Dr. Shoba Suri

December 17, 2015
Dr. Arun Gupta
IBFAN ASIA Coordinator
RCO - Regional Coordinating Office
New Delhi
Attention: Dr. Shoba Suri
WBTi-WBCi Program
IBFAN Asia
Dear Dr. Arun and Shoba,
"Launching WBCi in the Philippines at the House of Representatives/Congress and Media"
We have undertaken series of flash events and big challenge in the midst of the yuletide
fever looming the month of December 2014 here in the Philippines with dominant
population of Roman Catholics and Christians by birth that celebrates Christmas in the
month of December. Offices close this Friday Dec. 19 and resume January 2015.
Unexpected typhoon crashed the first
week of December that moved our
original planned workshop to another
date.
We (Arugaan, Breastfeeding Pinays and
Gentle Birth Philippines ) are fortunate
to move heaven and earth thru our
friends and family connections that we
were able to set the meetings with three
(3) big offices at the
Legislative/Parliament. It is called House
of Representatives or Congress of the
Philippines.
With Representative Walden Bello
Professor, economist, author books Emerging Tigers in Asia
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Normally calendar meetings for
the Congressmen and
Congresswomen were already
closed for appointments. Our
perseverance and tenacity paid
off. We plead for an interactive
dialogues with the Chief of
Staff together with the
legislators representing the
women sector, health sector
and economic sector.
With Representative Leah Primitiva G. Samaco-Paquiz
PhD, nurse, environmentalist, president Philippine Nurses
Association
Earlier, the Philippines largest capital city which is Quezon City invited Arugaan,
Breastfeeding Pinays and Gentle Birth group for a public hearing on the proposed
Amendment on the Ban Homebirthing Ordinance. It was decided to organize a big Forum on
the Ordinance and its Amendment because the invited group decry unconstitutional.
Women should be given the options for the kind of birthing and friendly supportive birthing
environment.
With Quezon City Councilor Jessica Castelo-Daza
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During the public hearing at the Quezon City Hall, Maternity Protection was cited and
includes the reproductive life cycle of the woman: pregnancy, birthing, breastfeeding and
child care support such as creché at workplaces or community based.
As a result, the Quezon City Council will host the Birthing Options Forum on February 2015.
Ban Homebirth is anathema to women's power. It will be a media hot issue with
forthcoming women's rights month celebration come March.
Thus, it was agreed that the three (3) mothers support group will help the City Health
Department with the program and resource person as well as data. Filipino women who
successfully had managed their birthing options such as lotus birthing, VBAC- vaginal birth
after caesarian, waterbirthing, sea birthing, natural birthing at home, yoga, belly dancing,
hypnobirthing will be presenting their women's stories. The POGs -Philippine Obstetrical
and Gynecological Society will be presenting their fear stories,too. Both medical and
women's group will be there for the hot issue Public Forum.
On the side of the legislative sector, the women's group chief of staff proposed a
Roundtable Dialogue amongst legislators with the legislative media covering the Maternity
Protection event. This will be an aid for legislation.
With staff of Representative
Luzviminda Ilagan
Feminist, educator, women leader
The WBTi and WBCi will be the tools to enliven analysis and costing in reference to updated
data and resources of action and public participation.
Fourth week of January will be the preparatory open dialogue to compile perspectives vis-avis data presentation and costing of activities workshop in aid of legislation.
The series of continuous discussions with the legislators from the city local government to
the national legislative arena in 2 weeks succession became the springboard for a
gargantuan Forum on Maternity Protection Campaign.
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The preparatory meeting with media spurred the tv interview with 2 episodes discussion on
the broadcast public dissemination via a national television show: Dec. 15 and 29.
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All the above drum beat the forthcoming Maternity Protection Campaign covering
pregnancy, birthing, breastfeeding and child care support for working women.
Our agenda was filing a bill into law: 6months paid maternity leave for the formal sector to
be filed by Akbayan partylist Representative and Creché/Day Care for Babies at Workplace
to ensure breastfeeding practices for working women.
The women's group Gabriela will file a Bill for Safe Homebirthing for Women and EINC
ensuring breastfeeding initiative. (EINC -Early intrapartum Newborn Care)
The Ang Nars partylist representing the Nurses Association of the Philippines will be the coauthor of the cited bills.
The general campaign is titled Maternity Protection Campaign.
As part of the preparatory dialogues before 4th week of January, the community based
mother support group has lined up workshops for December-January to present WBCi based
on WBTi. The moms will be presenting women's wages, worries and work conditions that
makes the women's world of motherhood.
There will be FGD (focus group discussion) clusters according to work sector: formal factory
based workers and office based. The other cluster will be the informal sector basing their
family income basket. Its outcome will be the data profile of the ordinary woman wage
worker expenses and health implications showcasing comparative options: homebirth vs
hospital birthing, formula milk feeding vs breastfeeding, erratic chid care at home vs child
care creche support, work absences and work productivity.
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0-6 Months Type of Feeding
Practices
BF + FOOD,
97, 10%
BFW, 67, 7%
MF, 232, 24%
EBF, 496, 52%
FF, 63, 7%
Its data outcome will be one of the reference materials in aid of legislation.
The launching activities on Maternity Protection Campaign -WBCi that transpired triggered
greater public participation for a big legislative action into law making.
More mothers work outside home, mothering the lawmakers in the name of Maternity
Protection.
The lawmakers were awed at the WBTi and WBCi tools. The economics bespeaks and that is
always tied up with the lawmakers search for resources on how laws can be implemented.
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We are grateful and also stunned how we were able to engage the full interest of the House
of Representatives. Visual tools attracts their attention as we relate the whys and its
importance to the society and country.
Thankful,
Innes, Velvet and WBCi team from Philippines
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