PENALTIES BY RH BILL(REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BILL) - Manila - educational plan

Penalties

One of the strongest criticism against the bill, even from its supporters, centers on the penal provisions, which have been called "coercive," a violation of free choice and conscience, and "totalitarian" in its approach to dissenters.[68] There is "mandatory" sex education starting grade 5, and malicious "disinformation" is penalized.[7]

 All health care service providers, including faith-based hospital administrators, may be imprisoned or fined if they fail to provide reproductive health care services such as providing services like ligation and vasectomy.

The same may happen to employers who do not provide free services to employees.[7] Imprisonment ranges from (1) month to six (6) months or a fine ranging from Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) to Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00).[7]

Former Finance Secretary, Roberto de Ocampo, stated that these punitive provisions "are tantamount to an affront to civil liberties and smack of religious persecution."[33]

 Defending the bill, Dr. Felipe Medalla, former dean of the School of Economics of UP, said that "Although the poor’s access to family planning services can be improved even without the law, the absence of the law makes it easier to block the program."