Question & AnswerQ&A (DOH Administrative Order No. 2015-0027)
The main objective is to provide standards and management protocols for the registration of conscientious objectors and exempt health facilities pursuant to the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, ensuring the full range of reproductive health services is not impeded.
A conscientious objector is a practicing skilled health professional who refuses to provide legal and medically safe reproductive health care within his or her professional competence on grounds of ethical or religious convictions.
No, only duly licensed, trained, and practicing skilled health professionals can register as conscientious objectors. Juridical persons cannot be categorized as such.
Exempt health facilities are private non-maternity specialty hospitals or health facilities owned and operated by a religious group that are exempt from providing the full range of modern family planning methods.
They must register in every Provincial or City Health Office where they practice by submitting an affidavit stating the modern family planning methods they refuse to provide and their reasons for objection, and also post a notice at their clinic entrance enumerating the services refused.
No, conscientious objectors are not exempted from providing care in emergency or serious cases. They must refer such cases to a health care facility able to provide the needed reproductive health service.
They are responsible for the registration and mapping of conscientious objectors and exempt health facilities, maintaining a local database, and submitting annual reports to the DOH Regional Offices and DOH-DPCB.
No, public officers who refuse to support RH programs cannot be punished. They are required to designate another officer to implement the programs and fulfill the duties of the local government unit.
Conscientious objectors are exempt from the requirement to render 48 hours of pro bono reproductive health services as a qualification for PhilHealth accreditation.
They must register with the Provincial or City Health Office, submit proof of ownership and management by a religious group or non-maternity specialty status, file an affidavit stating the family planning methods they refuse to provide, post a notice of such refusals, and refer emergency or serious cases appropriately.
It applies to the entire health sector, including the Department of Health and its attached agencies, civil society organizations, local government units, all health care facilities, and health service providers whether public or private.
By allowing conscientious objectors to be part of the Service Delivery Network only if the SDN as a whole provides the full range of reproductive health services, and by requiring referrals of emergency/serious cases to competent facilities.