress has of its Programme of Action, the ICPD already been made in addressing certain provided a forward-looking and elements of the ICPD agenda – including comprehensive approach to addressing higher enrolment of girls in school; population-related issues, based on increased involvement of women in the principles including human rights, equality paid workforce and in positions of and sustainable development. It authority; improved access to family established linkages between population, planning information, services and development and rights, and articulated a commodities; greater availability of skilled shared commitment to improve the lives birth attendants and emergency obstetric of people through the programmes that care; and in the prevention and treatment take into consideration the individual of HIV. Certain goals, however, such as needs and rights of women and men, girls the overall goals to achieve gender and boys. equality and significantly reduce maternal mortality will not be achieved by next The Programme of Action committed to: year, or even the year after. responding to population challenges and

In every country in the region there whose needs, in general, have been remain pockets of unmet need, neglected – such as the huge cohort of particularly among poor, marginalized and young people across the region who do excluded populations, with women being not yet have access to sexual and most affected. It is the lack of progress reproductive health information and amongst these populations that has services. Each of these population groups prevented us from achieving the ICPD – be they small or large – have their own Programme of Action and the MDGs. distinct “cultures” and behaviours, and it is only by engaging directly with When we talk of cultural pluralism, we are individuals from those populations, and referring to the way in which smaller listening to their voices, that we can begin groups within a larger society are able to to address their needs. maintain their unique cultural identities, where their values and practices are It is appropriate that this high-level accepted by the wider culture, provided dialogue is being held in the Philippines, they are consistent with the laws and as this is a country where there has values of the broader society. By and already been considerable success in large, governments have thus far been terms of engaging with leaders and successful in addressing unmet need members of communities representing within majority populations. The focus certain distinct cultural groups. I refer in now needs to turn to those smaller particular to the efforts to engage directly population groups that have unique with indigenous people. The existence of cultural identities, traditions and practices a National Commission for Indigenous that - for a variety of reasons - are Peoples is a unique forum within the preventing them from benefiting from the region, demonstrating a commitment to services already enjoyed by most of us. the rights of indigenous peoples. I refer also to work that has been done to These marginalized and excluded groups engage Muslim leaders in Mindanao in differ across the region, although there addressing reproductive rights and gender are some commonalities. In most cases equality, through collaboration with they include populations which, for some Islamic leaders in Egypt – an experience reason or another, live on the margins of that is now being shared with other society due perhaps to geographical or countries such as Indonesia, through physical remoteness - such as indigenous south-south collaboration. There are people or ethnic minorities; those clearly lessons that can be learned from struggling to access the benefits of the Philippines experience, so it is very development in contexts where the social apt that the dialogue and study tour are security support has not kept pace with taking place here. economic growth – such as migrant workers; those who are discriminated Coming back to the ICPD, paragraph 1.15 against because their behaviour is states that implementation of the deemed socially unacceptable by the Programme of Action will require the cultural majority – including those most at establishment of common ground, with risk of HIV infection, such as sex workers, full respect for the various religious and men who have sex with men and ethical values and cultural backgrounds. intravenous drug users; or even those

I urge you, however, to think more broadly order to understand what is preventing than the specific “cultures” of indigenous marginalized individuals from realizing people, ethnic and religious minorities their rights, particularly with respect to already mentioned, and to also think sensitive issues such as sexual and about the work that has yet to be done reproductive health. Cultural relativism amongst other groups with distinct cannot stand in the way of individual rights. “cultures” whether they be behaviour- related cultures or age-related ones. This For example, if women are subject to includes those most at risk of HIV infection patriarchal beliefs and practices that – sex workers, men who have sex with result in sexual or emotional violence, or men, and drug users, as well as if they are unable to take decisions that adolescents and young people who, as we affect their own bodies, then those norms all know, often adopt behaviours that are need to be examined and challenged. different from and challenging to those of Similarly, if adolescents and young people the older generations. are unable to receive essential information and services that would In considering cultural pluralism, contribute to their physical health and parliamentarians, policy makers and other well-being, then we need to challenge the leaders need to understand the specific norms that prevent them from accessing needs also of these distinct cultural groups. their rights. If “tradition” dictates that If truly committed to ensuring that all those who are poor and marginalized, or people have the right to access sexual and those who behave differently from reproductive health information and ourselves, are less worthy of services, services, including contraception, we must then we need to examine the beliefs reach out to and directly engage with behind such assumptions. Otherwise, the representatives from these populations, ICPD Programme of Action will not be and find entry points that are acceptable fully implemented. to them and their communities. Respecting diversity, and understanding As Parliamentarians, you are key leaders the cultural, social and economic contexts in the fight to address unmet need – not within which marginalized people exist, only as law makers, but also as watchdogs are essential steps to identifying workable who can ensure that laws are fully local solutions. implemented. You are advocates for the consensus of the ICPD, champions of However, whilst respecting cultural reproductive health/rights, voices in the diversity and pluralism it is important to chambers of policy and the corridors of remember not to lose sight of the power, who can raise your voices on fundamental principles of individual behalf of the rights of marginalized and human rights. As individuals, we are excluded populations, especially women. shaped and influenced by the relationships in which we find ourselves at both family We are looking to you for your ongoing and community levels. These relationships support as we move towards the post- may be defined by cultural or religious 2015 development agenda and our goal beliefs and practices that are out of step to achieve reduction in inequalities and to with the 21 st century. We may need to achieve sustainable development for all. help others explore their cultural norms in

Next month the 6 th Asia Pacific In conclusion, I would very much like to Conference on Population and thank the Asian Population and Development will be held in Bangkok, Development Association (APDA) for Thailand. This is an important conference having organized this high-level meeting, where issues related to population and and also to thank the Philippines development will be discussed. We urge Legislator’s Committee on Population and you to ensure that the delegates from Development (PLCPD) for hosting and your countries are well informed on facilitating this initiative. On behalf of Ms. population and development issues and Nobuko Horibe, I wish you success with are able to contribute towards a today’s discussions, and with the progressive output statement that can subsequent study tour. Thank you. take forward our common agenda.

Keynote Address

Hon. Walden Bello Representative, Akbayan Partylist Chair for International Linkages, Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development ______

Let me first thank you for having me here 2015, countries around the world that in this momentous event. I am honoured pledged to achieve the MDGs in the year to be a part of this significant undertaking 2000 will make their final actions and that seeks to advance people-centered appraisal of their performance in as far as development by examining how culture, these development goals are concerned. traditions and religion impact on the process of policy formulation and In the Philippines, Goal 5 and Goal 6, implementation in addressing population specifically on maternal health and and development challenges. combatting HIV/AIDS will not be achieved in the 2015 deadline. In fact, maternal I was among the 65 parliamentarians from mortality rate increased from 162 in 2010 Asia and the Pacific who attended Asia- to 222 in 2011. The target is to lower Pacific Regional Parliamentarian and CSO maternal deaths to 56. Meanwhile, HIV Forum on MDG Acceleration and the Post- infections in the Philippines have jumped 2015 Development Agenda held in Bali, from one in every three days in the year Indonesia last March. What came out as 2000 to 15 cases per day today. The the Declaration in that important Philippines is now considered just one in gathering underscored the need to nine countries globally that continues to recognize that to pursue equitable show steep increase in HIV infections. development, gender equality and women’s empowerment are necessary Political analysts and medical practitioners ingredients; that women should be point to the lack of enabling policy empowered to make healthy and informed environment which includes the choices about their sexual and comprehensive national response to the reproductive health. expanding epidemic, and the comprehensive reproductive health care It is also important to mention that in the to address high maternal mortality rate. Bali Declaration, parliamentarians around This is precisely the reason why after 14 the world are called to recognize that race, years of struggle, the 15 th Congress of the caste, ethnicity and other analogous Philippines finally enacted the Responsible systems of exclusion and hierarchy Parenthood and Reproductive Health Care marginalize millions who are routinely Act of 2012, more popularly known as the denied access to water, education, health RH Law. It is a response to sexual and services, and employment leading to social reproductive health needs of Filipinos. It is exclusion and high levels of poverty. a response to educate boys and girls to enable them to make responsible With 28 months to the Millennium decisions on their sexuality and Development Goals (MDGs) Deadline in reproductive health. It is a response to

empower women, especially poor mothers deaths per day will continue to occur as to be able to decide freely and responsibly long as the Supreme Court maintains its as to the number of children they truly current stand on the RH Law. While we want and how to space their pregnancies. achieved victory in the legislature, we are It is a response to save lives and uplift the fully aware that the battle will continue quality of life of Filipino people. because the law will be challenged in every step of its implementation. I have always believed that most legislators understand the problems of Finally, I believe that parliamentarians runaway population growth and high should take active role in formulating the prevalence of poverty among families with post-2015 development agenda that will higher number of children. However, for address root causes of poverty, more than a decade, many politicians inequalities and deprivation. Above all, we refused to address the issue because of must aspire in defining a development strong opposition from the leaders of the agenda that will promote equality and Catholic Church. Finally, with the non-discrimination as a paramount President’s open support to the measure, objective. As parliamentarians, we should and the strong clamor from the public, the strive to ensure that appropriate measures Congress voted to enact the controversial to protect and promote equality, equity, measure in December 2012. social inclusion, absence of stigma, and accessibility within different intersecting True enough, those who are opposed to identities including age, gender, caste, RH continue their efforts to derail the religion, ethnicity, tribe, disability, implementation of this very important law. language, sexual and gender identity, HIV The petitions of anti-RH individuals and status, and migrant status and groups to declare this law unconstitutional geographical locations, among others. were given audience by the Supreme Court in March. However, the public As parting words, I wish to commend the respondents and private interveners led by Asian Population and Development the principal authors of the law in both Association (APDA) and the PLCPD for Houses of the Parliament are confident the organizing and hosting this conference and Supreme Court will finally declare study visit. I would also like to cite the constitutional the controversial measure invaluable support of the United Nations as the oral arguments ended yesterday. Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Planned Parenthood Fellow parliamentarians, 14 months is Federation (IPPF) to this activity. already a race against time to attain the most hard to achieve goals of the MDGs Let this gathering reprise our call for including halving our country’s poor. But sustained action towards achieving the we have to persevere to accelerate its MDGs and continue our efforts pursue achievements despite great odds. The last population and development objectives 5 months that the RH Law implementation and initiatives within and outside the halls was delayed due to the status quo ante of parliament. Let not our commitments order issued by the Supreme Court of the waiver in securing a brighter and Philippines has already cost more than sustainable future for our people. Thank 2250 lives of women. Fifteen maternal you very much.

Message

Ms. Nora Murat Regional Director, East & South East Asia & Oceania Region (ESEAOR) of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)

It is an honour to be standing in front of charitable institutions. Before we are a you at such a crucial time in our lone voice but we are no longer alone now, movement history. As a world leader in thanks to all of you. working for eradicating poverty, we reflect for a moment on how far we have come. Bit by bit we are really trying our hardest to change the world. At this point in our The International Planned Parenthood history as an organization, we need to Federation (IPPF) started 60 years ago. The make a vigorous stand for the universal idea that women should control their own adoption of Sexual Reproductive fertility and destiny was very controversial Health/Rights and policies. You are in a back then. The idea of family planning as unique position of being able to get the an undeniable right challenged many subject on to the political agenda to conventional groups at that time. Things ensure that adequate funding level and that we all take for granted today was the policies are secured. The stakes are high subject of opposition and hostility. That and your action now will make a difference was 60 years ago. for future generations.

Sixty years later, where we are now, IPPF We at IPPF will be very happy to assist you has the freedom to operate and as in any form that we are able to and we Federation, we operate in almost 200 hope that you will be our voice. Please be countries. It is only able to exist from our voice. assistance to the government from the policy makers, parliamentarians and from Thank you very much.

Session 1 Population and Development Issues and Religious Perspective

Message from the Session Chair

Hon. Ahmed Abdulla, MP Republic of Maldives ______

Good morning and welcome back. you to give warm welcome to Prof. Ernesto M. Pernia. Before he starts, I would like to I am Ahmed Abdulla, a member of give a little introduction about him. He is a parliament of the Republic of Maldives. If Professor Emeritus of Economic at the you heard of a Political Activist group, I University of the Philippines. Previously he represent the opposition party, the was Professor and Director for public at Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). This the University of the Philippines at School session is about population and of Economics. Now I kindly ask Professor development issues, now I would like all to address the participants.

"Population and Development Challenges amid Unrelenting Catholic Hierarchy Opposition against the RH Law"

Prof. Ernesto M. Pernia, Ph.D Professor Emeritus, College of Economics, University of the Philippines ______

I am delighted and honoured to be in the This will compare the Philippines with company of distinguished parliamentarians other ASEAN countries. As you can see, the from Asia. I think it is good for academic Philippines in terms of demographic like me to meet parliamentarians and for indicators and poverty has quite an the parliamentarians to meet academics so interesting correlation between the two. that there will be some interaction and cross fertilization of ideas. The Philippines is kind of backward relative to poverty eradication or reduction effort My presentation resonates quite well with and at the same time has been rather the previous speakers regarding progress weak in reducing population growth, in family planning reproductive health in reducing fertility rate and reducing unmet the Philippines, vis-à-vis other countries. need for family planning compared with Let me go straight to my presentation – southeast ASEAN countries. In fact, Population and Development Challenges Vietnam which is a newcomer in the Amid Unrelenting Catholic Hierarchy ASEAN community has already done pretty Opposition against the RH Law. This is the much better than the Philippines in terms outline of my presentation: of the demographic indicator as well as poverty. So this is something a bit • Introduction: What is Philippines’ uncomfortable about when we face our population and development friend in other ASEAN countries. situation and how does it compare with ASEAN neighbours? • Twin policy failures • Population-economy-poverty- inclusive growth nexus • Unrelenting Catholic hierarchy opposition to the RH law • Conclusion • Counterfactual musings

This on the other hand is the demographic and economic indicator. As you can see from the comparative table, the Philippines is lagging behind in ASEAN neighbours. We used to be pretty well ahead of many ASEAN countries but now

we are falling behind. We have a lot of therefore persisting poverty. That is the catching up to do to be on par again with kind of historical explanation why we fell our Asian neighbours. behind or still falling behind.

This is an explanation of our economic In terms of the long run average growth growth performance vis-à-vis population rate of the Philippine economy, it is only at growth trend. The explanation among about 4.0% to 4.2% over four decades economists is that the Philippines got stuck (1970-2010). At the same time, population with protectionist import substitution growth over the same period diminished industrialization policy from the 1960’s to just slowly from 1.0% to 2.0%. The the 1980’s. Actually, import substitution difference between the two is the long-run industrialization policy was the norms average GDP per capita growth rate of adopted by many ASEAN countries, but the merely 1.6% p.a. over the four decades. difference is many east and Asian That is pretty low per capita income. Any countries graduated quickly from that kind value growing 1.6% annually has to wait 43 of protectionist policy to open economy years to double. and be export promotion. The Philippines failed to do that and we got stuck with the protectionist policy through the 1980’s while others graduated in the 1970’s from import substitution to export promotion.

While the Philippines was among the first in ASEAN countries to adopt a family planning programme and in fact our programme was a modelled and copied by other ASEAN countries. But it was discontinued practically in the late 1970’s because of the opposition of the catholic hierarchy. So the opposition of the Figure 1 is the graphical presentation of Catholic hierarchy started not recently but what I just said. These are the average it has been there for decades. So in effect annual growth trend which can be the programme was completely set aside averaged to in a smooth line about 4.0% to towards the end of 1970’s and up to now 4.2% from 1970 to 2010. And this is the there is no official family planning trend in population growth rate, which is a programme except private efforts and very slow decline which I call glacial some efforts by local governments. decline. This shows deceleration in population growth rate compared with our The consequences of this, which I call twin Asian neighbours. So the difference is the policy mistakes, is that it has been a weak per capita GDP growth rate of average long-term economic growth, meaning income per person which is 1.6%. small demand for labour; in other words limited job creation in the face of robust Earlier, Hon. Walden Bello, a good friend growth population and labour force. This of mine, said that we do some process of means large labour supply results in exclusion and it would seem that our chronic high unemployment rate and failure in the population policy area is a major explanation why we have been

polygonized in terms of economic and it was dropped due to oppositions from poverty indicator. And this is shown in religious conservative groups. figure 2 comparing Philippine and Thailand. The point is the Philippine was ahead of Thailand, but Thailand overtook the Philippines early 1980’s and this is where Thailand is now, ahead of us. And this is the trend in GDP per capita levels, not growth rate.

Figure 4 will show that the bigger the family size, the higher the poverty incidents. So this is from 2009 but we have tracked this since 1985. Monotonic increase in poverty that coincides with family size is logical. And that is why there is a major or strong argument for enforcing the RH law, family planning programmes especially giving access to poor family to have free contraceptive methods available to them.

Also with respect to Indonesia (Figure 3) Table 3 is in terms of actual total fertility which has good family planning rate (TFR) or average number of children a programmes, it was way below the woman would bare over her reproductive Philippines’ way back in the 1960’s but was period or reproductive ages. This is 2008. overtaking the Philippines. In the early This figure is again a strong argument for 1990’s, the main difference here is lack of the RH Law to implement it and focus it on population policy which we had earlier but the poor who cannot afford family planning services on their own.

Let me just continue and talk about So what are the BENEFITS of population population, economy, poverty, INCLUSIVE management? GROWTH nexus. My explanation is very simple; the real economy as distinguished • At micro level, RH/FP programmes from financial economy is made of enable poor women – unburdened basically two markets. by unwanted and/or unplanned pregnancies – to improve their well- • The Goods market and the Labour being, acquire skills, be empowered market. and be gainfully employed. • In both markets, population • Further, fewer wanted and better centrally figures in both the cared-for children benefit from demand side and the supply side of human capital investment and, the two markets. hence, a more promising future • Therefore it is obvious to planners thereby breaking vicious circle of that the growth rate of the intergenerational poverty. population is age distribution, age • At macro level, population growth structure. The spatial distribution declines, average incomes rise, of the population must be key poverty falls, public social spending factors/considerations in a per person rises, poverty falls, country’s development strategy meaning higher quality social • This aims to promote rapid and services. sustain economic growth, full • In longer run, fewer entrants into employment, poverty reduction workforce, equipped with more and social inclusion or inclusive education and skills with higher growth. quality services will result in the balance between the supply of and So what is NEEDED? I would like to demand for labour, i.e., full emphasize this point; employment will be more achieved. • As development policy measure, • Needed is a shift from inordinate RH/FP programmes are cost- emphasis on demand for labour, i.e. effective. The benefit is so much job creation limited by premature more than the monetary budget progression from undeveloped that you would need to put in place agriculture to services, skipping the with family planning programmes. industrial stage – we economists dubbed it as “development Unrelenting Catholic hierarchy opposition progeria”. to RH Law • Thus, revival of industry especially manufacturing because this is a job • Contraception is tantamount to creator abortion; contraceptives are • But indispensable complement is tantamount to abortion. But it is population management to address clearly stated that abortion is illegal quantity and quality of labour and prohibited here but the Bishop supply which is the workforce of insists that contraceptive kills. the economy. • RH law kills, a serious charge from the Bishops

• The Philippine’s’ rapid population outspoken. That is why they were growth is not a problem; able to get the family planning corruption is the problem programmes get going. according to the Bishop which I and • Catholic Church hierarchy’s most of us here agree with. But it is credibility and moral ascendancy not the only problem as shown by seems to be eroding – due partly to the shortfall we have experienced its authoritarian stance on RH vis-à-vis our Asian neighbours (based on illogical and hollow • Population growth is unrelated to arguments) and partly to its own poverty; corruption is the cause of lack of transparency and poverty. But as I have said accountability in governance and corruption is the cause but not the clerical misdeeds and indiscretions. only cause. • Contraception is corruption! The People have spoken time and again • RH causes cancer! It is kind of and this is shown by surveys. absurd to me. • Sexuality education results in • Despite aggressive campaigning by promiscuity. Actually the opposite some Catholic Bishops against the is quite the case in relation to the RH Law, unrelenting since long evidence. Increased awareness of before the final voting on the Bill, the danger of sexual adventure the people themselves have among the teenagers, they will be expressed their will as well as more careful or less likely to through their representatives. It become pregnant. seems clear that people heed their • RH Law leads to a slippery slope consciences rather than blindly after family planning, next will be follow Bishops’ orders. abortion, then divorce, same sex • The Bishops must learn from Pope marriage, that kind of arguments. Francis’ Christ-like humility and This is pure conjecture. compassion and just humbly say: Who are we to judge those who So notwithstanding the opposition of the practice modern contraception as Catholic Church hierarchy sinners? • It is time the opposition to the RH • 70 to 80% of adult Filipinos mostly law, led by the Bishops – some of Catholics, favours the RH Law them reportedly lobbying, directly shown by repeated survey since or indirectly, the Justices – listened early 1990. to and accepted the voice of the • Official Government data shows people – which is the voice of God. that poor women want fewer children than what they actually I have some Counterfactual musings or have. thinking, consideration or conjecture. The • They are the Silent majority. I think question is what if FP opposition were this is a cultural issue. Filipino non-existent or ignored? women, although they favour RH Law, are more silent compared to • Best-case scenario: The Philippines other Asian women who are more and Thailand – known as

demographic-economic “twins” in I put the Philippines lower than the 1970s – might have remained Thailand because they had a such twins till now! stronger export sector which drove • Less than best-case scenario would the economy in Thailand. be: The Philippines population at • Poverty incidence: The Philippines 70 million compared with Thailand 16% vs. Thailand 13.2%. at 64 million. • Population growth: The Philippines So, thank you and I hope I did not bore you 1% vs. Thailand 0.8%; TFR (total with too many figures, but I am an fertility rate) 1.8 vs. 1.6 of Thailand academic and as an academic, we relish • GNI per capita (gross national looking at figures and numbers. Thank you income per person): Philippines very much and thank you for listening. US$2,200 vs. Thailand US$4,440.

“RH Law in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao”

Hon. Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman Representative, AMIN Party List and Member of PLCPD

Welcome to Manila, welcome to the one of the 13 groups and so the Philippines. Magandang Umaga sa ating presentation here is more on the Tausug lahat (Good morning to everybody). Culture. It is in the language; therefore it is in the tradition. For example, we have I am here to present you the reproductive terms like Pagpa lahang, which means health issues in the Autonomous Region in spacing. We have the term Piil, customary Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and I am glad practices which are also used to refer to that the earlier speaker, Prof. Pernia, family planning practices. We have Biat, or presented statistics because I have none to pre-marriage counselling, and Pagbuhat, present. I will share with you how these or pre-natal. We also have idiomatic statistics and data are reflected or expressions like Dih kalakaran sin bana, manifested on the ground. maburus, which means the husband cannot walk over to the wife who gets Our story in ARMM is very much reflective pregnant. of the culture we have. The Autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao where What we are saying here is that majority are Muslim Filipinos have actually Reproductive Health is not new to the 13 different linguistic groups, so you are culture, and it has been there since time basically speaking of 13 different cultures. immemorial. And of course, apart from our We used these cultures as the foundation being Moro, or Bangsamoro, we are for the advocacy of our cause. We used Muslims, so there is also Islamic Culture them to build on, to promote what we are that we needed to save. advocating for. • Initially the Islamic Culture posed as So we start the Moro culture and since antagonist because of gender-biased personally I am from Sulu, I am a Tausug, interpretation of the Ho • ly Quran and other sources of Islamic • Gave way to more dynamic tradition. Although I was not here in discourses on RH and Islam, which the earlier presentation, but I think led to discussions of other population this is the same in other countries and development issues. where there was general belief in the early 1960’s among religious Islamic Actors and Roles leaders that reproductive health is un-Islamic. There are different actors in the story of • Eventually there is the the Reproductive Health in the ARMM. transformation from being an That is why even if the topic given to me antagonist to an ally for being the was the RH law in the ARMM, I preferred basis of Reproductive Health through and decided to make it the RH story itself the Fatwah on Family Planning in the area, because the passage of law is

just the icing in the cake. The story, the ground in one way or another. They have experience that we went through, the also contributed to making it an issue. stories of the women, contributed to the passage of the Reproductive Health Law. We also have here RH Advocates’ And we believe that even after the passage Affirmative Actions: of the law, we still need to do more. Constituency building: we needed to really RH champions and advocates create a bigger, wider constituency and this in not just in terms of having more Led by the Health practitioners and people join us but having these people service-providers, we have overworked understand what reproductive health is all and underpaid health practitioners in the about. We would like a quality areas. If you go there you will be amazed constituency who themselves can explain of the commitments they display and at what the issue is all about and who can be the hard work that they do in saving spokespersons. So we held barangay women and children’s lives and forums and we used data such as the one everybody’s lives. They are the forefront of presented by the professor a while ago. our reproductive health champions. Campaign and advocacy: through the use We also have Women advocates, of course. of the media. We have radio talk shows to These are the individuals and groups, and I talk about what reproductive health is, specifically mention the participants to the which is proven to be very effective Southeast Asia Short Course on Islam, measures in pushing forward what Gender and Reproductive Rights held in reproductive health is all about. We also Indonesia and I am part of it. I mentioned get information from them, their it because the short course we were able experiences and their recommendations. to have developed women’s reproductive health care. In this course we eventually Review of the CMPL: Code of Muslim realized what Islam really says about Personal Laws. For the information of the reproductive health and when these honorable legislators and guest, we women come back home, each of us in our Muslims have CMPL. This covers our own individual capacities and together as a marriage, inheritance, divorce. Now we group really pushed forward for are seriously looking into it such as the reproductive health, not only in our region issue of child marriage. but we also became part of the National Reproductive Health Network. Documentation of stories: this is very important for us in Muslim Mindanao in We also have the religious leaders as the ARMM. What we always hear are the mentioned earlier, who were the stories and issues of the women in the antagonist but eventually became allies. National Capital Region, so we also wanted to be given that space. We want the There are of course some Local country and the whole world to her our Government Units, the mayor and own stories in Muslim Mindanao governors, who may not be that aggressive in pushing for reproductive health but with Then of course we have the engagement some pressure of the people on the of the Muslim religious leaders. They

provide the Islamic perspective in the All these innovations and activities discussion of reproductive health somehow helped in certain areas of reproductive health, especially on the area Mediation in traditional conflict of infant mortality rate, which dropped mechanisms: land conflict is very common from 18 every 1,000 in 2011. This is a big in Muslim Mindanao, and I think this is development for us. also true in other Asian countries. It is not just about rebellion but about around 50% We have another programme, the ARMM of it is land conflict. Basulta - Zamboanga RH Providers and Leaders/Advocate Consultative Forum. We Public Health Unit, the health providers: gathered reproductive health providers one of the issues which greatly contributed and leaders and advocated from these to our high maternal mortality rate is the provinces for consultative forum, which traditional birth attendants who are not was held in July 21-23, 2011 in Zamboanga skilled in facilitating delivery. But it is the City. reality that we need to confront because Muslim women would opt to get Just to show you, the followings are the traditional birth attendants instead of issues and recommendations: going to the Public Health Unit because of cultural and ritual practices. • Terminologies or translation of the RH Bill into the local dialects for the So to attend to this issue, partnerships people to understand with traditional birth attendants were • Revisit the RH Code in the different made. They were provided trainings to provinces assist the skilled birth attendance in the • Funding should be provided to birth process support the advocacy • Gather and publish data for We also have innovations for the information availability of family planning services and • Dialogues and partnership with commodities. Our Public Health Unit in the religious leaders community in some cases is not the • GIDAs, or the geographically priority of our local government, so isolated and depressed areas, are sometimes the centres are not provided hard to reach, so there was a need with budget for medicine and much more for providers in the area, mobile for family planning pills. So what the health service and transportation. midwife did was she would buy pills in the city and have it loan to the mother. They I would like to share with you some of my also have pregnant woman parties where reflections. I would like to take this they serve simple food and from there opportunity for the Asian Parliamentarians they would start giving reproductive health to listen not to my voice alone but to know education information. what the people on the ground are thinking as follows: Local leaders were supportive after so much pushing and we eventually got them From Mr. Saukhani Kimpa of Jolo: to our side. Some of them provide funds and support for population activities.

“We recognize the vital role of The point that I am trying to make is education as an effective agent of that the women in my area do not change for peace, progress and want to get pregnant every year. But development. Along these lines, we the problem is that they do not know have to be more vigilant in securing the where to go, ask for help and no access welfare of our women and children. to family planning methods. If they would have their way, they want to I also believe that we should intensify avail of the TBL to stop them from our campaign for the RH bill. It is not getting pregnant. enough to just incorporate it as a subject in our educational system but This shows that the RH bill does not to extend its teachings beyond the concentrate on family planning classroom walls and into our rural methods but it encompasses everything, areas. We should do this because there from the health of the mother, her child are still so many of our brothers and and her family. This, for me, is the sisters who are deprived of education essence of Islam”. and proper information on reproductive health. From Dean Hannbal Barra of Ulama and Academ, Sulu: Collabourative work should be established between the medical field “I stand before you to present our and the Ullama. This is link is very vital reasons why we support the RH bill. because the people believe and accept The foremost reason why we support the teachings given by their Ullama. the RH bill is that it would eventually help the Muslims realize their most Finally, when the reproductive health cherished dreams from the Holy Qur’an. bill becomes a law, if the people at This would be the promotion of a good grassroots level are not educated family life. properly, then its purpose of saving lives is not fulfilled. But even if it is not Family planning is a fundamental law passed on as a law, if the people are for Muslims. This is not only because of armed with the right information on the promotion of the family’s health reproductive health, we can help them but also to inculcate the teachings of in bettering their lives . “ Islam to the children. Both parents are responsible to do this in order for their From Dr. George Lee of Tawi Tawi: children to grow up well.”

”Citing a personal experience in my From Dr. Allahminda Oribes, RHU area, I always encounter women who Tanduhbas, Tawi Tawi: come to me and tell me that they might be pregnant. I would examine “On behalf of the health district them and when the test yields positive services of Tawi-Tawi, we are happy results, I tell them and ask their and thankful that we have been invited reaction about it. They are either to this event because we are able to dismayed or sad over the result. express our stand on the RH bill. Also, we are enlightened by the speakers on

many controversies surrounding this teaching family planning methods to bill. To ensure what is best for our our communities and alleviate their mothers and her children, we are more poverty status in life”. than convinced that this RH bill must be passed. Here is the Muslim Autonomy Act 292, which is the Regional Reproductive Health I want to share a story with you. I am a Law of the Autonomous Region of person very close to the members of Mindanao, and we take pride in saying my community. Our area is very far that this was signed in Julo ahead of the from the hospital. Sometimes, we do National Reproductive Health Law. I would procedures to save the life of the be happy to share with you the law itself. mother and her child, which is normally done in the hospital. (It was no longer read but copies were given to the participants.) The people in our area are 70% below the poverty line and 50% illiteracy rate. Highlights of the Law: It is really a depressed area and we have a lot of mothers dying, especially • Sec. 2: guarantees universal access from the islands. One reason for their to medically-safe, legal, affordable, death is because of the many children effective and quality reproductive they bore. And it is a sad reality that health care services, methods, before we can intervene, it is too late devices, supplies and relevant to save them. information and education thereon even as it prioritizes the needs of It angers me that there are those who women and children among other can easily trash the RH bill because underprivileged sectors. they do not want it. But if they are in my shoes, they would see many • Sec. 3.1 Guiding Principle: difficulties we have in trying to save Promotion of Natural Family their lives. And yet, so many are dying Planning Method must be fully because of no access to health care guaranteed by the Regional services. Government.

We know the real situation of our area. • Freedom of choice of women, We see what the needs of the people regarding other artificial family are. I told the LGU that we need a planning methods to be used must facility where mothers can give birth. be fully guaranteed by the regional We have the facility now but I need government. Freedom of help in its accreditation to Phil-health. information such as the advantage This would greatly help the health care and disadvantages of artificial service providers. family planning methods to be used; We really need the RH bill because so many of our people cannot give a • Respect for legal protection and quality life to their children. I advocate fulfillment of reproductive health this because this can help us in and right to seek to promote the

rights and welfare of couples, adult sector in the design, individuals, women and implementation, coordination, adolescents; integration, monitoring, and evaluation of people-centered • Since human resource is among the programmes to enhance quality of principal asset of the country, life and environmental protection; maternal health and safe delivery (4) Conduct studies in protecting of healthy children and their full and promotion of gender equality human development and as well as women’s reproductive responsible parenting must be health and rights; and (5) conduct ensured through effective scientific studies to determine reproductive health care; safety and efficacy of alternative medicines and methods for • The provision of medically safe, reproductive health care legal, accessible, affordable and development; effective Reproductive Health Care Services to all Bangsamoro, is • The provision of reproductive essential in the promotion of health information must be the people’s right to health especially joint responsibility of the Regional the women, poor and marginalized; Government, LGU’s, DOH, consistent with their obligation to • The Regional Autonomous respect, protect and promote the Government shall consider, right to health. without bias, all effective natural and modern methods of family • Active participation by non- planning that are medically safe government, women’s civil society and legal and in accordance with organizations and communities is the standard set by the World crucial to ensure that reproductive Health Organization as well as health and population registered and approved by the development policies, plans and Food and Drug Administration, as programmes will address the well as those methods approved by priority needs of the marginalized, the Assembly of the Darul Iftah. poor and women.

• The Regional Autonomous • This act recognizes that abortion is Government shall promote illegal and punishable by law. The programmes that: (1) enables regional government shall ensure couples, individuals and women to that all women needing care for have birth spacing of children with post-abortion complications shall due consideration to the health of be treated and counseled in a women and resources available to humane manner; them; (2) achieve equitable allocation and utilization of • Gender equality and women resources; (3) ensure effective empowerment are central partnership among local elements of reproductive health government units and the private and population and development;

• Development is a multi-faceted • A holistic reproductive health process that calls for the programme addresses the needs of coordination and integration of people throughout their life cycle. policies, plans, programmes and projects that seek to uplift the Thank you so much for giving us this quality of life of the people more opportunity and we hope we can have particularly the poor, the needy more of this discussion. and the marginalized;

“Religious and Reproductive Health: The Interfaith Perspective”

Bishop Rodrigo Tano President, Interfaith Partnership for the Promotion of Responsible Parenthood Member, Board of Commissioners, Commission on Population—Philippines ______

Good morning to the Honourable guests It is heartwarming and astonishing to from other Asian countries. And note that the law of reciprocity known as welcome to Metro Manila where the air the Golden Rule is embedded in all major is brown and traffic is…I do not know. religions. The Buddha enjoined his We have a joke in the Philippines; if followers to “Treat not others in ways anybody is late nobody is early so that you yourself would find hurtful”. anything goes. Hinduism’s Mahabharata teaches that “the sum of duty” is “Do not do to others I would like to set my presentation what would cause pain if done to you”. within the Asian context because we And Islam instructs its devotees: “No one come from various countries of Asia. My of you truly believes until you wish for work has been such that I have been others what you wish for yourself”. travelling to different Asian countries Another version of the Golden Rule is and had the opportunities to observe found in Jainism: “One should treat all cultures and religions. I also teach creatures in the world as one would like theological thinking in the Asian context. to be treated”. Because of that, I studied somewhat a little bit Asian Religion. Taoism commands its followers to “Regard your neighbor’s gain as your Asia is the cradle of the world’s major own gain and your neighbor’s loss as religions. As embodiments of values and your own loss”. “Try your best to treat moral principles and practices, Asian others as you would wish to be treated religions have a core of humanizing and yourself and you will find that this is the life-affirming practices and teachings on shortest way to benevolence,” is a personal and social life. They teach fundamental tenet of Confucianism. And compassion, sharing of possessions, Jesus Christ taught that “In everything, respect for parents, children, and the do to others as you would have them do elderly, and the value of the family; to you, for this is the law and the reverence and care for nature and the prophets”. The Jewish and Christian way of life; honorable conduct in Scriptures teach: You shall love the Lord personal and public service. These your God with all your heart, and with all teachings can serve as foundation for your soul, and with all your mind. This is programmes in human development, the the great and first commandment. And a care for the environment, the forging of second is like it, “you shall love your goodwill among all nations, cultures and neighbor as yourself.” religions, and cooperative efforts to build human communities. The instinct to care for one’s fellow being recognizes the infinite worth and dignity of every person regardless of race,

culture, gender, religion or personal individuals’ and couples’ informed circumstance. The law of reciprocity is choice; provides for reproductive health the foundation of the concern not only and sexuality education for the youth; for the individual but also for the promotion of gender equality and men’s common good, which is “the sum total of involvement in reproductive health; social conditions which allow people, elimination of violence against women either as groups or as individuals, to and children and other forms of sexual reach their fulfillment more fully and and gender-based violence; prevent easily. induced abortions; proscription of abortion and management of abortion Religion and the Philippine Reproductive complications; prevention, treatment Health Law and management of reproductive tract infections, HIV/AIDS among others; and The RH Law (”The Responsible adequate and regular funding for the Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act implementation of the law. of 2012”) was enacted by both the Senate and House of Representatives of Thus, our own organization, the the Philippines on December 19, 2012 Interfaith Partnership for the Promotion and signed into law by President Benigno of Responsible Parenthood (IPPRP) has S. Aquino III on December 21, 2012. It is for the last seven years, advocated for “an act providing for a national policy on the passage of the RH Law. A consortium responsible parenthood and of several Protestant groups with reproductive health”. thousands of member churches, the Iglesia ni Cristo also with a large While its vocabulary and provisions are constituency, the Office of Muslim not religious sounding (they should not Affairs, and Roman Catholic individuals, be), the law embodies deep and far IPPRP “believes that it is the reaching concern for the common good, responsibility of churches, faith-based particularly the poor and marginalized organizations, and policy makers to be families, mothers, the youth and the responsive to the existing realities that children. And since it upholds the hinder the functioning of families as transcendent worth, dignity and bastions of spiritual growth and as overarching value of persons, it is agents of full development of the imbued with deep religious values and country and its peoples”. concern. Our vision is “Abundant and healthy life From the inter-faith perspective, the Law for each Filipino Family” and we is egalitarian, humane and holistic in its endeavor to realize this objective by approach to health; empowering for the promoting population and development marginalized, the vulnerable and the strategies, responsible parenthood, poor; evidence-based; it upholds human reproductive health and family planning rights, informed choice and religious through knowledge dissemination, freedom. In practical terms, the RH Law education and training, the delivery of seeks to: reduce the number of maternal services to our constituencies and to the and infant deaths by providing access to community. reproductive health services based on

The religious denominations that form several human rights of citizens IPPRP do not have uniform belief which include reproductive health, systems, ceremonies and practices. the right to education and What draws us together is the common information, and the right to choose concern for the welfare of our people. and make decisions for themselves in What makes this possible among a accordance with their religious consortium of diverse religious groups is convictions, ethics, cultural beliefs, the spirit of tolerance over differences, and the demands of responsible respect for our diversity, cooperation, parenthood.” Section 2 (h): “The theological exchange and dialogue. State shall respect individuals’ preferences and choice of family Religious Freedom and the RH Law planning methods that are in accordance with their religious The Constitution of the Republic of the convictions and cultural beliefs, Philippines upholds human rights. taking into consideration the State’s Among the fundamental rights it obligations under various human protects is religious freedom. But rights instruments.” Section 2(i) religious freedom cannot be exercised allows for the active participation of without the separation of Church and “faith-based organizations, the State (see Article II, Sec. 6). In keeping religious sector and communities” with this provision, no law shall be made which is considered “crucial to to establish a particular religion or to ensure that reproductive health and prohibit the free exercise of religion. population development policies, “The free exercise and enjoyment of plans, and programmes will address religious profession and worship, priority needs of women, the poor, without discrimination or preference and the marginalized;” shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of B. Section 3. Guiding Principles for civil or political rights” (Art. III, Sec. 5). Implementation: The Law provides that the “State shall promote and In relation to the family and the rights of provide information and access, parents, “The State shall defend: (1) the without bias, to all methods of family right of spouses to found a family in planning, including effective natural accordance with their religious and modern methods which have convictions and the demands of been proven medically safe, legal, responsible parenthood” (Art. XV, Sec. 3). non-abortifacient…” (e) A diligent examination of the RH Law will indicate the meticulous care with which C. Section 4. Definition of Terms (v). the authors and members of the Regarding responsible parenthood, Philippine Congress crafted the law so the Law gives freedom to couples “to that the religious preference of all determine and achieve the desired Filipinos will be upheld and not number of children, spacing and compromised. timing of their children” according to several factors “consistent with their A. Section 2. Declaration of Policy. The religious convictions”. first paragraph in this section lists

D. In relation to reproductive health live with honor and respect and co-exist education, Section 14 lists in harmony and interdependence. stipulations on “age- and “Pluralism is not diversity alone, but the development-appropriate energetic engagement with diversity. reproductive health education to There must be interdependence and adolescents” indicating the topics to encounter among religious leaders”. be discussed. The proviso requires “that flexibility in the formulation We must overcome that rigid and adoption of appropriate course fundamentalism and extreme orthodoxy content, scope and methodology in that leads to intolerance of other views each educational level or group shall and the insistence that one’s beliefs be allowed only after consultations alone are correct and must be absolutely with parents-teachers-community held to the exclusion of other truth associations, school officials and claims. At least, in the case of the other interest groups”. This proviso Philippine responsible parenting and takes sensitive cognizance of the reproductive health law, religious views of parents and community freedom is safeguarded, and the associations regarding sexuality diversity of religious beliefs and practices education. It is clear that there is no is recognized. Religious groups can play coercion involved. an essential role in promoting the common good and meeting the needs of E. Section 23. The proviso in this section the poor, the marginalized, and the on Prohibited Acts stipulates that needy and vulnerable segments of our “the conscientious objection of a society. health care service provider based on his/her ethical or religious beliefs As I close, let me leave these words of shall be respected…” if he refuses “to wisdom as food for thought: “Insofar as extend quality health care services a religion serves the virtues of humanity; and information on account of the insofar as its teachings on faith and person’s marital status, gender, age, morals, its rites and institutions support religious convictions, personal human beings in their identity and allows circumstances, or nature of work...” them to gain a meaningful and fruitful existence, it is a true and good Concluding Comments religion…insofar as it hinders human beings in their identity, meaningfulness, In a world that is marked by openness to and valuableness and fails to achieve a new ideas, changing contexts and needs, meaningful fruitful existence, it is false and in view of the plurality of cultures and bad religion.” (Hans Kung, famous and religious beliefs and practice - Roman Catholic theologian). tolerance, moderation, understanding and dialogue are necessary if we are to Thank you.

Session 1 Discussion

[Chair] unemployment rate and dependency Thank you. The floor is now open for burdens among households. discussion. Thailand, please. [Hon. Ugyen Wangdi, Bhutan] [Hon. Nontawat Khongmoh, Thailand] In Bhutan, thanks to our leaders in the late I think right now Singapore, Malaysia, 1980’s, we introduced family planning Thailand have a very low population rate. I policy. We had also some resistance from think Singapore right now has even less the people in the initial stage, but now they than 6 million, and they have a very low TFR have accepted it because we want at 1.1. They need at least TFR at 2.05 in the economy to grow and developing human future. Malaysia also has stabilized its resource and quality population is a must. population. In Thailand we have short in Our religious leaders issued an ordinance labour force. saying that if you control birth, it is not taking a life and it is a preventive measure We Asians must manage our population. and there is no sin at all. In our past The Philippines cannot control the parliament we have adopted a very population, cannot balance the religious stringent law regarding relationship with and political matters. The Philippines must the minor. If you have sexual intercourse have the quality labour force because I with a child below 18 you will end up in think 90% of the population speak their prison minimum of 5 years. language and English, unlike us in Thailand. Asian countries need labour support. We With the experiences here and learning employ many Filipinos to teach English in from experiences in your country, we can Thailand. Philippine parliamentarians really come up with policy that will give us should think forward to give quality proper perspective in population population and this is my concern we can management and development. Thank you. work together. [Hon. Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman, [Prof. Ernesto M. Pernia, Philippines] Philippines] The ASEAN Integration 2015 Act is a good I would also like to share that in our move in the mobility in terms of labour and experience there was at some point that employment. We are almost double in the opposition is based on the belief that terms of fertility rate compared with the Philippines would want to reduce the Thailand. The Act is a blessing that the number of Muslims because they want to Asian integration is going to take place, and eventually wipe us out. There was a shift then labour can flow freely from the from the reproductive health population Philippines to Thailand. It is going to make control policy to birth spacing. So it is not happen the interchange of capital/labour for us to control the population but we among Asian countries. As we have a large have to have spacing to produce quality population, we still need to continue the FP children or people. We do not speak of programme, reduce the present control but birth spacing.

[Hon. Yutaka Kumagai, Japan] problem. Before we do not see people on I learned a lot and I have many questions the street begging but now children are but there is no time so I will focus on one begging for a few pesos. How can we come issue. I deeply agree with you that Asia is up, in your own personal view, to solve the cradle of the world religions. However, these population issues? we have to find common sense in this diversity in Asia. What is your opinion? [Bishop Rodrigo Tano, Philippines] The leaders of your country or any country [Bishop Rodrigo Tano, Philippines] have to study the situation, and if there is a What I understood from you is that since threat disrupting the welfare/progress of we are so different in religion and culture, the country, the leaders have to analyse what the common value that would bring and come up with effective tactical solution. us together is. That is, I will say, the “golden But our religious beliefs sometimes control rule” is found in the major religion and it us so they have to agree on what the best says “do not hurt your fellowmen if you do way to take. not want to be hurt yourself” or “if you want them to do good to you, then do good [Hon. Eladio Antonio Faculto de Jesus, to them”. That is one way of saying that we Timor Leste] promote the welfare of each other. So to In Timor Leste we have a very small me, my friend, our common concern should population but we have a high fertility rate be for the good and welfare of the many. and high mortality rate. And we just want to know how we can ensure to keep our [Ms. Rina Hartami Widiastuti, Indonesia] economy growing. I would like to share in my country we have special institutions responsible for [Prof. Ernesto M. Pernia, Philippines] managing family planning programmes. My I think the objective of Population and question is what the situation is like in Development is to strike a balance between Mindanao with regard to Fatwah from available resources, population on one Ullama Family Planning hand, and economy on the other hand. I think what you need to have is a policy that [Hon. Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman, would accelerate demographic transition Philippines] which other progressive Asian countries There was a Fatwah issued on November have already achieved. Demographic 2003 and, yes, it allowed Muslim transition means bringing down the fertility population to follow family planning on rate and the mortality rate to achieve a reproductive health practices with some balance on resources, economy and restrictions like the alteration of biological population. system. But if the life of mother is in danger we can do away with exemptions. [Hon. Nguyen Thi Kha, Vietnam] After the legislation related to population, [Hon. Francis Marus, Papua New Guinea] we have paid attention to the advocacy, I would like to direct my question to Bishop religions, and schools and other activities to Tano. In my country there are 90% Catholic address population issues. What and other Christians. I am Catholic too. We perspective do you think is important for have lots of deaths because of land related our next step. issue and all these boils down to population

[Prof. Ernesto M. Pernia, Philippines] [Chair] I think the question is across the country of Thank you very much for your active Vietnam you have different fertility rates, participation. so I guess policy will have to be differentiated across the country to suit the needs of particular areas.

Session 2 Population and Development Issues and Cultural Pluralism

Message from the Session Chair

Hon. Ugyen Wangdi, MP Bhutan

This afternoon I am given the 1980 and obtained a Master’s Degree. He responsibility to Chair the discussion and I studied in Mt. Sinai in New York City as a will make sure to be on time. I have four visiting scholar. For a very long time, he speakers and the time given is less than was a leader in Health Administration and two hours. was also the Vice Minister of Health in 1998 to 2007 and became a member of May I now introduce Hon. Wang Longde. the Academy of Engineering Students in Hon. Wang is now seven years member of 2009. Now he is the President of the Standing Committee and the Vice Preventive Medicine Association. Chair of the Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee of the May I now call upon Hon. Wang to National Peoples’ Congress of China. He present in the gathering. was a Medical Scientist from 1970 to

“Population and Development Issues in Light of Social and Cultural Realities”

Hon. Longde Wang Member of the Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee of the National Peoples’ Congress of China ______

Today, I am very pleased to have the First, China gave a full consideration of its opportunity to work with fellow cultural pluralism, and implemented parliamentarians to discuss issues related policies to support the development of to population and development in Asia and ethnic groups of smaller population. In Pacific region. formulating fertility policy, China fully considered its multi-ethnic, multi-cultural The world today is undergoing significant characteristics, and adopted a development, changes and adjustments, differentiated approach in the light of with multi-polarization and economic population distribution, natural living globalization developing in depth, science conditions, socio-economic development and technology advancing at a great pace, and other factors of the different ethnic and a more frequent interchange of ideas groups and ethnic minority areas. Overall, and cultures. How to further balance for the majority Han ethnic group, having population and development in a one child is advocated, and a strict birth pluralistic society has become a major control mechanism is put in place for the issue of common concern for the second one, whereas policy is relatively international community. The theme of loose for ethnic minority groups. In this meeting also reflects the great particular, for a number of ethnic groups importance we have attached to the issue. with small population, no birth control is At this point, I would like to share with you practiced. Take Tibet Autonomous Region some policies and practices in China. as an example, for ethnic farmers and herdsmen, there is no birth control in China, as a member of the Asian family, place. We only advocate eugenics and has all along considered its development superior nurture and delayed marriage and an integral part of development in Asia. childbearing; the number of births is not China is a responsible developing country limited. When voluntary birth control is with large population. China desired, technical guidance will be conscientiously fulfilled the ICPD "Program provided. of Action" and the "Millennium Development Goals" commitment, and While China’s population policy has comprehensively addressed population achieved remarkable success, it has also and development issues, adopting a series brought a series of problem, such as a high of effective measures to promote a newborn sex ratio, rising aging population coordinated and sustainable development and rising population management cost. I of economy and society and to improve think our future regional population people’s health and quality of life. development strategy should give priority to improve the population structure and

control population increments. Future scientific, civilized and progressive population policy adjustments should marriage and childbearing fashion among consider easing negative population average households so as to improve growth inertia. Population and social women’s social status in those aspects. development goals should be shifted to improve the population quality, better Third, China paid great attention to population structure, develop human improve reproductive health and increase resources and to promote an overall the level of health care. China has passed economic and social development. We legislation to protect the rights of its should give differentiated treatments, citizens to reproductive health, to provide specific guidance and adjust the integrate the population development and fertility policy with a realistic approach. reproductive health into its national development strategies and planning and Second, China attached importance to into its five-year plan for national gender equality and promotion of economic and social development, and to women’s development. Chinese establish and improve the urban and rural Government has, by conscientiously fertility regulation and reproductive health referring to Plan of Action of the UN services network. Chinese government is Fourth World Conference on Women, the providing the following basic reproductive Millennium Development Goals and the health services to its average citizens: free outcome documents of the other major contraceptives and birth control technical UN conferences, and through services to population of childbearing age; strengthening legislation, increasing fiscal free re-birth technical services for couples input and improving policies, paid great of childbearing age who are entitled to the effort to eliminate discrimination against second child; family planning, prenatal and women, promote women’s rights, protect postnatal care, reproductive health science women’s equal access to education, education and counselling services for employment, social security, matrimonial urban and rural residents free of charge; property rights and participation in social and incentive subsidy to families that affairs, crack down on trafficking in women comply with the family planning conditions. and children, prevent and combat China also introduced hospital delivery domestic violence, and to give special benefits for rural women, and the attention and consideration to specific screening of breast cancer and cervical needs of different groups of women to cancer for relevant aged women as well as ensure that all women achieve common other major public health programmes (In development . 2012, China’s average life expectancy reached 73 years, the maternal mortality We launched “Caring for Girls” initiative, rate dropped to 24.5/100,000 from and great efforts have been paid to 34.2/100,000 in 2008, the infant mortality fundamentally eliminate gender rate dropped to 10.3 ‰ from 14.9 ‰, and discrimination, create a favourable living the prenatal check and postpartum visit environment for girls, establish a rates were 95.0% and 92.6% respectively). mechanism that is conducive to the favourable development of girls and their Fourth, China has paid efforts to help families, and to safeguard their legitimate migrants and promote the equalization of rights and interests. We also advocated a reproductive health services. China’s

economic and social development has countries differ in terms of population resulted in a quickening pace of population development stages, features and trends, movement and the current floating problems and challenges and policy population is believed to be about 200 priorities and measures, they have one million. Migrant workers have made a thing in common, that is, they all attach significant contribution to local economic great importance to population and social development. However, since development, and solving population the government’s social management is related issues has become an integral part lagging behind, migrants are still faced of the work of parliaments and with the lack of social protection, some governments. In the implementation of groups even living in poor environment. the Millennium Development Goals Chinese government has introduced a (MDGs) and the Program of Action of the series of policy measures to enhance International Conference of Population service for the floating population, and to Development (ICPD PoA), it is of crucial maintain legitimate rights and interests of importance to give play to the roles of the migrants and improve their living national parliaments and their conditions, with a view to creating a parliamentarians. At this point, I have virtuous circle in the ongoing migration three suggestions. First, we shall continue process. China paid special attention to to appeal to countries to pay greater realize coordinated development of its attention to population and reproductive population, and to achieve the health work and increase corresponding coordination between its population and funding input. Second, we shall take more its economy, society, resources and effective actions to strengthen capacity- environmental development. We focused building in developing countries, the on improving reproductive health services enhancement of government leadership in and the quality of population, as well as particular. Third, we shall give full play to addressing the issue of proving resources role of parliamentarians in addressing the for rural aging population. In the above- population and reproductive issues and in mentioned areas, we in ESCPH Committee coordinating the national and international of China’s NPC have taken an active part to partnerships. solve relevant problems. Let us join hands, encourage each other Ladies and Gentlemen, we believe that, and support each other, and make faced with the current international common effort towards achieving the situation, it is imperative for the national Millennium Development Goals and the parliaments to strengthen ties, and ICPD Program of Action, promoting a parliamentarians to enhance exchanges coordinated and sustainable development and dialogue so as to further mutual of population, economy, society, resources understanding and mutual learning, to and environment, as well as improving the promote the relations between and among welfare and security of each and every countries, and to promote regional and member of society. international cooperation. Although

Message

Hon. Senator Pia Cayetano PLCPD Chair for the Senate Philippine Senate, Author of the RH Law Champion of Population Development, RH, Violence against Women ______

First of all welcome to our country and happy to be questioned another time if thank you for taking the time to come you have any questions because this has here and fellowships and exchange ideas been landmark legislation for our country. with all of us. I understand that in the And I had the opportunity to share our earlier morning session you heard about experiences because this is a very the Reproductive Health Law which we religious issue, women’s empowerment just passed this year. And as mentioned I issue, human rights issue. It is an issue of am the principal sponsor of that law and understanding the separation of church it has taken us 14 years to get it pass. It and state. In fact, yesterday, I was finally passed the senate floor almost speaking to a group of lawyers and after 3 years. And now it is the Supreme Professors who are from the same school Court being questioned. I do not know where I graduated years ago. I am a how much of that you know but the lawyer too, by the way. I was speaking validity of the law has been questioned with them yesterday and one of them was and we just concluded the longest saying that one of the interesting things planning, oral arguments before the about this law is that if you use it you use Supreme Court yesterday. So we are it as an example in the constitutional law hopeful that the Court will see that the class, it touches on almost all issues on Members of the Parliaments did not the constitutional law, freedom of abuse its discretion because that is the expression, freedom of religion, right to only ground for that the Supreme Court live as a human being. So the issue to hold the Law as unconstitutional if the continues to be an important piece of member of Parliament did not abuse its legislation. But having said that, I am discretion because that is the only ground happy you are here to study our situation. the Court can hold the Law as unconstitutional if the Parliament access I hope that like any other studies, you are beyond its discretion to pass the Law. But able to learn from our mistakes, our we are hoping that we made a good case progress I can see the line-up of your which you being in this field, I am sure will speakers, very interesting speakers to feel the way I do that this is just a basic share their experiences. I am looking human rights that we want our people to forward to also learning from you, have and we only want to enshrine it in a although I am in session so I will be in and Law that will be passed down thru the out and hopefully I can stay to hear the generation. other speakers as well, but I can mentioned Beth over there who will be So in the next few months we will be speaking who has been a strong submitting our final papers and waiting supporter working on the ground on the for the Court to decide on this. I’d be Reproductive Health Law. I presented our

case in other forum and I said that the afternoon or morning or later on today, success of us passing this Law is because but again I would like to welcome you and of the national government, the executive as I said if there is anything I can do in my and the members of parliament, the personal capacity as senator and as part legislative, the NGOs, civil society get of this network of parliamentarians feel together for a single purpose and that is free to let our secretariat know and I will to make this law available to the Filipino be happy to meet with you and people. correspond with you later on.

I disrupted your program because I Thank you and enjoy the rest of the day. wouldn’t know if I will come in the

“Mobilizing Community Women and Youth on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: The Struggle for the RH Law”

Ms. Elizabeth Angsioco National Chairperson, Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines Resource person in the committee meetings of the House of Representative and Senate ______

I am so pleased to join you here and share My colleagues would say the passage of with you the experiences in terms of the RH Law took 14 years but my sexual reproductive health and rights. organizations reckoning is more. It was What I am going to share with you is actually 17 years for us because the first more on the struggle for the passage of ever bill filed was during the 10 th RH bill into law. I come from an Congress which was from 1995 to 1998. organization where most of our members We take it as very important because that are what you call ‘grassroots’ and was the first bill although it was not community women. My organization entitled Reproductive Health it was actually understands Sexual and entitled ‘Establishing a Population Policy”. Reproductive Health Rights as This first bill is very important to us encompassing issues which includes because this now enable us reach out and maternal health and family planning, work with various groups like PLCPD, issues on violence against women, sexism, human rights groups and others to come unsafe abortion, divorce, and violence together and argue. And I would like to against women as well as the right of tell you that at first we did not agree with lesbian, gays and transsexual. all that is included in the bill. We had to process issues ourselves first and Before the passage of the reproductive eventually was able to learn and health law, we have helped in the passage established a united front and build of the anti-sexual harassment law, the commonality in issues. anti-rape law, the anti-violence against women and their children law and the What I am going to show you now is more magna carta of women. Therefore you on our STRATEGIES. May presentation is can say that may organization’s heavy on images because I want you to partnership with legislators like Senator see what happened during the advocacies. Pia has been running on for more than two decades. Before the year that led to As you can see, we all died here, not the passage of the RH law, some ground really died but we pretended to be dead works have been started by women’s because we rallied to the Catholic Bishops group and this were done the right base of the Philippines during that time, approach to education, organizing ignoring the very high maternal mortality community groups, developing advocacy rate which happened in our country and and building relationship with legislators. which is one of the reasons why various And so when the advocacy began very groups came together to work for the strongly we can say that some basic passage of the RH law. ground works have actually been done.

• Dialogue with neutral Legislators • Door-to-door/one-on-one lobbying. We visit legislators in their districts • Facilitate lobby of influential

In the Senate, what we did is to send them every day actual stories of women who died and the struggles of those who were left behind. We faxed, emailed visited them day in and day out so that The objective then was to Expand & our concerns will not be neglected. strengthen RH constituency, influence

Congress to pass the bill into law. We did: Mass mobilization, Information/

Education campaign, Media campaign, For us it was a question of number so we and conduct of multi – sectorial forum. have to expand our constituency, primarily the woman, children and the In this country, the President is quite young people who are most adversely powerful. In many instances, the passage affected with the absence of the or non -passage of particular bill will reproductive health care. depend on the support or non-support of

the Executive. We are just lucky, because Major Strategies the present president, have articulated

from the start his support. So we sought for dialogues with the executive/president.

As I said earlier, number played a key role in this advocacy. So therefore, the more women, the more youth that we were able to mobilize the more visible the issues and concerns we were fighting for. When we do mobilization, we needed creativity all the time, so we needed young people who are more creative. We did Direct Lobby ING. Meaning, we They were able to come up with certain deal closely with legislators’ like you. We tactics and strategies to go about this continuously monitor developments in mobilization. Congress. We did the following: There was a time when we were attacking • Participated in HOR & Senate legislators’ for being absent, for always processes from the very basic late or not attending sessions, because drafting of the bill up to the they were using technicalities such as the committee hearing, we were always absence of the quorum such that the RH there as advocates and as women as Bill would not be discussed. So the well. message here is that these legislators, • Close coordination with & provide whom we made and put to positions, technical support to champions

were creating tactics in delaying the bill. These were the activities that we did as The very basic thing we were talking you see until the RH Bill become a Law. about day in and day out was that the But there are still a lot of things to be absence of the RH law, the continued done like what Senator Cayetano said, we delayed in the passage of the RH Law was have to surpass on the position against killing more and more women and making the law now on the Supreme Court. pregnant young girls. All these should actually contribute to the There were instances when we have to creation what you call ideal world where stay in front of the House of all gender identifies are valid, where Representatives, sleep there, ate there pregnancies are wanted and planned and and did everything there. And like other safe, where women are free from advocacy, we have to be very clear in violence and abuse and all people are what we want; we have to be very clear empowered to live a life we want. and direct in delivering our messages. One of our messages was ‘it has been 10 Thank you. years’.

“Population and Reproductive Health Challenges among Indigenous Communities”

Hon. Nancy Catamco Chairperson, Committee on Natural Cultural Communities, House of Representatives ______

I am Nancy Catamco, of Bacobo, Manobo knowledge, system and practices of our Tribe of inland North Cotabato in people. The RH law represent years of Mindanao. I am the representative of the conserted efforts to gain institutionalized 2nd District where 40% of its population is recognition of women’s reproductive and composed of IT’s belonging to several top sexual self determination as a basic health tribes namely Bocobo, Manobo, Ilyanin, need which is essentially a matter of Kinuray, Blahan, Matigsalog, Kulamanin, human rights. Kulangin, Simuniin and Uranin. This afternoon I was given the task to talk on It is at this juncture therefore, to give the population and reproductive health additional empathy in the United Nation challenges among IT’s. This modern time Declaration of the right of the Indigenous with fast evolution of modern people particulary Section 24 thereof, technologies, the challenges of ITs that indegenous people have the right to become more compelling. The biggest their traditional medicine and to maintain challenge is how to integrate ourselves thier health practices including the with modern times and practices while conservation of their vital medicinal preserving our culture, identity and plants, animals and minirals. Indigenous unique being. As an example is the RH individuals also have the right to access Law, concept and titles and ownership without any discrimination to all social and property rights, modern medicine and health services. Undeniably though, and justice. All of these instances are indeginous people are one of the most classes between our ways and the letters disadvantage sectors in the country. of the law which is drafted in Indicators of poverty as well as maternal considerations of modern and likely and infant mortality are statistically western mind and ways. And we know higher. the peaceful co existence of these tribes recorded by common knowledge and By these I am morally convince that the understanding passed on from one principles and intent of RH Law are generations to another indegineous nowhere more profoundly needed than practices and beliefs. Indeed it is a among indegeneous people. I must admit continuing challenge as an IT myself now that I am a conscientious supporter of RH a législator. Law but at some point of cultural sensitivity the law as it is written, exclude It is inherent in my legislative work and meaningful cultural element and public service coupled with my deliberate indigeneous knowledge and practices. We convictions and sincere passion to in the Bocobo Manobo culture, I have a contribute to cultural development profound knowledge and experience in consistent with the indegenous some HO practices, Surprisingly, birth

spacing is being practice long before the proposed to name it Committee on advent of RH law. You see, women of our Indegenous People. More importantly I tribe conveniently drink the cocsul of believe it is high time for me to launch a herbs locally know as ‘sabukao’ a Manobo more participative and consultative tree indemic in our locality. It is believe approach on the bill I pass regarding the that this herb will prevent reproduction of creation of the Department of female germ cell, hence a way of birth Indegenous people. The bill is geared to spacing. Another common practice is the establish a comprehensive framework on birth ritual performed by ‘salaawad’ a indegenous cultural, and socioeconomic Bogobo term for midwife. After giving ensuring progressive educational birth, this ritual is supposed to ask the improvement, adequate health spirit to allow the mother to regai her services,livelihood program, consegration strength while giving her time or space of anscestral domain and for another pregnancy. Although there institutionalization of IT’s self governance was also a joke that the ultimate birth and justice system. control practice among the tribe was when the women stop having their I believe I need a massive sectoral menstruation (menoupausal period) that support on this agenda. That is why I am is where the birth control starts. so grateful you invited me to this fora and I would be more interested of the output, Significantly, the mandate of RH is not suggestion and observation that would be strange to our indegenous practices. made later by the resource speakers and However, peculiar relevance vis-à-vis participants who are in attendance. This indegenous women should be taken into conference give us the proper venue to consideration to come up with learn and achieve ideas that will be so appropriate program and services important in the formulation of policy supporting indegenous women action concerning population and reproductive health. The goal is to simply development in a culturally prolific provide health services more society in the Asian setting. geographically accessible and as much as possible readily available. Lastly, I think the emerging challenge for us legislators is to have a complete This brings me to my primodial political understanding by heart of the socio agenda. You may call it ambitious but as a cultural diversity and uniqueness of our chairperson of natural cultural people to balance the obvious community, I recently re filed a bill to insensitivity of our modern society. amend the name of the said committee into a more globally accepted sensitivity. I Good afternoon and thank you.

Session 2 Discussion ______

[Chair] hundreds of women giving birth brought Thank you. Now we have 30 minutes to their babies for immunization. What we discuss and have a debate on the issues learned from this case is that just one talk that our honourable speakers have with a religious leader has influenced his presented to you. The forum is open. followers in giving immunization to their children. A documentary was made about [Hon. Anusart Suwanmongkol, Thailand] this case in our province. I have a question for China: how does China manage their minority or ethnic [Hon. Anusart Suwanmongkol, Thailand] groups? Do you have a policy? China and India have the largest and the second largest population in the world. [Hon. Wang Longde, China] China has the One-Child One – Family Chinese nation is a good family with 56 Policy and India has none. And population minority ethnic groups. To all those is continuously growing. For India: how minority groups we discuss their cultural will you manage this in the future, say in habits and beliefs. In particular, for those 2015? minority groups with smaller population, we adopt a different approach and give [Mr. Manmohan Sharma, India] them special treatment in terms of We do not have a One-Child Policy but economic policy. In working with the earlier we had a two – child policy but it is government on the ethnic minority not exactly a policy. But with the ICPD groups, we also make some contacts and everything was changed. We now have a exchanges with some religious groups. voluntary program, we provide as many as possible contraceptives in rural and As an example, I used to serve at the local urban areas. We advocate at the health administration in north western government level and civil society level China. We have many ethnic minority using spacing method and the use of groups there such as Tibetan. Everybody contraceptives. To some extent the knows that China achieves great problem is that there are religious leaders accomplishment in terms of immunization who are against these. But this is only in of children. But in Tibetan Island, their some areas. So the issues are local tradition for women is that while acceptability and affordability. We have a giving birth they are not used to meeting national population policy by the other people. To solve this problem we government that ensures that have a discussion with the local living contraceptives and termination method Buddha, their religious leader and are made available at the grassroots level. explained to him the benefits of This is being followed at different levels. immunization to children’s health and Under that we have provided also related it to their belief about the infrastructure, contraception and golden rule. He listened to us and termination method. There are some accepted it and guided the children to be drawbacks however, in the hilly areas and immunized. It became a phenomenon; desert parts of the country that we have

not reached. There is still the traditional In carrying out those policies we also method for the delivery of children that is experience problems. A coin has two still a problem. sides. The answer is how to strike a balance. The two main problems that we [Mr. Manmohan Sharma, India] are faced with are: the aging population This is a question for our good friend and the ratio between male and female. Chinese. I heard of a rumour, I do not Firstly, we adjust ratios in a lot of our know if it is a rumour or true that China is policies. For those families with female considering allowing a two-child policy child, we give them some subsidy. This is now. I know for a fact that this is allowed to support the family economically and to in some rural parts in China. Is it being nurture a new conception of a sex choice. allowed now? Secondly, we also make innovation in regulation. For example, no organization [Hon. Wang Longde, China] in China is allowed to screen the sex The Family Planning Policy in China is gender of future babies. undergoing changes in the Population policy structures. Right now in all [Hon. Ms. Viengmany Chanthanasine, Lao provinces of China, families who only PDR] have one child are allowed to have a Following the One – Child One- Family second child. policy, if after the one child and with a not fool-proof contraceptive and the [Hon. Nguyen Thi Kha, Vietnam] mother gets pregnant, does the For China: how do you carry out government hospitals provide free population policy in your ethnic minority abortion? And what happens if you community? continue with the pregnancy and delivers another child, what is the penalty? [Hon. Wang Longde, China] In China we implement population [Hon. Wang Longde, China] policies according to different groups. We For the second question: If a woman gives do not have birth control policy in areas birth to a second child which is not in where there is a small population. In accordance with the laws, her family will colonies where they are lagging behind, be subjected to a government penalty. the government provides support to them. The penalty will differ per region. I’m In some areas we provide free services for sorry I do not have the exact figure giving birth. In those areas the rate of because I worked in the Ministry of giving birth has risen from 50% to 60%. Health and those duties are taken care of Those incentives gained support for by another organization – Population and Family Planning policies. Family Planning Commission. For the second birth, the government will provide [Hon. Nguyen Thi Kha, Vietnam] abortion free of charge. In carrying out those policies how do you balance the ratio in sex/gender in the [Hon. Yutaka Kumagai, Japan] population? I would also like to ask the One-Child policy if it is changing now because it is a [Hon. Wang Longde, China] very big issue. And how many populations are you expecting and if this is adapted

only to the majority of the population or reaction inside the family, how do people does it include the minorities? react when they have an abortion to control the population? [Hon. Wang Longde, China] Like what I have mentioned, we are [Hon. Wang Longde, China] adopting changes in some parts of the It is sad to say, in introducing Family population policy. In some cases, some Planning policy, China actually families are allowed to have a second experienced great difficulty. In the very child. Population is a crucial issue in China. beginning of this process many families So since the introduction of the Family really experienced and felt very Planning policy, it is estimated that China uncomfortable with the policy. Eventually, produce 300 million people less. We have the policy is catching a lot of advocates many approach of improve living and published. A great majority of the standards of the people and we have people learned to accept this notion of many aspects of improving the economy one – child policy. Actually in urban areas, but the key factor here is to control the the couples choose not to have a second population increase. With less population child even when given a chance. Actually there will surely be an improvement in this is an issue of Thailand, a choice of the living standards. Actually, the Family individual interest and the interest of the Planning Policies is incoherent for the nation as a whole. ethnic minority groups. We only give some preferential policy to those ethnic [Chair] groups with smaller population. Thank you everyone for sharing your country’s policies and experiences and to [Hon. Antonio Ximenes Serpa, Timor the participants, Resource Persons who Leste] answered the questions. And also to the We have a delicate question. After Organizers for giving me this opportunity hearing your explanation and taking a and look forward to future participation decision to kill a female child, what is the and exchanges.

Session 3 Dialogue between the Parliamentarians and the Youth

Message from the Session Chair

Hon. Francis Marus, MP Papua New Guinea ______

Thank you very much for presenting me to Union, Movement Foundation, Gender – this Seminar. Once again, honourable Sensitive Development Teams, Women members, I am sitting in this chair for this Forum for Indonesia. She has been Adviser last session. It is the last but not the least. I to Okama Anita Women Service, Social would like to introduce the next Speaker. Service Coordination, Board of Disabled She has been connected with different Sports, Heart Foundation, among many. organizations like sitting in the Executive She is also currently Chairman for the Board for the Government of Indonesia, House Regional Representative of the National Board Jakarta, Indonesia Cancer Republic of Indonesia. Foundation, Indonesian Women of Sports

Message

Hon. Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Hemas, MP Deputy Speaker of Regional Representative Council, Indonesia ______

In this opportunity I want to welcome all Human Development Report, the level of the delegates, and also Hon. Yasuo Human Development Index Indonesia also Fukuda as the Chair of APDA. showed a decrease. If in 2006 we were in the 107 rankings, then in the years 2007- Let me introduce myself, my name is 2008 in position of 109. In the year 2009 Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Hemas, Vice Chairman to rank 111. The year 2010 there was no for The House Regional Representatives improvement on the ranking of 108, but of The Republic of Indonesia. in 2011 dropped to rank 124. This fact shows us, the tremendous challenges we In this session, I would like to share about had to face. the Reproductive health issues in Indonesia. Let me start. On the health issues, one of today’s big problems is the reproductive health In health sector, we always assume the problem occurs in both urban and rural perspective of human rights and gender. communities: A human rights perspective refers to the basic that people have and those are The first problem is an increase in sexual universal and related with human dignity. intercourse. Like stated in the result of While the gender perspective helps us to Australian National University and be able to see more clearly the University of Indonesia Medical center differences and to be able show the conducted in 2010 in Jakarta, Tangerang, relationship between the of gender and Bekasi this showed that 20.9% of equity and gender quality concept. young women have been pregnant and Discussing the health issues with give birth before marriage. We must perspective, in this case is more beware with the trend that increasing specifically the reproductive health because it is very detrimental to the become important in assessing the health of mothers and babies and this success of the State in improving the life affect to the continuing of the high rate of quality of its citizens. maternal mortality (AKI) in Indonesia. To prevent free sex behaviours among In Indonesia itself, even though our teenagers, reproductive health education government’s claim that the quantitative is needed while they have an easy access performance is quite good, but we are to getting the information. This might be also constantly reminded by the result of impact the increasing number of teenage International research institution that pregnancies. give a "warning" that Indonesia, including 10 countries In the Asia pacific region In the year 2013, Indonesia demographic who are in the alarming position in and health survey (SDKI) in 2012 mention achieving the MDGs on 2015 as stated in the teenage fertility rate I the group of the report UNESCAP 2006. Inside the 15-19 years reached 48 out of 1000

pregnancies. This average figure is much elimination of discrimination and gender- higher than the findings of the 2007 based violence, female circumcision has (SDKI) which is 35 out of 1000 been banned since 2006 because it is not pregnancies. useful to health, harmful and painful. But now the controversy back since the The second problem is contraception and enactment of the Minister of Health Abortion. In order to reduce the Republic of Indonesia who contains about population growth rate, the government the guidelines for medical personnel to launched a program of family planning. perform female circumcision. The high Until today, the perspective of persistently and practice of female contraception still targeting the women, it circumcision was rejected by many can be seen from the lack of male parties including Amnesty International, participation in contraceptive use. This and some civil who demanded immediate leads to women being the most revocation. Regarding the inputs that we vulnerable health, considering the effect gave, then the Minister of Health conduct of contraceptives on headaches, breast the deep research on female circumcision tenderness, nurse, bleeding, decreased in three areas, and hopefully we will know sex driven, etc. This also applies in the the result soon. case of abortion. Abortion shouldn’t be known moral boundaries or abnormal From the problems that I shared, this because abortion is a way out of an effort can be seen in our health law, unwanted pregnancy (rape victims, the which one of them has been emphasized inability of economics, health reasons, that the allocation of health funding at etc.). In this context women should have the national level is 5% of the stated the power to decide the best steps that budget and in province or district or city can be taken. 10% of the budget. However we realize this must be guarded at the level of The last one is about circumcision girl or implementation together with all known as female genital mutilation. In elements including all young generation. Indonesia as form of support for the

“Upholding Women’s Rights to Reproductive Health: the Philippine Government’s Programs and Services”

Hon. Janette Garin, M.D. Undersecretary, Department of Health

People who usually makes a difference in new vision about the relationship of every country. And the difference we population, development and human actually make, the picture of our well-being. It likewise focused on goverment in the legislative and the individuals’ needs and rights, rather than executive branch contributes a lot to the on achieving demographic targets. This is many aspect of development to South very important because many has been East Asia as well as Asia and the Pacific. misinterpreted and its almost always Let me introduce a background in the coined at when we talk of reproductive reproductive health. Many of you have health it is all about achieving met in a lot of conferences and mamy of demographic target. This is not the case you are aware of the repeatedly told because when we talk of reproductive reproductive health. In the Philippines, health we are not achieving we decided to package dit as demographic target but we are focusing RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD because on individual needs, individual rights and while reproductive health is an a better quality of life. international commitment not only of our counrty but your country as well, we In ICPD Statement of Support: have laymanazed it to responsible parenthood because we know • Reduce population growth rate to reproductive health is not only about 1.9% by 2010 - in some ways have rights but its about giving each and every been achieved by many country. Filipino family a better quality of life. It is • Four (4) Pillars of Population Policy giving our family and our parents to give the children a better future and that is o Responsible Parenthood basically the coming of responsible o Respect for Life parents. o Birth Spacing o Informed Choice The 1994 International Conference on o RH Policy and Program population and development is a o RHRP Law (RA 10354 milestone in the field of population and development as well as in the history of Let us now talk on the ICPD women’s rights. But allow me to move (International Conference on Population forward and not to package responsible Development). By meeting the ICPD parenthood or reproductive health but benchmarks and goals, the country will as merely the rights of women. Because pave the way for achieving the MDGs this issue of course is not only about (millennium development goal). So very women but also about men, children and clearly this are interrelated and we family. This concept Articulated a bold

cannot separate one commitment from • Create an environment for health another commitment. providers to achieve the national goals and objectives; Both the MDGs and ICPD set targets to • Mobilize resources and expertise improve human well-being by giving the to build capacity as well as to following: monitor and evaluate the progress of Reproductive Health. • Access to reproductive health care and primary education GOAL • Promotion of gender equality • Reduction of child and maternal Universal access to quality mortality reproductive health care • Combating HIV/AIDS because this is growing in the Phil GENERAL OBJECTIVE • ICPD is also aligned with ensuring environmental sustainability • By the year 2015, relevant RH through Population and services are available in all DOH- Development (POPDEV) retained hospitals and LGU health integration facilities

Reproductive Health Policy which is in SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES consonance with the DOH Administrative Order No. 43 series of 2000 defines • Create awareness and demand for RH services; Reproductive Health as “state of • Provide an integrated quality RH complete physical, mental and social package at all retained hospitals well-being and not merely the absence and LGU health facilities through of disease or infirmity, in all matters capacity-building as well as relating to the reproductive system and through improved performance in to its functions and processes” (ICPD, standards and regulations; 1994). • Strengthen partnerships in the provision of RH care services; And for Reproductive Health Care is (partnership here would mean define as “constellation of methods, local government, NGO’s techniques and services that contribute community groups and other to reproductive health and well-being by concerned agencies) preventing and solving RH problems” • Integration of RH in the academic curriculum for medical and other The Reproductive Health Policy has a allied health professions; (without Vision of RH as a way of life for every social insurance and other services woman and man. And its Mission are as like this, it would be difficult) follows: • Develop an integrated system of reporting, recording, monitoring • Undertake reforms to develop and evaluation; national self-sufficiency in • Integrate RH services in health achieving the goals; financing and social insurance

is highly probable, as well as highly The GUIDING PRINCIPLES which we improbable; follow are: • Maternal, infant and child health • Family-Centered and nutrition, including • Gender and Culture Sensitive breastfeeding; • Rights-based • Proscription of abortion and • Life Course Approach management of abortion • Partnership and Networking complications; • Evidence-Based • Adolescent and youth reproductive health guidance and I am sure you are all familiar with the 10 counselling; Elements of Reproductive Health as • Prevention, treatment and follows: management of reproductive tract infections (RTIs), HIV/AIDS and 1. Maternal and Child Health, other sexually transmittable and Nutrition infections (STIs); 2. Family Planning • Elimination of violence against 3. Adolescent Reproductive women and children and other Health forms of sexual and gender-based 4. Prevention and Treatment of violence; Reproductive Tract Infections • Education and counselling on (RTIs) including STDs, HIV/AIDS sexuality and reproductive health; 5. Education and Counselling on • Treatment of breast and Sexuality and Sexual Health reproductive tract cancers and 6. Prevention and Management other gynaecological conditions of Abortion and its and disorders; complications (PMAC) • Male responsibility and 7. Breast and Reproductive Tract involvement and men’s Cancers & other Gynecological reproductive health; conditions • Prevention, treatment and 8. Men’s Reproductive Health management of infertility and 9. Violence against Women and sexual dysfunction; Children • Reproductive health education for 10. Prevention and Treatment of the adolescents; and Infertility and Sexual Disorders • Mental health aspect of reproductive health care. Elements of RH Care WHAT HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED Republic Act 10354: RHRP Law • Significant increases in budget, but • Family planning information and still inadequate for full attainment services which shall include as a of MDGs but still not enough first priority making women of because we are too many, we can reproductive age fully aware of never have adequate budget if the their respective cycles to make population continue on rising them aware of when fertilization

• Harmonization with development • Expansion of Philhealth Benefit partners’ initiatives Packages • Fiscal autonomy of most DOH- • Inadequate political & community retained hospitals support (e.g. transport, • Secured funding for priority public communication support) and this health programmes happens to some areas • Use of multiyear budgeting to • Harmonized timely and reliable guarantee continuity in resource data collection availability • Regular monitoring and evaluation • Cooperative cost - sharing arrangements with LGUs PLANS FOR THE FUTURE which we intend • Scholarships for Midwifery and to pursue are: medical courses – HHRDB o NARS Program (w/ DOLE) • Nationwide implementation of AO o RN-Heals 2008-0029 to grass root level/ o PPP (Public - Private functional service delivery Partnership with Friendly network Care Health Facilities, • Political advocacy/local ordinances POGS, PPS, & etc.) – Especially on passage of RH Bill • RH in the workplace • Ensure financial sustainability • Localization of MNCHN • PIPH/Rat. Plan interventions (BEmONC and • PHIC enrolment / Accreditation CEmONC) • Performance based resource • CHT mobilization, since 2011, in allocation/LGU score card partnership with other NGAs • Strengthen health promo/BCC for through a joint memorandum health • Better and expanded or improved GAPS OR BARRIERS and sustainable PHIC Benefit packages • Inadequate human resource for • Local Innovation/incentives health/maldistribution of available • More PPP arrangements health professionals • Inadequate Human Resource CHALLENGES capabilities • Funding constraint for • Localization, mainstreaming of MNCHN/CHTs enhanced and strengthened mobilization/localization integrated RH Program • Cost of services • Advocacy for sustained health • Philhealth accreditation reforms • PhilHealth benefits utilization • Linkages for maximum overall • Poor utilization of health services effectiveness because sometimes the people • Local initiatives supported, doesn’t know promoted and expanded • Inadequate information on the • Empowered partners benefits of SBA/FBD • Gender perspective in all RH • Universal PhilHealth coverage(e.g. policies and programmes health insurance/PHIC)

• Equity in availability and access East Asia and the Pacific, that gives us • Strengthened, harmonized and better and bigger inspiration to move integrated database for policy and forward because we know as the decision-making Philippine is moving forward and you are • Monitoring and evaluation neighbours you our neighbours are always there to help each other. Seeing all your faces here, seeing your commitments here, seeing the Thank you. participation of many countries in South

“National Youth Programme on Population and Development”

Hon. Percival Cerdana, MP Commissioner at Large, Philippine National Youth Commission ______

Mabuhay ! Welcome to the Philippines. their relationship. Let the word be a challenge for us to further understand We are very glad that we have been youth better because indeed life now is invited here to converse with the very complicated for young people. parliamentarians in Asia on a very important issue among young children; In 2011 when we assumed our office in that is, Reproductive Health. I would like the Commision, we said that adolescent to inform you that when you are here in and youth sexual and reproductive health the Philippines, those in the ages from 15 is one of the defining issues of this to 30 are considered youth, and that is in generation. And I think there is a general the law. I think there are members in the consensus among young people in this delegation who are in the age range of country that this is one of the key issues what we call young people. of this generation. And as such the Commission was challenged to directly In this afternoon we have been tasked to address this important concern, even give discussion on national youth during a time when there was heated programmes on populationa and debate on reproductive health or development. I come from the National Responsible Parenthood Bill. This is the Youth Commission as an office under the first time in more than a decade when the Office of the President that addresses the Commission has taken up this important concerns of young people. It develops issue. programmes and policies for development for the ages from 15 to 25, I would like to share with you the output which I said fall iin the range of young of our research on the national people. perception of young people. This is a study made by the Commission looking at The focus of the talk is addressing the how young people perceive themselves complicated, evolving state intervention and their conditions. There are two on youth and adolescent sexual and interesting points I would like to share reproductive health. “Complicated” is a with you. First is the use of Social very important word to describe young Networking which has changed the way people now, and I am sure that is how the young people live. As high as 65.8% of older generation will look at us as young young people aged from 15 to 17 are into generation. “Complicated” is so social networking. There used to be a commonly used that even in facebook. time when courting between a man and a Before the status would only be Single or woman takes months or even years, Married, but now there are “Exclusively exchanging love letters. Now all they have Dating” or “It is Complicated”. It is more to do is to log on-line, to text or to twit or less a dynamics of how the youth look and then after a day or two you are in a at themselves and how they perceive relationship. This behaviour is not just in

the Philippines, but I think it is also true country in the ASEAN where the rate on a global scale. And the second actually increased. interesting point is 74.5% of young people are already looking for a romantic Because of this urgent concern, the relationship at a very young age. National Youth Commission together with the inter-agencies convened the first ever Perceptions are also changing. In the summit on teen pregnancy. For so long a same study, 37% of young people believe time, pregnancy is not discussed openly. early sexual encounter, which we call It is normally discussed in whispers in premarital, is acceptable in the Philippine family gatherings. So for the first time we society. That is now the perception of gathered ― the government, private, young people aged from 15 to 30. youth and religious group ― to discuss the issue in the open. This year we will Now I will focus on the youth from 15 to hold the 2 nd summit as a follow up, which 17 years old, whom we consider children. I will share with you later. The main Among them, 50% think that early sexual objective of the summit was to create a encounter is okay, and then the lowest public discourse on teen pregnancy. And would be among the adult school youth. the 2 nd objective is to make a call for the So you see here the concept of passage of the reproductive health and technology and its influence is actually responsible parenthood bill, which was at shaping their behaviour, which should be that time a more urgent issue. our critical concerns. The other key issue on the adolescent reproductive health is the issue on HIV, which my colleague here will discuss in details later. I would like to show you that in the Philippines, the rate now is fast and furious. It is not only the rate that is changing but the face of HIV. The rise is shifting towards men. This is a critical point because it will require special intervention as the increase is happening among MSM or men have sex with men.

After many in-depth and passionate Young people are at risk of HIV because of discussions, different government inter- lack of knowledge. A very small agencies are concerned of the issue. It percentage of young people have was concluded that the increase in teen accurate knowledge on HIV - only 18% of pregnancies is one urgent pressing men and 12% of female youth. The lack of concern in the Philippines. Based on the knowledge about HIV is not only a data of the National Statistic Office, we problem among the youth but also early have the 3 rd highest incidence of teenage pregnancies because of lack of quality sex pregnancy in the ASEAN, and this could education on reproductive concept. They be higher because only 76% register birth get information among their peers, which and some register late. What is alarming are not always accurate. In the youth to us is that the Philippines is the only summit, we discovered that there are still

young people who believe that if they health workers relate to young jump after the intercourse they will not adolescents. We found out in our study get pregnant. The data, I think this is last that the youth has the lowest health February, shows that 29% of HIV seeking behaviour. If they are feeling infections are young people aged from 15 something, they will not go to the health to 24 years old. There are 4 cases below center. They are secretive of their 15 years of age and 75 cases from 15 to conditions and will not see a doctor. They 19 age range. will not go to a medical clinic for fear they might be scolded or discriminated, so The Commission now is in the process of they will just consult their peers. This is converging with other government one area we would like to improve, agencies in responding to the situations. especially how to make the government We feel that the adolescent sexual health service more youth-friendly so that reproductive health initiative is not the young people will be more comfortable in work of one commission or one approaching medical or health department but of conversion of many professionals for advice, services or government units and agencies. First, we treatment. have to work on the issue of curriculum development. Even without the full This year we are convening the 2 nd implementation of the Responsible National Summit on Teen Pregnancy. We Parenthood Law, we are now already have decided that the national initiative is operating as if there is one in the not enough and there has to be localized development of the curriculum so that action. In November, there will be when it comes to implementation, we are gathering of the 3 biggest Islam groups in ready. We feel that the primary the Philippines, the Luzon, Visaya and instrument that could turn the tide in this Mindanao, to discuss this topic and create situation is EDUCATION. We would like to a local plan. We have to emphasize that equip young people with the right teen pregnancy is not just an urban issue information so they can make the right because even in rural areas this is a big decision when they face with that concern of the people. So for this year, situation. The right decision maybe to we are developing local interventions via delay intercourse or the right decision the summit in November. maybe to use protection. Education for us is crucial because parliamentarians, There was a debate on Reproductive government leaders and even their Health Law between valid education and parents will not be in the room when they scientific information. The status quo now make that decision. is valid education coupled with scientific information. We have to trust our young The other area where we are also working people that they are capable of making on is the Adolescent Health Development the right decision if we equip them with with the Department of Health, which just the appropriate and proper knowledge. released the Department Order on Adolescent, Health and Development. With that, thank you. Their job is on how the government

“Key Challenges on the Youth’s Access to RH Services”

Ms. Lady Lisondra Registered Nurse, Clinic Operations Officer Former Youth Coordinator, Family Planning Organization of the Philippines ______

Good Afternoon everybody. My task this So what are the issues a young pregnant afternoon is to share about the challenges girl in the Philippines faces? Let us say, that young people have like me and I there are 10 pregnant girls in this room. know everybody here is young at heart. Around 9 of them will see a doctor before they give birth. Some around 89.04% will First, welcome to the Philippines, I hope receive medical care after they give birth your are enjoying your stay but for the and around 6 of the pregnant girls will meantime enjoy my presentation. receive care from a skilled health attendant, who could be a midwife, a The Philippines is relatively a young nurse, or a doctor. In the Philippines, country, a young population. You can see being a third world country, it is mostly a a lot of young people of course. Philippine midwife or a nurse who attend the birth. is a young country because 3 out of 10 Even fewer will deliver in a hospital, Filipinos is a young person aged 15 to 24. around 3 or 4, and mostly in a lying clinic. But if you count the population, more So you see how pregnant girls live by. than half are children. Now who is taking Around 4 of the pregnant girls aged from care of these young people, who is taking 24 to 29 used contraception, and even care of us? I would like to stress that half fewer girls aged from 15 to 19 use of these young people are girls like me. contraceptions. It may be okay because Girls are getting their menstrual period maybe they will not be needing it but how earlier, thus getting pregnant earlier. I can we really make sure they are have lots of friends who at young age protected ? Right now with the growing gave birth and got married, and some fertility rate a lot of young girls aged from even before we graduated high school, 15 to 19 are contributing to the increase. before the age of 15. So what happened to these girls who are not safe and protected ?

Now let us go to the issues of boys. As mentioned earlier, the face of HIV is changing and it is among men. As you can see, it is shooting high.

Sporadically increasing and epidemically spreading. If in your country it is decreasing, here it is blooming like a christmas tree.

see risky behaviors like early sex and unprotected sex.

Education, as mentioned earlier, has a lot to do with decisions because young people would actually would like to talk about sex more and even with their parents. So we would like this to be an issue that is intimate and part of ourselves. We would like our parents to guide us. We feel like that it should be

appreciated in a very special way. I think Now we have an average 13 cases of HIV we all share that value for this issue. everyday. Ninty-six percent were infected from sexual contact and 95% are males So education can be meaningful and can aged from 20 to 29. As to the new even bridge young people to services. It is infections in 2013, 27.42% are among always hard to practice what you think or those who are aged from 15 to 24. what you know. We would like education

to be able to facilitate empowerment so More than a quater of the infected are that we can be protected and young girls young people. That is the face of HIV in will be able to make decisions and stay the Philippines. Sadly, there is no more healthy and safe. data on men and HIV. There are qualitative studie, but much as that would Let us go on the Top 5 problems in merit public health intervention, there is accessing health care for women : a lot more to be done. What they are • Money for treatment: young people saying about their experiences with MSM cannot be employed yet. So where (men sex with men) is that they feel so do we rely on resources? if parents much stigma and descrimination. They are not employed and there is no often deny medical services. health insurance, where do we go

to? Now with regard to protective measures • Concern of no available drug: it is for women, 6 out of the 10 girls would even sadderif you have no one to talk know where to get the condome and to with your concerns about 4 would be comfortable getting • Concern of no available provider: this one. Only 20% or 2 out of 10 girls have is a big barrier comprehensive knowledge on HIV. So • No companion: it is a poblem if again these two girls are protected but nobody is there to accompany the what about the remaning 8. What will young happen to them ? • Distance of health facilities : If Iwere

to climb 5 mountains and cross 7 So, you see the disparity of knowledge rivers just to get to the nearest and behavior. Without knowledge, girls center, I think is a very sad situation. and boys will not be able to make But a lot of girls are undergoing this decisions about theirselves. Instead of problems protective behaviors that will keep us healthy and free from illness or HIV, we

As you look at all these, they all everyone is working hard to make a contribute to the delay that causes difference. maternal death. Delay in recognizing complications and delay in referrals and Before I will end this sharing, I would like especially in health management. When to share a reflection. I am here because the centers are so far away, they put our somebody trust that I will be able to share lives at risk. the feelings and experiences of young people and I sincerely believe that you Moving forward to sturctural barriers that are here as well because a lot of people young people face, in the Philippines, are trusting you, especially young people. babies are taken cared of. They are in the So right now, the most important list of immninization in the health center questions are decisions we have to make and then after that you go to the health on how much value we put in young center when the baby is sick. people. How much time, how much effort, how much money are you willing to put Package of services is important to save our lives. This is a quote from our througghout the life span of the youth. All national hero, he said “the youth is the of these barriers are challenges for all of future of our nation”, and I feel that hope us. The goal is to have well-informed, is not just for tomorrow but it is for today. empowered, healthy adolescent and youth. We are just about to start but Thank you and have a pleasant day.

“Mainstreaming Population and RH Issues in the Campus Setting”

Ms. Heart Dino Chairperson Student Council Alliance of the Philippines ______

Good afternoon, everyone. unprotected. As was said a while ago by the speaker, most of the youth now are I will make my presentation quick and looking for romantic relationships with simple. What we actually do in the the help of social networking, which Alliance is to campaign and activity makes connections possible. So the reality services on the four foremost Agenda of now is that most of the youth are young people, which were identified by engaged in multiple relationships and the National Youth Commission as some have casual sex with no string follows: attached. • Education • Employment There are two major problems right now, • Youth Participation in Government which are the rise of teen age pregnancy • Universal Health Care and the increase or prevalence in HIV cases. The ratio of teenage pregnancy is Regarding the health care, we are 55 for every 1,000 women aged from 15 focusing on adolescent and sexual to 19. And 45.6% women aged from 20 to reproductive health. Now let me give you 24 are already mothers. a brief background of the perspectives regarding this issue. The data on the Majority of these pregnancies are adolescent experimental stage are: unexpected and unplanned. That is why, • 55.2% of the youth now have as mentioned by the other speaker, the watched X-rated movies/videos. I Philippines now is ranking the 3rd in South am sure most of the children are East Asia in the incidence of teenage interested in this stuff pregnancy. Also, the data show that there • 96.7%, almost 100%, have crushes is 65% increase in teenage pregnancy or have attraction with either the from year 2000 to 2010. opposite sex or the same • 55% have gone on dates As I said earlier, there is also the • 23.2% had early sex prevalence of HIV cases. We can see that the youth awareness is still low with This study which was conducted by the 27.8% believing that AIDS is curable. National Youth Commission and National There is no right information being Assessment Youth has shown that the disseminated to Filipino youth on the median age for first intercourse for boys issue of HIV. is 20. 5 years old, while for girls it is 21.5 years old. Another figure for consideration is that 23.03% or 414 out or 1477 of new HIV Of the 23.2% of the youth who have early cases in 2013 are coming from the age sex, 80% of the first encounter is group ranging from 15 to 24. It was also

found out that new cases of HIV are The said Coalition is also into mobilization coming from the youth group, almost 60%. and lobbying activities. It is also working The most infected age group is the one on the popular support or clamour of the aged from 20 to 29 with an average of students to make RH not just an issue of 59.25% of new cases per month in the women but also a youth issue. year 2013. As an aid to our information campaign, What are the challenges we are facing we made an info graphics, which will right now? First and foremost, there is make all the data easier to comprehend lack of comprehensive sex education and so that youth will be able to actually join also there is no access to reproductive the discussion and discourse of this issue. health services, which leave our youth We also provide different avenues to ignorant. discuss reproductive health issues and ensure awareness of the issues among Students with HIV suffer the stigma or the youth and in different schools. We discrimination that may violate their also conduct capacity building workshops rights, for example access to education, to student leaders and student councils so unfair treatment, and unfair punishment that this issue on population and like expulsion. reproductive health agenda will be included in all the meetings in their What do we do in order to address these campuses. problems the youth are facing right now? The Student Council Alliance of the We would like to thank our partnership Philippines formed a coalition with RH always as the core of family planning and agenda, Reproductive Health and Gender development. What we are planning right Advocates. This Coalition aims to promote now is to have the mobile activity and and campaign for the passage of the RH bring the services closer and more Bill, which is now a Law but at the accessible to student. moment under a temporary restraining order by the Supreme Court. It aims to Thank you so much for listening. promote gender and RH services in different campuses

“HIV and AIDS Interventions for the Youth”

Rev. FR. Rodolfo Vicente Cancino, JR. Chairman, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Director, HIV/AIDS Ministry Head of Programs and Planning, Camillian Fathers, Inc. ______

Welcome to the Philippines. Mabuhay ! In the “judge”, I make use of 1 John 4:18, “Perfect LOVE casts out FEAR”. Whatever I would like to start with one of the religion you have, from Muslim, Taoism, largest bird around the world, the Hinduism, Islam and Catholics, I think we Philippine Eagle. His name is Pag asa, in hold on to the “Perfect Love casts out English it means Hope. And I think for all Fear”. of us here, the last word we should hold on is Hope, for when there is no Hope The Camillians attempt to mobilize a non- then there will be no tomorrow and even judgmental and compassionate our policy is always based on that. education-focused and service oriented response to the challenges posed by the I will be presenting to you the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It has done this by and what the Catholic Church is doing disseminating information and especially to the youth. And we have the educational opportunities about HIV/AIDS, caption “Go Preach the Gospel and Heal by promoting solidarity in support of the World”. My congregation is spread in HIV/AIDS programmes of other Catholic 39 countries. structures in Philippines and by advocating for responses to the pandemic. I would like to focus on HIV/AIDS specifically our intervention on our More or less in the Philippines 87% are Filipino youth. It will be on the areas of Catholics. We are the Catholic Bishop Organizations, on the programmes on Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and prevention, treatment, care and support since the first speaker this afternoon, they and the enabling environment. have been mentioning the CBCP, so now you know. And these are some of our Here in the Philippines, we have an efforts. Some of them would say “Ah, the existing law; it is the Republic Act 8504. It Catholic churches are not doing anything”. is the HIV/AIDS Prevention Control Act of But we formed already the 1 st National 1998, but after 15 years there is the Catholic HIV/AIDS Forum, and from there question: did that Law really help us in we formed the network among all sectors decreasing the number of HIV/AIDS in the Catholic Church from the different primarily in the youth? I will be using the islands here in the Philippines. This framework SEE, JUDGE, ACT. I think for network will also have its office with the the “see” you have already heard from CBCP with Most Rev. Broderick Pabillo as the previous speakers on the incidents in our Bishop Adviser. As for us, we are the the prevalence of HIV/AIDS here. I will one responsible for the program. This is just focus on the “act” and the “judge”. the group who convenes the network and are now increasing in membership.

We have already included HIV/AIDS in After 2 years, we already have 82 what they say unusual areas here in the organizations now all over the Philippines. Philippines. For example, before you get These are Catholic-based and will be married you have to attend seminars and having a general assembly in the next we have also included HIV/AIDS quarter of this year. education at Mother’s Day celebrations and the basic community cluster meetings. One of the most important breakthroughs Also we have the Parish Renewal of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Experiences (PREX) and Responsible Philippines is a Pastoral letter entitled Parenting Movement in the Catholic “Who is my Neighbour”, which is signed Church. As of now, the church by all Bishops here in the Philippines. representatives meet to speak openly Here are some of the contents of the about HIV/AIDS because they play a very letter circulated in the Philippines: important role and you have to speak on it on the pulpit. We are encouraging our The Church responds to the pandemic of pastors, priest and bishops to speak HIV/AIDS as it does to every other human openly about sexuality and HIV/AIDS. We reality – from the depth of its mission: also included it in our own services like - As Servant anointing, memorials, rituals and other - As Animator of spiritual life and services. We have been active even in the pastoral care local parishes, meaning in the smallest - As Teacher parts. We reach out even to families educating them on HIV/AIDS. As Servant, take note the Church-based health care programme is not only for the The letter said that the church workers, Catholic Church, but even for our seminarians, clergy or priests must be brothers from different faiths. It is equipped with basic knowledge on responsible for some 50% of all health HIV/AIDS and pastoral counselling skills to care delivery or health care services even bring hope, healing and reconciliation. in the rural areas and for those people We also raise our Bishops’ HIV/AIDS living with HIV/AIDS, especially the youth. awareness. These are some of our sisters in the Catholic Church working in the area of As a teacher, I think there was a HIV/AIDS. controversial statement by Pope Francis after the World Youth Day. He said, “I do not have the right to judge gays who are coming back to the church”. Why? Because as a teacher, the important part here is going back to the basic and solid values of the gospels, with emphasis on compassion and service, on responsibility and respect. We in the Catholic Church are basically for the youth but we bring them Values Formation. Take note, social issues, the church and the gospel are inseparable.

We are also doing capacity building to We are the conscience. We have that almost all catholic hospitals, catholic conscience when we bring people only ministers and ministers of non-sectarian knowledge, ability, competence and tools, schools, educators, the Catholic Educator but we bring them too little. And Association of the Philippines, focusing on sometimes our Laws bring them too little. sexuality education for the youth. And of But if we give them proper Values course we are taking care of people living Formation, which is incorporated in the with and infected by HIV/AIDS. law, then we target both being humane and rights based. It is considered Well then, we mainstream HIV/AIDS in appropriate as a cultural based approach. the parishes and in the basic ecclesiastical Parents and educators need to teach the community, in the family, because we youth, by their work and examples, the believe that education and sexual dignity of the human beings, beauty and education must start in the family. As of sacredness of the human love anchored in now, we are screening the Catholic God’s Love. Chastity, monogamy and Educator Association of the Philippines fidelity are the best protection from from different areas in the Philippines HIV/AIDS. That is why we are saying that where there is an increase in the incident education continues to be the only of HIV/AIDS. These are the areas such as effective vaccine to combat denial, Metro Manila, Cebu, and Southern Part of ignorance and prejudice, which place the Philippines. An increasing number of people at risk to contracting HIV. HIV infections is among injecting drug users and males having sex with males. Basic stigma is the problem. You might That is why the Catholic Church is say, “Father, there is also stigma in the promoting sexuality education, which is Catholic Church”, and I would say “Yes”. also incorporated in the Reproductive In our own Faith Community, there is Health Law, but we are focusing on stigma. Therefore we have to start in our Values Formation and Value-based own community in eradicating the stigma. sexuality education. We not only limit to And these are some of what we are doing Risk Reduction but because of Values specifically for the youth. Formation, we go to Risk Elimination.

In the area of Prevention as we aim at What we did was to train priests and Zero new infection, Zero AIDS-related religious leaders in different dioceses deaths and zero stigma and here in the Philippines together with the discrimination. We top first the Hierarchy Vatican and the World Health of the Catholic Church, the Bishops. We Organization and Caritas Internationals. educate them on HIV/AIDS and the importance of sexuality education. And This year we will be educating the the President then of the Catholic Bishop Philippine Episcopal Commission of Youth Conference of the Philippines said, “We composed of millions of the youth in the will help in bringing awareness to the different areas here in the Philippines. people, especially to the youth, and These youth will again be the one to address stigma and discrimination”. mainstream sexuality and HIV/AIDS down to the parish level. This is good. Every first Sunday of December is the National

Catholic AIDS Sunday, and we include it in WHO, as well as Department of Health our own ritual and also in our own and Ministry of Health. We are involved prayers. in the 5 th Medium Term Plan, the plan here in the Philippines about HIV/AIDS. We have the formation of the network Now what are our Challenges? HIV/AIDS even in different islands in the Philippines, is not only a medical problem but a social specifically focusing on the youth. This is and a political problem, such as problems the Heart for Children Campaigning, on drug use, alcohol use, unemployment, which is a very good intervention we used lack of education and sexuality issues. In in the Catholic Church. And in the Heart the Philippines, we concentrate our for Children Campaign by Caritas efforts here in Metro Manila forgetting International, there is a programme that that there are other areas that need includes letter writing by children and the efforts. Efforts must be done outside of youth to government, parliaments, target Metro Manila as well. groups and pharmaceutical companies. They write their own experience, their For the Catholic Church, we are future, their visions as the youth and transferred every now and then because children. of our mission, and therefore our challenge is to form succession when On the Area of Treatment Care and someone will replace us in taking care of Support, we already have different people living with HIV/AIDS. We have centers taking care of people living with friends all over the Philippines in 86 HIV/AIDS. But take note that the Catholic dioceses taking care of the youth with Church is not working alone. Even though HIV/AIDS. we have different views in the Reproductive Health Law, we are still Again, I would like to encourage our working with the government because we delegates here that when we implement are taking care of the same people. We policies, we always base them on 100% do not compromise our own beliefs, but love. I would like to quote Mother we work with the government especially Theresa of Calcutta, and she said “A in the area of taking care of people living person infected with HIV is Jesus among with HIV/AIDS. us; how can you say no to him”.

On the area of Advocacy, again we are On behalf of the Catholic Bishop partnering with other international Conference of the Philippines, I would like organizations like the United Nations, to live you with this note: Stay in Love.

Message of the Moderator

Hon. Dr. Vitthaya Inala Vice-Chairman to the Committee on Foreign Affairs Chief Advisor for Economy and Industry Senate of the Kingdom of Thailand ______

Mabuhay. Maganda Tanghali or Good Coordinator of UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Afternoon in Filipino. Today, I am very glad Regional Office, to present the synthesis of to come here to join you and it is the first the meeting. UNFPA is the main sponsor of time for me. Today has been a long day for this event, and we would like to take this us. I think right now we almost come to opportunity to express our sincere the closing session. gratitude for your continuing support and your cooperation. First of all I would like to welcome Ms. Anne Harmer, Regional Programme

Presentation of Synthesis

Ms. Anne Harmer Regional Programme Coordinator, UNFPA Asia and the Pacific Regional Office ______

I have been kindly asked to synthesize the the region that introduced positive family discussion of today. It is been a very long planning policies such as Thailand, day, so I do not want to go into too much Malaysia, Indonesia 30 years ago. This is a details, but let me remind you that in very interesting case why we really do addition to the 5 opening remarks made need to dedicate and commit ourselves to this morning, there have actually been 12 sexual reproductive health/rights. session resource persons in 5 sessions led by 5 very abled Chairs. So thank you very Then we had a presentation from Hon. much to the Chairs for doing their work Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman talking about and also to the 12 people who made the work that has been done in the presentation in addition to the 5 who Autonomous Region of Mindanao started off with the sessions. working with Islamic Faith leaders. This was a very encouraging presentation It is quite a challenge, I must say, to be telling us about how really you can use able to synthesize what has been faith leaders as an entry point to address discussed because we have covered such cultural differences and also work with a range of broad and interesting topics people to address Reproductive Rights and for me, representing UNFPA, this has and women’s empowerment. I think that been very exciting to hear so much was a very encouraging presentation. updated information on the situation around population and development and Then we had a presentation from Bishop also on sexual reproductive health/right Rodrigo Tano who talked about the and the progress of some of the countries importance of interfaith collaboration, in the region. especially on how we can start looking at the commonalties between different To very briefly cover what we talked faiths and how there is possibility for about, in Session I after the Opening working and uniting together to address Remarks, we had very interesting population and development issues and presentations from Philippine colleagues. sexual reproductive health/rights. We had Prof. Ernesto Pernia talking about population challenges here in the We also had quite a little throughout the Philippines. He presented a very day about the RH Law, the passage of the interesting case for how the absence of a Reproductive Health Bill that has taken 14 Reproductive Health Bill and the right to years to come to fruition here in the access to contraception will eventually Philippines. Even yet we are not quite have some impact on the Philippines’ ready for implementation, but it is indeed development and progress, with higher a very encouraging development for this population growth and more poverty country in particular. And of course it is when compared with other countries in very appropriate that we should have had

so many examples from the Philippines mentioned in my own opening remark because they have unique challenges but this morning, the Philippines is quite they have also found very creative unique in the sense of targeting and solutions to address those challenges. promoting the rights of indigenous people. And I think we have been able to learn I know in some countries in the region, from their experiences and indeed those we do not always talk about indigenous of you going on the study tour will be able people. We talk about ethnic minorities to see and experience some of them first- but essentially some of the needs and hand when you go on the visit. specific requirements of ethnic minorities and the role with regards to collective In the afternoon session, we were looking rights are common to these indigenous at some cultural pluralism and we had an people. And this is an area which has interesting presentation from Hon. been quite neglected across the region. Longde Wang from China, who shared So I hope that together you will be able to with us some encouraging examples of move forward in addressing the rights positive efforts made in China to address and needs of these neglected groups. reproductive health/rights and policies to work specifically with minorities and At the end of that session, we had a other groups such as migrant workers question and answer session which raise which constitutes a huge number in some very interesting points and population in that particular country and comments. Prenatal sex selection was indeed in other country as well. I think raised by Vietnam in relation to China, but that was very interesting and very this is also an issue that is a key encouraging. importance to India. This is a very good example of a very specific, cultural- and We also had a presentation from Ms. traditional-based attitude. There are Elizabeth Angsioco, representing the different reasons in different countries, Democratic Socialist Women of the but this is truly an issue that should be Philippines, talking on the role of the civil addressed with sensitivity in those society in negotiating and promoting the countries that were affected. We need to RH Bill and the importance of identifying think when we have male and female sex the commonality among different ratio imbalance. What happen to all those Reproductive Health NGOs and also men if they have no women to marry? Women’s Rights NGOs and how working This is a really key fundamental question together with a common platform with and it has implication now and for the the civil society and the government will next 30 years. That is really a key issue actually better advocate for the issues we that needs to be addressed. would like to promote. We then moved on to a session that was Hon. Nancy Catamco also described her looking specifically at young people. I involvement in promoting the rights of really welcome this session and thank Indigenous People including their rights to APDA and PLCPD for having young people Reproductive Health through the here to talk themselves and represent establishment of mechanisms and laws, their own cases. I think this was very promoting the rights of the individual and interesting and very close to my own collective rights of indigenous people. As I heart. I welcome it. We also had the talk

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with the presentation from the Hon. Gusti the skills and information to be able to Kanjeng Ratu Hemas from Indonesia move forward. which was a very interesting presentation on some of the challenges that have been We have already heard about teenage faced by Indonesia. Some of these pregnancy increasing in a number of challenges about teenage pregnancy are countries in the region. Here in the not just common to the Philippines and Philippines, we also heard the unexpected Indonesia but also to Thailand and increase in the prevalence of HIV Malaysia. This is due to the lack of access infections, particularly among young by young people to sexual reproductive people and among men. I think I heard 14 health information and services. new cases a day. This is very frightening and this is happening because those It was also very interesting to have young people do not have the right presentations from Mr. Percival Cerdana, information. So I would really urge you all Ms. Heart Dino and Ms. Lady Lisondra as parliamentarians to take forward the because they were talking about what I messages that we heard across the table mentioned this morning - young people’s from all of our presenters. I think it was culture. It is different now from when we interesting that we had so many countries were young. They have access to mobile presenting their positive elements but technology, they are interested in also presenting the challenges they are different things, they communicate with facing. And there are commonalities. Even each other differently, and we have to the other countries that did not present I accept it. This is life now. We need to know they are facing very similar listen to young people and hear what challenges whether it is the right of they are saying. migrant workers, indigenous people, ethnic minority, young people, people I think these young people presented most at risk of HIV infections, sex workers, their cases very well for why we should men who have sex with men, or drug have a comprehensive sexuality users. These are commonalities in almost education in our school and for out of all countries. You are the best positioned school. Without education, young people people to help advocate for law, policy are not informed and do not know how to change and implementation of laws and take responsibility for themselves and express the voice of their communities their own behaviour, both from a moral who have just unserved needs. perspective as presented by Fr. Rodolfo but also in terms of scientific evidence- That is a very brief synthesis and I based information and life skills. Unless apologize if I have forgotten to summarize we empower young people, we will something that somebody has talked continue having an increase in teenage about. It is quite a long day and thank you pregnancy. And we have to realize that again to everyone who has spoken so these young people are becoming adults eloquently and to the chairs for sooner than when we were their age. facilitating all of the sessions. Therefore we need to equip them with Thank you very much.

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Closing Ceremony

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Closing Address

Hon. Toshiko Abe, MP Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Chair of the Gender Issues, Japan Parliamentarians Federation for Population ______

You have made it a most fulfilling day active participation at international with your enthusiastic engagements on conferences. topics of our mutual concern. I would like to thank all of you, our AFPPD Executive Here, let me congratulate you heartily for Committee member countries as well as the passage of Reproductive Health Act in all of you for taking the time out of your the Philippines. I learned that it was not full schedules to be part of this important easy to adopt the RH Act because of the meeting. predominantly Catholic population which makes the Philippines is unique in Asia. APDA, Asian Population and Development Association, serves as the secretariat for I also wish to pay my respects to the JPFP as well as substantially support all its PLCPD for playing a leading role in activities. I have the pleasure to say a few reconciling religious tenets and the need words as Parliamentary Vice-Minister for for managing reproductive health and Foreign Affairs and on behalf of JPFP. family planning. It represents a successful commitment over many years of working Thanks to the marvellous cooperation of together with religious circles to enlighten our host, PLCPD, we were able to hold and educate citizens of their choice. this APDA Meeting and well prepare for a meaningful study visit programme. I I am confident that this RH Act will thank you all most sincerely for the improve the welfare of each citizen as excellent hospitality. well as play a substantial role in coping with the many social challenges the As you know PLCPD, with Japan, is a Philippines faces due to its rising number founding member of AFPPD and has of young people. contributed greatly to its development. I have been told that JPFP enjoys close The Philippines has wealth of experience relations with PLCPD members, including in coping with the cultural diversity Senator Ramos Shahani and among numerous ethnic groups and Congressperson Aquino Oreta, because of languages spoken in addition to its our long relationship since the uniqueness as a Catholic-majority country establishment. PLCPD has not stopped at in Asia. I believe that your experiences of making contributions on population having reached a certain conclusion to issues in the Philippines but has played the approach regarding the population outstanding roles in the global issues after devoting considerable time parliamentarian activities regarding and thoughts, as well as the initiatives population and development beyond its you are taking today, will be most

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meaningful to other developing counties responsible for our future, with those in Asia and Africa. mandates we must with our own resolve be involved in the issue and collaborate I have much to look forward to a greater with UNFPA, other UN organizations, cooperation among members of Asian NGOs and with governments. parliamentarians given the recent development and the future initiatives of I am confident that parliamentarians’ PLCPD. Japan is committed to the activities in the fields of population and resolution of population issues including development will be further strengthened. family planning as part of our And I humbly ask UNFPA to continue to commitment to Universal Health support the parliamentarian activities Coverage (UHC) as our global health understanding its nature as well as strategy. difficulties.

Before concluding my address, let me I hasten to thank most sincerely the reaffirm our role as parliamentarians. UNFPA, particularly Ms. Nobuko Horibe, Director of Asia and the Pacific Regional We are elected representatives of our Office, for supporting these opportunities people, and as such represent diverse important for us parliamentarians to cultures of our peoples. It is essential, meet and discuss. therefore, for us parliamentarians to play leading roles in the field of population You will be visiting the northern region of and development to help each person the country where minority peoples live make his or her individual choice. to learn of the population programmes that respect their cultural values. I offer Since the population issue can never be my respectful gratitude for all you do and forced, it is all the more important for us pray that you will have a safe and fruitful parliamentarians to play our roles in experience after tomorrow. resolving it. I believe we are accountable to the peoples we represent, and Thank you.

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Closing Message

Hon. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo Representative, Aurora Province PLCPD Chairperson for the House of Representatives ______

Let me begin by commending all in health services, especially because efforts attendance today for bringing to fore by the opposing side continue to hinder pressing issues and challenges on its full implementation. We are hopeful population and development. More that these will be addressed as we importantly, for being able to arrive at approach the deadline for achieving the crucial decision points which will serve as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). a common ground in finding solutions to these challenges, especially at this time At this point, allow me to thank the main where we are scaling up efforts to achieve organizer of this activity, the Asian the Millennium Development Goals Population and Development Association (MDGs) by 2015. (APDA), for providing a venue for Parliamentarians to have a productive Through this event and the expertise dialogue, learn from each other’s share by our Resource Speakers, we were experiences and find solutions to pressing able to see Reproductive Health in population challenges while taking into different perspectives, that is, in terms of account the socio – cultural perspectives its interplay with religion as well as of each country. This event will not be as among indigenous communities. We are productive if not for the expertise and well aware of how certain religious experiences ably share by our Resource groups opposed and continue to oppose Speakers from the Legislature, Interfaith the Reproductive Health Law, and how groups, Academe, civil society, this opposition is continuously being organizations, among others. Join me in faced by staunch advocates. We have also thanking all of them for shedding light on seen Reproductive Health in terms of its the issues discussed by sharing their social and cultural aspects and how these insights. were carefully taken into consideration during the long process of improving this As a final note, it is with high hopes that piece of legislation. exchanges and practical resolutions presented in this dialogue serve as a This dialogue also highlighted the platform for all participants to arrive at strategies used in mobilizing communities points of convergence and strategic plans which generated the demand needed to in order to address population and further push for this legislation. Women development challenges while respecting and youth sectors proved to be one of the and even building pluralism. strong points of the RH struggle in the Philippines. However, despite the Thank you very much and we wish our enactment of the last, it was shown to us foreign participants a productive stay that challenges remain in terms of here in the Philippines. mainstreaming and securing access to

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Call to Action

The 29 th Asian Parliamentarians’ Meeting and Study Visit on Population and Development

30 August 2013 The Philippines

We, Parliamentarians from (number) Asia and the Pacific countries, gathered in the Philippines to commit ourselves to continuing and enhancing efforts to address population issues, contribute to the acceleration of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and promote sustainable and equitable development toward and beyond 2015.

We reaffirm that: 1. Addressing population issues are essential precondition for individuals’ wellbeing and sustainable development; 2. Promoting parliamentarians’ activities on population and development is crucial to strengthen our role, both individually and collectively, to protect and improve people’s happiness and dignity; 3. Population measures and programmes should respect different cultures and values, and in consistent with the International Conference on Population and Development - Program of Action and related international agreements on population issues.

To this end, we parliamentarians commit ourselves to the following actions:

1. Put in place population programmes and measures that ensure respect for different faiths and cultures, which constitute the basis of people’s lives and values; 2. As a bridge between the governments and people, work closely with culturally different groups to improve conditions that promote people’s well-being and adopt practical, culturally-sensitive population measures (including modern methods of family planning ) in respective religious and cultural settings; 3. Call upon the government to pay special attention to social, health and economic challenges that culturally different groups face and secure necessary means of subsistence and survival.

Using this common understanding as a platform for concrete action and further exchange, we parliamentarians pledge to carry out these actions and actively share the progress we make through parliamentarians’ groups and networks. We also pledge to continue to further enhance partnership and collaboration among parliamentarians in order to advocate and address population issues as an integral part of the post-2015 development agenda.

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Participants’ List

National Delegates 1 Hon. Ugyen Wangdi Bhutan MP Member of Standing Committee; Vice-Chair 2 Hon. Wang Longde China of ESCPH Committee; MP 3 Hon. Shen Yan China Member of ESCPH Committee; MP Deputy Director -General, Office of 4 Mr. Xie Xiaoping China Population of Public Health and Sports, ESCPH Committee Senior Staff Member, Office of General 5 Mr. He Tuo China Administration, ESCPH Committee Director in Office of the General 6 Mr. Zhang Chuansheng China Administration 7 Mr. Manmohan Sharma India Executive Secretary of IAPPD Hon. 8 Chairun Nisa Indonesia MP Dr. Hon. 9 Muhammad Oheo Sinapoy Indonesia MP Dr. 10 Hon. Hj. Hairiah SH. Indonesia Senator Deputy Speaker of Regional Representative 11 Hon. Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Hemas Indonesia Council 12 Ms. Rina Hartami Widiastuti Indonesia Assistant to the Senator 13 Ms. Lolly Suhenty Indonesia Assistant to the Senator Former Prime Minister; Chair of APDA; 14 Hon. Yasuo Fukuda Japan Honorary Chair of JPFP; Former Chair of AFPPD 15 Hon. Yukio Ubukata Japan Vice-Chair of JPFP; MP Parliamentary Vice -Minister for Foreign Hon. 16 Toshiko Abe Japan Affairs; Chair of the JPFP Gender Issues Dr. Committee 17 Hon. Yutaka Kumagai Japan MP; Member of JPFP Vice-President of LAPPD; Vice-Chair of the 18 Hon. Somphou Douangsavanh Lao PDR Social and Cultural Affairs Committee; MP Hon. 19 Viengmany Chanthanasine Lao PDR MP Ms. 20 Mr. Bounlert Louanedouangchanh Lao PDR Executive Director of LAPPD 21 Hon. Mariany Mohammad Yit Malaysia Senator 22 Hon. Ahmed Abdulla Maldives MP Papua New 23 Hon. Francis Marus MP Guinea 24 Hon. Pia Cayetano Philippines PLCPD Chair for the Senate PLCPD Chairperson for the House of 25 Hon. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo Philippines Representatives 26 Hon. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara Philippines PLCPD Vice-Chairperson for the Senate PLCPD Chairperson for International 27 Hon. Walden Bello Philippines Linkages Vice -Chair of the Committee on National 28 Hon. Teddy Brawner Baguilat Philippines Cultural Communities; PLCPD Vice- Chairperson for Luzon 29 Hon. Terry Ridon Philippines MP 30 Hon. Janette Garin, M.D. Philippines Undersecretary of the Department of 111

Health Representative of AMIN Party List; PLCPD 31 Hon. Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman Philippines Member Chairperson of the Committee on National 32 Hon. Nancy Catamco Philippines Cultural Communities, House of Representatives 33 Hon. Linabelle Ruth R. Villarica Philippines MP Minister of Child Development and 34 Hon. Tissa Karalliyadde Sri Lanka Women's Affairs Hon. 35 Vitthaya Inala Thailand Senator Dr. 36 Hon. Anusart Suwanmongkol Thailand Senator 37 Mr. Nontawat Khongmoh Thailand Assistant to the Senator 38 Mr. Ramon San Pascual Thailand Executive Director of AFPPD 39 Hon. Antonio Ximenes Serpa Timor Leste MP 40 Hon. Eladio Antonio Faculto de Jesus Timor Leste MP Gender and Legal Advisor, National 41 Ms. Charlemagne Gomez Timor Leste Parliament, UNDP Parliamentary Project 42 Hon. Nguyen Thi Kha Vietnam Executive Member of VAPPD; MP 43 Dr. Nguyen Duc Thus Vietnam Executive Director of VAPPD United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Programme Coordinator of the 44 Ms. Anne Harmer Thailand Asia and the Pacific Regional Office International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and Member Associations (MAs) IPPF East & South East Asia & Oceania 45 Ms. Nora Murat Malaysia Region (ESEAOR) Executive Director of the Family Planning 46 Mr. Gessen Rocas Philippines Organization of the Philippines (FPOP) Resource Persons (Meeting and Study Visit) 47 Mr. Jun Omar C. Ebdane Philippines Former MP Professor at University of the Philippines 48 Prof. Ernesto M. Pernia Philippines College of Economics President of the Interfaith Partnership for 49 Bishop Rodrigo Tano Philippines the Promotion of Responsible Parenthood National President of the Democratic 50 Ms. Elizabeth Angsioco Philippines Socialist Women Commissioner at Large "National Youth 51 Mr. Percival Cerdana Philippines Programs on P&D 52 Ms. Heart Dino Philippines Student Council Alliance of the Philippines Former Youth coordinator of Family 53 Ms. Lady Lisondra Philippines Planning Organization of the Philippines Rodolfo Vicente Head of Programs and Planning, The 54 Rev.Fr. Philippines Cancino,Jr.,MI Camillian Fathers, Inc. 55 Ms. Edna Tabanda Philippines Mayor of La Trinidad 56 Mr. Mauricio Domogan Philippines Mayor, Baguio city 57 Mr. Rafael Sallocoy Philippines Secretary to the Mayor of Baguio City Head of Social Department, University of 58 Dr. Caster Palaganas Philippines the Philippines, Baguio 59 Dr. Paulina Sawadan Philippines ABRA Tribe 60 Mr. Paul Baguitay Philippines ABRA Tribe

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61 Dr. Norberto Duran Philippines APAYAO Tribe 62 Dr. Peter Cozalan Philippines Benguet Tribe 63 Dr. Imelda Parcasolo Philippines Benguet Tribe 64 Dr. Julie C.Cabato Philippines Benguet Tribe 65 Rev. Henry Hakcholna Philippines Ifugao tribe 66 Ms. Sheena G. Bumangil Philippines Kalinga tribe 67 Ms. Lynn Madalang Philippines MT.province 68 Rev. Jonathen Obar Philippines Faith Based Organization Director of the Philippine Information 69 Ms. Helen R. Tibaldo Philippines Agency (PIA) 70 Ms. Joan Bacoling Philippines Planning Officer of La Trinidad Additional Delegates and Observers 71 Ms. Imelda E.Grupo Philippines Municipal Budget Officer National Commission on Indigenous Peoples 72 Mr. Zenaida Brigida Pawid Philippines Commissioner 73 Mr. Teddy M. Quintos Philippines President, Liga ng mga Punong Barangays The Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) 74 Mr. Romeo C. Dongeto Philippines Executive Director 75 Mr. Kisterjay Llever Philippines General Services 76 Ms. Nenita Dalde Philippines National Advocacy Officer 77 Ms. Maida Ojeda Philippines Communications Officer 78 Mr. Dodie Lucas Philippines The Asian Population and Development Association (APDA) 79 Dr. Osamu Kusumoto Japan Secretary-General/Executive Director 80 Ms. Hitomi Tsunekawa Japan APDA 81 Mr. Farrukh Usmonov Japan APDA Interpreters 82 Ms. Kimiyo Machida Japan Interpreter 83 Ms. Haruko Ota Japan Interpreter 84 Ms. Kumiko Mima Japan Interpreter

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