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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.

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 Representative Leah Primitiva G. Samaco-Paquiz PhD, nurse, environmentalist, president Philippine Nurses

Association

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-a-vis 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 co-author 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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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.

BF + FOOD, 97, 10%

BFW, 67, 7%

EBF, 496, 52% FF, 63, 7%

MF, 232, 24%

0-6 Months Type of Feeding Practices

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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