Choosing Life

“Choosing the method of family planning is one side of it, and making contraception and contraceptive method a matter of national policy — which the RH Bill does — is another. Making it a matter of national policy or institutionalizing contraception via [an RH law] and allocating billions of our scarce resources will deprive us of our choice because the government will effectively have made that choice for the Filipino families.” - Atty. Ma. Concepcion Noche, Alliance for the Family Inc. (ALFI) president

Does desecration of Christ’s image qualify as art?

Mideo Cruz, 37, who styles himself  as a visual and performance  artist who intentionally aims to shock and awe with his  work  may indeed have shocked many with his recent presentation at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), but awe  he did not. Instead he has been bombarded with death threats and hate mail since the exhibit  opened on June 17.
Cruz’ presentation is entitled “Poleteismo” (Poletheism). He explains that it is about the  worship of relics and how idolatry has evolved through history and modern culture. Among other things,  he shows an image of the face of Christ with a penis as Christ’s nose. He also presents a wooden cross with condom hangings  and a bright red penis that moves vertically up and down.  What can be more revered symbols  in Christianity than the image of Christ and the cross? The Philippines is about 85 percent Catholic.
According to Cruz, the shock effect of his presentations is meant to spark debate. That it surely did with this exhibit. With some very angry Catholics however, the only debate issue is: “Do we hang this guy by his neck or by his nuts?”
Prominent Catholic individuals and Church organizations such as the Knights of Columbus are demanding for a boycott or a shutdown of the exhibit. Others are calling for the resignation of the Board of Directors of CCP, a government entity. Another group is preparing a lawsuit against Cruz and the CCP Board.
During the Nazi years, some SS operatives went inside a church and desecrated the sacred hosts and statues. This of course grossly offended many Catholics and some wanted to kill them. Some even wondered why God did not strike them dead after this gross sacrilege.
Of course God did not strike them dead because I presume He does not have a Nazi’s mind. Instead, He has a Christian mind: Love your neighbor, including your enemies and forgive. This is what He taught. That’s probably why he has not struck Cruz dead either as many would want. For sure, Cruz’s work turned  many Christians to unChristian thoughts.
If Mideo Cruz had portrayed Muhammad as a dick which is what he did with Jesus—most likely, millions of fanatic Muslims worldwide would go on a hysterical frenzy. A fatwa death sentence coupled with a thousand tortures  from countless  imams (Muslim priests) would most likely have been issued. Inevitably, if he is not careful,  Mideo would most likely be kidnapped, subjected to horrible torture, decapitated and his penis stuffed inside his mouth. Some Catholics are wishing that the Muslim style of vengeance be inflicted on Cruz.
In defense, Karen Ocampo-Flores, head of CCP’s Visual Arts Department stated that the mandate of CCP is to cultivate artistic expression and urged that the exhibit be seen as a whole and not in pieces. She added: “I would call it moralist hysteria or religious myopia.”
However, even if we assume that  Cruz’s presentation is art in eyes of some and not the garbage that many say it is—the fact is that the patently offensive depictions of Christ and other Christian symbols does show disrespect and gross insensitivity to the   feelings and beliefs of millions of Christians—not  only in the Philippines but worldwide.
In the name of art, was CCP justified in allowing this patently offensive material to be displayed?
Here’s my take on this:
Art is one thing. Common sense and appropriate respect for the beliefs and affections of others is another.
Cruz’s defined objective is to shock. Therefore, the more shocking is his presentation, the more he sees himself as a success as an artist. As such, putting a penis on the face of Jesus or attaching it to a cross—he calculates—will shock the sensibilities of many. So he intentionally does it. He justifies it as art and the fools who also want to be tagged as artists or claim to understand the minds of artists sympathize and side with him and say: “That is because he is  an artist!”—meaning that it’s all right.
But it’s not really all right.
Artist or not, art or not –we have to draw the line somewhere on what ought to be proper for display.
If shock artists like Cruz are allowed to go uncontrolled, what is to stop them from carrying on with more offensive presentations such as for example depicting toddler in various sexual  positions with old men in their eighties?
Art ought not to be used as a carte blanche license to present anything that an artist would like to present. Like anything, it is a means to an end—not and the end by itself. Real art should bring out the best in people. Here, Cruz’s offering brings out the worst and—causing them to be angry and to hate him with a vengeance.
I agree with President Aquino’s order to CCP to  remove Cruz’s exhibit which is grossly offensive to the sensitivities  of millions of Christians. A  good artist can communicate his message without resorting to offensive cheap inappropriate attention getting tricks.
I would not go so far as to demand the resignation of the CCP Board. It was more likely a case of a lapse of good judgment caused by an overzealousness to promote artistic expression with no malice intended. However, they should learn some important common sense lessons from the aftershocks of Cruz’s  non awe inspiring presentation.
Recently a Filipino  couple was  arrested for producing sex fetish videos called “crush videos”. Among other cruelties, confiscated videos showed naked young women stepping on the eyes of tied up dogs and blinding them. Had they styled themselves as “avant garde artists giving free expression to the visual  arts”—they might not have been arrested and probably even allowed to do a public exhibit.

Article by Ted Laguatan

Feminism

Here are some famous quotations of feminism. Please take note on how they plan to destroy the very important institution in our lives: The FAMILY.

"In the past, we women have been afraid to admit that marriage wasn't all it was cracked up to be because it meant we had failed. Now we know it is the institution that has failed us and we must work to destroy it...it is important for us to encourage women to leave their husbands and not to live individually with men." -1971 Declaration of Feminism

"Since marriage constitutes slavery for women, it is clear that the women's movement must concentrate on attacking this institution. Freedom for women cannot be won without the abolition of marriage." -Feminist leader Sheila Cronan 

family life is a "comfortable concentration camp" from which women needed liberation. -Betty Friedan

 “no woman should be authorized to stay at home to raise her children…because if there is such a choice, too many women will make that one.” -French feminist Simone de Beauvoir

"The nuclear family must be destroyed... Whatever its ultimate meaning, the break-up of families now is an objectively revolutionary process." Linda Gordon

"We can't destroy the inequities between men and women until we destroy marriage." Robin Morgan 

"In order to raise children with equality, we must take them away from families and communally raise them" -Dr. Mary Jo Bane

"Marriage has existed for the benefit of men; and has been a legally sanctioned method of control over women.... We must work to destroy it. The end of the institution of marriage is a necessary condition for the liberation of women. Therefore it is important for us to encourage women to leave their husbands and not to live individually with men ... All of history must be re-written in terms of oppression of women. We must go back to ancient female religions like witchcraft" (from "The Declaration of Feminism," November, 1971). 

"Heterosexual intercourse is the pure, formalized expression of contempt for women's bodies."
Andrea Dworkin 

 

For me, Feminism is a social movement busies itself in advancing unborn babies murder, homosexuality, lesbians, anarchy, marxism, pornography - did I forget something?

RH bill's coercive nature

MANILA, June 20, 2011―The absence of respect for freedom of conscience in House Bill 4244 is among the reasons for a one lawyer's opposing the P3 billion measure.
In a June 17 forum on the RH bill held at Sta. Isabel College, Atty. Marwil Llasos of Filipinos for Life cited the provision concerning refusal to extend reproductive health services (Sec. 28. Prohibited Acts), which states that while the conscientious objector's refusal due to ethical or religious beliefs is acceptable, he is required to "immediately refer the person seeking such care and services to another health care service provider within the same facility or one which is conveniently accessible who is willing to provide the requisite information and services."
In other words, if a doctor refuses to perform a vasectomy, for example, because he believes this to be unethical, the bill compels him to refer the patient to another doctor. The lawyer pointed out that this still goes against the first doctor's conscience "because what you are prohibited from doing directly, you are mandated to do indirectly."
"At mas imoral po 'yon. Bakit? Kasi kung siya lang ang gagawa ng paglabag sa kanyang konsensya―halimbawa, nagbigay siya ng condom o pills, nag-perform siya ng vasectomy o naglagay siya ng IUD sa isang tao, siya lang ang nagkasala. But if he is going to refer to another doctor, dalawa na silang nagkasala," Llasos pointed out.
He then appealed to the high school and college students as well as faculty in the audience to take a hard look at what the bill is leading Filipinos to do.
"My dear sisters and brothers, your faith that was taught to you by the Sisters here in this school tells you that there is such a thing known as the sin of scandal, and that is even worse. Leading people to sin," he lamented.
"Here we have a law that mandates a Filipino, a Catholic to violate his conscience, and if he goes by his conscience he will be imprisoned. Here is a law that commands you to commit the sin of scandal."
The lawyer, who is also an apologist at Defensores Fidei Foundation, continued:
"Lagi na lang sinasabi na ang Simbahan ay kontrabida. Hindi po tayo kontrabida, sinasabi natin ang katotohanan... Ano ang penalty [sa lalabag sa bill na ito]? The doctor or nurse...shall be penalized by imprisonment ranging from one month to six months or a fine of P10,000 to P50,000 or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the competent court. Ano ang kasalanan ng doktor? Ano ang kasalanan ng nars? Ang kasalanan niya, siya ay mananampalatayang Katoliko na naniniwala na imoral ang batas na ito. This is oppressive; this is penalizing us for being Catholic Christians." (Diana Uichanco)

An Open Letter to Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas, SJ, JSD

An Open Letter to Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas, SJ, JSD

Posted: 12 Jun 2011 07:59 PM PDT

Your Reverence:

Peace.

This is in reference to your article posted at the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) last Monday, May 23rd, 2011. But, first and foremost, I would like to sympathize with you if ever a high-ranking ecclesiastical authority labeled you as ‘Judas’ and that you were considered by others a heretic. I understand your position and from that understanding, I am addressing this open reaction letter to Your Reverence for the sake of those who have been listening to your discourses and/or reading your write-ups.

In the same article, you embodied your first position this way:

“First, let me start by saying that I adhere to the teaching of the Church on artificial contraception even if I am aware that the teaching on the subject is not considered infallible doctrine by those who know more theology than I do. Moreover, I am still considered a Catholic and Jesuit in good standing by my superiors, critics notwithstanding!”

Your Reverence, how do you adhere to the teaching of the Church on artificial contraception? When we adhere to certain teaching, we devote ourselves in the observance of such teaching. Moreover, said teaching is made manifest in our gestures, in our dealings, in our principles, and in our advocacy. If we say, we adhere but not observe it, then, adherence is devoid of what it truly means. We become like a “tingling cymbal”. And as a priest adhering to the teaching of the Church on contraception, even common sense dictates that you are one with the Church in teaching that contraception is evil and in enabling people to understand what makes it evil. Are you, truly, one with the Church in this crusade, Your Reverence?

The way I look at them, your positions do not do any good but rather do more harm than good for they aggravate the confusions and divisiveness so characteristic of our nation today along the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill concerns. Much worse, instead of bringing about enlightenment and unity, your articles and discourses exacerbate said confusions and divisiveness, not only among citizens but most significantly among Catholics who look up to you as “Alter Christus” over and above your being a top-caliber constitutionalist, renowned author, intellectual academician, and prolific lawyer. Consequently, confused Catholics and Catholics who have the tendency to use or are actually using contraceptive methods may find moral justification in your positions.

Furthermore, a part of your next argument goes this way:

“Second (very important for me as a student of the Constitution and of church-state relations), I am very much aware of the fact that we live in a pluralist society where various religious groups have differing beliefs about the morality of artificial contraception. But freedom of religion means more than just the freedom to believe. It also means the freedom to act or not to act according to what one believes.

I agree with Your Reverence, that the Philippine society has become pluralistic now. In fact, moral pluralism along contraception conspicuously exists not only among various religious groups but also among Catholics (among priests? Hmm… Hope not). That is why, not a few people adhere to moral subjectivism/relativism so that “what is good or true for you may not be good or true for me and vice versa”. Your being very much aware of the existence of our pluralistic society which is very important to you indicates your high regard and deep respect for religious freedom and individual conscience. Along this line, I am with you, Your Reverence. We have to respect the freedom of religion and conscience. Even erroneous conscience, as inculpably erroneous as it maybe, should be respected. It is a product of ignorance through no fault of one’s own and without any knowledge about being in error. (However, the case would be morally different should
conscience become erroneous due to consequential moral blindness stemming from misguided passions inadequately tamed and/or due to insufficient efforts exerted to dispel ignorance and obtain knowledge of what is truly good as distinct from what is truly evil. This does not exonerate the person from moral culpability).

But then, Your Reverence, respect for freedom of religion and conscience does not and should not hamper you from adhering to a much higher value which is to proclaim the truth that sets man truly free and from practicing your ministry which is to teach in accordance with the Church’s teaching. With all the more reasons, your being very much aware of moral pluralism calls and urges you to do something about it, to preach and witness that right is right no matter how many are wrong, and to teach the universality of truth (not conditioned by time and space, culture and individual opinions and beliefs) about the wrongness of contraception thereby informing human consciences (through teaching). And it is up to the people whether or not they will listen and obey. After all, teaching cannot be identical with imposing, with coercing and with forcing. Besides, you (and the Church) do not have police power to invoke and enforce particularly, against those who
will defy and disobey. What is important is that you teach no matter how few listen and obey.

I also have the impression that you are treating contraception, in your article, as a religious issue so that if a member of a certain religion believes that it is good, then, he/she can freely act according to that which he/she believes (that contraception is good). And if a Catholic believes it is wrong, then he/she can freely avoid it as it is evil.
I beg to disagree. The issue on whether contraception is wrong or not is not exclusively a religious concern. It is not a religious issue which may be good to a religion that regards it as such, while evil, to a religion that looks at it as such. It is not a Catholic issue that only concerns Catholics.

Contraception is, rather, a moral issue, not according to Christian/Catholic Morality but according to the measure of its relation to that which makes good or evil, to the norm of morality. And the relation of contraception to the norm of morality measures in terms of the disagreement of the former with the latter so that contraception is, indeed, wrong. For the sake of your fans, the norm, proximately refers to the dictates of right reason to which an act should be conformed in order to be right. And what makes reason right is its being anchored on the ultimate norm manifesting itself in the “order of existence of things”.

This “order of existence” stands a priori to any human positive establishment of “order and harmony of things”. It means that such order existed before man ever conceptualized and set any man-made order as in the promulgation of human positive laws. The existence of the entire universe and everything it contains is being maintained by such order without which disorder and unimaginable chaos occur. This order expresses itself in the way everything exists, in what it is and in its last end toward which its existence is directed. If a thing exists this or that way because of what it is and takes a given course according to its nature, it must be what its order of existence mandates. It is a given order. It is not designed by man. It has been there ever since. Hence, reason dictates that it be preserved and not be disturbed or destroyed. Otherwise, disorder and disharmony occur.

That is why, the growth of human existence starts at being a fertilized ovum, a zygote (this happens at the completion of fertilization), then it develops into a morula, then a blastocyst, then an embryo, then a fetus, and not the other way around. Upon birth, he/she starts being an infant, then a toddler, a child, a teen-ager, an adult, then an old man/woman. No human being starts existing by being an old man/woman, then an adult, a teen-ager, a child, then an infant, and so on. Plants and trees grow the way they tend to and not upside down, water seeks its own level, and so on and so forth. These are manifestations of the natural order of existence of things.

It indicates the truth which is necessarily immutable, the universal truth at which man is capable of arriving so that “what is true for you is also true for me while what is false for you is also false for me”. (Moral scientists and philosophers call the ultimate norm which sustains the “order of existence of things” as Eternal Law).

By the light of his intellect, man knows the natural order in the existence of things which he recognizes as that which has to be preserved. We call it natural law. Natural Law refers to the Eternal Law expressed in the natural order of existence and is knowable to man by the use of his intelligence. Acknowledged by man’s reason, the one which is in accordance with the said order is good while the other which runs counter to it is evil. The former is moral whereas, the latter is immoral. Thus, he has the natural capacity to distinguish what is right from what is wrong, to do good and avoid evil (Bonum est faciendum et malum est vitandum).

Now, human reproductive system has its own functions and operations proper to its nature. It operates according to what its nature designs and never according to what it is not (unless, it is arbitrarily interfered with). It is specially designed in the biological order to be the natural vehicle through which the generative power of the human person is exercised. This power is inherent in the very sexual structure of the human person and is able to generate new life when it is employed during sexual intercourse within fertility period.

Conception/fertilization of an egg, can only occur after ovulation. The egg stays alive for about 24 hours once released from the ovary. Sperm can stay alive inside a woman’s body for 3-4 days, but possibly as long as 6-7 days. If a couple has intercourse before or after ovulation occurs, the wife can get pregnant, since the live sperm is already inside the woman’s body when ovulation occurs. Thus a woman can become pregnant from intercourse for about 7-10 days in the middle of her cycle. All these functions of the sexual system proceed from its order of existence. No one can ever deny this reality as it is a ‘given’ configuration.

Now, what do contraceptive methods do? The use of any method of artificial contraception runs counter to and even destroys the “order of existence of things” particularly of human reproductive system. Some of them suppress ovulation when it is supposed to naturally occur as designed by its order of existence, others cause thickening of the cervical mucus making it difficult for the sperm to go through, and still others prevent implantation of the fertilized ovum by altering the normal functioning of the endometrium. All these are arbitrary and positive actions to distort the ‘order of existence of things’ – - of human reproductive system.

Contraception destroys such ‘order’ manifested in the course of its natural functions and operations according to what it is. It makes the reproductive system operate according to what it is not. That is why, contraception is evil as it is in itself. If the Church prohibits it, it is because contraception is intrinsically evil . Its evil proceeds from within itself, from what it is regardless of whether it is prohibited.

From this perspective, this sense of evil which ought to be avoided or this issue on contraception applies not only to Catholics but to all human persons of good will and of right reason regardless of religious denominations and affiliations.

Your last statement:

“Fourth, I have never held that the RH Bill is perfect. But if we have to have an RH law, I intend to contribute to its improvement as much as I can. Because of this, I and a number of my colleagues have offered ways of improving it and specifying areas that can be the subject of intelligent discussion. (Yes, there are intelligent people in our country.) For that purpose we jointly prepared and I published in my column what we called “talking points” on the bill.

Your Reverence, what do you mean by the term “improvement”? The dictionary may say, “improvement” means ‘making things better’. It implies that, that which is to undergo improvement is something already good only that it has to be improved to make it better. And nothing will be removed or erased from that which is to be improved. In fact, its status will just be made better. Now, what is it in the RH Bill (which may eventually become an RH law) that you will try to improve or make better? How can you make things better out of something which is, in itself, wrong?

I also found this statement contrary to the first argument you cited that you adhere to the teaching of the Church on contraception. Since, the Church teaches that contraception is not capable of being ordered to human nature and to God’s law, then, it should also be your stand as you said, you adhere to it. But how come, that you will improve or make better of the RH Bill/Law which boldly promotes that which the Church regards as evil?

Well, there are other meanings that can be attributed to “improvement”. But its use in your paragraph is vague. It can be misconstrued. That is why, I said earlier that confused Catholics and Catholics who have the tendency to use or are actually using contraceptive methods may find moral justification in your positions.

Your Reverence, these are all what make your article more confusing, more perplexing and more divisive than enlightening, illuminating and unifying. I don’t see any contradiction between your being a lawyer and a priest. The two disciplines can even be harmoniously employed to advocate the truth and goodness as opposed to falsity and evil.

Your Reverence, I hope and pray that you take a strong stand on the RH Bill by anchoring it on the order of existence of things. This way, you can effectively deal with and unify our pluralistic society whose sense of ‘truth’ and sense of ‘goodness’ are conditioned only by one’s beliefs, values, opinions, culture and the like, which may of course, vary and even contradict from one person or group to another. Please be a catalyst of unity and order, Your Reverence. Please.

Good day.

Very truly yours:

PROF. MARVIN JULIAN L. SAMBAJON, JR.

ANTI-LIFERS: Riza Hontiveros-Baraquiel

click for a larger image

Ang isa sa mapangit at maduming laban ni Riza Hontiveros: RH Bill. Anu kaya ang ibig nyang sabihin "One Battle at a time".
"The pro-RH advocates are pro-life," --according to Mrs. Baraquiel. A blatant LIE! There are a lot of Pro-RH groups and orgs supporting and calling for "safe & legal" ABORTION.

ANTI-LIFERS: Beth Angsioco

Click on the picture for Larger View

Beth Angsioco, of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines and RHAN Reproductive Health Advocacy Network. The RHAN group and several local NGOs, including EnGender Rights and the Institute for Social Studies and Action, called on the Philippine Congress to make “safe and legal abortion" available to Filipino women.

RH BILL and Corruption

There is no need for the RH Bill! Our time and resources are better used in pushing economic reforms and fighting CORRUPTION! Please observe that the following are happening:
- more Filipinos are leaving the Philippines every day migrating and as OFWS
-the richest of the richs are getting richer by the day-our politicians are spending pork barrel like mad and the RH Bill will add another P3B
-too little budget is being allotted to education.
-there is a shortage of teachers, where are they?
-why is it very difficult to establish a business in the Philippines? Ang daming padulas! This businesses should create more jobs!

Why? Corruption stands in its head!

We must ask the following questions?
1. Will the RH BILL Stop corruption or help it?
2. Will RH BILL alleviate poverty?
3. Will RH BILL add more food to our tables?
4. Will  RH BILL create more jobs?
5. Will RH BILL elevate the status of women or degrade it?
6. Can we stop the "11 mothers death/day claim" w/o the RH BILL?

The Answers are simple. :)

NO to RH BILL

MANNY on RH BILL

He's not in the boxing ring. No referee. No gloves.No otherworldly speed. No footwork. No six-punch combinations. Just words. An audience listens to concepts strung together. The image is strange. Not a boxer but as a legislator, he voiced his side and he is, again, under scrutiny.

People say he is "bobo", "walang alam" or ambisyoso. Yet a boxer can't win belts in eight divisions if he wasn't ambisyoso. A fighter  who came out of poverty and become the global face of a sport because he believes. What makes Pacquiao so feared in the ring, however, is what makes Pacquiao so questioned away from his battlegrounds. He's so good at throwing straights, hooks, finding angles, scaring opponents. The best in the business. Judgmental people concludes that he can't be that good at something else. To conquer with both fists and wits. Really?

Pacquiao reads from carefully prepared notes. He states. He asks. The best way he knows how. For everyone to hear. The easiest thing to do, afterwards, is to belittle him. What compelling argument can a boxing champion forward? Consider, however, that the easiest thing for Pacquiao to do is to keep quiet. Huwag nang maki-alam pa. What he does is neither convenient nor compulsory. Not for him. Not for us.

Pacquiao's celebrity status can really shape opinion, it also seems unfair to stop him from sharing his views. Just like Lea Salonga and other Anti-lifers celebrities, he can share his views. After voicing his support for LIFE, Lea Salonga, Mirriam Santiago and other anti-lifers has resulted in insults, name-callings and belittling Pacquiao's rights for expression.

As a fellow pro-lifer, I give my Pacquiao full support and I defend his right to share his views. I further defend his inclination to air his views. If it is either a publicity stunt or grossly miscalculated political move, let him suffer in the form of lost votes and lost admirers. He, however, refuses to hide behind the shield of perceived ignorance. While experienced politicians would rather play safe, especially when asked about divisive issues, a boxing star risks his hard-earned reputation by speaking up.

If Pacquiao believes he's bigger than what he actually is, thinks he can contribute to a debate beyond his intellectual realm, the burden of failure is his alone. People aren't required to agree with his opinion. But they can, at least, listen. For the right to disagree is just as sacred as the right to be heard. And if people like Lea Salonga would tell Pacman "mag-boxing ka na lang", I know this for sure: Between Pacman and Lea, the most suitable one to talk about this BILL is no other than Manny Pacquiao for he is a legislator and Lea is just a singer, "kaya kumanta ka nalang". :)

Happy Mother's day

We love our mothers! We love life! We love our families! Today we celebrate MOTHER'S DAY!

WHY I OPPOSE THE RP/RH BILL of the PHILIPPINES

The following article perfectly reflects my vocal stand against the RH BILL so i decided to publish it here i my Blog. The credits at the end of the article.

1. The RH bill carries with it an oppressive punishment for people who will not comply with it, making disagreeing with it and teaching something contrary to it a crime. Section 21 of the RH bill says that:

"the ff. acts are prohibited: any health care service provider, whether public or private, who shall knowingly withhold information or impede the dissemination thereof, and/or intentionally provide incorrect information regarding programs and services on reproductive health including the right to informed choice and access to a full range of legal, medically-safe and effective family planning methods"

BUT- who defines what is correct or incorrect here? The RH bill and its proponents of course! If the RH bill proponents says that an IUD is not abortifacient, and abortion is not wrong, and that life does not begin at conception, all of which are totally wrong and against Christian principles, so when Christian health workers will teach about the sanctity of life and that life begins at conception, and that sex should only be between married couples, we will be violating the RH bill and committing crimes once it becomes law.

2. The RH Bill undermines the institution of marriage. As Christians do not have any doctrine prohibiting ligation, you may think it may not be of concern to many Christians, but the RH bill considers a prohibited act (Sec 21) if a health worker " refuses to perform voluntary ligation and vasectomy and other legal and medically-safe reproductive health care services on any person of legal age on the ground of lack of spousal consent or authorization".

The Catholic nurses and doctors who refuse to perform ligation or vasectomy, will be committing a crime. Let us not malign or disdain Catholics on this matter! It is against their doctrine. BUT, look at how this terribly undermines marriage : the Bill puts into law that a woman or man does NOT have to have spousal consent or authorization to have a ligation or vasectomy! And if a health worker refuses to perform this procedure, on this particular ground of lack of spousal consent, he or she will be committing a crime! Christian, Catholic and Muslim marriages will be affected by this.

3. The RH bill undermines parental authority and undermines the family, which are against Christian principles. The RH Bill will punish those health workers (Sec. 21) who "refuse to provide reproductive health care services to an abused minor, whose abused condition is certified by the proper official or personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or to a duly DSWD-certified abused pregnant minor on whose case no parental consent is necessary".

What does it mean by “reproductive health care services to an abused pregnant minor”? Pregnant young women all the more need parental guidance and consent is necessary for whatever "reproductive health services" will be done on these young abused women! WHy doesn't the bill specify what "reproductive health services" will be done on such minors, who are already pregnant? Is this bill trying to hide the use of abortion or the use of abortifacient chemical contraceptives like the “emergency contraceptive” as "solutions" offered to an abused minor who is already pregnant? And all without a parent's consent!

4. The Rh bill has a conscientious objection provision, BUT, it negates it by REQUIRING by law "that the conscientious objector shall immediately refer the person seeking such care and services to another health care service provider within the same facility or one which is conveniently accessible". (Sec. 21) So even if a Catholic or Muslim doctor refuses to perform a ligation, they are required to refer. People who conscientiously object must NOT be required to refer. They are already objecting!

5. Christian churches and schools will be required to provide reproductive health care services to its employees. The RH Bill will require employers to provide “reproductive health care services, supplies and devices to all workers, more particularly women workers.” The RH bill will punish employers for not following section 17, which states: “all Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) shall provide for the free delivery by the employer of reasonable quantity of reproductive health care services, supplies and devices to all workers, more particularly women workers. In establishments or enterprises where there are no CBAs or where the employees are unorganized, the employer shall have the same obligation.”

So employers are required to provide reproductive health care to its employees! Remember, this will become a law. There is a certificate of compliance that will be required of all employers. This will affect Christian, Catholic and Muslim employers, even Christian churches and schools, because our churches and schools have employees! Remember, intrauterine devices and some birth control pills are abortifacient, meaning they prevent implantation of an already-conceived embryo. Life begins at conception, therefore anything that kills an embryo or prevents it from implanting causes an abortion or death of the human embryo. As Christians, we know that life begins at conception. We reject any form of any birth control that kills a conceived life.

6. Contrary to claims by RH bill proponents in Congress that abortion is not mentioned, the bill specifically mentions abortion in Sec. 4 in its definition of terms: It lists as the fourth element of reproductive health care the "prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications". You may say, but it prevents abortion, what's wrong? But why must "management of post-abortion complications" be part of reproductive health? Abortion is a crime! Why must the RH bill specifically mention management of post-abortion complications? It specifies "abortion" as the cause of the complication. What this does is that it sets apart induced, illegal, morally wrong, criminal abortion as a procedure or cause necessitating management. Why not just make it a more general "provision of emergency obstetric care to everyone who needs it"? The very fact that abortion is specified as the cause of the complication means that the RH bill condones abortion and gives it special treatment. Abortion is murder and a grievous sin before God. It is the shedding of innocent blood. It is a crime under Philippine laws.

7. The RH bill will teach the entire nation, especially the young people, its definitions of human sexuality, sex, sexual identity, interpersonal relationships, affection, intimacy and gender roles. They will also define contraception and abortion. In Section 4, the RH bill defines “Reproductive health education” as “the process of acquiring complete, accurate and relevant information on all matters relating to the reproductive system, its functions and processes and human sexuality; and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, interpersonal relationships, affection, intimacy and gender roles. It also includes developing the necessary skills to be able to distinguish between facts and myths on sex and sexuality; and critically evaluate. and discuss the moral, religious, social and cultural dimensions of related sensitive issues such as contraception and abortion.” Once again, who decides what is correct and What are facts? The Bill and its proponents determine that. And once it is a law, whatever they (the proponents and the Population Commission) define these things to be, will be what is correct and anyone who teaches otherwise will be committing crimes. And once again, abortion is mentioned. Abortion has nothing to do with “responsible parenthood” and “family planning”.

8. It will teach our children and the entire country a sex education curriculum which its proponents have formulated. The RH Bill says in Sec. 12, “Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health Education.”– “Reproductive Health Education in an age-appropriate manner shall be taught by adequately trained teachers starting from Grade 5 up to Fourth Year High School….The POPCOM, in coordination with the Department of Education, shall formulate the Reproductive Health Education curriculum, which shall be common to both public and private schools and shall include related population and development concepts in addition to the following subjects and standards : Reproductive health and sexual rights; Reproductive health care and services; Attitudes, beliefs and values on sexual development, sexual behavior and sexual health; Proscription of the hazards of abortion and management of post-abortion complications; Responsible parenthood.. Use and application of natural and modern family planning methods to promote reproductive health, achieve desired family size and prevent unwanted, unplanned and mistimed pregnancies; Abstinence before marriage; Prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other, STIs/STDs, prostate cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and other gynecological disorders; Responsible sexuality; and Maternal, peri-natal and post-natal education, care and services.”

While prevention of AIDS and STDs, abstinence before marriage and responsible parenthood are good, there is nothing good with the government teaching “Attitudes, beliefs and values on sexual development, sexual behavior and sexual health” to our children! Plus, once again they have managed to insert “abortion” again. What will be taught about the “hazards of abortion” ? Abortion is 100% fatal and hazardous to the unborn baby who has been aborted! Why must “management of post-abortion complications” be taught in sex education?

9. We reject the RH bill because it’s really about money for contraceptive manufacturers and suppliers. The RH bill puts into law that contraceptives will be made into essential medicines ! Sec. 10 says “Hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices, injectables and other allied reproductive health products and supplies shall be considered under the category of essential medicines and supplies which shall form part of the National Drug Formulary and the same shall be included in the regular purchase of essential medicines and supplies of all national and local hospitals and other government health units.” The RH bill only lays the groundwork for government purchases of contraceptives, including contraceptives that are abortifacient, which we reject. When we say government, it means “nationwide”. The RH Bill will become national policy.


10. We reject the RH bill because it encourages a two-child policy. In Sec. 16, “Ideal Family Size” it says: “The State shall assist couples, parents and individuals to achieve their desired family size within the context of responsible parenthood for sustainable development and encourage them to have two children as the ideal family size. Attaining the ideal family size is neither mandatory nor compulsory. No punitive action shall be imposed on parents having more than two children.”

While it says that it is not mandatory or compulsory, it will still become a law, meaning, the law will encourage this two-child policy. If it is written in the law, it will be part of legislated health policy. Previous versions of the RH Bill (the past HB 3773) even had a provision that government scholarships will only be extended to the first two children in a family. Surprisingly, it is no longer in the present bill. But what if this is put into the implementing rules and regulations? And people who will have large families will be stigmatized even if they are not punished.


Whatever is good in the bill is already legal and is being done. Yes, women who aborted/killed their children must not be refused emergency obstetric care. But RA 8344 already penalizes the refusal of hospitals and medical clinics to administer appropriate initial medical treatment and support in emergency and serious cases. Women who abort their babies are already given emergency obstetric care. HIV-AIDS programs are already in place. The RH bill tries to encompass so many health issues under it such that people who reject the RH bill are viewed as anti-women, anti-health and anti-development.

But now we have shown you what is definitely worth rejecting in the RH bill. It is the hidden agenda tucked into the RH bill, the oppressive nature of the bill toward those who reject it, the values it undermines and the questionable “values” it will try to teach.

Lissa Apolinario-Poblete, DMD, MHPEd
Christian Pro-life Resources for the Philippines

The Groups Supporting the RH BILL Part 4: Women's Legal Education, Advocacy and Defense Foundation, Inc. - WOMENLEAD

WomenLEAD is a feminist NGO for legal resource institution for women committed to advancing women's human rights through feminist methodologist in the critique and analysis of law and the legal system. Through its core program (Feminist Counseling and Legal Services), WomenLEAD's core of lawyers and paralegals engage in litigation to challenge laws, and the legal culture which reinforces biases against women.WomenLEAD is the local partner of ASAP involved in public advocacy on the issue of Reproductive Health Bill for the benefit  of women and girls, including abortion rights. They oppose the criminalization of abortion but right now their main focus is the passage of the RH BILL. Their members are regularly visible in lectures and forums about Women Rights and Empowerment and has never missed any chance to indoctrinate the audience that abortion is among the fundamental reproductive rights of a woman. They conduct several researches about abortion with the intent of swaying our lawmakers to consider its legalization in the future

They wrote several position papers such as for the re-registration of the Emergency Contraceptive Pill, Postinor (levonorgestrel 750 mcg) which was banned by the DOH

The Groups Supporting the RH BILL Part 3: Asia Safe Abortion Partnership ASAP

ASAP was created as a platform for advocacy, debate and dialogue for promoting access to medical abortion worldwide. Their goal is to promote, protect and advance women’s sexual and reproductive health rights in Asia by promoting access to comprehensive safe abortion services. This confirms what pro-lifers have been warning for so long: If the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill passes now, the fight in a few years will no longer be about providing contraception but rather providing abortion. That is why, despite all the flak from the media, we are not yielding an inch on the RH Bill. We know what “reproductive health” means when such people like from ASAP say it.

http://www.asap-asia.org/country-profile-philippines.html

PROLIFE POSTER #3

A provocative poster to touch men's ego. It is all about discipline

PROLIFE POSTER #2

A mother’s glowing kindness and selflessness is a call from God. A woman is cared and respected mainly due to her God-given gift to bear life. Child bearing is a no easy task for women. Giving birth is both painful and rewarding experiences for mothers.God instituted marriage so that men and women can fulfill their gender roles within a family. Ideally, marriage enhances the life of a man and a woman by providing them with a community of caring and sharing, of stability and support, of nurture and welfare. The kind of gift marriage brings forth to the society is incomparable and that is why there is much necessity to keep it standing strong.
A Bill that will remove parental authority over their minor children or would devalue a husband's leadership in homes is destructive of the family as a basic unit of the society.

For more information please visit:
www.prolife.org.ph
filipinosforlife.com

PROLIFE POSTER #1

Vasectomy has been given a "pass" in the general public and when people answer questions about vasectomy on Yahoo! Answers, the posts always look the same. They all say  that vasectomy has no side effects, can't affect sexual function and is completely safe. When someone point out the incidence of chronic testicular pain and the sexual side effects that men complain about anonymously in internet forums, they get "thumbs down" ratings. This is very strange.We can always find list references from the Urological literature to back up these points, yet, few seem to accept the information.
I don't understand the defense of an elective surgical procedure by people who have not had it done. It is like vasectomy has an "urban myth" attached to it of "complete and total safety". Perhaps it is because of the advertising of vasectomy as completely safe and the lack of public forum to discuss the outcome. Fifty percent of men keep their vasectomy a secret due to fears of being seen as less masculine or defective in some way after the procedure. Perhaps the men that have side effects keep their symptoms to themselves out of a similar fear or embarrassment. It is not like vasectomy is an acceptable "water cooler" topic.
Interestingly, if you get men who have had it done to talk about it, you hear a wide group of side effects and the hell of post-vasectomy pain syndrome.

For more details visit:
www.vasectomypain.org
www.prolife.org
www.prolife.org.ph

A Vasectomy gone wrong

What if the "safe" vasectomy fails? Failure as in you would loose all the manly pride you have in your entire life. One will not only suffer a tremendous physical pain but also a lifelong psychological trauma.
In May 1996, Daniel Stalker reluctantly decided to undergo Vasectomy with the promises of safe, simple, painless and less invasive operation as compared to female sterilization. He felt so much pain during the procedure. Later one of his testicles then turned black and swelled to double the size. The complications has caused so much pain as he describes :
“About 20 hours a day I’m in bed, doubled up in pain. I’ve tried to commit suicide five or six times because the pain is that bad. It is manageable one minute - I could be sitting there talking - then the next second I’m doubled over in pain and I’m screaming the house down. It happens about five times a day.”

He said it was difficult for his wife, Elizabeth, 47, and his four children, Gayle, 25, Michael, 23, John, 15, and Aimee, 12. Gayle had had to come back from Australia, where she was working as a nanny, to help his wife look after him, he said.
Doctors has to remove his testicles to save his life and an attempt to end his misery - but this has failed to alleviate the pain.

Regrets comes later. Better be safe than becoming "less of a man"

The Groups Supporting the RH BILL Part 2: Center for Reproductive Rights CCR

Sorry for this one

 “Funding for abortion services has increasingly been recognized as a necessary tool for ensuring access to a fundamental human right.”-CCR
"[Forsaken Lives] is the first report of its kind that links the abortion ban in the Philippines to a violation of women's rights."-- CRR Pres. Nancy Northup referring to their reports about abortion bans.

The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global women rights organization that uses constitutional and international law to secure women's reproductive freedom including rights for abortion. In their paper report entitled "Forsaken Lives", they blame the Philippines’ pro-life laws criminalizing abortion for endangering women. The group alleges that criminalizing abortions has  forced women to turn to illegal abortions that can result in complications and  even death. The report implies that the laws against abortion is a human right violation for women. It is noted that this very same deceptive tactic is used to get abortion legalized in the U.S. and still being used to legalize abortion in other countries including Philippines.
If this argument is acceptable, then we might as well legalize other criminal activities like illegal drugs to make it safe during "sessions" or the sex dens so that sex workers will be given workers' rights too!
The idea of legalizing abortion is like a poison hiding in the guise of women empowerment, gender equality, maternal health, women's health, and women rights that is why feminists legislators are easily fooled and deceived in passing immoral bills like the RH BILL.
Right now, this pending RH BILL has little or no provisions for abortions but its contents will surely pave the way for more acts of baby killing.

The Groups Supporting the RH BILL Part 1: LIKHAAN Center for Women's Health

LIKHAAN was established in 1995 and since then they claim to have "developed models of care that help harness the social creative powers of women". It is an organization of  women, health advocates and professionals dedicated to promoting and pushing for the health and rights of disadvantaged women and their communities. They are known for their biased approaches on family planning as being done on poor and uneducated communities and residents of Malabon, Manila, Pasay, Quezon City, Bulacan, Bohol and Eastern Samar by promoting permanent birth control methods over natural methods.
Like the others' women advocacy groups, it is a wolf in sheep's clothing for it favors and pushes the legalization of abortion. They understand that this will not be possible unless some preparatory bills are enacted to pave way for its realization in the future: The RH BILL. This group has always been visible in rallies and is openly vocal for the legalization of safe abortion.
The following link is the organization's official website and don't be surprised if you see something not worthy of reading:
http://www.likhaan.org/node/696

Their office address:

Likhaan Center for Women's Health Inc.

88 Times St., West Triangle Homes
Quezon City 1104 Philippines
Tel: (63 2) 926-6230
Fax: (63 2) 411-3151

NUEVA ECIJA is PRO-LIFE

Thousands of Novo Ecijanos gathered in synchronized different rallies to Condemn the RH Bill simultaneously with great ANTI-RH Rally at the Quirino Grandstand last March 25, 2011. In Cabanatuan City Nueva Ecija, people from different denominations led by the majority of faithful Catholics staged their rally at the CIC Gym. The program included personal testimonies of experience with contraceptives and how it ruined their family and spirituality. Several speakers from Congress gave inspirational message including the Nueva Ecija Governor Aurelio Umali who expressed his support against the divisive RH Bill. More and more provinces has openly expressed their disapproval of this RH BILL including the recent declaration of LAGUNA that they are Pro-Life!

ABORTION # 1(Warning! Extremely Graphic)

Before i decided to write my first article about abortion, I prayed so hard. My fingers are shivering as i type these words. Tear drops were falling and my heart is ailing. Have you done abortion? Have you considered abortion? Have you seen your child after abortion? The following pictures came from Grand Jury Report released by Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams and posted on the Operation Rescue website.

Warning: Extremely graphic and disturbing. If you cannot withstand this please leave.

This March we celebrate Women's Month, may our women be compassionate enough not to allow these things be done unto them. Abortion is not Women's Right!

VASECTOMY: Your God Given Gift-Snipped!

A vasectomy to most men is a no-no. Specially after a man has given life to several children and is comfortable with his family size. He figures he’s being a good dad to the children he already has, so why not accept this operation as his reproductive finale? With a simple and inexpensive outpatient surgery being advertised on gigantic billboards, broadsheets and on the Internet, it’s easy to be convinced that it’s time to get clipped and move on.
In some parts of the Philippines, several gender-biased organizations/cooperative are preying on unschooled/uneducated men, encouraging them to undergo vasectomy for safe motherhood without presenting other choices for other family planning methods [CMEN, MISMO in cooperation with UNFPA].
In some relationships the desire for the vasectomy reveals the underlying struggle between the male and the female for dominance in the marriage. Sometimes it is the women who make their husband get fixed. She tells him, “I had the pain of having the babies; now you’re going to be the one who gets fixed!” or "No vasectomy, no sex". The men submit, often reluctantly. Her dominance and his submission are a statement of her ultimate control , but not for the real TIGASIN of this world, they are not letting anyone mess with their manhood! They tell their wives, “If you do not want to get pregnant you will have to figure out something for you because I am NEVER getting clipped!”
God gave the man the innate desire to achieve greatness!  Men are motivated by a deep need to imprint themselves and struggle to leave their mark. This is why they build buildings/structures and compete in business, and sports, fight in wars, and long for respect. This is why male animals leave their scent and fight the other male to the death. A male must stake out his territory. This is why getting fixed is detrimental for real men. It is not just a little snip; it is the severing of a gift and it disconnects the man from the emotional power God gave him to achieve true greatness.

Remembering "THE EMERGENCY": India 1970s

There was a time in India when men became the object of a gender biased policy. In 1976, Sanjay Gandhi launched a drive to cleanse the city of slums and force their residents to leave the Capital. Sanjay reportedly ordered officials of the Delhi Development Authority to clear the heavily populated, mostly Muslim slum. This forced resettlement of more than 250,000 people, which killed at least a dozen as recorded and became a touchstone for the opposition.
Sanjay publicly initiated a widespread family planning program to limit population growth. But this resulted in government officials and police officers forcibly performing vasectomies in order to meet quotas. Vasectomy became a condition not just for land allotments, but for irrigation water, electricity, ration cards, rickshaw licenses, medical care, pay raises, and promotions. Everyone, from senior government officials to train conductors to policemen, was given a vasectomy quota. Officially, men with two children or more had to submit to sterilization, but many unmarried young men, political opponents and ignorant, poor men were also been sterilized. Hundreds died from botched sterilizations - according to official statistics. There was no way to count the number who were being hauled away to sterilization camps against their will. This program is still remembered and criticized in India, and is blamed for creating a public aversion to family planning, which hampered Government programmes for decades.
At last, in the largest democratic election in history, the people of India produced one of history's great political upsets. Men became united against this gender biased policies. The prime minister Indira Gandhi was routed in her home district.. The Congress Party was defeated all across northern India. They lost 141 out of 142 seats in the states that had registered the largest increases in male sterilization. In Delhi the crowds stayed up through the night to cheer as the results came in. Something even more powerful, even more implacable, men had finally defeated the ideology of population control: People voting, one by one.

The Controversial RH Bill

The Reproductive Health Bill or RH bill is a divisive issue in our country today. Several feminists and pro-abortion women groups rallied in favor of it. The Catholic and other conservative churches has expressed opposition over it together with Pro-life supporters. Things are really going badly for the proponents of the Reproductive Health (now RP or Responsible Parenthood) Bill  in the Congress. First, President Noynoy did not include it among his list of priority bills. Then, for two days, the congress was not able to convene because the air-conditioning malfunction. Now they were able to have it read on the second reading and Rep. Edcel Lagman was able to make his sponsorship speech but Congresswoman Garing attempted to get Congressman Raul Daza off the floor on the ground that he did not wear the proper attire!It was really a sign of how frantic the proponents of the bill are getting.
For me, the reproductive health bill has indeed many good points. But included in the bill is poison—the provision to include contraceptives, and other modern artificial birth control devices (like the IUD, Ligation, Vasectomy, implants and injectables) to be among essentials to be distributed in government hospitals and health clinics. No question regarding promoting reproductive health of women(& men?), but the bill has many flaws that may lead to the legalization of abortion.
And I quote Rina-Jimenez David of Philippine Daily Inquirer, a supporter of RH bill in her Jan. 4 column, “Saving mothers and babies,” when she said: “...the provision of safe abortion services and the timely and correct response to abortion complications are a legitimate part of reproductive health.”

Let's Take a look at some of the groups who are pushing this RH Bill:
UNFPA-United Nations Fund for Population: "We, UNFPA, are mandated to consider abortion within the context of public health, but never as a right, as some NGOs do...Where it is legal, it should be done under good medical conditions. Some women’s groups approach the issue differently, viewing abortion in the context of a woman’s right to choose. So, though we have many common interests, we deal with them differently"
EnGendeRights was founded to advocate for women's free exercise of their sexuality and their right to reproductive self-determination free of discrimination, coercion and violence including women's access to the full range of contraceptives, emergency contraceptives, and to safe and legal abortion, and equality of lesbians and women bisexuals and transgenders and their freedom from discrimination.  It was founded in December 2003 by its Executive Director Ms. Clara Rita A. Padilla. We received our first funding in August 2004
Center for Reproductive Rights-Melissa Upreti, legal adviser to the New York-based Centre for Reproductive Rights, said the Philippines should amend the penal code to legalize abortion when pregnancy threatens the life of the mother.