Philippines

Abstract

Bioethics has developed in the Philippines against a backdrop of strong Catholic influence, poverty, massive migration of health professionals, and bioethical activism. Reproductive health issues, some of which are among the most prominent in Philippine bioethics discourse, have been debated in a context characterized by tensions between Catholic values and its detractors. Public debate on other bioethics issues has been less controversial, except for that pertaining to organ selling, which has evolved in response to several contentious developments that have captured public imagination. The Philippines has hardly relied on formal legislation to settle disagreements on bioethics issues. This could be a manifestation of the paternalistic character of the biomedical establishment that respects the ascendancy of the physician. The ethics committees that exist at the national level can serve as a counterfoil to the paternalistic biomedical infrastructure. Effective and efficient bioethics education can also serve the purpose. In addition, it is important to maintain a balance among all agents of bioethical activism in order to enhance the democratic character of bioethics discourse.