Beyond contraception

The debates, dialogues and consultations on the Reproductive Health Bill as well as on the methods of fertility planning should focus on the needs of the impoverished majority, Gabriela Party List Representative Luzviminda C. Ilagan told me last week. She was commenting on the respective concerns of the Roman Catholic Church and the Aquino administration on the reproductive health bill.         

Ilagan, who co-authors HB 3387 or The Comprehensive Reproductive Health Bill with fellow Gabriela Representative Emmi De Jesus, said the bill discusses more than the methods of fertility planning and contraception. “It is beyond the issue of population control. To reduce this measure to a debate that focuses only on artificial versus natural methods of contraception is a myopic approach to the issue.”

The Davao solon and I were attending the first gender and development focal points national assembly and trainors training on barangay E-agriculture last week. The assembly was organized by the Banahaw Sustainable Development Center and Ugnayan ng Kababaihan sa Pulitika and Asian Women’s Network on Gender and Development.        

Ilagan explained that HB 3387 focuses on making reproductive health care services accessible to the poor as well as granting privileges to women workers to ensure their reproductive health. Some of the bill’s provisions include the following: giving pro-bono reproductive health care services for indigent women by making it mandatory for all health care workers to provide at least 200 hours annually of reproductive health services free of charge to indigent patients, especially pregnant adolescents; giving pregnant working employees half-day prenatal medical leaves for each month of the pregnancy period, and protecting women workers handling or working with chemicals known to cause cancer and birth defects.         

Ilagan said that there are several provisions in the bill that both the church and the state will agree on. “The Comprehensive Reproductive Health Bill is a pro-poor, pro-women measure. A government and a church that are genuinely pro-poor can agree on several provisions once deliberations begin. A truthful assessment of the situation of Filipino women and healthcare in this country will lead to the realization of the urgent need for this measure”.

The Gabriela Women’s Party, she said, calls on President Aquino to certify the Reproductive Health Bill as urgent.

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On another front, the Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity of the UP College of Medicine once again presents the 2nd Quisumbing-Escandor Film Festival for Health. With the theme “Sa Ngalan ng Ama, ng Anak, at ng Ina,” the festival is open to amateur Filipino film makers and multimedia artists from all over the country. Individuals, groups or organizations are encouraged to submit their entries. Submission of multiple entries is allowed.         

This project is the first of its kind in the country and is held once every two years. The 1st QEFF was held in February 2008 with the theme title “Malayo sa Bituka,” which literally means “far from the guts.” The title, according to the organizers, is “a local adage denoting our culture to delay medical treatment for an ailment if it does not involve the intestines. This reflects the Filipino’s misconceptions and poor priority for health.”

The QEFF aims to put a face and a story in the health issues that are otherwise just merely studied or reflected in statistics. “Through these films we hope to establish that intangible connection between health professionals and the poor,” the organizers say. “At the same time, laymen would be more empowered to more pro-active roles in their health by viewing such films.”

A total of 37 local film entries and 17 local and international guest presentations were gathered for the first festival. Film makers from as far as Pampanga, Marinduque, Bicol, Iloilo, Negros Oriental and Zamboanga, as well as from Thailand, Vietnam, China, India, Australia, Canada and the United States submitted entries.   

 Because of the enormous support from different organizations, the QE Film Caravan was conceptualized. Currently, the caravan has around 600 schools lined up for activities of the advocacy, which include film showing, fora, and symposia.

The film entries to be submitted should have been conceptualized, produced and filmed after the first Quisumbing-Escandor Film Festival. Running time for film entries shall not be less than 15 minutes and not longer than 45 minutes, there is no joining fee for the participants of the film festival.

Criteria for judging and downloadable forms are available at www.qe-filmfestival.com prepared by the team of Daniel Dellosa.

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Here is another contest worth joining. This is the Walong Filipina 2010 essay writing contest. The contest aims to encourage student viewers to appreciate and understand an exhibit and become inspired enough to write about it.

One has to view the Walong Filipina exhibit at the Small Gallery of the Cultural Center of the Philippines from October 14 to November 28. Then get an essay writing form from the CCP Visual Arts and Museum division on the 4th floor. Entry forms will also be available at the Liongoren Gallery (111 New York st., Cubao, QC), the UP Arts Studies Department (2nd floor, Faculty Center, UP Diliman, QC), and at the CCP website at www.culturalcenter.gov.ph.

The interested party will submit an essay in English of not more than 1,500 words, to the CCP VAMD, and CCP. For inquiries, call 8323702 or 8321125, locals 1504/1505. Deadline of submission is Nov. 9-26.

Walong Filipina honors eight environmentalists: Evelyn Cacha, co-founder of Alyansa Laban sa Mina; University of the Philippines Tacloban Dean Margarita dela Cruz; Sis. Luz Emmanuel of Assumption Antipolo; environmental lawyer Ipat Luna; Judea Millora, a waste management expert; Jurgenne Primavera, renowned advocate of sustainable fish farming; Lydia Robledo, butterfly habitat conservation advocate, and Luz Sabas, 80 years old, who with her late husband, pioneered waste management in the Philippines.

The advocates of these eight women were portrayed by noted visual artists, whose works make up the exhibit to be shown at the CCP Small Gallery. The artists are Egai Talusan Fernandez, Efren Garcellano, Renato Habulan, Rico Palacio, Mario de Rivera, Mark Salvatus, Jojit Solano and PG Zoluaga.

The exhibit was launched this March at Lingoren Gallery in Cubao, and travelled to Liongoren Gallery in Dagupan last May. Announcement of winners will be on December 9, at the CCP Main gallery.

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