Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said that the DSWD supports the bills on Reproductive Health (Senate Bill No. 2378 and House Bill No. 1160) introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Congressman Rodolfo B. Biazon, respectively, saying that “the government must help couples become responsible parents by providing them information about family planning.”

”We in the DSWD believe in responsible parenthood. The number of children that a couple must have depends on their decision and capability to bring up the children,” Secretary Soliman explained.

It will be recalled that President Benigno S. Aquino III earlier declared his full support to a firm population policy on responsible parenthood.

Secretary Soliman added that the government must give couples the necessary information to help them better understand their responsibilities, as well as to make intelligent choice for their families.

The salient features of the proposed bills to which DSWD expressed full support are: provision to couples and individuals with timely, complete and accurate information and education on reproductive health; access to safe, affordable and quality reproductive health care services; and planning, implementation, and dissemination of appropriate and effective reproductive health care programs at the national and local levels.

Further, the bills have a comprehensive and gender responsive reproductive health care program covering all stages of a woman’s life cycle and also encourages the involvement and participation of men in reproductive health, thus, balances off power relations within the home.

“We believe that women can best participate in development and nation building when an effective reproductive health care program relieves them from the burden of continuous childbearing,” Secretary Soliman stated.

It is only when the male partners of the women are able to share childrearing responsibilities within the home that women will be able to explore what the world can offer them, according to Secretary Soliman. ### (DSWD – Social Marketing Service) January 7, 2011