Reproductive health bill – My Perspective And Thoughts
Posted on 10. Nov, 2009 by Nelson Fontanilla Bedayo in Oplan Pepe
At only 24, my niece had already three kids. Her husband is jobless. They subsist on buying and selling anything for a day’s meal. Their kids are malnourished, and it is heart-breaking to see their pitiable conditions. They can’t even buy school supplies for their two grade-school kids. Being the only employed next of kin, I see to it that I give them some financial help, just to afford their kids to go to school. Sadly for me, that doesn’t end there. From hospital delivery to hospitalization of any sort, they will be running to me. But am I being so cruel for sometimes getting so pissed off by their nuisances? ”Why make so many kids when you can even hardly eat?” ”Because there is no more available contraceptives in the health center”, was her prompt reply. When the poor have only their stomach as priority, anything else would be a luxury-and buying the once free contraceptives are beyond what they can afford.
My piece of resentment however, is nothing in comparison with the condition of the poorest families with multiple children. But why did the government stop the supply of the once free-to-access contraceptives available in our local health centers? Has our national leadership been so indifferent and oblivious to the fact that over-population causes more economic misery to our country? Are the UN reports on the Philippines’ over population and all its encompassing ill effects on the society in general becoming irrelevant? Our government officials are presumed more knowledgeable on any issue, and therefore have more access to facts from any national and international researches on population growth in the country.
Few would argue with me that poverty is not a blessing, but it’s a curse. The evils in our society has its roots traced on poverty. Although it may be one’s choice to tread that evil path, his or her decision is one way or another influenced by poverty. Over-population as everyone knows is the main root of poverty. I myself am a living testimony to that. We are ten siblings. As a kid, I dreamed of becoming somebody. But how could I? I was just lucky to have finished high school. Were it not for my determination and untold sacrifice, I would have not graduated from high school. I even came to a point of cursing myself for having been born poor. Why not? How could my parents support us all when we are ten?
Poor families with multiple children can hardly feed their family. Sending all children to school would be a hard task resulting to some children having to sacrifice. And some who have started school, tend to stop and are forced to look for jobs just to help the family get by. But less education and less qualification do not equate with good job; and so the misery goes on. And the cycle continues. Sad to say, this cycle of poverty cannot be alleviated as our population continues to soar.
If our government is determined to improve the quality of life of its citizenry, it will do its utmost to enact and implement laws that would benefit its citizens. According to various researches, poor living condition is rooted in an over-population of a certain country. Our country has a distinction of one of the most densely-congested countries in the world per capita. But all the while, what is our government doing to address this compounding problem of over-population? On the video link below, you will be appalled at how the former Manila mayor Atienza gives his perspective and stand towards the issue of over-population. His confident talks and irrational viewpoint, in a way gave me a sense of embarrassment as a Filipino. And he is only one of those treading the corridors of power with the same stand on this issue.
So much has been written for and against the controversial Reproductive Health Bill. The debates are getting intense and personal in some cases. All media communications are never short of platforms in tackling this issue. Everyone seems hell-bent on getting their voices heard. It is noteworthy though, that even an average citizen is so in-tune with this issue, because so much is at stake- the future of our children and our children’s children. But would this collective voice by many turn out to be futile? A big yes, maybe! Not because of the poor being against it, but because of the sinister force that is behind the improbability of its passing into law. This force is the immensely powerful Roman Catholic Church. This influence-wielding church has dominion over peoples of the earth, and its heirarchy creates its own policies that dictates its church members to obey them.
The Philippines proudly distinguishes itself as the only predominantly ‘Christian nation in Asia’. Our country is a world-renowned bastion of democracy. The rights of every citizen is enshrined in and guarded by the constitution. This very same constitution that stringently commands the inviolability of the separation of the church and the state. But this is regrettably only on paper. The Catholic church for the last century, has been the driving force behind any setup in the country’s political landscape. They are being feared by our leaders. This fear stemmed from what this church is capable of doing. Most politicians would always seek its blessings in any election and therefore would do what pleases the church.
It is a sore truth that the Catholic church will exercise its power and influence to ensure that the Reproductive Health Bill doesn’t get enacted into law. This is the bill that would ensure a better future for an average Filipino family. This is the bill that guarantees a quality of life for each life-loving citizen. This is also the very same bill that would statistically increase the worth and productivity of every citizen, hence a big factor to improving the country’s economy. However pro-poor and pro-family, this bill as the Catholic church would contend is anti-life and in a sense, evil in its entirety. This church asserts that life starts from the stage of fertilization, and that it is tantamount to murder when a couple uses contraceptives, such as condoms or pills and the likes. The use of such contraceptions they further contend, is one way of encouraging pre-marital sex or perversion of any form. And I also contend that their reason is impeccably-dogmatic moronic form of reasoning, that defies any universal law of logical reasoning.
The impasse in Congress regarding this bill is so polarizing, that it is uncertain whether this bill gets enacted into law or not. This early, our legislatures who are vocal with their support of this bill, have been branded by the church as anti-life and are not good Catholics. The pulpit has become a powerful tool to admonish members, to be conscientious and not to vote for these politicians. In here requires a firm resolute, whether you are with them or against them. And this effective bullying has kept the president from interfering with this issue, because her political career is on the line.
Our population explosion needs to be addressed, for it is only a matter of time before everything gets out of hand. It is like a ticking bomb waiting to explode. And the underlying effects could be crucial to the survival of our country, economically and morally. It is the duty of every religious denomination to coax their flock into moral fortitude. And this duty includes instilling in them the virtues of moral propriety and self-control. Sex is a sacred thing that is a gift, meant to be enjoyed by any married couple. Therefore any sex outside of marriage is a sin. This is the domain where the church should be visible. But the choice of how and when to procreate should be dependent upon a married couples’ discretion. Many unwanted pregnancies have caused a family to break apart. Accidental babies have become burden to an already struggling big family.
This is not meant to be a novel. But my disturbed emotions get the better of me. And through this blog, I am able to convey my perspective, my thoughts and my sighs about an issue, not ordinary in scale, but is powerful enough to affect you, myself, and anyone who dreams of a better Philippines. It is high time that we band together, and exercise moral and pragmatic thinking, so that each of us impact one another in a productive way. Let us help support the Reproductive Health Bill pass into law. Contraceptions for married couples do not equate to being anti-life, but it is synonymous to a quality life. Your family and my family rightfully deserve a better future.
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I do agree with Mr. Nelson F.Bedayo, that the Catholic church is the force behind the improbability of the RH bill’s passing into law. It’s about time that our leadership put an end to the interference of the Catholic church in state affairs.
Very Well written article from a first point of view. Deeply moving. I support the RH bill.
i fully agree with you. our country’s biggest problem is overpopulation. plain and simple. well, ok…corruption too.
Absolutely not. For me, Man is never the problem. The creation and continuation of life is the sole purpose of our existence.
It is true that the creation and continuation of life is the sole purpose of our existence. But not to your insite that a man is never the problem. we all know that man are much problem to this. Cause they dont have a control regarding sex.
Twisted thoughts like this is the reason why we are overpopulated.
Tao tayo hindi tayo mga inahing baboy na magpaparami lang nang magpaparami.
This is a good human interest piece that drives home the writer’s point very well.
To the web admin:
Do you have more information on the RH Bill in this site: History or timeline of the bill, the full text, the authors/co-authors, roll call of supporters/opponents (I would assume this list is continuously changing)?
Or maybe the salient points of the bill? And misconceptions on the bill? Maybe one page on links within your site that’s a bit comprehensive?
I think that would be useful.
On another note: any plans of fighting for the RH bill from a lobbying point of view? I don’t mean demonstration rallies, but informed discussions with each of the congressional representatives?
Thanks.
I support RH but not RH distributed by the government. Overpopulation, poverty, degrading educational standards, crimes and many other social ills are symptoms of a poor or slave economy. We allowed our leaders to run our lives and granted them the greatest power on earth: the power to create money, that perpetually devalued our money. If you investigate our history carefully and especially our monetary history, you will notice that our ancestors were enslaved by the invaders by control and manipulation of money. It is obvious that governments are using this powerful trick until now through central banks, supported by their high priests: the keynesian economists.
Did you know that majority of our leaders are keynesians?
Yes, it is true that if you have a big family and your income is not sufficient enough to support them, will result to poverty. But the question is why do you produce a big family in the first place if you cannot afford to have one. Is it not that the root of the problem is the lack of individual sense of responsibility. Each individual person is responsibile for his own life and happiness. Each person is equiped by nature to have the mind as his tool of survival, of knowledge. Individual responsibility start in using and developing that euipment.
If you cannot afford to have lots of kids, then it is reasonable and logical to use contraceptives which are available in the market. That is if you are really using your thinking power. However, if you are really poor and cannot afford to buy those contraceptives, then it is reasonable and logical to use what you have: your hand!
The RH bill is a collective and forceful effort to elivate, control the growing population and poverty. Meaning we are using the law of force to divert the funds in providing those irresponsible individual with the knowledge, gadget,and medicine. Thus RH bill is similar to other bill or laws in fighting poverty (free education, free hospitalization, medicine etc). Are this laws really stop or reduce poverty?
During the time of Marcos we have this Family planning program in our free educatinal system. I observed it was stopped by influencing established Church. Family planning no longer taught in high school and colleges.
My point is we cannot legislate or force other individual person to be responsible.
Hmm… I still don’t quite agree with some of the points the bill seeks to implement. One, that ideal family size thing. If no punitive action would be taken for couples with more than 2 kids, and it’s not mandatory, etc, etc… then why would they even mention it as the ideal? How exactly will they encourage people to stick to 2? On a purely economic point-of-view this makes sense, of course, but that’s not the only thing couples consider. The state should not legislate that a certain family size is ideal, even if no corrective measures are implemented. Does that mean that a family with 3 kids then is not considered ideal? That certain families are not ideal? How exactly will they express and encourage people to stick to 2 then?? This is very telling, quite frankly, disturbing. Now that the state has expressed its preference for 2 kids/family, then what’s to stop them from imposing measures to keep it at two in the future? It might seem far-fetched, but it just doesn’t make sense that they will explicitly state an ideal family size and not back it up with the corresponding measures to enforce it unless they’re planning to leave a door open for “something” in the future.
Philippines is damn overpopulated already! And what makes this worse is that no one seems to consider this to be a serious problem. Overpopulation causes pollution, poverty, starvation, crimes, and what-have-you’s. Government has to conduct some program and tell the people the effects of overpopulation. Mother Nature does not need more babies so people should stop breeding!
I am for RH Bill, the Church will not FEED you!
the problem of atheists is a problem of facts. malthus has been proven wrong by many economic studies and nobel prize winners. catholic church has the biggest feeding program in the world. has many orphans in its orphanages. it has fought for human rights. until atheists find a way to unprove these, uphill ang laban kontra rh.
kontra church pala.
You know, it is NOT all about quality life and the way you want to achieve it. There is still the dignity and pride that man holds so dear.
Here’s another article from Mr. Nelson Fontanilla Bedayo. It’s called ‘Of Politics, Religion and Abandoned Babies’
http://soynegrense.blogspot.com/2010/09/of-politics-religion-and-abandoned.html
It’s about time that we stand for what we know is right. And that is to fight the dictatorship mentality of the ignorant CBCP. Are they that blind or just plain stupid not to see the real picture that our country is in. Maybe because the less population that we have, the less money they will get from their forced money collections of tithes and offerings from brainwashed followers. But as we all know we Filipinos tend to just leave it as it is especially when the church is involved. We never seem to learn. It starts with the people we vote for in the government. Nograles is just one of the few good educated and sensible ones. Even Pacquiao is against the RH bill and imagine how many he can influence with his narrowminded opinions. What a sorry state our filipino people are in. It’s only our real faith and trust in God alone that can help us.
I will stand for a ‘NO”. It may be one of the possible resolutions of the country’s growing problems but Filipinos are known to be a moralized people of the world. Should we take it for granted? Think think think my dear friends, there are lots of alternative solution.