I was supposedly saving this topic for "Et Alors?" since this is a relatively public issue but since I haven't written here for quite sometime and my girlfriend's noticed my production's slowed down for writing blog entries over here. Here I am. Plus it comes as a complete advantage cause I can swear here (albeit, I still put asterisks on it for those with weak constitutions).
Last Sunday I was hearing mass at our local parish when right before the final blessing they made us kneel for a special prayer. In that so-called "special" prayer included certain ills of the world these days. The recession, The Swine Flu pandemic and such... but then I both hear and see on the projector and the commentator that they have included House Bill No. 5043 better known as The Reproductive Health Bill of 2008. Me, being situated at the very back of the church was not kneeling. Firstly because there are a hoard of people in front of me also standing and secondly upon hearing what was in the prayer I didn't feel like it anymore.
Just to expedite my whole point, House Bill No. 5043 or The Reproductive Health Bill of 2008 was introduced by representatives Edcel C. Lagman of Bicol, Janette L. Garin of Iloilo, Narciso D. Santiago III, Mark Llandro Mendoza of Batangas, Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel and Eleandro Jesus F. Madrona of Romblon. According to the bill itself, HB 5043 is meant to "uphold and promote respect for life, informed choice, birth spacing and responsible parenthood in conformity with internationally recognized human rights standards" and "guarantee universal access to medically-safe, legal and quality reproductive health care services and relevant information even as it prioritizes the needs of women and children." The long and the short of it is The Reproductive Health Bill of 2008 is meant to give an extra push for better promotion of the use of contraceptives and family planning. Furthermore, the bill is aimed to make these ALTERNATIVES to people nationwide accessible.
The church has been quite vocal about the fact that it opposes HB 5043 mainly because of the inclusion of the use of artificial contraceptives like condoms and Intrauterine Devices. However it puts this argument under the pretext that the entire bill is demonic and was made by "demons"; And I did NOT exaggerate that! "We ask the Archangels to fight the 'demons' behind the RH Bill and we seek their intercessions to free our country from this Anti-God, Anti-Religion, Anti-Family, Anti- Parents, Anti-Children, and Anti-Life Reproductive Health Bill," The vicar general of the diocese of Dumaguete Monsignor Gamaliel Tulabing said in an interview for The Sunstar back in September 2008. It's a little much, don't you think? And in another incident Francisco Tatad had this to say to the Inquirer on September 30, 2008: "The bill seeks to tell the Catholic majority not to listen to the Church and to listen to anti-Catholic politicians instead." Well EXCUSE me "Saint" Francisco Tatad, Who are YOU to label these politicians as anti-catholic? These people really seem to think they are "Holier than thou" don't they? but I would be going off topic if I pursued that.
The country has a growth rate of 1.991% as of 2008. We are at 88,574,614 people sharing the resources we have as of 2007. That's 12,070,537 more than seven years before that number was reached. 12,070,537 more mouths to feed. People who lobby against this bill are either bountiful enough in life to be able to have kids or are mandated by their vows to God not to HAVE kids. Truth is, these people don't know how it is not to have enough money to be able to give their kids food at the end of the day, let alone send their kids to school! These people who lobby against this bill KNOW how reproduction works! They know their biology. They had money to study. At the end of the day the people who will benefit these programs are not the ones who oppose it. The people who will benefit them are the people who are in need of education about the importance of being able to control their ability to pro-create. Don't go thumping your bible to these people! This is the human condition we're talking about. Who are we kidding? We all have the urge to have sex. It's what we're designed for! Even PRIESTS have urges, the only difference is to these people who are the target of the bill, THEY can do something to satisfy their urges without having to violate any life-long vow they made to God. If they wanna have sex, let them decide how and what to do about it. Don't tell them not to do something just because you think you know it's wrong. You're forgetting, YOU are not THEM. Just because you THINK you're pious doesn't give you the right to tell people what to do.
Bottom line is: If you're NOT the ones who are having difficulty having a family, Sit down and shut the f*ck up. If you don't want to use a condom cause you think it will anger YOUR god then don't do it. Don't put on a condom. But stop brainwashing helpless people into thinking they don't have any other options but yours.
Click here to view the contents of the HB 5043: http://jlp-law.com/blog/reproductive-health-bill-fact-sheet-and-explanatory-note/
Labels: HB 5043, Reproductive Health Bill
