Lawmakers push for the passage of House Bill 5684 which seeks to build more birthing facilities for quality health services in every barangay to reduce the number of maternal deaths.
These localized birthing facilities will provide the best care for newborn babies and for the mother who gave birth.
“It is only imperative that the government give priority to pregnant mothers and their newborn, especially the underprivileged women, to help reduce their risk and somewhat ease the difficulty of their childbirth,” said Deputy Speaker and Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar.
Recently, the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded maternal death around 1,600.
The lawmaker emphasizes the duty of public officials to protect the lives of their constituents by addressing this problem.
“We have an important duty to protect the lives of mothers and the unborn and we seek to provide comprehensive childbirth services to them to address maternal or neonatal problems,” Villar added.
Under the proposed bill, the local government unit is directed to upgrade the birthing facilities and services, such as 24-hour availability in assisting pregnant women.
Further, with these upgrades, the House bill mandates the LGUs to create programs that will increase incentives for healthcare workers in the said area.
It will also maximize the practices of midwives and other health workers.
