resistance to artificial RH commodities have also been found in Sorsogon City and in some areas of Leyte and Samar. The fact finding and public hearing also documented the breakdown in the service delivery network and coordination among government hospitals, rural health units and lying in clinics which often resulted to maternal deaths. For many women living in geographically inaccessible areas and whose pregnancies are complicated, referral to major government hospitals are required. However, several accounts have been documented of lying ins and RHUs needing to refer patients to government hospitals but were faced with challenges on transportation, coordination, and the absence of needed facilities to respond to the emergency. Complaints have been gathered as well on the attitude of some government health service providers and the lack of professionalism resulting to the low morale of referring midwives and nurses and the patients’ lack of trust and confidence in the ability of government hospitals to respond to their needs. In addition to the issues/attitudes of health workers and health service providers, common unprofessional and unethical practices surfaced including requiring donations for RH goods and services that are supposed to be free; mistreating women seeking Post Abortion Care, refusing services to a woman seeking surgery due to her transgender identity, her disability, or HIV Status, delaying or refusing medical services to women for various reasons including concerns over records to their lack of capacity to pay. All these served as barriers to women’s effective access to RH services and information.  On the Availability, Accessibility, Adequacy and Affordability of RH Services for Vulnerable/Marginalized Women The fact finding and public hearing purposively conducted targeted data gathering on the availability, accessibility, adequacy and affordability of RH services and information for vulnerable and marginalized women. The barriers and denial of RH services and information provided above were likewise experienced by women in the vulnerable and marginalized sector, but these are further exacerbated by their different vulnerabilities and different experiences of discrimination. Discriminatory Policies render marginalized women more vulnerable In the five cluster areas, the Commission found that women from the marginalized sector are most vulnerable to the effects of discriminatory policies that hinder full access to RH Services. In Sorsogon City, the Mayor’s “Pro-Life” EO and the resulting pull out of artificial contraceptives affected women living in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, those who are in the informal sector, and those who are dependent on their husbands and without means to purchase their own contraceptives. EO 003 further discriminates against these vulnerable/marginalized women as it requires them to pay for contraceptives they could have received for free were it not for the adoption 7

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