The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) commends Senate Bill (SB) No. 2658, also known as the Free Menstrual Products Act, as it empowers the health and social development of women, particularly those in the indigent sectors.
SB 2658, filed by Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara, requires the Department of Health (DOH), together with the Department of Education (DepEd), to provide free menstrual products to students of all public schools nationwide, particularly at the primary and secondary levels. It also seeks to promote health and hygiene in disadvantaged communities, requiring the DOH, Local Government Units (LGUs), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), to distribute menstrual products to those who lack access to it.
The Commission welcomes SB 2658 as it reinforces the implementation of Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution which protects citizen’s right to health, and Republic Act No. 9710, or the Magna Carta of Women, which promotes basic health care and services especially for the marginalized sectors.
As a signatory of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), it is about time that the Philippines adopt local policies to address their commitment signed under the Convention. The CEDAW ensures that there is equal access and opportunities for all women through appropriate measures and legislations which protect and promote their rights.
Menstruation is a natural monthly cycle that should not be excluded in the distribution of basic services and needs. This bill has the potential to better the living conditions of all Filipinos and positions the vulnerable in the government’s priorities. The Commission recognizes the urgency of menstrual health in the country as a human rights issue and calls for the collaboration of the Congress to expedite the passage of this legislation in advancing the right to health in the country.###
