Here goes a stand of my fellow classmate who is studying organizational communication. Her testimony is as follows:
“After a series of random interviews with students and after hearing their meaningful insights, finally, I am going to unveil my stand about the RH Bill. *drum roll* I am a Catholic. Maybe the Catholic Church would excommunicate me for this and I might go to hell in the afterlife, but I am PRO RH Bill. I’m not against morality but I’m against ignorance. I guess that the church is just making a controversy out of something that shouldn’t be controversial at all. I don’t see why the morality issue should be included here when at least everyone should be looking at the brighter side and see what RH bill has to offer to our unstable society.
With morality issues set aside, being a pro-RH bill doesn’t make me a murderer and it doesn’t necessarily mean that I am against life. As a matter of fact, I value life more than anything. Yes, everyone has the right to live but would the “person” enjoy his/her existence if the state is in a condition like this? Don’t worry, I can see the fallacy in my statement. But then there’s nothing wrong with looking at the near future. First, we are over populated. Artificial contraceptives, on the other hand, may not be the best solution to it but at least it could lessen the problem. Second, this act of using contraceptives should be not regarded as abortion. Abortion is a different thing. Using contraceptives in my point of view is much more effective than natural family planning. Third, teenagers are getting pregnant. Sex education is a must for it will inform them a lot of things. They will also be guided. People should be well-informed about this so that they will be knowledgeable and responsible for their every action. Fourth, the rights of the women are being distorted; they should be able to do what they want because it’s their choice because it is their body, our body. And Fifth, I am pro because I have the right to say yes, to what I think is right and no, to what will lead me and my fellow citizens at risk.
I value life and I value others life’ as well. Maybe some could afford to buy condoms, pills etc., but some cannot afford to have one. Some have access to proper education, some are ignorant. I think we all need to see what’s happening around and not only consider what’s best for ourselves. If the Church fears that Christians might be extinct because population will be controlled and nobody will be on their side and give donations, they may have to re-consider things and put aside morality issues.
In my point of view, this act would be for the betterment of our country. For a healthy living lifestyle.
But then again, no one knows what the effect of this RH bill would be, if implemented. Would it really resolve the problems that our country is facing now? Or would it be just another neglected bill?
Let’s hope for the best.”
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
GOVERNMENT SHOULD FOCUS ON THE BEST INTEREST OF ITS PEOPLE
To share more thoughts and opinions about the Reproductive Health Bill I have started gathering what my friends and their friends think about the Reproductive Health Bill. The first friend I have asked about this matter is the Bath valedictorian of his school Reedley International School (RIS). His name is Regis Andanar.
“The Philippines does not have a population problem/Overpopulation is not a problem. A well educated and skilled population is an asset to any country. Sadly a lot of poor couples have no means to educate their kids. An uneducated people is a liability and will stress social and police services. The RH bill tries to solve this by helping poor couples manage their family sizes so that they can provide the education and time for their children.
RH bill is against the law of God. Not all agree on this. If this was a universal belief then the bill would be rejected immediately. I believe that none of the provisions of the bill is immoral by itself. Many Filipinos agree and many Filipinos do not. But anti RH people should allow this bill to be passed but continue to live your own lives as to what your beliefs allow and let others live their life as to what their beliefs allow.” (Regis, 2010)
Many would say that their strongest argument for persuading more and more people to side with them on the pro side of the reproductive health bill is that, education must be put into priority. Just like what Regis said, it could be a great advantage of our country to have more and more educated people. However, since the reason is not a lot of people in our country are not well educated they are not able to get jobs that will satisfy or be enough for them to be able to send their kids to schools that have quality education.
Our public education is a good step, however the government has yet to take plenty of steps to improve it so that we may once and for all solve the problem of the overpopulation in our country. Moreover, we will be al better as people and as citizens of this country. This kind of drastic change cannot just be carried on the shoulders of people who are willing to but a sense of synergy as a country is a must.
If all will work together in making sure that education will be put as one of the top priorities of our government then that would be a very great accomplishment of our country. Doing this will demand that people would make sure government officials get rid of their hidden agendas-CORRUPTION! We will never develop as a country if corruption will be tolerated by almost everyone in our country especially those who are in the position of doing something about it. This is very unfortunate too because if our country remains like this then there will be only little opportunities for the Philippines to get better. INSTEAD OF HAVING OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL FOCUS ON THEIR HIDDEN AGENDAS AND MOTIVES, THEY SHOULD FOCUSE SOLELY ON THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE!”
“The Philippines does not have a population problem/Overpopulation is not a problem. A well educated and skilled population is an asset to any country. Sadly a lot of poor couples have no means to educate their kids. An uneducated people is a liability and will stress social and police services. The RH bill tries to solve this by helping poor couples manage their family sizes so that they can provide the education and time for their children.
RH bill is against the law of God. Not all agree on this. If this was a universal belief then the bill would be rejected immediately. I believe that none of the provisions of the bill is immoral by itself. Many Filipinos agree and many Filipinos do not. But anti RH people should allow this bill to be passed but continue to live your own lives as to what your beliefs allow and let others live their life as to what their beliefs allow.” (Regis, 2010)
Many would say that their strongest argument for persuading more and more people to side with them on the pro side of the reproductive health bill is that, education must be put into priority. Just like what Regis said, it could be a great advantage of our country to have more and more educated people. However, since the reason is not a lot of people in our country are not well educated they are not able to get jobs that will satisfy or be enough for them to be able to send their kids to schools that have quality education.
Our public education is a good step, however the government has yet to take plenty of steps to improve it so that we may once and for all solve the problem of the overpopulation in our country. Moreover, we will be al better as people and as citizens of this country. This kind of drastic change cannot just be carried on the shoulders of people who are willing to but a sense of synergy as a country is a must.
If all will work together in making sure that education will be put as one of the top priorities of our government then that would be a very great accomplishment of our country. Doing this will demand that people would make sure government officials get rid of their hidden agendas-CORRUPTION! We will never develop as a country if corruption will be tolerated by almost everyone in our country especially those who are in the position of doing something about it. This is very unfortunate too because if our country remains like this then there will be only little opportunities for the Philippines to get better. INSTEAD OF HAVING OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL FOCUS ON THEIR HIDDEN AGENDAS AND MOTIVES, THEY SHOULD FOCUSE SOLELY ON THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE!”
WHY THE DELAY?!
Many people argue that the reason for the delay of the implementation of the reproductive health bill is due to its target audience-the poor people. The people who are not for the bill say that it only affects the marginalized ones. And this is true! A root cause of over population can also be recognized by the lack of education in our country. Aside from the lack of education, its poor system also contributes to the problem. All of the facilities in our public schools fail at the level of its conduciveness for learning.
Most public schools in our country accommodate about fifty students per teacher. For the lectures to be effective a ratio of 1 is to 25 or 20 is the most recommended. Truly, the Philippines fail to meet this effectiveness hence the need to improve the system.
Because the education system of the Philippines is very poor this results into citizens of the Philippines not knowing much anything about family planning. They are not aware of the cause and effects of continually having kids or not having kids in that matter. Which is very important, especially that this is done with much consideration of your background and financial standing.
I have attended a forum regarding the reproductive health bill in our school last year and they have presented very valid reasons of why the bill should be passed and why it should not be passed also. The people anti the reproductive bill argues that aside from the poor people being the target of this bill, it is very inappropriate for students in the elementary and high school be taught sex education. Doing so makes the elder allow them to be open to a world that should be entered by adults only.
The pro-side however will argue that there is no particular standard that we have to follow. Who says that kids cannot be taught and lectured about sex education? Yes, Moral will definitely enter the picture. However, everybody ought to understand that different people have different morals. Sex education will be taught so that kids would learn the reasons for people being engaged in sex. Aside from that, they will learn the various effects and responsibilities of doing so. It is not like teachers who will lecture the student’s sex education will encourage them to engage in sex. Definitely not, its main objective is to be able to make them aware of its pro’s and cons and encourage them to do this on the right time.
The bill has been going on for a very long time now and I firmly believe that the one of the reasons for the delay of a decision for this bill is just for the media to garner attention. They of course earn from this too, and it is a way for many politicians to get the people’s attention away from the more important matters and issues. Instead of focusing on the education system, this bill is brought up and so many more other issues. It is terrible that its been just a cycle argument.
Most public schools in our country accommodate about fifty students per teacher. For the lectures to be effective a ratio of 1 is to 25 or 20 is the most recommended. Truly, the Philippines fail to meet this effectiveness hence the need to improve the system.
Because the education system of the Philippines is very poor this results into citizens of the Philippines not knowing much anything about family planning. They are not aware of the cause and effects of continually having kids or not having kids in that matter. Which is very important, especially that this is done with much consideration of your background and financial standing.
I have attended a forum regarding the reproductive health bill in our school last year and they have presented very valid reasons of why the bill should be passed and why it should not be passed also. The people anti the reproductive bill argues that aside from the poor people being the target of this bill, it is very inappropriate for students in the elementary and high school be taught sex education. Doing so makes the elder allow them to be open to a world that should be entered by adults only.
The pro-side however will argue that there is no particular standard that we have to follow. Who says that kids cannot be taught and lectured about sex education? Yes, Moral will definitely enter the picture. However, everybody ought to understand that different people have different morals. Sex education will be taught so that kids would learn the reasons for people being engaged in sex. Aside from that, they will learn the various effects and responsibilities of doing so. It is not like teachers who will lecture the student’s sex education will encourage them to engage in sex. Definitely not, its main objective is to be able to make them aware of its pro’s and cons and encourage them to do this on the right time.
The bill has been going on for a very long time now and I firmly believe that the one of the reasons for the delay of a decision for this bill is just for the media to garner attention. They of course earn from this too, and it is a way for many politicians to get the people’s attention away from the more important matters and issues. Instead of focusing on the education system, this bill is brought up and so many more other issues. It is terrible that its been just a cycle argument.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Catholics support the RH BILL!!
Our President Noynoy Aquino have received yesterday (April 20,2011) the rising support of Catholics for the Reproductive Health Bill after the President have earned the ire of several Church leaders for his constant advocacy to approve the controversial issue in the Congress.
The spokesperson of the group of Catholics for the RH Bill (C4RH), Dr. Edelina de la Paz called the President “a good Catholic ad Christian.” However, the retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archibishp Oscar Cruz, said the President Noynoy Aquino is an “anti-Christian” for making it a challenge for the Church that he is alright to be excommunicated due to his strong stand on the issue of the Reproductive health bill.
“Bishop Oscar Cruz is out of line when he called our President anti-Christian. On the contrary, being pro-reproductive health and pro-quality of life makes him a good Catholic,” De la Paz said in a statement.
The group of Catholics for the Reproductive health Bill (C4RH) is a affiliated with the Filipino Catholics who have members coming from different areas of our country and are the ones pushing through with the cause and advocacy of the Reproductive health Bill.
Fr. Jerry Oblepias of Laguna also called the President “a bad Catholic.”
“I think that some Catholic leaders are abusing their religious authority by making irresponsible remarks that are embarrassing for me as a Catholic,” De la Paz said.
She has also said that despite all the lay believers of the Roman Catholic have the right to speak out what their minds think on matters like this, matters that affects all the people in our country and our beloved Church.
“Church law even states that at times it is even the duty of those who possess special knowledge or status to express opinions on matters that affect the church to our bishops and the rest of the faithful,” she said.
De la Paz is a medical doctor and faculty member of the UP College of Medicine. And says that, “It is our hope that the President’s next pronouncement is to certify the RH Bill as urgent,” she said.
The RH bill, which seeks to promote artificial family planning and sex education among others, is still being debated in plenary at the House of Representatives.
I have been posting blogs about catholics who are in favor of the Reproductive Health Bill because I would like to share and clear out if their particular stand is valid. This is a very interesting question for me too and a little hard to comprehend. I cannot help but wonder which stand should be stronger if one is a catholic but believes that the reproductive health bill should be implemented in our country. I can help but think if it is against God’s eyes if one will be supporting the RH Bill because it is clearly not stated in the bible that we cannot use contraceptives. But this idea has yet to be discussed in a different blog. I still find it very interesting though. Maybe I will try to interview some people about it and we will see what they think.
Source:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=678644&publicationSubCategoryId=
The spokesperson of the group of Catholics for the RH Bill (C4RH), Dr. Edelina de la Paz called the President “a good Catholic ad Christian.” However, the retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archibishp Oscar Cruz, said the President Noynoy Aquino is an “anti-Christian” for making it a challenge for the Church that he is alright to be excommunicated due to his strong stand on the issue of the Reproductive health bill.
“Bishop Oscar Cruz is out of line when he called our President anti-Christian. On the contrary, being pro-reproductive health and pro-quality of life makes him a good Catholic,” De la Paz said in a statement.
The group of Catholics for the Reproductive health Bill (C4RH) is a affiliated with the Filipino Catholics who have members coming from different areas of our country and are the ones pushing through with the cause and advocacy of the Reproductive health Bill.
Fr. Jerry Oblepias of Laguna also called the President “a bad Catholic.”
“I think that some Catholic leaders are abusing their religious authority by making irresponsible remarks that are embarrassing for me as a Catholic,” De la Paz said.
She has also said that despite all the lay believers of the Roman Catholic have the right to speak out what their minds think on matters like this, matters that affects all the people in our country and our beloved Church.
“Church law even states that at times it is even the duty of those who possess special knowledge or status to express opinions on matters that affect the church to our bishops and the rest of the faithful,” she said.
De la Paz is a medical doctor and faculty member of the UP College of Medicine. And says that, “It is our hope that the President’s next pronouncement is to certify the RH Bill as urgent,” she said.
The RH bill, which seeks to promote artificial family planning and sex education among others, is still being debated in plenary at the House of Representatives.
I have been posting blogs about catholics who are in favor of the Reproductive Health Bill because I would like to share and clear out if their particular stand is valid. This is a very interesting question for me too and a little hard to comprehend. I cannot help but wonder which stand should be stronger if one is a catholic but believes that the reproductive health bill should be implemented in our country. I can help but think if it is against God’s eyes if one will be supporting the RH Bill because it is clearly not stated in the bible that we cannot use contraceptives. But this idea has yet to be discussed in a different blog. I still find it very interesting though. Maybe I will try to interview some people about it and we will see what they think.
Source:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=678644&publicationSubCategoryId=
Catholics who support the RH bill are fake ones!
According to an article in Inquirer last May 2011, A bishop have announced that Catholics who are in favor of the reproductive health bill (RH) bill could not ever be considered as genuine Catholics.
He is Bishop Jose Oliveros of Malolos who made this statedment and have considered it as a warning against Catholics who join the group of Catholics who are for the reproductive health bill or C4RH. He had said that those who will be joining the group and support their advocacy are “Catholic in name only.”
“Maybe they should examine their conscience… Are they still Catholic if they vote for RH? I don’t think so. They will be Catholics in name only,” Oliveros said.
“What will happen is a cafeteria mentality: I like this. I don’t like that. A true Catholic would always embrace every teaching of the Church,” he said.
“The Church has always been consistent. Our popes have been very consistent in saying that using artificial contraception is not in agreement with our faith. We cannot do that. Why can’t they see that?” he said.
The bishop also said that he cannot perceived the idea of Catholics who could support this bill, who will fund the allocation or distribution of these contraceptives in our country and allow sex education in elementary and highschool establishments, when “it is very clear that it’s opposed to the fundamental teaching of the Church.”
“If this were for the rights of women, then that is OK. We are also for the rights of women. But there is also the right of the unborn which we must also protect—the right to be born and the right to be conceived,” he said.
Our Church are the ones who maintains that life ought to begin at conception, proclaims that these use of artificial contraceptives are abortifacient.
Full harmony
“I can’t think of why there are Catholics who are said to be in favor of the RH bill,” Oliveros added.
The Bishops statement came a day later during the catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) which warned those who are faithful about the Reproductive Health Bill. The CBCP president and Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar mentioned that the group has been all out in the public proclaiming to be a Catholic associationg that will “bring Catholics into full harmony with their faith and realize that there is no dissonance with their being Catholic and simultaneously believing in the advocacy and goals of reproductive health and rights.”
“We wish to make it clear that the Church does not recognize this group to be an authentic Catholic association or group since it espouses and supports a stand contrary to the magisterial teachings of the Church,” Odchimar said.
Constant teaching
“The uncompromising stand of the Church to uphold the dignity of the person and to protect and respect life from conception to natural death has always been the constant teaching of the Church,” he said.
Odchimar said the public espousal of measures “that directly undermine these nonnegotiable principles of the Catholic faith” is “a sharp wedge that cuts the unity of the Church.”
“Let it be clarified that the Church does not recognize the Catholics for Reproductive Health as a genuine Catholic association or organization in accordance with Canon Law. Any Catholic who freely identifies himself or herself with this group gravely errs,” Odchimar said.
Source:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/7923/rh-bill-backers-catholics-in-name-only-says-bishop
He is Bishop Jose Oliveros of Malolos who made this statedment and have considered it as a warning against Catholics who join the group of Catholics who are for the reproductive health bill or C4RH. He had said that those who will be joining the group and support their advocacy are “Catholic in name only.”
“Maybe they should examine their conscience… Are they still Catholic if they vote for RH? I don’t think so. They will be Catholics in name only,” Oliveros said.
“What will happen is a cafeteria mentality: I like this. I don’t like that. A true Catholic would always embrace every teaching of the Church,” he said.
“The Church has always been consistent. Our popes have been very consistent in saying that using artificial contraception is not in agreement with our faith. We cannot do that. Why can’t they see that?” he said.
The bishop also said that he cannot perceived the idea of Catholics who could support this bill, who will fund the allocation or distribution of these contraceptives in our country and allow sex education in elementary and highschool establishments, when “it is very clear that it’s opposed to the fundamental teaching of the Church.”
“If this were for the rights of women, then that is OK. We are also for the rights of women. But there is also the right of the unborn which we must also protect—the right to be born and the right to be conceived,” he said.
Our Church are the ones who maintains that life ought to begin at conception, proclaims that these use of artificial contraceptives are abortifacient.
Full harmony
“I can’t think of why there are Catholics who are said to be in favor of the RH bill,” Oliveros added.
The Bishops statement came a day later during the catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) which warned those who are faithful about the Reproductive Health Bill. The CBCP president and Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar mentioned that the group has been all out in the public proclaiming to be a Catholic associationg that will “bring Catholics into full harmony with their faith and realize that there is no dissonance with their being Catholic and simultaneously believing in the advocacy and goals of reproductive health and rights.”
“We wish to make it clear that the Church does not recognize this group to be an authentic Catholic association or group since it espouses and supports a stand contrary to the magisterial teachings of the Church,” Odchimar said.
Constant teaching
“The uncompromising stand of the Church to uphold the dignity of the person and to protect and respect life from conception to natural death has always been the constant teaching of the Church,” he said.
Odchimar said the public espousal of measures “that directly undermine these nonnegotiable principles of the Catholic faith” is “a sharp wedge that cuts the unity of the Church.”
“Let it be clarified that the Church does not recognize the Catholics for Reproductive Health as a genuine Catholic association or organization in accordance with Canon Law. Any Catholic who freely identifies himself or herself with this group gravely errs,” Odchimar said.
Source:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/7923/rh-bill-backers-catholics-in-name-only-says-bishop
Friday, June 24, 2011
No celebrity endorsement for anti-RH bill campaign, says Church
There are has been so many articles and events where in celerbites like Lea Salonga, Jim Paredes, Mocha Uson, Ding Dong Dantes and so many more were able to share and announce their advocacy regarding the Reproductive Health Bill. And a lot of their advocacies now are actually being heard and known for. It is in fact true that celebrities have a great impact on many people which why they the church says no to celebrity endorsement for anti-rh bill in an article in the Philippine Star.
Manila’s Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales have said that despite the argument or debate regarding the controversial issue of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, they would not be in search for celebrities who would endorse their cause.
Manny Pacquiao is one of the most influential people in the world who is anti the bill. He is with the stand of the church of promoting life. However, Cardinal Rosales uttered that he is not forced to ask the world class boxer to promote their side for them. “The lord does not need an endorsement, just join Him. You do not need to endorse,” said Archbishop Cardinal Rosales.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) was able to complete their nine-day vigil for life practice. The novena was purposely there to enrich the minds of the people in our country. “What is moral is based on the holiness of God. Morality is based on one’s goodness. Morality is not the people because people change,” said Archbishop Cardinal Rosales
He has also said the regardless if the Congress resumed the session they had and have restored the debates over the heated bill, it will certainly not be an easy fight for the people who are for the bill. We are still far from seeing the end of the RH bill. We still have far to go. This is not yet the end.” Said Archbishop Cardinal Rosales.
Reading this article made me realize that it is quite difficult to fully understood all the reasons of the church. Why they won’t just simply agree to it. I am not saying that I am for the RH bill yet, however throught my research about the RH bill and the stands of the government and the church it is a little hard to understand the side of the church. It is also starting to sound hypocritical for me because it seems like what ever the church feels like doing they would always have the reason to support what they believe in. I feel like some context of the bible verses they present are misused and misconstrued that is why this bill has been going on for a very long time. Further, with all the research I have done so far I do not think that the RH Bill is anti-life. They do no say that which why the church saying “WE ARE PRO TO LIFE” is quite bothersome for me because it seems like the church do not understand what the RH Bill is all about. They just simply assumed that it is anti life which is absolutely not.
source:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=63&articleId=684431
Manila’s Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales have said that despite the argument or debate regarding the controversial issue of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, they would not be in search for celebrities who would endorse their cause.
Manny Pacquiao is one of the most influential people in the world who is anti the bill. He is with the stand of the church of promoting life. However, Cardinal Rosales uttered that he is not forced to ask the world class boxer to promote their side for them. “The lord does not need an endorsement, just join Him. You do not need to endorse,” said Archbishop Cardinal Rosales.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) was able to complete their nine-day vigil for life practice. The novena was purposely there to enrich the minds of the people in our country. “What is moral is based on the holiness of God. Morality is based on one’s goodness. Morality is not the people because people change,” said Archbishop Cardinal Rosales
He has also said the regardless if the Congress resumed the session they had and have restored the debates over the heated bill, it will certainly not be an easy fight for the people who are for the bill. We are still far from seeing the end of the RH bill. We still have far to go. This is not yet the end.” Said Archbishop Cardinal Rosales.
Reading this article made me realize that it is quite difficult to fully understood all the reasons of the church. Why they won’t just simply agree to it. I am not saying that I am for the RH bill yet, however throught my research about the RH bill and the stands of the government and the church it is a little hard to understand the side of the church. It is also starting to sound hypocritical for me because it seems like what ever the church feels like doing they would always have the reason to support what they believe in. I feel like some context of the bible verses they present are misused and misconstrued that is why this bill has been going on for a very long time. Further, with all the research I have done so far I do not think that the RH Bill is anti-life. They do no say that which why the church saying “WE ARE PRO TO LIFE” is quite bothersome for me because it seems like the church do not understand what the RH Bill is all about. They just simply assumed that it is anti life which is absolutely not.
source:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=63&articleId=684431
Friday, June 17, 2011
CHURCH and the GOVERNMENT FOR THE NTH TIME.
There are many injustices in the world. Jesus Christ – the prophet of liberation who announced the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth – knew that the biggest injustices required the boldest responses. I doubt Romans would have crucified him if his primary concerns involved censorship or the policing of the bedroom.
Unfortunately, Christ’s Church in the Philippines (by this, I do not mean the Iglesia ni Kristo which has shown remarkable dynamism in its endorsement of the RH bill) is more concerned with sex and women’s bodies than it is with anything else – a curious fact given their lack of experience in such matters. In this country, farmers are denied land, activists get murdered, politicians steal millions, children starve, families live on mountains of trash, etc. You get the picture—assuming you’re not a bishop of the dense order. Amidst this, the CBCP devotes its energies to preventing couples from choosing artificial contraception. The last time I was that obsessed with sex was when I first hit puberty. Seriously CBCP, it’s time to grow up too.
In the late 1950s, as with now, the Philippines was undergoing a period of reconstruction: the Huk rebellion had been crushed without the resolution of the tensions that caused it, and Magsaysay had to contend with the aftermath of Quirino’s corruption (a bit like Noynoy to GMA). Like today, the Church was more concerned with its pride than the betterment of society. In a blatant attempt to obscure the colonial sins of the friar orders, they mustered the power of the pulpit to prevent Filipino students from reading the two most important novels in Philippine history: Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
Republic Act 1425 (Rizal Law), which mandated the teaching of Rizal’s works and life, was the Reproductive Health Bill of the 1950s. In a 2007 Inquirer column, celebrated Rizal scholar Ambeth Ocampo narrates the extent to which the Church was willing to oppose popular sentiment:
“Going through the novels with a fine-tooth comb, specific passages were deemed offensive to the Catholic faith. Church spokesmen argued that Catholics could read selected passages from Rizal’s work, but to compel Catholics to read Rizal’s novels in its “unexpurgated” or uncensored version was to force heresy on them and violate their freedom of conscience. Catholic schools put up a good fight and even threatened to close down if the Rizal bill was passed. Claro M. Recto calmly told them to go ahead so the state could then nationalize all the schools and teach what it wanted. The Church retreated but threatened to “punish” erring legislators in future elections. Recto was undaunted.”
Their rhetoric in the 50s mirrors their present threats to engage in acts of “civil disobedience” against the RH bill. Although, I must say, the scare tactics have become lamer over the years. I don’t really know what they mean when they talk about civil disobedience. But that’s the thing with the Church hierarchy; its rigidity prevents it from learning its lessons.
History is haunting the Catholic Church. In a Philippine Free Press article by Teodoro M. Locsin from May of 1956, he describes the public backlash against the Church’s opposition to the Rizal Law:
“It was all very surprising. A month ago, one could not have imagined a Filipino politician speaking in any but the most respectful terms of the prelates of the Church; he would have considered it political suicide to express himself critically of them. Now all caution seems to have been thrown to the wind.” The passage could have been about contemporary Philippines. We feminists, freethinkers, and defenders of liberty are now willing to throw caution to the wind. Our opponent has proven itself unreasonable, leaving no room for compromise and denying us our humanity by calling us names. Fine, we might have called them Damasos as a means to revive the spirit of the national hero whose legacy they sought to tarnish. But to call us murderers and terrorists crosses a line. It denies us our morality, and as I’ve said before, how can a democratic debate begin when we assume the worst of the other?
According to Locsin, the Church’s opposition to the Rizal Act made aging revolutionary Emilio Aguinaldo recall “how Rizal’s Noli was banned by the Spanish authorities who had kept Filipinos subject for more than 300 years under ‘the guise of Christianity.’” Today, the CBCP is subjecting women’s bodies to their domination under that same guise. This is a turning point, and it’s time the public teach these arrogant men a lesson.
So when you get the chance, pick up Noli and Fili (the hipper ones might prefer the Penguin Classics editions). If you find that Rizal is a good aphrodisiac and end up in the sack with your partner, use a condom. Condoms and anti-colonial novels are, after all, eerily similar: they piss off the powerful because they liberate.
Lisandro Claudio (“Leloy”) is a PhD Candidate at the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, the University of Melbourne. He is the national chairperson of Akbayan Youth.
Reference:
http://blogs.gmanews.tv/lisandro-claudio/index.php?/archives/14-Crisostomo,-wear-a-condom!-Rizal-and-the-RH-bill.html
Unfortunately, Christ’s Church in the Philippines (by this, I do not mean the Iglesia ni Kristo which has shown remarkable dynamism in its endorsement of the RH bill) is more concerned with sex and women’s bodies than it is with anything else – a curious fact given their lack of experience in such matters. In this country, farmers are denied land, activists get murdered, politicians steal millions, children starve, families live on mountains of trash, etc. You get the picture—assuming you’re not a bishop of the dense order. Amidst this, the CBCP devotes its energies to preventing couples from choosing artificial contraception. The last time I was that obsessed with sex was when I first hit puberty. Seriously CBCP, it’s time to grow up too.
In the late 1950s, as with now, the Philippines was undergoing a period of reconstruction: the Huk rebellion had been crushed without the resolution of the tensions that caused it, and Magsaysay had to contend with the aftermath of Quirino’s corruption (a bit like Noynoy to GMA). Like today, the Church was more concerned with its pride than the betterment of society. In a blatant attempt to obscure the colonial sins of the friar orders, they mustered the power of the pulpit to prevent Filipino students from reading the two most important novels in Philippine history: Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
Republic Act 1425 (Rizal Law), which mandated the teaching of Rizal’s works and life, was the Reproductive Health Bill of the 1950s. In a 2007 Inquirer column, celebrated Rizal scholar Ambeth Ocampo narrates the extent to which the Church was willing to oppose popular sentiment:
“Going through the novels with a fine-tooth comb, specific passages were deemed offensive to the Catholic faith. Church spokesmen argued that Catholics could read selected passages from Rizal’s work, but to compel Catholics to read Rizal’s novels in its “unexpurgated” or uncensored version was to force heresy on them and violate their freedom of conscience. Catholic schools put up a good fight and even threatened to close down if the Rizal bill was passed. Claro M. Recto calmly told them to go ahead so the state could then nationalize all the schools and teach what it wanted. The Church retreated but threatened to “punish” erring legislators in future elections. Recto was undaunted.”
Their rhetoric in the 50s mirrors their present threats to engage in acts of “civil disobedience” against the RH bill. Although, I must say, the scare tactics have become lamer over the years. I don’t really know what they mean when they talk about civil disobedience. But that’s the thing with the Church hierarchy; its rigidity prevents it from learning its lessons.
History is haunting the Catholic Church. In a Philippine Free Press article by Teodoro M. Locsin from May of 1956, he describes the public backlash against the Church’s opposition to the Rizal Law:
“It was all very surprising. A month ago, one could not have imagined a Filipino politician speaking in any but the most respectful terms of the prelates of the Church; he would have considered it political suicide to express himself critically of them. Now all caution seems to have been thrown to the wind.” The passage could have been about contemporary Philippines. We feminists, freethinkers, and defenders of liberty are now willing to throw caution to the wind. Our opponent has proven itself unreasonable, leaving no room for compromise and denying us our humanity by calling us names. Fine, we might have called them Damasos as a means to revive the spirit of the national hero whose legacy they sought to tarnish. But to call us murderers and terrorists crosses a line. It denies us our morality, and as I’ve said before, how can a democratic debate begin when we assume the worst of the other?
According to Locsin, the Church’s opposition to the Rizal Act made aging revolutionary Emilio Aguinaldo recall “how Rizal’s Noli was banned by the Spanish authorities who had kept Filipinos subject for more than 300 years under ‘the guise of Christianity.’” Today, the CBCP is subjecting women’s bodies to their domination under that same guise. This is a turning point, and it’s time the public teach these arrogant men a lesson.
So when you get the chance, pick up Noli and Fili (the hipper ones might prefer the Penguin Classics editions). If you find that Rizal is a good aphrodisiac and end up in the sack with your partner, use a condom. Condoms and anti-colonial novels are, after all, eerily similar: they piss off the powerful because they liberate.
Lisandro Claudio (“Leloy”) is a PhD Candidate at the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, the University of Melbourne. He is the national chairperson of Akbayan Youth.
Reference:
http://blogs.gmanews.tv/lisandro-claudio/index.php?/archives/14-Crisostomo,-wear-a-condom!-Rizal-and-the-RH-bill.html
BLOGGERS INTERVENTION
So far this is what I think of the RH Bill. I have attended to at least a couple of forums inside the campus regarding the debate of this bill and despite hearing good and strong arguments of both sides, I still am very neutral about it. I guess being a firm believer of God is one of the strongest reason why it is quite difficult for me to say that I am for the RH Bill. However, with enough readings of articles and watching videos about it, I feel like I am more on the for side of the RH Bill.
I believe that Filipinos now do not really know what they want and what is good for them. A lot of Filipinos are very fickle minded because most of what they believe in is what is said in the media. It is the strongest medium on how to affect the way people think about certain things. I acknowledge the fact that this is a very debatable statement I have mentioned but I will be try my best to support this claim of mine with the best rationalization and thorough thinking.
People who are against the bill state that it is anti-life, it is the practice of abortion. They say that this bill’s target is only towards the poor and the uneducated. And that is absolutely right. The RH- Bill is all about sharing in more helpful information about the effects of not using contraceptives. With or without the RH bill sex still exists and it is just the goal of the RH Bill to lessen the harmful effects of not using contraceptives. Anti-RH Bill supports do not like that idea that sex education will be thought to elementary and highschool students because it is inappropriate for them to be exposed to a topic for adults but this is where the problem comes in. EDUCATION is one of the main problems of overpopulation because they simply do not know.
It may seem like if the RH-Bill is implemented a lot of people will be controlled by this law, they will be given limitations and it might be against their free will but it absolutely does not just revolve around these valuable reasons. It is simply about making our country a better place to live in. Without this bill implemented we will just be stagnant in our way of living by the day. That is good if we make each day count, live each day as if it were last but it is also good that we look out for our future, for the coming generations and what we will leave them with.
I am pro the RH-Bill because I believe that our country needs a radical change. We are not well off with this kind of governance, being a democratic country. We do not even know what we want. And a good way to start raising up our country is by changing how we live and care for our lives. I say let the RH-bill be implemented and let’s see what great changes this could lead us to.
I believe that Filipinos now do not really know what they want and what is good for them. A lot of Filipinos are very fickle minded because most of what they believe in is what is said in the media. It is the strongest medium on how to affect the way people think about certain things. I acknowledge the fact that this is a very debatable statement I have mentioned but I will be try my best to support this claim of mine with the best rationalization and thorough thinking.
People who are against the bill state that it is anti-life, it is the practice of abortion. They say that this bill’s target is only towards the poor and the uneducated. And that is absolutely right. The RH- Bill is all about sharing in more helpful information about the effects of not using contraceptives. With or without the RH bill sex still exists and it is just the goal of the RH Bill to lessen the harmful effects of not using contraceptives. Anti-RH Bill supports do not like that idea that sex education will be thought to elementary and highschool students because it is inappropriate for them to be exposed to a topic for adults but this is where the problem comes in. EDUCATION is one of the main problems of overpopulation because they simply do not know.
It may seem like if the RH-Bill is implemented a lot of people will be controlled by this law, they will be given limitations and it might be against their free will but it absolutely does not just revolve around these valuable reasons. It is simply about making our country a better place to live in. Without this bill implemented we will just be stagnant in our way of living by the day. That is good if we make each day count, live each day as if it were last but it is also good that we look out for our future, for the coming generations and what we will leave them with.
I am pro the RH-Bill because I believe that our country needs a radical change. We are not well off with this kind of governance, being a democratic country. We do not even know what we want. And a good way to start raising up our country is by changing how we live and care for our lives. I say let the RH-bill be implemented and let’s see what great changes this could lead us to.
MOCHA USON FOR THE RH BILL REFUTES MANNY PACQUIAO
The next celebrity who is for the RH Bill is Mocha Uson who is a commercial model and a sultry singer/dancer is challenging the Catholic Church to exclude her from the church because of her strong support on the RH Bill.
Mocha, is a firm Catholic believer, she admits that however she stressed that the reason why she supports such bill is because she cares a great deal about sex education for the young people and health of women. She said this in an interview on ABS-CBN.
"Kung gusto nila, sige i-excommunicate nila ako kung gusto nila," Uson said.
" Hindi ako natatakot kasi wala naman akong ginagawang masama. Matagal ng isyu ito. Actually huling huli na tayo. Hindi ako natatakot kahit makipagharapan pa sa kanila. Naniniwala ako sa RH bill at sa sex education. RH bill is pro-better life," the singer added.
She also have mentioned that besides sexually transmitted diseases, (a.k.a STD), the number of teenage pregnancy in our country is in constant increase. She utters that, she has been receiving plenty of emails around her circle wondering and asking her regarding sex, which made her conclude that there are a number of youth who do not get proper education about sex.
"Mayroon akong sex blog so marami akong natatanggap na emails from teenagers asking about sex, safe sex. Doon ko na-realize na kailangan ng effective sex education sa mga school. Kasi nga walang gumagabay sa kanila. Sa bahay hindi pinag-uusapan. Sa school hindi din, so naghahanap sila ng information sa labas," the singer explained.
In showing her stand and support on for the heated issue of the RH bill, she and a group of her friends have joined the tricycle drives who are pro-RH bill supporters like the representative of Davao Mr. Marc Cagas last Tuesday morning. They gave away condoms and purple ballers that says “I love SEX education”. These ballers were given to the people all around Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City.
She was asked for her reaction towards the people who criticize her for supporting the said bill who thinks that she is merely doing this for the sake of publicity, for the sake of getting more famous. She replies “Gusto kong magkaroon ng contribution kasi naniniwala ako sa sex education. So I love sex. Sex exists with or without RH bill."
Mocha vs. Manny
Throughout this blog Mocha is not just the only one who supports and have taken steps to promote the implemented of the RH Bill.
Prior to Mocha Uson, is the world class singer, Lea Salonga who is continually expressing her full support on the RH Bill.
However, one anti-RB bill advocator, on the other side is boxing champion and Sranggani’s Representative Manny Pacquiao. She confesses that she truly admires and is a fan of Manny Pacquiao, but reiterated that when it is the country’s problem that we are talking about, the boxer should use his head.
"Kumbaga idol ko sa Pacman. Champion of the world. Sana maging champion din siya ng mahihirap. Kasi ang RH bill kailangan ng mahihirap 'yan. Sana maging champion of the poor siya at ipaglaban niya ang mahirap," Uson said.
Reference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz6dn_BpXX0
Mocha, is a firm Catholic believer, she admits that however she stressed that the reason why she supports such bill is because she cares a great deal about sex education for the young people and health of women. She said this in an interview on ABS-CBN.
"Kung gusto nila, sige i-excommunicate nila ako kung gusto nila," Uson said.
" Hindi ako natatakot kasi wala naman akong ginagawang masama. Matagal ng isyu ito. Actually huling huli na tayo. Hindi ako natatakot kahit makipagharapan pa sa kanila. Naniniwala ako sa RH bill at sa sex education. RH bill is pro-better life," the singer added.
She also have mentioned that besides sexually transmitted diseases, (a.k.a STD), the number of teenage pregnancy in our country is in constant increase. She utters that, she has been receiving plenty of emails around her circle wondering and asking her regarding sex, which made her conclude that there are a number of youth who do not get proper education about sex.
"Mayroon akong sex blog so marami akong natatanggap na emails from teenagers asking about sex, safe sex. Doon ko na-realize na kailangan ng effective sex education sa mga school. Kasi nga walang gumagabay sa kanila. Sa bahay hindi pinag-uusapan. Sa school hindi din, so naghahanap sila ng information sa labas," the singer explained.
In showing her stand and support on for the heated issue of the RH bill, she and a group of her friends have joined the tricycle drives who are pro-RH bill supporters like the representative of Davao Mr. Marc Cagas last Tuesday morning. They gave away condoms and purple ballers that says “I love SEX education”. These ballers were given to the people all around Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City.
She was asked for her reaction towards the people who criticize her for supporting the said bill who thinks that she is merely doing this for the sake of publicity, for the sake of getting more famous. She replies “Gusto kong magkaroon ng contribution kasi naniniwala ako sa sex education. So I love sex. Sex exists with or without RH bill."
Mocha vs. Manny
Throughout this blog Mocha is not just the only one who supports and have taken steps to promote the implemented of the RH Bill.
Prior to Mocha Uson, is the world class singer, Lea Salonga who is continually expressing her full support on the RH Bill.
However, one anti-RB bill advocator, on the other side is boxing champion and Sranggani’s Representative Manny Pacquiao. She confesses that she truly admires and is a fan of Manny Pacquiao, but reiterated that when it is the country’s problem that we are talking about, the boxer should use his head.
"Kumbaga idol ko sa Pacman. Champion of the world. Sana maging champion din siya ng mahihirap. Kasi ang RH bill kailangan ng mahihirap 'yan. Sana maging champion of the poor siya at ipaglaban niya ang mahirap," Uson said.
Reference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz6dn_BpXX0
Monday, June 13, 2011
Angel locsin neither pro or anti.
The next celebrity who supports the RH Bill is, Angel Locsin who have taken further efforts to step up and make their voices heard about their stand on the issue to the public.
With all her commercials regarding inner and outside beauty, she has become one of the well-known celebrities who is very active in advocating the wellness of women. She is also part of the Graviela party-list, the group who represent the “buggest alliance of women’s organizations in the Philippines.”
During the interview with ABS-CBN NEWS, the actress stressed out the point that she is very much neutral about the controversial issue of the RH Bill. However, she is a firm supporter of the whole being of women and mentioned that the law be checked over again.
“Ako, pro-life ako, as in pro-life. Ayaw ko i-entertain ang abortion. Pero ang pro-life, ang mabuhay ang tao ng disente...kailangan i-dissect pa ang bill,” Locsin said.
However, she was able to maintain the she absolutely agree with the use of contraception (external or internal contraception) and raises up that the root cause of this issue is that education must be put as a top priority, also adds that an access to the reproductive health information should not hinder the public from doing so.
Another thing that she has pointed out was the significance of taking into consideration how the health of the women are and their own children in our beloved country.
“Ako ay para sa planado, mulat at responsableng pagpapamilya. Ako, pro-life talaga ako. Hindi lamang ito para sa family planning, kalusugan ng ina at anak. Hindi mangyayari ito kung walang education, social services”, ANGEL LOCSIN
With the words said of Angel Locsin the problem of education enters the picture. I think that was her strongest point in this interview. There is no denying that the education system of our country is very poor. This is said so because, talking about the aspects of facility, work force, location, budget and financial difficulties we fail to meet all of these.
I think one of the reasons why this is happening is because the standards of our country has never been encouraged to make it a little high. We are always contented with how things are and just let the nature work on it. Like, we’re so used to the idea that we are a country that always has less, and poor standards with a lot of things.
Another thing reason that enters the picture is the problem of CORRUPTION which have been the country’s everlastingly issue and problem. As Filipino citizens I noticed that we are actually used to finding ways of how we can corrupt each other. A small example to get this picture I’m talking about is whenever there are times when we work with a group having a very strict professor in our University. A student might just force himself/herself to be part of a group that is smart and who works hard or a group that is nice so that we could take advantage of those traits, so that we would work less.
SOURCE:
http://mypinaycelebrities.blogspot.com/2011/03/angel-locsin-and-lea-salonga-talk-about.html
With all her commercials regarding inner and outside beauty, she has become one of the well-known celebrities who is very active in advocating the wellness of women. She is also part of the Graviela party-list, the group who represent the “buggest alliance of women’s organizations in the Philippines.”
During the interview with ABS-CBN NEWS, the actress stressed out the point that she is very much neutral about the controversial issue of the RH Bill. However, she is a firm supporter of the whole being of women and mentioned that the law be checked over again.
“Ako, pro-life ako, as in pro-life. Ayaw ko i-entertain ang abortion. Pero ang pro-life, ang mabuhay ang tao ng disente...kailangan i-dissect pa ang bill,” Locsin said.
However, she was able to maintain the she absolutely agree with the use of contraception (external or internal contraception) and raises up that the root cause of this issue is that education must be put as a top priority, also adds that an access to the reproductive health information should not hinder the public from doing so.
Another thing that she has pointed out was the significance of taking into consideration how the health of the women are and their own children in our beloved country.
“Ako ay para sa planado, mulat at responsableng pagpapamilya. Ako, pro-life talaga ako. Hindi lamang ito para sa family planning, kalusugan ng ina at anak. Hindi mangyayari ito kung walang education, social services”, ANGEL LOCSIN
With the words said of Angel Locsin the problem of education enters the picture. I think that was her strongest point in this interview. There is no denying that the education system of our country is very poor. This is said so because, talking about the aspects of facility, work force, location, budget and financial difficulties we fail to meet all of these.
I think one of the reasons why this is happening is because the standards of our country has never been encouraged to make it a little high. We are always contented with how things are and just let the nature work on it. Like, we’re so used to the idea that we are a country that always has less, and poor standards with a lot of things.
Another thing reason that enters the picture is the problem of CORRUPTION which have been the country’s everlastingly issue and problem. As Filipino citizens I noticed that we are actually used to finding ways of how we can corrupt each other. A small example to get this picture I’m talking about is whenever there are times when we work with a group having a very strict professor in our University. A student might just force himself/herself to be part of a group that is smart and who works hard or a group that is nice so that we could take advantage of those traits, so that we would work less.
SOURCE:
http://mypinaycelebrities.blogspot.com/2011/03/angel-locsin-and-lea-salonga-talk-about.html
Angel locsin neither pro or anti.
The next celebrity who supports the RH Bill is, Angel Locsin who have taken further efforts to step up and make their voices heard about their stand on the issue to the public.
With all her commercials regarding inner and outside beauty, she has become one of the well-known celebrities who is very active in advocating the wellness of women. She is also part of the Graviela party-list, the group who represent the “buggest alliance of women’s organizations in the Philippines.”
During the interview with ABS-CBN NEWS, the actress stressed out the point that she is very much neutral about the controversial issue of the RH Bill. However, she is a firm supporter of the whole being of women and mentioned that the law be checked over again.
“Ako, pro-life ako, as in pro-life. Ayaw ko i-entertain ang abortion. Pero ang pro-life, ang mabuhay ang tao ng disente...kailangan i-dissect pa ang bill,” Locsin said.
However, she was able to maintain the she absolutely agree with the use of contraception (external or internal contraception) and raises up that the root cause of this issue is that education must be put as a top priority, also adds that an access to the reproductive health information should not hinder the public from doing so.
Another thing that she has pointed out was the significance of taking into consideration how the health of the women are and their own children in our beloved country.
“Ako ay para sa planado, mulat at responsableng pagpapamilya. Ako, pro-life talaga ako. Hindi lamang ito para sa family planning, kalusugan ng ina at anak. Hindi mangyayari ito kung walang education, social services”, ANGEL LOCSIN
With the words said of Angel Locsin the problem of education enters the picture. I think that was her strongest point in this interview. There is no denying that the education system of our country is very poor. This is said so because, talking about the aspects of facility, work force, location, budget and financial difficulties we fail to meet all of these.
I think one of the reasons why this is happening is because the standards of our country has never been encouraged to make it a little high. We are always contented with how things are and just let the nature work on it. Like, we’re so used to the idea that we are a country that always has less, and poor standards with a lot of things.
Another thing reason that enters the picture is the problem of CORRUPTION which have been the country’s everlastingly issue and problem. As Filipino citizens I noticed that we are actually used to finding ways of how we can corrupt each other. A small example to get this picture I’m talking about is whenever there are times when we work with a group having a very strict professor in our University. A student might just force himself/herself to be part of a group that is smart and who works hard or a group that is nice so that we could take advantage of those traits, so that we would work less.
SOURCE:
http://mypinaycelebrities.blogspot.com/2011/03/angel-locsin-and-lea-salonga-talk-about.html
With all her commercials regarding inner and outside beauty, she has become one of the well-known celebrities who is very active in advocating the wellness of women. She is also part of the Graviela party-list, the group who represent the “buggest alliance of women’s organizations in the Philippines.”
During the interview with ABS-CBN NEWS, the actress stressed out the point that she is very much neutral about the controversial issue of the RH Bill. However, she is a firm supporter of the whole being of women and mentioned that the law be checked over again.
“Ako, pro-life ako, as in pro-life. Ayaw ko i-entertain ang abortion. Pero ang pro-life, ang mabuhay ang tao ng disente...kailangan i-dissect pa ang bill,” Locsin said.
However, she was able to maintain the she absolutely agree with the use of contraception (external or internal contraception) and raises up that the root cause of this issue is that education must be put as a top priority, also adds that an access to the reproductive health information should not hinder the public from doing so.
Another thing that she has pointed out was the significance of taking into consideration how the health of the women are and their own children in our beloved country.
“Ako ay para sa planado, mulat at responsableng pagpapamilya. Ako, pro-life talaga ako. Hindi lamang ito para sa family planning, kalusugan ng ina at anak. Hindi mangyayari ito kung walang education, social services”, ANGEL LOCSIN
With the words said of Angel Locsin the problem of education enters the picture. I think that was her strongest point in this interview. There is no denying that the education system of our country is very poor. This is said so because, talking about the aspects of facility, work force, location, budget and financial difficulties we fail to meet all of these.
I think one of the reasons why this is happening is because the standards of our country has never been encouraged to make it a little high. We are always contented with how things are and just let the nature work on it. Like, we’re so used to the idea that we are a country that always has less, and poor standards with a lot of things.
Another thing reason that enters the picture is the problem of CORRUPTION which have been the country’s everlastingly issue and problem. As Filipino citizens I noticed that we are actually used to finding ways of how we can corrupt each other. A small example to get this picture I’m talking about is whenever there are times when we work with a group having a very strict professor in our University. A student might just force himself/herself to be part of a group that is smart and who works hard or a group that is nice so that we could take advantage of those traits, so that we would work less.
SOURCE:
http://mypinaycelebrities.blogspot.com/2011/03/angel-locsin-and-lea-salonga-talk-about.html
Sunday, June 12, 2011
DING DONG DANTES PRO RH BILL!
Another celebrity who has the support of the RH Bill is Jose Sixto G. Dantes (also know as Ding-Dong Dantes of GMA) where he was invited to be a guest to be interviewed on the Arnold Clavio’s talk show last February 2010. His official statement during the interview is as follows:
"I am for a Well-Informed and Empowered Filipino Youth" (Dantes, 2011)
Mr. Dantes said that about “Forty-four percent (44.3%) of all pregnancies in the Philippines are unplanned, because of the lack of information on family planning services,” states a 2003 NDHS study by the NSO. Meanwhile, the Allan Guttmacher Institute puts the “incidence of induced abortion in the country at around 500,000 annually.”
“Reproductive health education in schools becomes all the more imperative, especially when young people, in a 2002 Young Adult Fertlity and Sexuality Study 3 conducted by the UP Population Institute & Demographic Institute Research Dev’t. Foundation, showed that only one in every five youth (or 15.7%) freely discuss in their homes issues about sex,” asserted by a group of faculty members at the Ateneo De Manila University.
“Proper birth spacing reduces the risk of death for newborns and infants by fifty percent (50%),” the World Health Organization (WHO) concludes.
More, he said during the interview that he wholeheartedly supports to RH bill 4244 because he made sure that he really knows all the principles and intentions of the bill.
He believes that there exists a greater and larger issues that has a heavier weight for the “bill’s immediate passage”, he continues to say that allowing the constant rise of induced abortions is something he cannot tolerate because of his conscience and that fifty percent of them are pregnancies that are not planned because of the lack of information.
Furthermore, he said that he cannot think of a better way on how to protect the youth from the effects of being alienated to their sexuality, as well as the threat of becoming restless with their sexual acts other than making them fully understand the ways to invest on their reproductive health.
“Because I firmly believe on the need to continuously empower the youth, through the power of education.”
Immorality and irresponsibility will be who we are as citizens of our country if we do not do anything. He also says that he admires the Advocacy of the RH bill and all the other affiliated groups who supports the bill’s cause, for remaining a steadfast in its aims even if they face so many institutional pressures.
Lastly, Mr. Ding Dong Dantes that he gives high respect for all the women who are currently on their strong stand as of now, they do it not only for themselves, but they consider the holistic being and welfare of all the women in our country.
Source:
http://filipinasinshowbiz.com/index/2011/04/08/rh-bill-gets-support-from-dingdong-dantes/
"I am for a Well-Informed and Empowered Filipino Youth" (Dantes, 2011)
Mr. Dantes said that about “Forty-four percent (44.3%) of all pregnancies in the Philippines are unplanned, because of the lack of information on family planning services,” states a 2003 NDHS study by the NSO. Meanwhile, the Allan Guttmacher Institute puts the “incidence of induced abortion in the country at around 500,000 annually.”
“Reproductive health education in schools becomes all the more imperative, especially when young people, in a 2002 Young Adult Fertlity and Sexuality Study 3 conducted by the UP Population Institute & Demographic Institute Research Dev’t. Foundation, showed that only one in every five youth (or 15.7%) freely discuss in their homes issues about sex,” asserted by a group of faculty members at the Ateneo De Manila University.
“Proper birth spacing reduces the risk of death for newborns and infants by fifty percent (50%),” the World Health Organization (WHO) concludes.
More, he said during the interview that he wholeheartedly supports to RH bill 4244 because he made sure that he really knows all the principles and intentions of the bill.
He believes that there exists a greater and larger issues that has a heavier weight for the “bill’s immediate passage”, he continues to say that allowing the constant rise of induced abortions is something he cannot tolerate because of his conscience and that fifty percent of them are pregnancies that are not planned because of the lack of information.
Furthermore, he said that he cannot think of a better way on how to protect the youth from the effects of being alienated to their sexuality, as well as the threat of becoming restless with their sexual acts other than making them fully understand the ways to invest on their reproductive health.
“Because I firmly believe on the need to continuously empower the youth, through the power of education.”
Immorality and irresponsibility will be who we are as citizens of our country if we do not do anything. He also says that he admires the Advocacy of the RH bill and all the other affiliated groups who supports the bill’s cause, for remaining a steadfast in its aims even if they face so many institutional pressures.
Lastly, Mr. Ding Dong Dantes that he gives high respect for all the women who are currently on their strong stand as of now, they do it not only for themselves, but they consider the holistic being and welfare of all the women in our country.
Source:
http://filipinasinshowbiz.com/index/2011/04/08/rh-bill-gets-support-from-dingdong-dantes/
"Without you or even against you, we will win this new revolution, too,"
So far, with all the research I have been doing being on the Pro-side of the RH Bill is what I think is the best choice. This blog will share what Akbayan spokesperson Risa Hontiveros think about the RH Bill.
There was a very controversial letter that was from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to Risa Hontiveros. Her reaction was posted on facebook.
In the letter, CBCP uttered, “RH Bill empowers women with ownership of their own bodies... without the dictation of any religion." And added that “"Whatever gave you the idea that we decide about our bodies or anything else in life without anchoring in our deepest inspirations, whether faith or humanism or the sheer sense of being a woman? As a conference of men located outside women’s experience, good bishop, could you not show a little more respect for us?"
In actual response to what the CBCP have stated that day which made "a prophetic and moral judgment on political leadership" during the 1986 People Power, Hontiveros said that "In 1986, you were advancing democracy; now, you are impeding democracy." As one of the young people then who went in our multitudes to EDSA (in 1986), I will always remember how our hearts were made even braver and our feet swifter by the CBCP's pastoral letter, But your pastoral letter of last month cannot be placed on the same plane... By misrepresenting the (RH) Bill as promotive of abortion and of adolescent promiscuity—with all due respect—you have not only been intellectually dishonest and ignored the good faith of RH advocates, but also failed to proclaim the life-saving and values-formation character of this public health measure”
public health measure."
Ms. Hontiveros stressed the point that once the RH Bill is passed, the reproductive health program will result in less number of fatality and abortion rate in our country. She also shared a data of how eleven women die each day because of complications in getting pregnant and giving birth, and how around 800,000 are engaged in abortion every year due to unwanted pregnancy.
Now, given these two statistics it is no joke that a bill the will help lessen this could solve it! We cannot just deny these data. What one should realize is that the RH Bill stresses on both health issue of men and women and that is not pro abortion, at all.
This bill has been prolonged for so long, it was first passed over a decade ago and until now its current state has not changed. I am a firm believer of the Lord and I feel like making this Bill as a law does not go against it. As a democratic country we have to acknowledge other people’s belief and the RH Bill is simply just an OPTION! That has been stressed out by many people who are for it! JUST AN OPTION! It is still everyone’s choice how they would like to go about their family planning.
Source:
http://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/47620/risa-hontiveros-reacts-to-cbcps-anti-rh-bill-letter-you-are-impeding-democracy
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/04/19/10/hontiveros-tatad-debate-rh-bill
So far, with all the research I have been doing being on the Pro-side of the RH Bill is what I think is the best choice. This blog will share what Akbayan spokesperson Risa Hontiveros think about the RH Bill.
There was a very controversial letter that was from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to Risa Hontiveros. Her reaction was posted on facebook.
In the letter, CBCP uttered, “RH Bill empowers women with ownership of their own bodies... without the dictation of any religion." And added that “"Whatever gave you the idea that we decide about our bodies or anything else in life without anchoring in our deepest inspirations, whether faith or humanism or the sheer sense of being a woman? As a conference of men located outside women’s experience, good bishop, could you not show a little more respect for us?"
In actual response to what the CBCP have stated that day which made "a prophetic and moral judgment on political leadership" during the 1986 People Power, Hontiveros said that "In 1986, you were advancing democracy; now, you are impeding democracy." As one of the young people then who went in our multitudes to EDSA (in 1986), I will always remember how our hearts were made even braver and our feet swifter by the CBCP's pastoral letter, But your pastoral letter of last month cannot be placed on the same plane... By misrepresenting the (RH) Bill as promotive of abortion and of adolescent promiscuity—with all due respect—you have not only been intellectually dishonest and ignored the good faith of RH advocates, but also failed to proclaim the life-saving and values-formation character of this public health measure”
public health measure."
Ms. Hontiveros stressed the point that once the RH Bill is passed, the reproductive health program will result in less number of fatality and abortion rate in our country. She also shared a data of how eleven women die each day because of complications in getting pregnant and giving birth, and how around 800,000 are engaged in abortion every year due to unwanted pregnancy.
Now, given these two statistics it is no joke that a bill the will help lessen this could solve it! We cannot just deny these data. What one should realize is that the RH Bill stresses on both health issue of men and women and that is not pro abortion, at all.
This bill has been prolonged for so long, it was first passed over a decade ago and until now its current state has not changed. I am a firm believer of the Lord and I feel like making this Bill as a law does not go against it. As a democratic country we have to acknowledge other people’s belief and the RH Bill is simply just an OPTION! That has been stressed out by many people who are for it! JUST AN OPTION! It is still everyone’s choice how they would like to go about their family planning.
Source:
http://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/47620/risa-hontiveros-reacts-to-cbcps-anti-rh-bill-letter-you-are-impeding-democracy
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/04/19/10/hontiveros-tatad-debate-rh-bill
Lea Salonga as an Ambassador of the Bill?
In the up coming post, it is my attempt to get some of the stands of the different influential celebrities around the country to share to my blog. Here goes, international singer Lea salonga’s stand on the issue.
There was an interview published on Push.com.ph last May 3 regarding the singer’s stand on the RH Bill and the question if she would like to be the ambassador/spoke’s person of the Malacanang on this.
According to the article, she would at most likely agree in accepting the offer and taking a step forward by being a full-fledge ambassador.
"I know what Malacañang's stand is, I know what the president's stand is and I think he has made that very clear," she said, adding that she would be doing it for free "since it's something that you do for your country, it's not something you do for a paycheck... if they get me as one of the ambassadors — because I am not obviously the only one who believes in this thing — but if there's a band of like-minded individuals who feel this strongly about this issue, then I would absolutely agree,"
The worldwide singer theater and actress has been constantly and vocally expressing her support for the bill that has been so long prolonged, RH bill.
“My stand is that I am for it. I’ve been consistently supporting it. I can understand the arguments for and the arguments against RH Bill. There are many valid arguments on both sides and I can understand where everybody's coming from as far as what their belief system is. Basically, you have to go with what your conscience tells you and you would have to know what is right for you. Without trampling upon somebody else's belief,”
More over, Ms. Salonga uttered that it is part of the government’s responsibility to not only make contraceptives and other related assistance, but to give information to its citizens on all the ways of birth control the power to choose these as an option as well. She also mentioned that not only the pill to be available but inform the public of how to use it and its good and bad effects.
Furthermore, the singer also said that
The actress also said,
“Couples or every citizen of age needs to be informed about this stuff. Both good and bad effects need to be given to married couples who want to control their family size but may not have the info. You can’t just say gusto ko yung pill. You have to know how it will affect your body; you have to know what the side effects will be. There is a failure rate because of improper usage. But if you use it properly then you're able to prevent disease or unwanted pregnancy. And obviously you will not teach a nine-year-old how to put a condom up a banana. Anybody who says that is not thinking straight,”
Right now, I feel like I’m slowly moving to the pro-side of the RH bill because of how Ms. Lea Salonga have given her arguments on the issue.
Reference:
http://www.push.com.ph/features/3204/lea-salonga-says-shes-willing-to-be-an-official-rh-bill-advocate/
There was an interview published on Push.com.ph last May 3 regarding the singer’s stand on the RH Bill and the question if she would like to be the ambassador/spoke’s person of the Malacanang on this.
According to the article, she would at most likely agree in accepting the offer and taking a step forward by being a full-fledge ambassador.
"I know what Malacañang's stand is, I know what the president's stand is and I think he has made that very clear," she said, adding that she would be doing it for free "since it's something that you do for your country, it's not something you do for a paycheck... if they get me as one of the ambassadors — because I am not obviously the only one who believes in this thing — but if there's a band of like-minded individuals who feel this strongly about this issue, then I would absolutely agree,"
The worldwide singer theater and actress has been constantly and vocally expressing her support for the bill that has been so long prolonged, RH bill.
“My stand is that I am for it. I’ve been consistently supporting it. I can understand the arguments for and the arguments against RH Bill. There are many valid arguments on both sides and I can understand where everybody's coming from as far as what their belief system is. Basically, you have to go with what your conscience tells you and you would have to know what is right for you. Without trampling upon somebody else's belief,”
More over, Ms. Salonga uttered that it is part of the government’s responsibility to not only make contraceptives and other related assistance, but to give information to its citizens on all the ways of birth control the power to choose these as an option as well. She also mentioned that not only the pill to be available but inform the public of how to use it and its good and bad effects.
Furthermore, the singer also said that
The actress also said,
“Couples or every citizen of age needs to be informed about this stuff. Both good and bad effects need to be given to married couples who want to control their family size but may not have the info. You can’t just say gusto ko yung pill. You have to know how it will affect your body; you have to know what the side effects will be. There is a failure rate because of improper usage. But if you use it properly then you're able to prevent disease or unwanted pregnancy. And obviously you will not teach a nine-year-old how to put a condom up a banana. Anybody who says that is not thinking straight,”
Right now, I feel like I’m slowly moving to the pro-side of the RH bill because of how Ms. Lea Salonga have given her arguments on the issue.
Reference:
http://www.push.com.ph/features/3204/lea-salonga-says-shes-willing-to-be-an-official-rh-bill-advocate/
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The definition of terms in the RH Bill according to the bill itself is the following:
1. Reproductive Health Education- refers to the process of acquiring complete, accurate and relevant information on all matters relating to the reproductive system, its functions and processes and human sexuality; and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, interpersonal relationships, affection, intimacy and gender roles. It also includes developing the necessary skills do be able to distinguish between facts and myths on sex and sexuality; and critically evaluate. and discuss the moral, religious, social and cultural dimensions of related sensitive issues such as contraception and abortion.
2. Male involvement and participation – refers to the involvement, participation, commitment and joint responsibility of men with women in all areas of sexual and reproductive health, as well as reproductive health concerns specific to men.
3. Reproductive tract infection (RTI) – refers do sexually transmitted infections, sexually transmitted diseases and other types of-infections affecting the reproductive system.
4.Basic Emergency Obstetric Care – refers to lifesaving services for maternal complication being provided by a health facility or professional which must include the following six signal functions: administration of parenteral antibiotics; administration of parrenteral oxyttocic drugs; administration of parenteral anticonvulsants for pre-eclampsia and iampsia; manual removal of placenta; and assisted vaginal delivery.
5. Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care – refers to basic emergency obstetric care plus two other signal functions: performance of caesarean section and blood transfusion.
6. Maternal Death Review – refers to a qualitative and in-depth study of the causes of maternal death with the primary purpose of preventing future deaths through changes or additions to programs, plans and policies.
7. Skilled Attendant – refers to an accredited health professional such as a licensed midwife, doctor or nurse who has adequate proficiency and the skills to manage normal (uncomplicated) pregnancies, childbirth and the immediate postnatal period, and in the identification, management and referral of complication in women and newborns.
8. Skilled Attendance – refers to childbirth managed by a skilled attendant under the enabling conditions of a functional emergencyobstetric care and referral system.
9. Development – refers to a multi-dimensional process involving major changes in social structures, popular attitudes, and national institutions as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality and the eradication of widespread poverty.
10. Sustainable Human Development – refers to the totality of the process of expending human choices by enabling people to enjoy long, healthy and productive lives, affording them access to resources needed for a decent standard of living and assuring continuity and acceleration of development by achieving a balance between and among a manageable population, adequate resources and a healthy environment.
11. Population Development – refers to a program that aims to: (1) help couples and parents achieve their desired family size; (2) improve reproductive health of individuals by addressing reproductive health problems; (3) contribute to decreased maternal and infant mortality rates and early child mortality; (4) reduce incidence of teenage pregnancy; and (5) enable government to achieve a balanced population distribution.
I will be getting the stands of influential people in my up coming blogs to further aid anyone who’s yet to decided which side they are on.
Source:
http://2010presidentiables.wordpress.com/reproductive-health-bill-5043/text-of-rh-bill-no-5043/
1. Reproductive Health Education- refers to the process of acquiring complete, accurate and relevant information on all matters relating to the reproductive system, its functions and processes and human sexuality; and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, interpersonal relationships, affection, intimacy and gender roles. It also includes developing the necessary skills do be able to distinguish between facts and myths on sex and sexuality; and critically evaluate. and discuss the moral, religious, social and cultural dimensions of related sensitive issues such as contraception and abortion.
2. Male involvement and participation – refers to the involvement, participation, commitment and joint responsibility of men with women in all areas of sexual and reproductive health, as well as reproductive health concerns specific to men.
3. Reproductive tract infection (RTI) – refers do sexually transmitted infections, sexually transmitted diseases and other types of-infections affecting the reproductive system.
4.Basic Emergency Obstetric Care – refers to lifesaving services for maternal complication being provided by a health facility or professional which must include the following six signal functions: administration of parenteral antibiotics; administration of parrenteral oxyttocic drugs; administration of parenteral anticonvulsants for pre-eclampsia and iampsia; manual removal of placenta; and assisted vaginal delivery.
5. Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care – refers to basic emergency obstetric care plus two other signal functions: performance of caesarean section and blood transfusion.
6. Maternal Death Review – refers to a qualitative and in-depth study of the causes of maternal death with the primary purpose of preventing future deaths through changes or additions to programs, plans and policies.
7. Skilled Attendant – refers to an accredited health professional such as a licensed midwife, doctor or nurse who has adequate proficiency and the skills to manage normal (uncomplicated) pregnancies, childbirth and the immediate postnatal period, and in the identification, management and referral of complication in women and newborns.
8. Skilled Attendance – refers to childbirth managed by a skilled attendant under the enabling conditions of a functional emergencyobstetric care and referral system.
9. Development – refers to a multi-dimensional process involving major changes in social structures, popular attitudes, and national institutions as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality and the eradication of widespread poverty.
10. Sustainable Human Development – refers to the totality of the process of expending human choices by enabling people to enjoy long, healthy and productive lives, affording them access to resources needed for a decent standard of living and assuring continuity and acceleration of development by achieving a balance between and among a manageable population, adequate resources and a healthy environment.
11. Population Development – refers to a program that aims to: (1) help couples and parents achieve their desired family size; (2) improve reproductive health of individuals by addressing reproductive health problems; (3) contribute to decreased maternal and infant mortality rates and early child mortality; (4) reduce incidence of teenage pregnancy; and (5) enable government to achieve a balanced population distribution.
I will be getting the stands of influential people in my up coming blogs to further aid anyone who’s yet to decided which side they are on.
Source:
http://2010presidentiables.wordpress.com/reproductive-health-bill-5043/text-of-rh-bill-no-5043/
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
WHAT DOES THE RH BILL REALLY SAY?
I think having a copy of the bill itself on my blog roll is a good idea to share so that we may be able to fully comprehend the intention of the people who have formulated this kind of bill. It is important to go through it so that we could fully digest and get the idea of this respective bill. Doing so, would probably make one go against the bill or support that bill much more. The definition of the terms would follow after the guiding principles of the bill.
The following are the Principles of the RH Bill according to the bill itself:
a. In the promotion of reproductive health, there should be no bias for either modern or natural methods of family planning;
b. Reproductive health goes beyond a demographic target because it is principally about health and rights;
c. Gender equality and women empowerment are central elements of reproductive health and population development;
d. Since manpower is the principal asset of every country, effective reproductive health care services must be given primacy to ensure the birth and care of healthy children and to promote responsible parenting;
e. The limited resources of the country cannot be suffered to, be spread so thinly to service a burgeoning multitude that makes the allocations grossly inadequate and effectively meaningless;
f. Freedom of informed choice, which is central to the exercise of any right, must be fully guaranteed by the State like the right itself;
g. While the number and spacing of children are left to the sound judgment of parents and couples based on their personal conviction and religious beliefs, such concerned parents and couples, including unmarried individuals, should be afforded free and full access to relevant, adequate and correct information on reproductive health and human sexuality and should be guided by qualified State workers and professional private practitioners;
h. Reproductive health, including the promotion of breastfeeding, must be the joint concern of the National Government and Local Government Units(LGUs);
i. Protection and promotion of gender equality, women empowerment and human rights, including reproductive health rights, are imperative;
j. Development is a multi-faceted process that calls for the coordination and integration of policies, plans, programs and projects that seek to uplift the quality of life of the people, more particularly the poor, the needy and the marginalized;
k. Active participation by and thorough consultation with concerned non-government organizations (NGOs), people’s organizations (POs) and communities are imperative to ensure that basic policies, plans, programs and projects address the priority needs of stakeholders;
l. Respect for, protection and fulfillment of reproductive health rights seek to promote not only the rights and welfare of adult individuals and couples but those of adolescents’ and children’s as well; While nothing in this Act changes the law on abortion, as abortion remains a crime and is punishable, the government shall ensure that women seeking care for post-abortion complications shall be treated and counseled in a humane, non-judgmental and compassionate manner.
To follow is the Definition of Terms. =)
Source:
http://2010presidentiables.wordpress.com/reproductive-health-bill-5043/text-of-rh-bill-no-5043/
Sunday, June 5, 2011
HOW TO OPPOSE THE RH BILL
The RH bill according to him is “PRO-ABORTION”
“This single issue alone once proved is enough to discourage anyone’s support for the pending bill. As even the authors of the bill acknowledge the fact that abortion in this country is not allowed and will remain a crime and punishable. Hence for the anti-RH Bill all they have to do is to show evidence that some of the modern methods in the artificial family planning, included in the proposed law, directly induce deliberate destruction of the fertilized egg or abortion. As evidence, it should be new and reliable scientific evidence; peer reviewed in many scientific journals, and approved by the majority in the field of medicine and health sciences.” (Villas, G. 2009)
It is certain that the RH Bill will not stop poverty as corruption is the problem not over-population.
“This is the socio-political paradigm of the issue. The aim, of course, is to project that RH Bill is not very important and will not lead to practical solution and might even worsen the current problem, and so wasting the taxpayers money is objectionable. By this claim, they have to provide adequate studies in reference to the statement that over-population is not a problem, or manpower is actually an asset to a nation or something like that. (They could even cite China as an example of large country with very large population but with a powerhouse economy). They could even argue that the unequal distribution of wealth, wrong priorities of the government, and the greedy oligarchs are the culprit why our nation is under-developed without the burden of over-population.” (Villas, G. 2009)
The RH bill is not in accordance with a political constitution.
“One of the other objections against the passage of RH bill stems from misconception that this bill is coercive on the side of the employers to provide mandatory free reproductive health care services, supplies, devices and surgical procedures to employees, and be subjected to both imprisonment and/or a fine, for every time they fail to comply. While others cited the freedom of religion and the ‘criminalization of conscience’ of the individuals.” (Villas, G. 2009)
The author of the article has also noted the things that all employers would be required to do if the bill is passed. They are the following:
(a) Establishments which are required by law to maintain a clinic or infirmary shall provide free family planning services to their employees which shall include, but not be limited to, the application or use of contraceptive pills and intrauterine devices. (Villas, G. 2009)
(b) In coordination with other agencies of the government engaged in the promotion of family planning, the Department of Labor and Employment shall develop and prescribe incentive bonus schemes to encourage family planning among female workers in any establishment or enterprise. (Villas, G. 2009)
“RH Bill is a legal and scientific issue, not religious. Provide reliable evidences or stop wasting taxpayers money and PASS THE RH BILL NOW.” – Geri Villas
“This single issue alone once proved is enough to discourage anyone’s support for the pending bill. As even the authors of the bill acknowledge the fact that abortion in this country is not allowed and will remain a crime and punishable. Hence for the anti-RH Bill all they have to do is to show evidence that some of the modern methods in the artificial family planning, included in the proposed law, directly induce deliberate destruction of the fertilized egg or abortion. As evidence, it should be new and reliable scientific evidence; peer reviewed in many scientific journals, and approved by the majority in the field of medicine and health sciences.” (Villas, G. 2009)
It is certain that the RH Bill will not stop poverty as corruption is the problem not over-population.
“This is the socio-political paradigm of the issue. The aim, of course, is to project that RH Bill is not very important and will not lead to practical solution and might even worsen the current problem, and so wasting the taxpayers money is objectionable. By this claim, they have to provide adequate studies in reference to the statement that over-population is not a problem, or manpower is actually an asset to a nation or something like that. (They could even cite China as an example of large country with very large population but with a powerhouse economy). They could even argue that the unequal distribution of wealth, wrong priorities of the government, and the greedy oligarchs are the culprit why our nation is under-developed without the burden of over-population.” (Villas, G. 2009)
The RH bill is not in accordance with a political constitution.
“One of the other objections against the passage of RH bill stems from misconception that this bill is coercive on the side of the employers to provide mandatory free reproductive health care services, supplies, devices and surgical procedures to employees, and be subjected to both imprisonment and/or a fine, for every time they fail to comply. While others cited the freedom of religion and the ‘criminalization of conscience’ of the individuals.” (Villas, G. 2009)
The author of the article has also noted the things that all employers would be required to do if the bill is passed. They are the following:
(a) Establishments which are required by law to maintain a clinic or infirmary shall provide free family planning services to their employees which shall include, but not be limited to, the application or use of contraceptive pills and intrauterine devices. (Villas, G. 2009)
(b) In coordination with other agencies of the government engaged in the promotion of family planning, the Department of Labor and Employment shall develop and prescribe incentive bonus schemes to encourage family planning among female workers in any establishment or enterprise. (Villas, G. 2009)
“RH Bill is a legal and scientific issue, not religious. Provide reliable evidences or stop wasting taxpayers money and PASS THE RH BILL NOW.” – Geri Villas
BEING CAREFUL WHO YOU LISTEN TO
Senator Pia Cayetano alerts the public in disagreement with the critics of the reproductive health bill on all the false claims regarding what the bill states. It also includes the alleged means of promoting abortion.
The senator, who is the chairwoman of the committee on health and demography has also arranged hearings on the pressing issues regarding the RH bill. It includes the version of the RH bill that was filed by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.
Up to date statements were also received by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago that was handed by President Ninoy Aquino who also supports the bill. A term that Malacanang have formulated for the Republic Health Bill is called the Responsible Parenthood.
Senator Miriam Defensor- Santiago showed a great deal of optimism for the support from President Noynoy Aquino which in hope would increase the possibility of the bill being passed into law under the administration of the president.
Senator Pia Cayetano responded with, “I laud P-Noy for having the conviction and courage required of a true leader to support a measure that is vital to save the lives of women, the unborn and the newborn”
However, she wants the public to be informed that they should not believe all things they hear about from the side who are against it because it is very misleading, especially when the information comes from its critics.
She utters, “Contrary to the misinformation campaign being spread by some, the reproductive healthy bill pending in the Senate does not allow abortion and will not force any contraceptive method on anyone”
Furthermore, she also stated that “The measure will respect the moral conviction and religious beliefs of all, but at the same time, protect the unborn child by providing health services for the pregnant mother and likewise save the lives of mothers from dying at childbirth,”
The United Nations have estimated that 11 mothers die each day from complications of childbirth, according to Senator Pia Cayetano. As mentioned in the bill, people will not be forced to use contraceptive. Its availability will just be for everybody and they would still have the choice whether to utilize it or not.
Aside from this, if the bill is passed it would expand the still in progress program of the government of supplementing contraceptives to the poor couples who cannot buy them.
Here are some of the statements the government officials say about the Bill:
Senator Lacson: “he is against abortion but favors a population management program that follows moral standards”
Vice President Jejomar Binay: “opposes abortion but said women must be given the freedom to plan their pregnancies.”
Cardinal Jose Sanchez said: “If there are bills contradictory to the Catholic teachings, I would go to these congressmen on by one to enlighten them with the Catholic teachings and they would easily agree with me. And as friends, they would find it hard to go against the bishop”
These are some of the stands of our local government officials in help for you guys to decide which side you would be on.
REFERENCE:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=679002&publicationSubCategoryId=63
The senator, who is the chairwoman of the committee on health and demography has also arranged hearings on the pressing issues regarding the RH bill. It includes the version of the RH bill that was filed by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.
Up to date statements were also received by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago that was handed by President Ninoy Aquino who also supports the bill. A term that Malacanang have formulated for the Republic Health Bill is called the Responsible Parenthood.
Senator Miriam Defensor- Santiago showed a great deal of optimism for the support from President Noynoy Aquino which in hope would increase the possibility of the bill being passed into law under the administration of the president.
Senator Pia Cayetano responded with, “I laud P-Noy for having the conviction and courage required of a true leader to support a measure that is vital to save the lives of women, the unborn and the newborn”
However, she wants the public to be informed that they should not believe all things they hear about from the side who are against it because it is very misleading, especially when the information comes from its critics.
She utters, “Contrary to the misinformation campaign being spread by some, the reproductive healthy bill pending in the Senate does not allow abortion and will not force any contraceptive method on anyone”
Furthermore, she also stated that “The measure will respect the moral conviction and religious beliefs of all, but at the same time, protect the unborn child by providing health services for the pregnant mother and likewise save the lives of mothers from dying at childbirth,”
The United Nations have estimated that 11 mothers die each day from complications of childbirth, according to Senator Pia Cayetano. As mentioned in the bill, people will not be forced to use contraceptive. Its availability will just be for everybody and they would still have the choice whether to utilize it or not.
Aside from this, if the bill is passed it would expand the still in progress program of the government of supplementing contraceptives to the poor couples who cannot buy them.
Here are some of the statements the government officials say about the Bill:
Senator Lacson: “he is against abortion but favors a population management program that follows moral standards”
Vice President Jejomar Binay: “opposes abortion but said women must be given the freedom to plan their pregnancies.”
Cardinal Jose Sanchez said: “If there are bills contradictory to the Catholic teachings, I would go to these congressmen on by one to enlighten them with the Catholic teachings and they would easily agree with me. And as friends, they would find it hard to go against the bishop”
These are some of the stands of our local government officials in help for you guys to decide which side you would be on.
REFERENCE:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=679002&publicationSubCategoryId=63
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Arguments of the Church
To balance it out, here are some of the arguments presented by the church why they are extremely against the bill.
1. The RH bill contraceptives that cause abortion…
- A unanimous response from the medical experts that include doctors from Harvard Medical School and the May Clinic during the 8th day hearing of the US Senate, a life begins at fertilization, this is when a sperm starts to penetrate the egg. Contraceptives hinder this from happening.
PMA (The Philippines Medical Association), considered the biggest organization of medical practitioners in the country, by way of its distinct society the Philippines Obstretrical and Gynecological Society got Dr.Sylvia Carnero to be its represented president and mentions “life begins at fertilization” at a consultation meeting with the CBCP.
2. Contraceptives endangers health…
- A report was submitted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2007 that contraceptive pills causes cancer due to its high level of carcinogenicity, the same component that is found in cigarettes and asbestos. Aside from this, they claim that is it also one of the sources for stroke as it relatively make the chances of getting heart attacks high.
3. Budget complications…
- The bill demands a budget to obtain free “harmful and deadly” contraceptives from the American multi-national businesses that benefits only the U.S while the budgets for more important causes like the education and food are going to be given less budget for.
4. Promotion of sexual promiscuity leads to…
- RH bill tolerates and promotes sexual promiscuity because of the use of contraceptives. This results in destruction of families, the increase reports of HIV cases, as well as the illegitimate and fatherless children, youth deviancy, more of the single mothers in our country, and increase the number of teenage pregnancies leading to the increase of abortion.
Nobel prize winner, Geroge Akerlof states that “promotion of contraceptives bring about the downgrading of marriage, more extramarital sex, more fatherless children, and more single mothers.” This is due to the chances of men taking an advantage of this privilege. Same goes for the Harvard Director for AIDS prevention, Edward C. Green. Making the condoms available make it easier for people to take greater sexual risks, making the spread of the disease worse.
Another study by Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer goes…
“Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, Director of AIDS-Free Philippines, said that in 1987, Thailand had 112 AIDS cases, more or less the same number as the Philippines (135). By the year 2003, there were around 750,000 cases in Thailand, where there was an intense campaign for the "100% Condom Use Program", while there were only 1,935 cases in the Philippines, whose population is around 30% greater than Thailand's.”
One more study that makes it all the more reasonable why the bill should not be implemented was the one done in 2003. The results presented that there was a continuous increase of abortion rates and contraceptive use in the US, Cuba, Denmark, Netherlands, Singpaore and South Korea.
1. The RH bill contraceptives that cause abortion…
- A unanimous response from the medical experts that include doctors from Harvard Medical School and the May Clinic during the 8th day hearing of the US Senate, a life begins at fertilization, this is when a sperm starts to penetrate the egg. Contraceptives hinder this from happening.
PMA (The Philippines Medical Association), considered the biggest organization of medical practitioners in the country, by way of its distinct society the Philippines Obstretrical and Gynecological Society got Dr.Sylvia Carnero to be its represented president and mentions “life begins at fertilization” at a consultation meeting with the CBCP.
2. Contraceptives endangers health…
- A report was submitted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2007 that contraceptive pills causes cancer due to its high level of carcinogenicity, the same component that is found in cigarettes and asbestos. Aside from this, they claim that is it also one of the sources for stroke as it relatively make the chances of getting heart attacks high.
3. Budget complications…
- The bill demands a budget to obtain free “harmful and deadly” contraceptives from the American multi-national businesses that benefits only the U.S while the budgets for more important causes like the education and food are going to be given less budget for.
4. Promotion of sexual promiscuity leads to…
- RH bill tolerates and promotes sexual promiscuity because of the use of contraceptives. This results in destruction of families, the increase reports of HIV cases, as well as the illegitimate and fatherless children, youth deviancy, more of the single mothers in our country, and increase the number of teenage pregnancies leading to the increase of abortion.
Nobel prize winner, Geroge Akerlof states that “promotion of contraceptives bring about the downgrading of marriage, more extramarital sex, more fatherless children, and more single mothers.” This is due to the chances of men taking an advantage of this privilege. Same goes for the Harvard Director for AIDS prevention, Edward C. Green. Making the condoms available make it easier for people to take greater sexual risks, making the spread of the disease worse.
Another study by Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer goes…
“Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, Director of AIDS-Free Philippines, said that in 1987, Thailand had 112 AIDS cases, more or less the same number as the Philippines (135). By the year 2003, there were around 750,000 cases in Thailand, where there was an intense campaign for the "100% Condom Use Program", while there were only 1,935 cases in the Philippines, whose population is around 30% greater than Thailand's.”
One more study that makes it all the more reasonable why the bill should not be implemented was the one done in 2003. The results presented that there was a continuous increase of abortion rates and contraceptive use in the US, Cuba, Denmark, Netherlands, Singpaore and South Korea.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
The continuation of the previous blog.
4. Promote Equity for poor families
- The RH indicator presents the intense inequities between the people who are rich and poor. An example mentioned was, 94% of women belonging to the upper class have a skilled and good attendant at birth comparing to the 26% from the people who in the lower class. This gap is what explains the reason why the people who are wealthy barely go beyond the number of children they planned to have and while the poor people go beyond the number of children they are capable to have.
5. Prevent induced abortions
- Unpremeditated pregnancies come before almost all the induced abortions. Among all these unwanted pregnancies, 68% happen to women without knowing anything about the family method, and 24% happened to the people using tradition family planning like the withdrawal or calendar abstinence. If modern family planning is used by the people who are willing to give it time or put a stop on wrong timing child bearing, the abortion rate would fall by more or less 500,000- that is clost to 90% of the estimated total.
6. Support and deploy more public midwives, nurses and doctors.
- The health service of the RH bill is demanded for people who are attempting to have a family. For example, a report by the MDG Task Force stresses on the need for having a fulltime midwife to attend to every 100 to 200 annual live births. While other healthy staff will be needed to attend to the millions who need before birth and after birth care, the baby care and of course, family planning. To invest in the center concerns of public health staff, the fundamental needs of many people will be served.
7. Guarantee funding for and equal access to health facilities
- When the bill is passed there will be a lot of support that RH will need for the many hospitals. It includes all health facilities in the barangays for the basic prenatal, baby and family planning care.
8.Give accurate and positive sexuality education to young people.
- There are a great number of young people who enter relationship, as well as marriage even without the being aware of its responsibilities. It then results to jeopardizing their future, health and sometimes their own life. RH bills prepares and gives more awareness to people who its effects.
9. Reduce cancer deaths
- With delaying sex and avoiding different partners or utilizing condoms they help avert genital warts or HPV. People must know that contraceptive does not increase the chances of getting cancer, when these pills are combines it actually reduces the chance of endometrial and ovarian cancers.
10. Save money that can be used for even more social spending.
- Being certain that modern use of family planning for all who needs it would rise up the spending from php1.9 B to php4.0 B, and the medical expenditure costs for unwanted pregnancies would be lowered to 3B to .6B, making a net saving of .8B.
“SPEND MORE FOR THE HEALTH AND EDUCATION OF THE PEOPLE”
Reference:
http://www.likhaan.org/content/ten-good-reasons-pass-rh-bill-now
http://www.doh.gov.ph/files/phs2005.pdf
http://www.who.int/making_pregnancy_safer/documents/birth_spacing.pdf
http://www.measuredhs.com/countries/metadata.cfm?surv_id=298&ctry_id=34&SrvyTp=ctry&cn=Philippines
4. Promote Equity for poor families
- The RH indicator presents the intense inequities between the people who are rich and poor. An example mentioned was, 94% of women belonging to the upper class have a skilled and good attendant at birth comparing to the 26% from the people who in the lower class. This gap is what explains the reason why the people who are wealthy barely go beyond the number of children they planned to have and while the poor people go beyond the number of children they are capable to have.
5. Prevent induced abortions
- Unpremeditated pregnancies come before almost all the induced abortions. Among all these unwanted pregnancies, 68% happen to women without knowing anything about the family method, and 24% happened to the people using tradition family planning like the withdrawal or calendar abstinence. If modern family planning is used by the people who are willing to give it time or put a stop on wrong timing child bearing, the abortion rate would fall by more or less 500,000- that is clost to 90% of the estimated total.
6. Support and deploy more public midwives, nurses and doctors.
- The health service of the RH bill is demanded for people who are attempting to have a family. For example, a report by the MDG Task Force stresses on the need for having a fulltime midwife to attend to every 100 to 200 annual live births. While other healthy staff will be needed to attend to the millions who need before birth and after birth care, the baby care and of course, family planning. To invest in the center concerns of public health staff, the fundamental needs of many people will be served.
7. Guarantee funding for and equal access to health facilities
- When the bill is passed there will be a lot of support that RH will need for the many hospitals. It includes all health facilities in the barangays for the basic prenatal, baby and family planning care.
8.Give accurate and positive sexuality education to young people.
- There are a great number of young people who enter relationship, as well as marriage even without the being aware of its responsibilities. It then results to jeopardizing their future, health and sometimes their own life. RH bills prepares and gives more awareness to people who its effects.
9. Reduce cancer deaths
- With delaying sex and avoiding different partners or utilizing condoms they help avert genital warts or HPV. People must know that contraceptive does not increase the chances of getting cancer, when these pills are combines it actually reduces the chance of endometrial and ovarian cancers.
10. Save money that can be used for even more social spending.
- Being certain that modern use of family planning for all who needs it would rise up the spending from php1.9 B to php4.0 B, and the medical expenditure costs for unwanted pregnancies would be lowered to 3B to .6B, making a net saving of .8B.
Reference:
http://www.likhaan.org/content/ten-good-reasons-pass-rh-bill-now
http://www.doh.gov.ph/files/phs2005.pdf
http://www.who.int/making_pregnancy_safer/documents/birth_spacing.pdf
http://www.measuredhs.com/countries/metadata.cfm?surv_id=298&ctry_id=34&SrvyTp=ctry&cn=Philippines
Going with the flow of being a pro
The people for the implementation of the RH bill in our country stress on the fact that the Philippines have a lot of rooms for improvement and this is the one room that needs to be given a little more priority on. A BIG and INTENSE reality check is what the people working in the government needs to remind and show its people. Only then the Filipinos can work as a country and realize that our beloved country is broken, that is why drastic changes and bills like this must be implemented.
According to the Ikhaan- Center for Women’s Health Incorporation there are ten good reasons why the RH Bill must be approved. The reasons are the following:
1. Protect the health and lives of mothers
- Our WHO (World Health Organization) calculates the difficulties that raises up in 15% of pregnancies, which results are severe enough to get these women hospitalized or killed. There are 2 million plus live births day and 300,000 maternal complications happen yearly. Which makes it 7 times the DOH’s annual count for the arousing disease of TB (Tuberculosis), 19 times for the people who have heart diseases, and 20 times for the people who have malaria (only for the women). The result? More than 11 needlessly women die every day. For women to be saved from maternal complications family planning is one of the best preventative measures.
2. Save babies
- Going through the normal way of giving birth reduces the death of infants. WHO utters that at least 2 years should be the time lapse between the birth and the coming pregnancy. One will notice that in our country this advice is not really follwed. They follow with also mentioning that “the infant mortality rate of those with less than 2 years birth interval is twice as compared to those with 3” If the RH bill will become a law, practicing the family method advices will be more effective and will result to less chances of the next newborn baby to die.
3. Respond to the majority who want smaller families
- According to WHO couples and women in this generation hearts having small families. They were surveyed about their ideal number of kids and the results show that women in their 40s want to have kids above 3, but those in their teens and early 20s want just more than 2. Furthermore, couples end up having a family that is larger than what they have expected. While on the average Filipino women desires having children close to 2 but ends up with 3. The gap between the wanted and the actual number of family members are showed in all the social classes and regions, however, one will notice that the biggest is among those who are in poverty.
As for the seven other reasons for the side of people for the RH bill, it will be definitely here on my next blog. HANG ON!
According to the Ikhaan- Center for Women’s Health Incorporation there are ten good reasons why the RH Bill must be approved. The reasons are the following:
1. Protect the health and lives of mothers
- Our WHO (World Health Organization) calculates the difficulties that raises up in 15% of pregnancies, which results are severe enough to get these women hospitalized or killed. There are 2 million plus live births day and 300,000 maternal complications happen yearly. Which makes it 7 times the DOH’s annual count for the arousing disease of TB (Tuberculosis), 19 times for the people who have heart diseases, and 20 times for the people who have malaria (only for the women). The result? More than 11 needlessly women die every day. For women to be saved from maternal complications family planning is one of the best preventative measures.
2. Save babies
- Going through the normal way of giving birth reduces the death of infants. WHO utters that at least 2 years should be the time lapse between the birth and the coming pregnancy. One will notice that in our country this advice is not really follwed. They follow with also mentioning that “the infant mortality rate of those with less than 2 years birth interval is twice as compared to those with 3” If the RH bill will become a law, practicing the family method advices will be more effective and will result to less chances of the next newborn baby to die.
3. Respond to the majority who want smaller families
- According to WHO couples and women in this generation hearts having small families. They were surveyed about their ideal number of kids and the results show that women in their 40s want to have kids above 3, but those in their teens and early 20s want just more than 2. Furthermore, couples end up having a family that is larger than what they have expected. While on the average Filipino women desires having children close to 2 but ends up with 3. The gap between the wanted and the actual number of family members are showed in all the social classes and regions, however, one will notice that the biggest is among those who are in poverty.
As for the seven other reasons for the side of people for the RH bill, it will be definitely here on my next blog. HANG ON!
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