Maternal deaths in PHL decline but still high

The Reproductive Health (RH) bill should be enacted into law despite a report from a pro-life American news agency that the number of maternal deaths in the country has declined, its authors at the House of Representatives said Monday. Maternal deaths among Filipinas have indeed declined, but the number of mothers dying after giving birth is still high, said Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin. “I agree it is declining, the extent of which is dependent on the variance of the method being used. However, it is also clear that mothers are still dying. Nobody should die giving life," she said in a text message. The lawmaker was reacting to a report by pro-life news agency LifeNews.Com on a University of Washington study supposedly showing that maternal deaths in the Philippines dropped by 81 percent from 1980 to 2008. Not only for mothers The RH bill should be passed despite results of the study since the measure is not only for mothers, but also for their children and their families, Garin said. “The RH law is needed so as to immunize the provision of RH services from too much politics. The huge impact of mothers dying, especially on her children and her husband is something we can’t just turn blind to," she said. Gabriela Women’s party-list Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan, another RH proponent, described the study as “weak" and questioned the figures cited by the report. “Even if there is a reduction, it means that there are still maternal deaths. Should we allow deaths to continue just because there is a reduction?" she said in a separate text message. The controversial measure, formally known as House Bill 4244, is currently undergoing plenary debates at the lower chamber. — VS/HS, GMA News