Article 2, Section  12 of the  1987 Philippine Constitution,  provides:
"The  State  recognizes  the  sanctity  of family  life  and  shall  protect  and
strerigtrle.n  tr!p  faTi_Iy as  a_ basic  autonomous  social  institution.  It  shall  equally
protect_ the _life  of the  mother and  the  life  of the  unborn  from  conception.  The
ne|_ural and primary right and duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for civic
efficiency and the development of moral character shall receive the support of
the government."
Women,   confronted  with   unplanned   or  crisis   pregnancy,   are  often   left  with  the
impression  that  abortion  is  the  only  choice  that  they  have  in  dealing  with  their  difficult
circumstances.
This  is  due  to  their  lack  of  accurate  information,  supportive  counseling  and  other
assistance regarding adoption and parenting alternatives to abortion.
While  there  are  organizations  that  provide  these  needed  services,  they  often  lack
sufficient resources to reach women in need of their services and to provide for their needs.
Hence, this bill seeks to establish a national program that will -
1.    Promote   childbirth   as   a   viable   and   positive   alternative   to   abortion   and
empower  those  facing  unplanned  or  crisis  pregnancies  to  choose  childbirth
rather than abortion; and
2.    Extend  support to  entities  and  projects  that  provide  information,  counseling,
and  support  services  that  assist  women  to  choose  childbirth  and  to  make
informed decisions regarding the choice of adoption or parenting with respect
to their children.
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly requested.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS   )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES    )
First Regular session                            )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Introduced by Representative Rufus a: Rodriguez
HouseBillNo.5L317
AN ACT
TO  ESTABLISH  A  NATIONAL  PROGRAM  THAT WILL  PROVIDE  PREGNANT WOMEN
WITH ALTERNATIVES TO ABORTION
Be it ep?ct.ed  by the Senate and  House of Representatives of the  Philippines in Congress
assembled:
SECTION  1.  Short  Tt`I/e.  -This  Act  shall  be  known  as  the   "Women  and  Chi./dren's
Resouroes Act''.
SEC 2. Purpose. -The purposes of the Act are -
(1)  to promote childbirth as a viable and  positive alternative to abortion and to empower
those   facing   unplanned   or   crisis   pregnancies   to   choose   childbirth   rather  than
abortion;
(2)  to  extend  support to  entities  and  projects  that  provide  information,  counseling,  and
support  services  that  assist  women  to  choose  childbirth  and  to  make  informed
decisions regarding the choice of adoption or parenting with respect to their children;
and
(3)  to maximize the effectiveness of this Act by providing funds only to those entities and
projects that have a stated  policy of actively promoting  childbirth  instead of abortion
and that have experience in providing alternative-to-abortion services.
SEC  3.   Deffn/.fi.ons.   -  For  purposes  of  this  Act,  the  following  terms  shall  have  these
meanings:
(1 )  Alternative-to-abortion  services  -the  provision  of  information  and  counseling  that
promotes  childbirth  instead  of  abortion  and  assists  pregnant  women  in  making  an
informed  decision  regarding the alternatives of adoption or parenting with  respect to
their child.
(2)  Support  services  -  additional  services  and  assistance  designed  to  assist  eligible
individuals  to  carry  their  child  to  term  and  to  support  eligible  individuals  in  their
parenting  or adoption  decision.  These  support services  include  the  provision  of (a)
self-administered pregnancy testing;   (b) baby food,  maternity and baby clothing, and
baby furniture;  (c)  information  and  education,  including  classes,  regarding  prenatal
care,  childbirth,  adoption,  parenting,  chastity  (or  abstinence);  and  (d)  referrals  for
services consistent with the purposes of this Act.
(3)  Service provider - a non-governmental entity that operates a service provider project
and  which  enters  into  a  subcontract with  the  prime  contractor that provides for the
reimbursement for alternative-to-abortion services provided to eligible individuals.
(4)  Service  provider project - A project or program  operated  by a  service  provider that
provides  alternative-to-abortion  services.  All  service  provider  projects  must  provide
core services and may also provide support services.


SEC 4. Establishment and Operation of Programs to Provide Alternative-to-Abortion
Services; Administration of Programs through Contracts with Entities. -
(A) /n Genera/ - Grant funds provided  under this Act may be expended only for purposes of
the  establishment  and  operation  of  a  national  program  [carried  out  pursuant  to  contracts
under  subsection  (c)I  designed  to  provide  alternative-to-abortion  services  [as  defined  in
Section 3 (1 )] to eligible individuals as described in subsection (8).
(8)  Eligible  Individuals -
(1)  ln  General  -Subject  to  paragraph  (2),  an  individual  is  an  eligible  individual  for
purposes of subsection (A) if -
(a) the  individual  is  pregnant (or has  reasonable grounds to  believe she  may
be pregnant);
(b) the  individual (male or female) is the parent or legal guardian of an  infant
under 12 months of age; or
(c) the  individual  is the  spouse  or other partner of an  individual  described  in
subparagraph (a) or (b).
(2) Priority For Low-Income Individuals -The program -
(a)  will  give  priority  to  serving  eligible  individuals  who  are  from  low  income
families; and
(b)  will  not  impose  a  charge  on  any  eligible  individual  from  a  low  income
family  except  to  the  extent  that  payment  will   be   made  by  a  third   party
(including a government agency) that is authorized or under legal obligation to
pay such charge.
(C) Establishment and Operation of Program --
(1 ) Prt.me  Confracfor -The  Department of Health,  through  its  Secretary,  shall  enter
into a contract with a nonprofit private entity that,  under the contract, shall be designated as
the   "prime   contractor"   and   shall   have   the   principal   responsibility  for  administering   the
program, including subcontracting with service basis.
(2)  Subconfracfs  w/.th  Servi.ce  Prov/'ders  -  The  prime  contractor  shall  enter  into
subcontracts  with  service  providers  for  reimbursement  of  alternative-to-abortion  services
provided to eligible individuals on a fee-for-service basis.
(3) Expend/.fares of Grant - The prime contractor shall be authorized to expend funds
to administer the program,  reimburse service providers,  and to provide additional supportive
services  to  assist  such   providers   in   providing  alternative-to-abortion  services  to  eligible
individuals consistent with the  purposes of this Act,  including  but not limited  to  providing for
advertising   of  alternative-to-abortion   services,   purchases   of  educational   materials,   and
grants for new sites and new project development.
(4)   Requ/.remenf  for  Pry.me   Confracfors  -  An   entity   may   not   become   a   prime
contractor unless,  consistent with  the  overall  purpose  of this  Act,  it  has  a  stated  policy of
actively promoting childbirth instead of abortion.
(5). Adqitionel  Requirements  for  Prime  Contractors -  Aln  er\try  may  not become  a
prime contractor unless -
(a) for the five-year period  preceding the date on which the entity applies to
receive  the  contract,  it  has  been  engaged  primarily  in  the  provision  of care
services or it has operated a project that provides such services;
(b) it is a subsidiary of an entity that meets the criteria under clause (a).
(6) Requ/.remenfs for Sub-Contractors -An entity may not become a service provider
unless -
(a)  it operates  a  service  provider project that  has  a  stated  policy of actively
promoting childbirth instead of abortion;


(b) its project has been providing alternative-to-abortion services to clients for
at least one year, and
(c)   its   project   is   physically  and   financially  separate  from   any  entity  that
advocates, performs, counsels for or refers for abortion.
(7)   Resfr/.cfi.on.   -   No   prime   contractor  or  service   provider  project   may   perform
abortion, counsel for or refer for abortion, or advocate abortion.
(8) Restrictions Regarding Expenditures of Grant Funds - No grar\+ funds under th.is
Act shall be expended for any of the following -
(a) performing abortion,  counseling for or referring for abortion,  or advocating
abortion;
(b)  providing,  referring  for,  or  advocating  the  use  of contraceptive  services,
drugs, or devices;
(c)  Making  payment  for  a  service  that  is  provided  to  an  eligible  individual  if
payment  for  such  service  has  already  been  made,  or  can  reasonably  be
expected to be made -
(1 ) providing in-patient hospital services;
(2) making cash payments to intended recipients of services;
(3)    purchasing    or    improving    land,    purchasing,    constructing,    or
permanently  improving  (other than  minor remodeling) any  building  or
other facility; or
SEC  5.  Bi.enni.a/  Reports  fo  Congress.  -  The  Secretary  of  Health  shall  submit  to  the
Congress periodic reports on the national programs carried out pursuant to this Act. The first
report  shall   be  submitted   not  later  than  one  year  after  the  effectivity  of  this  Act  and
subsequent reports shall be submitted biennially thereafter.
SEC 6. flu/es and Regu/afi.ons. - The Secretary of Health shall promulgate the necessary
rules and regulations to effectively carry out the provisions of this Act.
SEC 7. Fwhdi-ng. - Such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act is
hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury.
SEC   8.   Separab/./i-fy   C/at/se.   -   lf   any   provision   or   part   hereof,   is   held   invalid   or
unconstitutional,  the  remainder  of  the  law  or  the  provision  not  otherwise  affected  shall
remain valid and subsisting.
SEC.  9.  Rapea/i-ng  C/aL/se.  - Any  law,  presidential  decree  or  issuance,  executive  order,
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the
provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.
SEC 10. Effecfi.y/`fy C/ause. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,