Category Archives: Health Advisory

Joint Statement on the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Recommendations to Advance Adolescent Health

Leave a reply

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC), the committee tasked to monitor Philippine compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in its 2022 Concluding Observations during the 91st Session, considered the issues that we raised in our joint NGO submissions and other interventions and urged the Philippine Government to, among others, ensure adolescents’ access to modern contraception, confidential testing and HIV treatment without parental consent, ensure Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in schools, address sexual violence, and the review of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act. For the first time, the UN CRC urges the Philippine Government to legalise abortion and ensure access to abortion and post-abortion care services for adolescent girls. We commend the UN CRC for issuing strong and robust recommendations to advance adolescent health in the country and reiterating the Philippine Government’s human rights obligations to ensure the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of children particularly adolescents.

uphold asrhr.png

In August 2022, twelve (12) child rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights organisations submitted an NGO alternative report on the status of adolescents’ reproductive rights. In the alternative report, we requested the Committee to issue similar recommendations on adolescent health to the Philippine Government. Following the review, the UN CRC adopted the present concluding observations and recommendations to the Philippine Government on the area of Adolescent Health as follows:

  • Adopt a comprehensive sexual and reproductive health policy for adolescents and ensure sexual and reproductive health education at school, with special attention to preventing early pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS and on sexual orientation and gender identity.
  • Ensure that adolescents have access to modern contraception, and confidential testing and HIV treatment without parental consent and review the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act No. 10354 of 2012 accordingly.
  • Legalise abortion and ensure access to safe abortion and post-abortion care services for adolescent girls, making sure that their views are always heard and given due consideration as a part of the decision-making process, and develop and implement a policy to protect the rights of pregnant teenagers.

As a signatory to international human rights treaties including the UN CRC, the Philippine Government committed to ensure the fulfilment of sexual and reproductive health and rights of all especially of adolescents. 

The UN CRC Concluding Observation is a major win for adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health and rights in the country. Our solidarity and commitment to SRHR and children’s rights made all these possible. As SRHR, women’s rights and child rights advocates, we will continue to hold the government accountable to its commitments and monitor its implementation of the UN CRC recommendations and other human rights obligations.

Organisations:

  • Center for Reproductive Rights
  • EnGendeRights, Inc.
  • Family Planning Organization of the Philippines 
  • Filipino Freethinkers
  • ILAW Shared Community, Inc.
  • Philippine Safe Abortion Advocacy Network 
  • Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns
  • Society of Trans Women of the Philippines
  • The Graciella Collective
  • Transman Equality and Awareness Movement
  • WomanHealth Philippines
  • Women’s Clinic Pilipinas
  • Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights
  • Young Advocates for SRHR
  • Youth for YOUth Organization

Top 3 Tips for Healthy Weight Loss

Leave a reply

If you’ve been hoping to drop a few pounds lately, you may have considered weight loss programs Sarasota or wondered how to get started. Getting your weight to a healthy place for your body can have a whole host of benefits, from easier mobility to better circulation and blood pressure, so the effort can be well worth it in the long run. While weight loss might seem daunting or even challenging, it doesn’t have to be! Take a look at these three tips that can help you start out on your weight loss journey today.

1. Eat Balanced Meals

While it might seem counterintuitive to have eating as a weight loss tip, making sure your meals are healthy and balanced is actually essential to your long-term goals. Crash dieting can often backfire, resulting in yo-yo weight gain and loss. Instead, focus on building healthy lifestyle habits, like balancing protein, veggies and healthy fats at every meal. Don’t overeat, but make sure you’re eating three good meals a day. When you’re not constantly distracted by hunger, you’ll also have more energy to focus on exercise!

2. Start an Exercise Routine

If you aren’t already exercising, start getting into the habit of moving your body regularly. You don’t have to train for the Olympics, but even just working out a half hour a day can help boost your metabolism and build strength.

3. Drink Water, Coffee and Tea

You probably already know that drinking water is essential to staying hydrated and helping you feel full. However, it might come as a pleasant surprise that drinking coffee and tea can help you lose weight, too! This is because caffeine can help boost your metabolism.

While losing weight can come with a whole host of benefits that make the effort more than worth it, getting started can seem difficult or sometimes even impossible. Luckily, there are a few simple ways to easily kick-start your journey. Try these tips today and you’ll be well on your way to your healthiest self yet!

What You Need to Know About Face Mask

5 Replies

Curious about the right fit and quality of the face mask you need to protect yourself against Covid19? Check on the image to see how each face mask serves a purpose.

The image is taken from Facebook. Right-click on the image to view a larger version

Our family uses a surgical mask when going out for an errand and going to the office (for hubby). We were able to stash a few surgical masks since January when Taal Volcano spewed ashes (caused by the phreatomagmatic eruption) across Calabarzon, Metro Manila, some parts of Central Luzon, and the Ilocos Region.

We also have two N95 masks at home, but they are too uncomfortable to use. It makes breathing difficult, according to hubby.

More people are using washable cloth mask because it’s accessible and cheaper than a surgical mask that you can use only once.

Whatever mask we are wearing, what is important, is we (must) exercise social distancing, wash hands frequently. And if you have no business to go out, stay at home to protect yourself and others from catching and spreading COVID19.

Simple things to practice to avoid acquiring Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

3 Replies

Sharing a transcribed interview of Dr. Enrique Tayag, Infectious Disease Specialist, by actor Robin Padilla during the latter’s visit to the Department of Health.

Grabbed photo of Dr. Eric Tayag from the interview. Credit: Mr. Padilla

Dr. Tayag said that since coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is transmitted through droplet, cough, sneeze, he suggested a simple yet effective steps to avoid acquiring the virus from unsuspecting sources using the acronym WUHAN.

Wuhan, the sprawling capital of Central China’s Hubei province, is the ground zero for coronavirus, affecting thousands to date.

W – Wash your hands from palm to palm, digits, end of nails, thumbs, for a good 20 seconds.

U – Use you mask correctly and only when necessary (mag mask ka lang kung may ubo at sipon ka). The blue color facing outward. The white side which is absorbent should be worn inward.

H – Have your temperature check everyday. (mag-absent sa school at opisina kung may lagnat)

A – Avoid large crowd. (social distancing – iwasan makihalubilo)

N – Never touch your face without washing your hands first.

“Kapag sinunod nyo ‘yon (WUHAN), malaki ang posibilidad na hindi kayo mahawahan ng NCov (now named COVID-19),” the epidemiologist said. 

Meantime, the 2019 novel coronavirus disease has been named as coronavirus disease (COVID-19). WHO Director-General Dr Tedros shared: “Under agreed guidelines between WHO, the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, we had to find a name that did not refer to a geographical location, an animal, an individual or group of people, and which is also pronounceable and related to the disease.Having a name matters to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatizing. It also gives us a standard format to use for any future coronavirus outbreaks.”