Rh_Bill

The Reproductive Health bills, popularly known as the RH bill is aiming to guarantee universal access to methods and information on birth control and maternal care. The bills have become the center of a contentious national debate. There are presently two bills with the same goals: House Bill No. 4244 or An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development, and For Other Purposes introduced by Albay 1st district Representative Edcel Lagman, and Senate Bill No. 2378 or An Act Providing For a National Policy on Reproductive Health and Population and Development introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago. One of the main concerns of the bill, according to the Explanatory Note, is that population of the Philippines makes it “the 12th most populous nation in the world today”, that the Filipino women’s fertility rate is “at the upper bracket of 206 countries.” It states that studies and surveys “show that the Filipinos are responsive to having smaller-sized families through free choice of family planning methods.” It also refers to studies which “show that rapid population growth aggravates poverty while poverty spawns rapid population growth.” And so it aims for improved quality of life through a “consistent and coherent national population policy.” Critics, however, never stop condemning the government about this controversial bill. For the church and other sectors, RH bill is a major attack on authentic human values and on Filipino cultural values regarding human life that all of us have cherished since time immemorial. Simply stated the RH Bill does not respect moral sense that is central to Filipino cultures. It is the product of the spirit of this world, a secularist, materialistic spirit that considers morality as a set of teachings from which one can choose, according to the spirit of the age. Unfortunately, people see the subtle spread of this post-modern spirit in our own Filipino society. While the great debate is going on, from a child’s point of view; RH Bill is not about “FREE CHOICE” because freedom is an exercise of responsibility and cannot be legislated. It is not about anti-poverty alleviation because for as long as there is corruption and unjust distribution of the nation’s wealth and natural resources, poverty will persist. What we need is a holistic education that will bring about social transformation wherein the dignity of the human person and the integrity of creation are protected. STOP THE DEBATE. Instead, focus in improving the educational system and the welfare of the young generation. And that government is supposed to promote a civilization that is maka-tao, maka-kalikasan at maka-Diyos.