Catholic, Pro-Life, Realist and Pro-RH!

The Reproductive Health Bill, popularly known as the RH Bill, is a Philippine bill aiming to guarantee universal access to methods and information on birth control and maternal care. The bill has become the center of a contentious national debate. There are presently two bills with the same goals: House Bill No. 96 or the Reproductive Health Act and Population and Development Act of 2010 introduced by Albay 1st district representative Edcel Lagman, and Senate Bill No. 2378 or the Reproductive Health Act introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.

The bill is highly controversial, with experts, academics, religious institutions, and major political figures both supporting and opposing it, often criticizing the government and each other in the process. The issue is so divisive that at one point, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines threatened to excommunicate the President, Benigno Aquino III if he supported the bill. (from: Wikipedia)

My title clearly sums up my stand on the issue. I was born and raised a catholic. I respect and value human life. But I've also seen a lot of people suffer and even die with causes that are preventable. I have friends who are scourged with infections acquired through sexual intercourse. I've encountered families with children ranging from 5-10 while their parents have no stable source of income, ergo, basic physiologic needs are unmet. I've handled female patients with pregnancy problems. I've delivered babies, some of whom, are born to sick mothers, some, died during (or a little after) delivery. On a larger scale, our country's population (an estimate) to date is 94 million and surely, not everyone has adequate living space, not everyone has sufficient food and water, not everyone has access to healthcare. I am Pro-RH Bill.

The following is taken from Jubert's Blog: Chillspot. It's his post regarding the issue entitled: Pro-RH bill is not anti-life! I decided to repost his entry since he mentioned a lot of things that I couldn't have said better myself. 

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Much has been said and written about the RH bill that this entry of mine might just be one of the hundreds circulating the web today. Honestly, I would prefer to keep silent on critical matters like this one but it is inevitable especially when these are just catching so much attention from the mainstream media.

IT IS ANTI-RELIGIOUS TYRANNY.

I am pro-RH bill but I am not an anti-Church, that I can guarantee. This entry is written to present a set of arguments which I personally believe to be valid and logical to a considerable degree, pointing to reasons why I eagerly support the RH bill. Of course, you don't need to agree with me. I do not have any motive other than to share a piece of my mind and urge you to share yours as well. Some of my comments may raise some eyebrows and hurt other feelings but my apology in advance.

We had this seminar weeks ago and one of our speakers was a priest in the local church - sorry, I forget his name. He talked about the Church's stand on the RH bill and why it should be kill. With all due respect to him, he sounded pretty arrogant to me. I hate it every time he says, "O, di niyo alam yan!" as if he's talking to a bunch of illiterates. I disgust people who talks and acts like they know everything. I cannot even count on my fingers how many times he said that annoying phrase. Boooooo! Sige na po, ikaw na talaga!

IT IS ANTI-IGNORANCE.

The Church is screaming bloody murder, saying that the bill is a "pro-abortion bill". WHAAAT?! Now, I wonder if we have read the same bill because the bill I read stated no such thing. In fact, it actually does the complete opposite. The argument that the RH bill would legalize abortion is just a distraction. Forget that. Obviously, this is an invalid argument being spread by people who are against the bill. And what is alarming is that we are falling for it.

They also insist that we are not overpopulated. I get that. I do not claim otherwise. At 90 million, we are not overpopulated, nevermind if almost half are living below the poverty line. The Philippines is NOT and NEVER overpopulated. With 7,107 islands, we can even support billions of people - and I am not exaggerating. The thing is, we have a population more than we should have considering our finite resources and it is still growing at a pace that we cannot support anymore. It doesn't take a genius to know that the bigger the population, the bigger the food demand thus aggravating the price increase. It also means more energy will be required to sustain a reasonable standard of living which could make a toll in our nature. This is not pleasing to the ears but the Philippines cannot afford uncontrollable population growth. We need to curb our population a bit to allow resources to be more beneficial thus resulting to better quality of life.

And lemme clear this - the population control is not versus birthing per se. It is against irresponsible birthing.

IT IS ANTI-DAY DREAMING.

I also find it funny when the Church are scared off their wits just hearing the term *drum rolls* SEX EDUCATION. Anti-RH folks insist that the bill will spawn a generation of sex maniacs. (Refresher course: The bill states of the mandatory sexuality education from Grade 5 to 4th year high school) I don't know if they are drunk or they are just plain stupid that they failed to read the word "age-appropriate" written with it. And they keep on insisting that it degrades morality. How is it immoral, exactly, to teach students how to properly manage their sexual well-being? Tell me.

I understand the Church's concern that it is the responsibility of the parents to educate their children about sex. But this I tell you folks: there is a large number of Filipino parents who didn't had the opportunity to be informed, much less discuss, anything about sex education.

IT IS ANTI-HYPOCRISY.

Natural family planning as claimed by religious folks as the moral way of limiting the population has been practiced since, well, the time began but that method has failed over and over and over again. The RH bill is not just about contraceptions for Pete's sake. It is about the freedom to choose what's best for your family. It is called RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD. It prevents couples from having too many children, too soon, too fast.

Cong. Manny Pacquiao said that "Kung nag-condom po ang aking ama, si Mommy D, wala pong Manny Pacquiao." I bet he thought, oh I'm so witty! (Just a few weeks ago, he was caught saying: Magsumbong ka sa lolo mong panot - which, IMO, is the dumbest thing I heard from a politician) But had he ever thought that not all people are as lucky as him?

IT IS ANTI-IRRESPONSIBILITY!

Also, this good vs. evil thing that those religious folks is spewing is frustrating and getting on ym nerves. They are insisting something like this: anti-RH bill are good, pro-RH bill are bad and anti-life. Sorry CBCP, I cannot see myself as anti-life. I value life as much as you do. I cannot understand what is so un-Catholic in encouraging couples to refrain from having too many children that they can't afford to feed and nourished? I think there is none. Oh well, these priests won't understand a thing about family planning until each of them are raising children of their own.

"Humayo kayo at magpakarami" is their epic excuse for valid issues being thrown against their stand. God may told us to procreate but believe me, he didn't mean it this way. The Church just wanna play around using the Bible.

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How does being anti-RH make you Pro-Life? How does having 10 children without the means to provide even their basic needs make you Pro-Life?