Photo from Unsplash | freestocks
The following post does not create a lawyer-client relationship between Alburo Alburo and Associates Law Offices (or any of its lawyers) and the reader. It is still best for you to engage the services of a lawyer or you may directly contact and consult Alburo Alburo and Associates Law Offices to address your specific legal concerns, if there is any.
Also, the matters contained in the following were written in accordance with the law, rules, and jurisprudence prevailing at the time of writing and posting, and do not include any future developments on the subject matter under discussion.
AT A GLANCE:
March 25 of every year is declared as the “Day of the Unborn”, by virtue of Proclamation No. 586, s. 2004 to promote a culture of life and defense of life from the moment of conception. (Proclamation No. 586, s. 2004)
Did you know that March 25 of every year is declared as the “Day of the Unborn”? On this day, Filipinos celebrate the culture of human life from the moment of conception, and reflect on its protection.
Proclamation No. 586, series of 2004 recognizes that pregnancy is a physiological process that has certain risks and that not all pregnancies lead to the birth of a live and healthy child.
To prevent and effectively manage complications of pregnancy and childbirth, the Proclamation deems it necessary that quality and timely interventions before, during and after pregnancy be developed through comprehensive health services.
Thus, it is the objective of the Proclamation for the “Day of the Unborn” to promote a culture of life and defense of life from the moment of conception.
The Proclamation provides:
NOW THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare March 25 of every year as the “Day of the Unborn”.
Section 12, Article III of the 1987 Constitution affords protection to the unborn from the moment of conception.
The law says:
“The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. xxx” (Section 12, Article III, 1987 Constitution)
An unborn child already has a legal personality. As held in the case of Imbong v. Ochoa, Jr., et al. (G.R. No. 204819, April 8, 2014):
“Life is not synonymous with civil personality. One need not acquire civil personality first before he/she could die. Even a child inside the womb already has life. No less than the Constitution recognizes the life of the unborn from conception, that the State must protect equally with the life of the mother. If the unborn already has life, then the cessation thereof even prior to the child being delivered, qualifies as death.”
Indeed, consistent with the constitutional policy of protection of the unborn from the moment of conception, every human being has a right to life.
Related Article/s:
Day of Sanctity and Protection of Human Life (Proclamation No. 490, s. 2003)
Human Rights Day (Proclamation No. 347, s. 1952)
Alburo Alburo and Associates Law Offices specializes in business law and labor law consulting. For inquiries regarding taxation and taxpayer’s remedies, you may reach us at info@alburolaw.com, or dial us at (02)7745-4391/0917-5772207.
All rights reserved.