Senator JV Ejercito has introduced Senate Bill 2475, which aims to ensure free access to menstrual products for female students and women. Ejercito emphasized that the rights of women to accessible and affordable menstrual care products have been overlooked for too long.
Under the proposed bill, the Department of Education will be required to furnish free menstrual products to female students. Simultaneously, the Department of Health will be tasked with making these products available at every Barangay Health Center for distribution to those unable to purchase them.
Ejercito, the vice chairman of the Senate health and demography committee, stressed the need to normalize discussions around menstrual health and hygiene. He stated, “It is time we prioritize the health of our girls and women by providing free-of-charge menstrual products to public school students and making them available in public health centers.”
The senator highlighted the adverse effects of the lack of discourse on menstrual health, leading to discrimination and stigma. He pointed out that this situation not only causes embarrassment but also prevents some young Filipinos from attending school due to affordability issues.
Referring to global concerns, Ejercito noted that cultural practices and taboos surrounding menstruation contribute to negative impacts on the lives of girls and women, reinforcing gender inequality and exclusion. He cited the World Health Organization’s call to recognize menstrual health as a health and human rights issue.
Ejercito explained that equitable access to safe and free menstrual products reduces the risk of infection, positively impacting sexual and reproductive health.
This, in turn, contributes to lowering rates of teenage pregnancy and preventing urinary and reproductive tract infections. The senator also referred to UNICEF’s statement that, despite 800 million people menstruating on any given day globally, girls and women in underprivileged communities still experience period poverty.
