by SAS Youth Correspondent Nicai de Guzman
The Philippines is one of the remaining 6% countries in the world where abortion is categorically prohibited even in cases where it can save a woman’s life. But that has certainly not stopped women from getting abortions, mostly in unsanitary backstreets from people who have little or no medical training.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, there are:
42 million abortions worldwide and about half of them are unsafe
20 million unsafe abortions occur in the developing countries
4 in 10 women who undergo unsafe abortions experience complications
Poor women are disadvantaged and are most likely to experience serious abortion complications.
Specific to the Philippines, there are:
3.4 million pregnancies each year, half of which are mistimed or unwanted
560,000 induced abortions every year
90,000 treatments at facilities for abortion complications
1,000 deaths
A 2008 article by the Phil. Daily Inquirer revealed that the United States had nearly 4 in 10 teen pregnancies terminated by abortion in 1996, but the Philippines had a higher abortion rate (25/1,000 women) compared to the United States where abortion is legal (23/1,000 women).
The 2008 NDHS shows that 2 percent of young women had had sexual intercourse by age 15, while 17 percent of young women had sexual intercourse by age 18. Only 4 percent of young women age 15-24 used a condom during first sexual intercourse.
We asked several students about their take on abortion. Here are their answers:
“No. it’s an immoral practice. Abortion is killing.” – Mario, 19, UP Diliman BA Journalism
“I would consider it if I (theoretically) was raped.” – Gian, 19, ADMU BS Management Information Systems
“For myself, hypothetically speaking, I don’t think I could ever consider it not because I think of abortion as killing. I just think I would end up living life wondering how my life would have been if I didn’t do it. I think there’s a big possibility I would change my mind if I actually got pregnant out of wedlock… I’m not totally against it though, I’m pro-choice, but leaning toward pro-life super slightly, maybe 44% pro-life and 56% pro-choice.” – Bea, 18, UP Dililam BS Psychology
“Yes. I subscribe to the idea that a fetus is part of the organs of the body until it has been delivered. That’s how the New Civil Code viewed it, which explains why juridical personality is only acquired during birth. Provisions of the law aside, I still believe in abortion. I think it goes down to the freedom of choice, which is related to the woman’s freedom to do what she wants with her life and her body. Too much of a woman’s life is constrained by her vagina and her capacity to give birth. Just because females were given the gift of procreation doesn’t mean she has to bear such societal burdens like… she’s automatically labeled as a heartless murderess if she aborts her child. That’s unfair. And if someone uses the argument that by aborting a child, you deprive it of the freedom to live. Well, harsh as it may sound, I don’t think it has the mental faculties at that point to even make one.” – Jenin, 20, UP Law
“No. It’s all kind of wrong.” – Bianca, 19, ADMU BS Communications Technology Management
“No. It’s murder. I have no right to take anyone’s life–a fetus is not an exception.” – Noelle, 18, ADMU AB Literature
“It’s situational eh. For example, in the Philippines, it should be allowed because we’re overpopulated and if our population will get bigger, our resources will be spread too thinly. Abortion is not stopping reproduction per se, it just gives an option for people if they want to pursue having a kid or not. I will consider it because it’s the people who have the choice.” – Ian, 18, UST BS Biology
“I wouldn’t consider abortion. Two wrongs don’t make a right, and neither the kid nor the mother (if something goes wrong in the operation) deserves to die because of bad choices.” – Camille, 18, ADMU BS Management Information Science
“Yes I will consider if the girl agrees but I won’t force her. Having a baby entails a lot of maturity. If I’m not mentally prepared to have one, I won’t – for my own sake and also for the baby. I don’t want to have an unwanted child.” – James, 19, UST BS Occupational Therapy
“No, because it destroys life and life is a gift we should treasure.” – Mia, 18, UA&P Information Technology
“Yes, it depends on the situation. If she were a minor, yes. Her body is not yet capable of bearing a baby. But, I wouldn’t make that stupid mistake anyway so I won’t be considering it.” – Andrei, 16, Hope Christian High School
“It’s a no for me. Indeed, we are more susceptible to sin by committing abortion considering the fact that we don’t have the right to take away someone’s life” – Liza, 18, UST BS Accounting
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