Abortion is illegal in the Philippines and is not permitted under any circumstance. The actis criminalized by the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, which was enacted in 1930 butremains in effect to day. Articles 256, 258 and 259 of the Code mandate imprisonment for thewoman who undergoes the abortion, as well as for any person who assists in the procedure, evenif they be the woman's parents, a physician or midwife. Article 258 further imposes a higher prison term on the woman or her parents if the abortion is undertaken "in order to conceal [thewoman's] dishonor" (Tan 2008 and Wikipedia 2008).The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines effectively any amendments to the Penal Code’s provisions on abortion because of Article II, Section 12, which states:
“The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as abasic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. The natural 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.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
After about nine months of seasickness and cravings, women have the power to bring life into this Earth. When women are not in the position to give birth during the late stage of their pregnancy, they usually have only two possible outcomes. In these cases, the decision should depend on what the family and the mother find best. The government should not intervene and choose for the mother as they most likely will not know the best option for the two. As the female population progresses and receives additional rights that will lead to equality, they are still restrained from making a choice for their own child that does not require assistance from authority on the sensitive convoluted topic. The fact that a late term abortion is required implies…
- 727 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
It is undisputable that everybody has a right to become a parent. On the same hand, children have a right to live with their parents and not become separated from them. But children also have a right to living conditions that help them achieve a healthy psychological and physical development in order to fulfill their potential. Therefore, every parent carries an obligation to ensure the realization of those rights by providing children with adequate care. What separates good parenthood from bad is a discussion that needs more space but one thing is certain - children welfare is the most important factor in their upbringing. Although we cannot take away anybody's right to become a parent, that right is not absolute and unconditional. A question arises whether or not we have a right to take away parental care under certain conditions. Considering child's specifics and his position in the community, the responsibility for applying the rights and protection is on every adult person, especially on those who possess knowledge, understanding and possibility of action. In cases when parents are unable to fulfill their parental obligations for certain reasons, state authorities and agencies have an obligation to help them perform their parental functions. Therefore, every parent has not only a natural but also a legal obligation to take care of their children appropriately. When a child's welfare is at risk, the state must protect the child what sometimes include his removal from the family. However, the decision about whether the child should remain in the risk family is one of the most complex that officials of protective services (social welfare and justice) must make. Due to complexity of individual assessments and many factors to be taken into account, it is not easy to standardize it. Such decisions go far beyond of enforcing law because they involve emotional connections of parents and…
- 1153 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
This challenge to women's rights is particularly prevalent in the area of sexual rights and reproductive health. Women struggle daily to gain even minimal autonomy over their intimate lives. Women may be subjected to rape, including by their husbands, while many more are denied access to contraceptives and reproductive health services, and refused the possibility to decide to terminate unwanted pregnancies with safe and legal abortions. Across the region, millions of abortions are performed every year, most of them under unsafe, clandestine conditions, and thousands of women die as a result. For example, in Argentina, women face multiple obstacles to obtaining contraceptives and risk their lives through unsafe abortions due to legal restrictions and a failure to implement even their minimal rights under existing law. As an urgent human rights matter, governments in the region must ensure women's access to safe abortions where abortion is already decriminalized, repeal laws that criminalize abortion, work toward explicit…
- 1391 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
During the past century, abortion has been one of the most passionately debated subjects of controversy in the United State. Since the early decades of the 20th century, abortion was used as a measure of limiting families to a manageable size. In the past, due to the lack of knowledge, many families usually gave birth to a lot of children that they could not afford to raise, which is why abortion was abused in early times as an extreme measure of birth control to avoid further poverty to families. Today, many abortions are given to women under the age of 22. There are not many teenage girls who have sex use protection the first time. Impulsive, ignorant, and irresponsible behavior often lead to unwanted pregnancy. Forcing a woman to raise an unwanted child is the ultimate form of child abuse, for the child will receive less of the loving maternal relationship she or he deserves. Moreover, given birth at the early age may cause a great danger on the young mother as well as the baby, etc. By these reasons, we should consider the right of women to decide whether she should keep the baby or not.…
- 1002 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
The controversial debate over abortion laws has been the focus of much political and societal attention over the past century. The term “pro-choice” outlines the belief that a women should have the right to control her own body, and in turn, the right to an induced abortion. The main concern of pro-life supporters is for the health of the unborn fetus in the woman’s womb, regarding it as an individual with rights to life, and that abortion is an extreme violation of these rights. However, this standpoint is extremely flawed. The majority of all abortions take place within the first trimester, while the fetus is attached to the mother through the placenta and umbilical cord, and is completely dependent on her health. At this stage in the pregnancy, a fetus cannot be regarded as an individual entity with rights and reasons. Reflecting the evolving perceptions and moral standards of society, the procedure involving the removal of a fertilized egg from a woman’s cervix has become a topic regarding much social stigma in Western societies. Despite the debate and controversy over this medical treatment, it is crucial that women in contemporary society have access to abortions and the right to choose, specifically because of the imminent dangers in illegal abortion clinics, instances such as rape or incest, and especially the basic human rights that the female population is entitled to. The implications of abortion laws cannot be regarded as insignificant in modern society, and the importance of their abolishment correlates directly with the emotional, physical, and psychological well being of would-be mothers.…
- 2689 Words
- 11 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Abortion is the termination of an unwanted pregnancy by loss of or destruction of an egg, embryo or fetus before birth. The term of abortion is used to define the termination of a pregnancy before the fetus attains capacity for life outside the uterus. In all societies, women have for many reasons, sought to terminate pregnancies. When a woman tries to self-induce an abortion it can cause serious physical risk to a woman. Today, abortions in the early weeks of a pregnancy, by a trained practitioner and under proper conditions, can be safe medical procedure. (Americana, 1)…
- 3265 Words
- 14 Pages
Good Essays -
Every year around forty two million women choose to get an abortion and nearly half of these procedures are unsafe, due to the countries having restrictive abortion laws. There are seventy thousand maternal deaths and five million maternal disabilities per year globally, because woman resort to harmful abortions. These abortions are performed by individuals…
- 490 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
In America alone, an average of six million women gets pregnant each year. Out of these six million, forty-seven percent will end in abortion. The average cost for one abortion can range from $150-$4000. Because the cost is at such a high rate, women often look for alternative ways to get rid of the fetus. “Every year, many women, especially poor and minority women would die or suffer debilitating physical trauma, all in the name of enforced morality or religious dictates or lack of compassion, as it may be.” (Pajman) Often times these alternatives turn into sticky situations. For example, a teenager who is trying to abort without her parent’s knowledge might seek help from somebody in the streets rather than reaching out for help through a clinic because of fear. The outcome of an improper abortion can lead to health problems, damage to the uterus, or even fatal instances.…
- 1021 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
Up to six million pregnancies occur every year. More than half of those pregnancies not planned. Of those women who have an unplanned pregnancy 50% were using a form of contraception when they conceived. About 74% of women surveyed who have had an abortion said that to have a baby at that time in their lives would dramatically change their live. Another 48% said they did not want to be a single mother, or there were problems in their relationships. Interfering with work was another 38% and the same percentage for education. 32% said they could not care for another child. A large 73% of women surveyed said they could not afford to have a baby (Stacey, 2010). A point of interest is a small 1% of women said the abortion was because of a forced sexual encounter (Westside Pregnancy Clinic, 2009). For whatever reason a woman chooses to have an abortion, women have her…
- 2838 Words
- 12 Pages
Good Essays -
There are many reasons why a woman would choose to have an abortion. Their mental and physical state after they would have to care for a child that they were unable to or did not want to care for is one reason. Another reason could be if the fetus was known to have severe abnormalities found through testing and ultrasounds while the mother was pregnant. Some women however cannot handle having a child at all, regardless of the health condition of the fetus or baby. The author chose two different scenarios to give an example of why a woman might have an abortion. The first scenario was that if the fetus was going to be disabled when born it would be a risk to the mother’s mental health. The second scenario was if the mother lost her partner while pregnant and felt that she was not capable of caring for a child by herself. The author of this journal is trying to prove that killing a newborn should be allowed in all cases where abortion is allowed, including cases where the newborn is not disabled.…
- 1932 Words
- 8 Pages
Good Essays -
“A shocking 49% pregnancies in the United States (inside and outside marriage) are unplanned according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York. What is more shocking is that approximately half of these 49% unplanned pregnancies result in abortion” (Joshi, Neha). Many women who encounter an unplanned pregnancy face the decision between termination and following through with the pregnancy. Unfortunately, many of these women do not realize the risks abortions may have on their bodies physically and psychologically.…
- 2647 Words
- 11 Pages
Good Essays -
That is 19 million women around the world who risk degradation, disease and death. 10,000 of those 19 million women suffer fatality due to unsafe practices of abortion. When talking about unsafe abortion it’s not always referring to illegal practices. Many variables could result into an unsafe abortion. For example, in the article “Unsafe Abortion: the silent scourge” we educated that though the practice is legal, the abortion process may be unsafe due to the lack of skill in clinicians, facilities that fall to meet medical standards, or both (D.Grimes,1999). Unsafe abortions are one ported and are classified of the 5 leading causes of maternal birth, The lack of dedication from the medical team can also lead to an unsafe abortion. If the staff is unsure of required treatment or aren’t emotional supportive it can put the women’s health at risk. Unsafe abortions often aren’t reported and are classified and concealed as miscarriages (D.Grimes,1999). “Approximately 10 % of women undergoing induced abortion suffer from immediate complication”(EL 1999). Though, majority cases can take up to years before the complications develop. Some of the maternal deaths that occur with the wear of abortion are caused by hemorrhage, infection, and undiagnosed ectopic pregnancies. Statistics show that the risk of death increases with each abortion. Lifelong consequences include; infertility, chronic pain, and genital…
- 944 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
"Abortion in Context: United States and Worldwide. (Issues in Brief)." Readings on Induced Abortion. Ed. Stanley K. Henshaw, et al. Vol. 2: A World Review 2000. New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2001. 57+. Academic OneFile. Web. 17 Apr. 2015…
- 556 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Although the United states faces its biggest decline of abortion rate in 2009 at 784,507 abortions as reported to CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), its number is still more than double of an information from Women 's Health and Reproductive Right and Foundation of Thailand, and an organization in Thailand where birth control is non-prescriptive, that presents a number of 300,000 abortions at a national average per yer. Abortion seems to be resulted from such a high unintended pregnancy rate that continues to be one of the national major problems in the United States as it brings down life quality of the populations; limitation of education, expanding of poverty and related health problems from stress, abortion and low-quality…
- 1201 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
"The personal is political" Should the state have the power to decide whether or not woman can have an abortion.…
- 399 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays