Philippines’ best asset, by far, today is the manpower. It’s really a matter of dispersing the population over the country. It’s too congested in the Metro. That’s where the problem arises

Very well said! It is aggravating enough that a significant portion of my every-shrinking income is withheld by government against my will. It is way worse that congress will use it for purposes that are against my basic principles and my core values.

if Bill HB 5043 is not passed the Philippines will be finished

“It has been shown that women committed suicides”

“Medically, a lot of these so-called contraceptive pills are not safe”

Bald assertion doesn’t make things true. Cite your sources. Methinks you’re making things up and parroting the lies of the Catholic Church.

I like the corruption angle — it’s something we have to consider. But when you say that “To give people the freedom to decide, if, when and how often to have a satisfying and safe sex life, as claimed, tears at the very moral fabric of our social existence.” It’s clear that your real opposition to the bill stems from a medieval view of sex.

to primer c. pagunuran,

pls. tell us more of your brilliant ideas how to manage the population explosion the country now is in.

chinese govt. opted for one child only per maried couple out of strategic necessity. even though china now has all the trappings of economic progress, her land can not produce enough food to feed the over billion mouths.

i rather see one healthy pinoy kid than 3 bloated and malnourish poor souls.

get off your high horse and help the country’s dire condition because it also going to be your big problem.

kayana2 sends…
lasvegasnv.

Thanks to PDI/GMA for giving Primer C. Pagunuran give the other side of the debate on the reproductive health bill. In contrast, I was aghast at the program of ANC Crossroads which I saw the other day where the host had 4 resource persons agreeing among themselves favoring the bill. I heard Bishop Bacani also has an argument against the bill, but since he or of someone of same mind, was not one of the resource persons, how can I, or readers/viewers, come to an informed decision on the bill?
I am really glad Mr.Pagunuran did give us an in-depth analysis of what the bill is all about, hence, genuine thanks to PDI.

I’d like to point out that China has a One-Child Policy. In fact, their officials attribute their current economic upswing on the fact that they have about 3 to 4,000,000 less people today than they would have had had they not had this policy in place. Their slower population growth concurrently reduced the severity of social problems which come with overpopulation like epidemics, slums, overwhelmed social services (such as health, education, law enforcement), and strain on the ecosystem from abuse of fertile land and production of high volumes of waste.

As regards OFWs and their importance to the economy, isn’t the government in fact trying to stem the tide of the exodus by creating more opportunities here at home? Isn’t that precisely why we invest so much effort in attracting foreign investments to the country? The importance of the OFW dollars to the Philippine economy cannot be denied. But at the same time, neither can we deny that to depend on such a lifeline would be complete and utter folly. As more than a few economic experts have pointed out, the lifeline offered by OFW dollars are dangerously artificial and provide no real growth for the economy.

And even assuming that the thrust of the government now is to depend wholly on remittances from our countrymen abroad, isn’t it our claim that the reason our workforce is so sought after abroad is because we have a SKILLED workforce? How then will we be able to maintain that skill level that the world has come to expect from us if our basic social services were to be overburdened even more by a burgeoning population?

I am not a doctor. So I leave the discussion on health issues to those better-equipped than I.

All this may be correct and all critics may be correct, too. But the real problem is much shorter and much easier to tackle.

Allow every municipal, barangay health center togive, cheap or free, contraceptives, advise people what and how to use, supply enough matriel and then bar the Church from interfering and opposing the program during the mass.
The church is doing nothing to help affected families, does not suport unwanted children grown up because of following the church’s rules. Contrary, the churches want poor families because the poor and the suffering fill the churches.
Maybe it would need laws like in China whrn the government started to fight overpopulation. Sanctions for having children before parents are married and are able to maintain children. Limiting children to 2 or maybe 3 with also sanctions for more children. Making babies like rabbits, without to be able to maintain their welfare, health, education, is a crime against the children. The nation can never create enough jobe and not even food enough for the 100 million people expected within a near future. And just exporting its people to working abroad and to run the government of their remittances is also criminal. Not to mention that soon there will be a time when OFW’s will have to go home instead of finding jobs abroad, the more as their education is by far not competitive to the needs of future jobs.
It does not need a lot of new commissions and dozens of overpaid executives. All it needs is support and supply from the government, advice and no damning of the church. I remember, still during Marcos time, I have been told by a woman with eight children and no husband that the priest was warning during mass that the government condoms are not safe and if still there is a pregnancy, the child could have a long tail or feet like goats, the usual Satan picture. Such hbit should be prosecuted as crime.

Dude. You are ignorant. And your logic is dangerous. A deadly combination.

After reading this incredible blog entry, I could not resist refuting the fallacious, callous, chauvinist and utterly illogical arguments of the author. Whoever you are, Mr. Pagunuran, you definitely did not think your arguments thoroughly before you wrote about this.
First: “Women issues are the exclusive domain of women, or so I thought?” - Whoever said that women’s issues were the concern solely of women? Are women’s issues so trivial that the rest of society can afford to ignore them? Is having 8 children solely the mother’s problem to solve? Are the women who die from complications of multiple childbirth deserving of their fate? The answer is NO. You and I, and the rest of society are not isolated from the consequences of reproduction, and unplanned reproduction at that! Every child born unplanned and poor is a reminder of the failure of our society to provide for the welfare of every individual! If that child grows up to be a drug addict, or a criminal, does that not harm society? Does it not now become OUR concern?
Second: “Truly, this carries some kind of racist bias against those otherwise unhealthy, uneducated, and unproductive in our realpolitik.” – Since when has preventing people from becoming unhealthy, uneducated and unproductive been racist? In any case, racist is the wrong term. The right term is discriminatory, but I digress. Preventing people from becoming indigent does not discriminate against those who already are indigent. On the contrary: since there are less people who depend on the state for resources, the money saved increases and now can be spent on those who are poor. In simple math: more money+less people to spend it on = better services.
Third: “What about China with approximately two billion in population that has managed equitably well without compromising its position as the next economic superpower?” – China only has half that number of people. Also, China’s government has declared its own One Child policy as a success… with caveats. I quote: “Because China has worked hard over the last 30 years, we have 400 million fewer people,” said Zhang Weiqing, minister in charge of the National Population and Family Planning Commission. “Compared with the world’s other developing countries with large populations, we have realised this transformation half a century ahead of time.” While the details of implementation are different from the RH bill in Congress, it is clear that the overall result was positive for China. In addition, have we forgotten that our country has limited resources for health and education? As it is, even our education secretary has admitted that the growth of school-age children outstrips any projections the government has for education. If our government admits that budget increases are outstripped by population growth, then shouldn’t we try to control our population so that we can ensure that every Filipino child can be provided a public education?
Fourth: “Have we as much as forget that OFW remittances of our fellow Filipinos buoys up an otherwise fledging economy? The next generation of overseas workers to fill the great demand of manpower from the global market has to be born now — beyond the two-child limit.” – This argument boils my blood. Do you think that OFWs want to leave their families to work abroad? Do you think they would do otherwise if there were less competition and more opportunities at home? The answer is a resounding Yes. I am the child of an OFW, and I am now working abroad as well because, quite simply, if I were to compete in the job market the compensation I would receive will not even cover my daily expenses. Is it easy? Hell no. I live away from a country I love. I miss my family, I miss my friends, and the stress of knowing that your rights as an individual are curtailed because you are an alien takes its toll every day. The very reason why the OFW programme was deployed in the first place in the 1970’s was that there were too many Filipinos entering the job market and too few opportunities for them. While its true that our government could have done a better job creating jobs, you can’t deny the fact that having too many people exacerbates the problem. 31% of our population, or 31 million people in our country are under the age of 14. That is the entire population of Canada today, living in a country that has only one-fourth the GDP. 92 million people with $300,000 million, vs. 33 million people with $1,178,205 million. (World Back) Do the math: how can we increase living standards when our economy’s growth is outstripped by the growth of the population? Living standards inevitably decrease. The result? Our people are forced to work abroad, often as chattel, just to support their families? And you, Mr. Pagunuran, have the gall to say we should have more children to add to those already slaving abroad? Shame on you!
Sixth: “Studies have already validated that reproductive health care as practiced in the more developed societies already negative impacted upon the home, family life, career, social milieu, culture, and society as a whole.” – I dare you, Mr. Pagunuran, to produce independent, academically sound studies presenting this. I am a social scientist, and I have yet to read any study linking these social ills to contraceptives. The social ills of unplanned pregnancies on the other hand, are well documented and numerous. Besides, the reason why social dysfunction has increased in Western societies is directly related to a decline in the quality of parenting and communication between spouses, not contraception! If having less time per child as a result of unplanned pregnancies decreases the quality of parentage, does that not also constitute a social ill?
Seventh: “To give people the freedom to decide, if, when and how often to have a satisfying and safe sex life, as claimed, tears at the very moral fabric of our social existence.” – Don’t you think that marital rape, unplanned pregnancies, and maternal deaths due to childbirth tear at the moral fabric of our society more seriously than the right to have knowledge about sex? If we truly are mature individuals, no matter what our religion, having freedom will not immediately direct us to moral debauchery. A responsible individual will exercise freedom responsibly. For those who don’t, then they would commit debaucheries whether or not they had knowledge of sex. At the very least, teaching everybody about reproductive health can help prevent disasters that are preventable.
Eighth: “Pregnancies – whether or not wanted, planned, or timed – are pregnancies. Any act or means to be sought to prevent it should be called as what? It would not be abortion, would it?” – So you say that there is no difference in the quality of life between someone who has a child when she is married, financially prepared and in love and someone who is raped and left for dead, and pregnant? This is what you imply if you say that all pregnancies are similar, and desirable. Think about it. As for the definition of abortion: “abortion is a medical operation in which a developing baby is removed from a woman’s body so it is not born alive” – Macmillan English Dictionary, 2002. As for the definition of contraception: “methods for preventing a woman from becoming pregnant, or the use of such methods.” Prevention of pregnancy is clearly distinct from removing a baby from the womb of a mother is it not? By allowing contraception, you also prevent unnecessary abortions. Is that not preferable?
Ninth: “Whoever invented these labels without any scientific basis ought to be a murderer?” – Whoever confused abortion and contraception is what then? I think that forcing people to commit abortion out of a lack of choice is more of a murderer than someone who clearly defines the distinction between abortion and contraception.
Tenth: “Such a would-be law that prohibits and in fact penalizes any healthcare service provider who refuses to perform medically safe reproductive health care services in the absence of spousal consent or authorization is revolting.” – So, a healthcare provider who is giving contraceptives to a wife who is raped by her husband is revolting? We live in the 21st century, where a wife is no longer the chattel of her husband, and has the right to decide on matters of reproduction. Preventing her from doing so is a violation of her basic human rights.
If we look at the arguments of Mr. Pagunuran, we can see the ideas of a man who rejects the idea of equality between men and women, has a poor understanding of economics and human development, and prioritizes a warped ideal of piety in place of the welfare of our entire country. For goodness sakes, reject these perverse ideals, and support what the reproductive health bill truly stands for: equity, a better standard of life for all, and the rationality of a planned population programme.

That the author was off by approximately fifty percent in his estimation of China’s, population, which is in fact closer to 1 billion than the 2 billion he cites is evidence enough of the faulty, hysterical thinking of opponents of HB 5043 to send him and all his cohorts back to kindergarten where they belong. Remember the Philippines is NOT a colony of the Catholic church!

oh, my heck, such leaps of logic! such slippery slopes!

like the bill you so fear, your reply/comment is overloaded, running the gamut from Hitler’s super race madness, to HMO conspiracy theories.

at the bottom of this is your repulsion towards abortion. that’s it, that’s the real ticket, not your legal or even health care concerns. you wish to cram your religious beliefs down everyone’s collective throat and scoff at those who do not share your beliefs. is separation of church and state no longer valid?

please wake up and smell the coffe [or roses]. the country is groaning under the weight of runaway overpopulation. if we continue at this reckless pace, we will surely be headed toward economic hell in a handbasket. in fact we’re already there.

slippery slope arguments [like the scary thought of a future of graying Philippine populace] does not help us today, and will not help us get to tomorrow. this calles for highly secular and practical solutions.

You are assuming a lot of things in your dissertation of this bill. First, all of the negative implications that you mentioned is rampantly happening in our country and in much worse circumstances since there is no regulation at all.

Catholic church is completely useless here, IMO. Of course, the might church is actually not a church for the poor but for only for those who can afford to donate during offering. I’m actually appalled that I do not see that many, if not none at all, poor attending mass.

Second, I think it unwise to base judgement of the merits of this bill base from a moneyed perpective. NSO notes that those families with high birth rates are those that belong to the poor category who cannot afford reproductive health care. Just go to the slums and you’ll see a scattering of street children. Ultimately it is the poor that suffers not those who can sit infront of their computers blogging their life away.

Third, it is not advisable to craft a very detailed bill since it will not be evolutionary in nature. What the heck are implementation guidelines for if everything is laid out? Might as well skip out on that procedure. Also, there will be no leeway in the future if social behavior changes in the future. Just look at our very strict constitution. It reads like an implementation guideline rather than as a guide for crafting laws.

I think it very backward and short-sighted not to see the merits of health care, albeit, reproductive in nature. I think filipinos consider sex as taboo and that hinders critical thinking to that extent.

As is usually the case when it comes to issues of “morality” (abortion, divorce, family planning), the collective Christian faiths of our country (of which Catholicism holds sway) have more sway with the (and I stress this) educated populace than with those living at or below the poverty line.

It is all fine and dandy for those of us born into families of 2 or 3 siblings to be passionate about the moral battleground when the educational and physical are (for the most part) secure.

Even the plan to educate the masses regarding the effects of unplanned and uncontrolled population growth is a farce if their major concern is having enough food to put on the table.

While the principle upon which the above-mentioned bill is built on is sound, I am of the opinion that it doesn’t attack the root of the problem. The poor of our country are likely to stay that way especially since there aren’t enough jobs available (at least those that will allow them to feed themselves) for them to go into. And the jobs that DO pay, are beyond their educational attainment.

And though we can be extremely passionate about “right” and “wrong”, I don’t see myself or anyone else quitting our paying jobs to give it to someone else.

As much as I disagree on several of your points, you brought up one detail that worries me too: When funding starts flowing into this bill (assuming it’s enacted into law), just where is the money going to go?

While I loathe conservative religious fundamentalism, there’s also the possibility of Congress making this law another another excuse for them to dump useless political appointees into some bogus “fact-finding committe”, or as another means to mishandle finances. It’s a very real danger many of us are all too familiar with.

there’s nothing new!!! money is the name of the game… Reproductive Health Bill(ions)…THINK….

of the corruption angle, i agree along with the other posters that its something we have to watch out for. but as for the rest of your arguments…. i will just point out a couple as the others have already refuted some of your falsehoods.

1. you actually prefer seeing our country’s problem of teeming malnourished street children scrounging rubbish for food to those of developed countries than having to deal with too much aging but well-off retirees and so needs more man-power abroad. Which do you think is a bigger problem?? In any case, this problem is what we MIGHT have to deal with in the FAR FAR AWAY future IF our country attains developed status. Right now this stature only exists in our dreams and we have deal with one really big problem.
If this is beyond your feeble mind’s ability to comprehend: developed nations attain their status by being able to feed, shelter, educate and care for their citizens, NOT by having too many people!

2. you actually like our OFW families having to separate in order to have a decent living. doesnt this lead to all the emotional and family problems you mentioned. its actually happening now or havent you noticed?

Your way of reasoning is an example of the dangers of having stupid and trash opinions populate the internet which could be picked by the misinformed (as evidenced by a few of the posters you influenced here).

The Church is not responsible for education our people. The church is not responsible for the healt of the people. The Church is not responsible creating jobs. Unless the Church provides these to all those children that live in poverty they should have no say in this issue. The Church has failed the nation in instilling values of honesty, love, fairness, sacrifice in our people. There is so much greed, corruption, laziness, dishonesty in our society that the Church cannot see. But when comes to using our reason, common sense, freedom, they always butt in.

I ‘ve heard this argument before, that developed countries have this problem of aging population, and that it is okay for us not to control our populaton growth so that we will not have this problem. Now that I have seen what life is in a developed country, this argument seem so ridiculous to me. When people retire here in Canada, they have money, travel, and have fun. Almost all developed countries have universal health care. In the Philippines, 65 year old people still need to work because their children’s family live at their home and they have to buy formula for their grandchildren. Plus, I am disgusted of all the Filipinos who have children so that they have somebody take care of them when they grow old. If this is how we view are children then we are doomed to be in the hole we are in. I would rather have a high payed nurse to take care of me rather than be a burden to any of my children. I would die happily knowing my children are pursuing heir dreams rather waiting their life taking care of an old man.

In our country, having a family is always noble even if no way or means in feeding that family. It really amazes me that the people who don’t have jobs, those who didn’t complete their education/training when they had the chance are the ones who are so eager in reproducing. Everybody has seen or heard the mother of 7 children crying out to the TV or radio that their meiger earnings can’t afford to feed their children. Everytime I see or hear those kind of stories (and I have heard a lot) I do not feel pity rather I am overwhelmed by anger. To me, it is plain stupidity. The same is true for the Philippines, if we can’t feed our own people, if we can not give them proper education, healthcare and jobs why create more misery. Providing services and population control are the two ends of the same rope. You cannot control the rope with only one end. Its like avoiding being bankrupt by only trying to increase the earnings and letting loose spending. It is easier to spend than earn. Something has to be done.
The diaspora of Filipinos shouldnt be used against this bill but rather for it. Honestly, are we proud that we are the domestic helpers of HongKong, Middle east, the world even? Are we happy that we send our women abroad as maids to be rapped and abused so that they can send some money home hopefully before they are killed?
Are we a stupid country?

At the outset, Primer C. Pagunuran’s thinking is way out of whack, distorted, illogical, and fundamentally flawed. Please listen carefully, Mr. Pagurunan.

You say that the chief architect of RH 5043, Rep. Edcel Lagman, is not even a doctor. Are you nuts? One does not have to have a doctor’s degree to understand the basics of this issue. Just plain common sense. Listen some more please.

You are contradictiing yourself. You state that this bill PREVENTS unwanted pregnancies, unplanned, mistimed pregnancies. If the pregnancy is prevented, where is the pregnancy? Biology 101 will tell you that pregnancy ONLY occurs when the sperm fertilizes the ovum. Before fertilization happens, there is no chance of pregnancy to occur. Got it? This pregnancy can be prevented by the rhythm method as you and your illiterate cohorts advocate and a host of other artificial means. Please follow throuhg if you can. If there is no pregnancy, your talk about abortion is meaningless. In short, no pregnancy, no abortion. You cannot abort a non-existent fetus. Got it? I hope you are sober when you are reading my explanation.

Wrtier Steve advises you to go back to kindergarten. I will go further and offer to pay your your tuition fees and daily baon and pangmirienda. You can repeat kindergarten as many times as necessary until you pass it, and I will be willing to shoulder all you expenses. Parang awa at tulong sa iyo. I am pretty sure kindergarten will help you clear up your thinking.

In the meantime, lets get to worik and support this bill so that it becomes a law-fast.

Sorry for the tirade.

@Emrys Capati

The mechanics of the Reproductive health bill, among other things, aim to educate them regarding the intricacies of human sexuality.

AFAIK, The matter of giving the masses enough to eat, or teaching them a sustainable livelihood, falls under a different outreach program altogether.

Then again, you make a good point - it’s very hard to enlighten a crowd that’s running on empty stomachs. This only indicates all the more how important it is for multiple Gov’t outreach programs to properly coordinate with each other to bear fruit.

Given our current situation however, it’ll probably sooner for a certain place down South freezes over than for our admin to get their act together.

NOOOOOOOOOOO to REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH BILL!!! may natural way po to prevent pregnancy. dapat nating tandaan na ang pagbubuntis po ay di isang sakit na dapat iwasan, ang ovulation po ay di rin isang sakit na dapat pigilan. natural po lamang ang ovulation, ang dapat po dito ay alamin kung kelan ito nangyayari, kami pong mag-asawa ay volunteer teacher ng natural family planning, handa po kaming magturo nito sa kahit kanino, ano man ang iyong katayuan sa buhay, ano man ang antas ng iyong pinag-aralan. ito po ay libreng pagtuturo at pag-aaral. kami po ay nakalaan upang magturo nito ng walang bayad. ang atin pong simbahan ay di ninais na tayo po ay mapahamak, gaya ng ating mga magulang na walang sawa sa pangangaral sa mga anak sapagkat ayaw natin silang mapahamak. ganun din po ang simbahang katolika, na laging nandiyan upang manguna at mangaral. di po namin sinasabi na dapat lang na magparami o mag-anak lang ng mag-anak, ang pag-aanak po ay may kalakip na responsibilidad ang parehong magulang. wag po nating i-bombard ng artificial contraceptive ang ating mga kababaihan sapagkat may natural na paraan kung saan dapat malaman ng mag-asawa kung kailan dumarating ang ovulation ng asawang babae, sa pamamagitan nito ay mapipigilan ang pagbubuntis. ang ovulation po ay kusang nangyayari, gaya ng bulkan na kusang sumasabog sa takdang panahon na di kayang pigilan ng tao. ang artificial contraceptive po ay susubukang pigilan ang ovulation, ngunit sa marami at madalas na pagkakataon ay di niya ito mapipigilan sa kadahilanang ito nga ay natural na mangyayari sa kababaihan, dahil di niya ito napigilan ang susunod niyang gagawin ay ang padulasin ang endometrium lining ng sa ganun kapag may nangyaring fertilization ay di ito mag-iimplant sa endometrium lining sapagka’t ito ay pinadulas na ng artificial at susunod ay mahuhulog na ang sanggol sa sinapupunan, na di pa man naisisilang ay binawian na ng karapatan upang mabuhay. kung ang sariling ina o ama ay kayang gumawa nito sa kanyang anak paano pa kaya niya ito di magagawa sa kanyang kapwa. sana po ay may natutunan tayo. u can contact us at 09204763227 karen (free teaching of nfp)

This month of October we are celebrating Children’s Month. I find it very inconsistent though that the very same body which started all these rights-of-the-child thing, the United Nations, would be the very same body also that would spearhead something that violates one of the basic rights that have been ratified by governments and states of the world after a decade of consultations with various religions, cultures, societies, institutions, organizations, etc. Then here in the Philippines which is one of the states which ratified the Rights of the Child our lawmakers are trying to pass a law which once again destroys the spirit of the Rights of the Child through a bill comfortably labeled as something for the sake of women.

This very fundamental right is the RIGHT TO BE BORN. Maybe I see it in a very simplistic way but isn’t it ironic that the United Nations initiated this activity but then again they would disregard such a very important right (the very first right according to the Rights of the Child) and promote the use of contraceptives among its member-nations? It is written in very simple English and has been translated in all languages and dialects I suppose. This right is a very significant part of the entire list of children’s rights because upon it stands all other rights. It is a foundation upon which all the other rights stand as pillars. Without this right all the other rights would be useless. How can one enjoy the right to grow and develop if he or she is not provided with all the support to enjoy the right to be born? The celebration of the Children’s Month would be another useless waste of time, money and resources if the sanctity of this right would not be upheld. If we really wnat to have a true celebration of Children’s Month then let us support all the rights of the child especially the fundamental right which is the right to be born and oppose every program, project or activity that would make this right a thing of the past!

I beg to disagree on many of the points the writer of the article raised. You mentioned China having the biggest population that contributed to its development. If you have a fair knowledge of geography, then you would know that that country has a very wide land area thus it is only fitting to have a big population. Again, you fail to notice that in China they have one to two child per household policy. Two in the provinces, one in the urban areas. In excess of that you have to pay a sort of heavy tax on additional children. You are also saying that our extraneous population is needed in other countries as their workforce and in return remitting the much needed dollars in our country. I think it is not hard to think that those Filipinos going abroad are educated and have trades and skills to offer. The slum areas in our country is the biggest contributor to our overpopulation if you will note. They have as many children per household. Do you think our exported laborers came from these areas? Also, you should have a clear definition of abortion. Do you mean by using the pill when it is only a temporary way to control fertility already abortion? Do you mean using the condom as catch of semen already abortion? It is only natural for humans to need sex. If you don’t need it then you are abnormal. The women even have this “in heat” period. I think you need to live in a slum area so that you can have the “immersion” and can truly write an educated article about the topic.

Our congress, as always, is very good in wasting people’s money on trite and non-productive legislation. As far as I’m concern, we are presently confronted head on with a very very very pressing matter which is no other than our economy.

After PGMA outdoing Mrs. Imelda on spending spree on useless matters, after making stupid trips abroad, almost in the four corner of the globe (although FVR out class PGMA on foreign trips), now we are in for a very serious matter. Our government is literally bankrupt. If PGMA thinks that she can milk farther the Filipino people, I say, she is dead wrong. There is no more money to pay our tax next year. We, the Filipino people have already been bled dry.

For the pass several month alone, PGMA, acting like Santa Claus gave away or rather promised several billions of pesos to the audience, may they be the PMA during the graduation ceremony, or 3.2 billion pesos to the congressman son’s birthday, hundreds of thousands of peso to her “Kababayan” on the lahar stricken areas; there is no end to her hap-hazard charity. Money on projects that never had any study is given priority. And this is a stupid thing to do. Her post-graduate in economics didn’t help much to her managing the economic outlook of our country. Being the classmate of Ex-President Bill Clinton, one who out performed President George Bush for having positive growth, our President was dead wrong in all her economic aspect. And worse that she could not reign control her rapacious husband who is incessantly got implicated with corruption.

Majority of our Legislative branch in the government is nothing but alter ego of the PGMA, booth leakers, stupid followers, hangers-on, and now they are still pre-occupied with “Reproductive health?”
I said before, and I am saying it again, where will PGMA get the 682 billion pesos as payment on interest on our foreign debt?

What will happen if we can not pay the stupid “Northrail Project of Pampanga?” If I am not mistaken, there is a provision in the “North Rail” contract wherein China has a free hand what Philippine asset it chooses. Will PGMA go to “Uncle Sam” for help? No way! What if China chooses our very limited agricultural land? PGMA and her ethnic Chinese dominated Cabinet ministers has committed treason. They surrendered our country to their motherland! Exactly!

Better we do away with “Reproductive Health” at this moment. And much better, if the ethnic Filipinos multiply fast to fight the invaders.

why is it that most of the barkers of this bill were leftist group?.. communist?.. no God?…

To illustrate, try to imagine yourself as the father of 10 to 12 children in the slums. You have to provide for thier needs. What if at one time you don’t have work? Can you imagine yourself being not able to provide food for the table for a day? What if one of the children is seriously sick and you do not have the money to bring her to the hospital? What about their education? Is it fair to blame the government and all its institutions because they are not doing enough to help your big family?

Re:the reproductive health bill

It impinges on human freedom. Congressmen must respect human freedom.Poverty is caused by bad people not by population

though you have a valid point about this being exploited by corrupt people, it is not an excuse to entirely scrap it. that would by just plain stupid. there are a number of avenues to make this more corruption resistant i.e. a separate bill has to be passed by the senate right?

but your other arguments are clearly ignorant and illogical and just plain stupid.

To ACS

Hi, you mention that OFW’s are wanted all over the world for their perfect skills. But sorry, the real reason is that they are easy to get and theyare cheap. What the Gov. is trying, to dictate foreign employers how much they have to pay is just a nonsense joke.
That OFW’s, maybe excluding doctors and nurses from some colleges, are NOT so very skilled shows the fact that the majority of them have to work at low level jobs or they have first to be trained by the employer. It is not their fault, but the fault of the poor phil. education system. Even studying at a college does not mean a really good skill. Many colleges offer courses without to have the practical facilities for it. Is there any phil. seafarer who has any real knowledge of a modern, computerized ship like tankers, container ships etc.? No, that is not existing in RP. There are There are colleges offering courses for airplane maintenance and for cabin personnel but have nothing real for training. Computer engeneerin courses where are vert few PCs and often outdated software for a big number of students. In addition, too many classes have 59, 60 and more students, how a teacher can really care for them and really know what they need? Compare with the system like in most Europesn countries: Studyinf for engineer, doctor, lawyer, is at universities and needsusually 4 years more of higher education for to enter an university. Professionals learn at businesses or factories with the wanted jobs sothat the apprentice really work at his future profession. With additional special schools and usually 3 to 4 years of apprenticeship. After, there is an exam which folows government rules so that all must have the same knowledge for to pass. And all of them have also 3 or 4 years practicum included.
That is, why phil. OFWs can hardly compete without first to be trained or to work at low levels. Not the OFWs are to blame but the system. Instead of offering an competitive education, the government let the people go abroad, as many as possible, because they fill the reserves of the Central Bank and help therefor to keep the Peso high which in turn means they get less Pesos for their Dollars while all Peso prices increas and increase, no matter the Peso goes up or down. That is the thanking of the government to its “modern heroes” who then have to send more and more money hme.

it’s a pity that arguments raised by the author are in many ways faulty, wreckless and absurdly irresponsible, much like the arguments of church leaders and others so-called and self-imposed “guardians of morality” in our society.

i’ve been involved in NGO and social development work for since 1998 and it pains me to see that the church hasn’t done any actionalbe and sustainable action to address the very issues they are raising against the controversial bill. they say the bill is immoral, when there are people among their ranks who have multiple children which they can barely give proper education and sustenance. they say they are looking after the welfare of the poor, when they don’t provide tangible assistance to the less fortunate that will sustain them. they act like the great prophets of old, playing with prose and parables to sway the emotions of the masses, while failing to realize that real economic and social reforms have to be enacted against real economic and social problems that are inflicting society today. why are they so scared to give the people the necessary means and information that “can” empower the latter to have a more decent and comfortable life? this is not anymore a question of morality or religious beliefs, but of social welfare and survival.

silence the narrow-minded religious who are to fragmented in their beliefs. they don’t see the real problems of poor people. let them come down from the safety and comfort of their palaces, and see for themselves what the real problems of poor people deal with every hour of their waking day.

ONEMORE, I find your post 28, and the others, interesting and intriguing. In your illustration it is clearly the fault of that father for being irresponsible in raising a big family he cannot sustain. Now he is in a mess and realizes rather too late that he needs help.

Man is governed by two laws. There is the fundamental law the Creator has given man to guide his moral life. But man is weak and must be restrained, thus, man made laws to keep him from his wicked ways. One of these laws is about population control. Sex is a means for procreation and it is beautiful. But man’s insatiable quest for personal gratification and irresponsible parenting has led to population explosion and it is beginning to threaten the survival of mankind. Today man realizes he must act and make drastic laws because he foresees the inevitability of the destruction of mankind as man has failed to maintain self-discipline.

To the moralist and those deeply rooted in religious adherence, the laws being passed by man are unacceptable because they are contrary to the fundamental laws of the Creator. But governments have responsibilities too towards the people they govern. It is their duty to initiate means by which population may be sustained within the nation’s capacity and resources to sustain them. To the government, it is no longer a matter of moral issue. It is a matter of the nation’s survival and the economic life of its people. There lies the burden of responsibility on the government leaders.

The disciplined and moralist should have no problem following the fundamental law given them by the Creator. But the undisciplined, the non-believers, and non-conformists, who obviously are the ones which the laws of man were especially designed for, are free to choose what they think is better for them. Man is thus given two options. Choose self-discipline or enjoy sex to its fullest without adding any more to the population problem. Hence, it boils down to one’s moral conscience as to which one is preferable. The issue is now a matter between man and his Creator.

A reproductive law may be repulsive to some, just as the law pardoning an unrepentant plunderer is disgusting to many, but it becomes a necessity when the demand requires it. While I approve of legislating laws on reproductive health, I do not subscribe to following it. I would think it should serve those who need it more.

Lets not inject religion into this matter. Its the religious who have the many broods and their gods must have given up on them.

Almost all doctors and other health physicians, businessmen, economists and other academicians, professional managers in government and private sector, population scientists both local and foreign acknowledge and say that overpopulation is a problem and a major cause of poverty in this country. Those who preach otherwise - what are you credentials?

Funny to read some people appeal on a creator which they could not even define.

Tom.

Your unsolicited remark is beyond me but largely ad hominem that merits not the slightest attention.

Be that as it may, it is clear you missed the point and you have very little comprehension on whatever goes your hand, any reading material maybe.

I wonder why you have to give yourself away by a cheap, underhanded remark not much against the view, but more on the person you hardly know.

You are not Miriam Santiago, are you? And who is Steve? Is that an authority, a subject matter expert?

Truth is, I can do better than what you propose. I can pay for your tuition and all if you pursue a degree in doctor of philosophy. Because obviously, you can doctor everything.

ACS,

China has 2 billion population. It appears, however maybe falsely, to be the next emerging economic superpower. Its one child policy may have indeed slow down its population growth. Birth is still part of the cycle of death and vice versa. In other words. it is possible that as many are born, many die and so on.

The government’s expressed effort to attract foreign investment that is thought to generate employment is purely lip service. Nothing on the ground is seen as true. Still, OFWs provide that huge financial void that has got to be filled in lest our economy goes down the drain.

Part of the bill is better left to the experts who have even conflicting views on when human life began or when pregnancy has taken place - after sex, of course.

So, legal science is quite different from medical science and thus, possibly doctors are better conversant on some of the aspects of the proposed bill.

To Kevin,

I noted that the style used to refute or probably attempt to debunk what he calls my dissertation of the bill is a ’shoe fits all’ in that a generalization is built based on a single illustrative instance given. I think, we cannot deduce from single particular instances or that would be grossly myopic.

The writer’s arguments are repugnant. He tries to take some sort of moral high ground while trying to justify it with weak, at best, logic.

Regarding societal illls as a result of contraception: cite your sources. Saying “there are studies that show” is empty. Cite your sources or stop spreading those lies.

Your country is going to be in deep trouble if the population continues to explode. Demand of OFWs is declining already in the world economic crisis.

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I’d like to thank the commenter who pointed out that contraception is NOT abortion. If there is no pregnancy, there is no abortion.

Personally, I blame people like Pagunuran for such horrible misunderstandings of reproductive health. They want to keep the masses confused to help maintain some twisted sense of morality.

Is it moral to force a woman to have a child after being raped and beaten by her husband?

While perhaps the writer has graduated kindergarten, the writer should learn some sympathy and compassion. Try to understand the plight of others before demanding that they all follow his bizarre sense of what is moral.