The Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008, or what is more popularly known as the Reproductive Health Bill, has drawn many opinions, argumentation, and commotions in the past few months. The State and the Catholic Church have been involved in disagreements regarding this issue. The State, particularly the sponsors of the said Bill, claims that the proposed RH Bill is beneficial to the people, especially in addressing the population explosion in the country. However, the Roman Catholic Church, particularly the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) strongly disagrees with this Bill. Thus, this contributes to the delay of the passing of this motion to the congress.
For those who are wondering what the RH Bill really has to offer, I made a research on its coverage and luckily (?), I was able to find only a piece of the said Bill.
Information and access to natural and modern family planning. The first coverage of the RH Bill clearly states that couples are given the orientation on the different ways of birth control. Unlike what most of the opponents of the RH Bill think that it will only promote immoral methods of family planning, such as the use of pills, condom, intrauterine device, among others, the Bill also acknowledges the natural methods of birth control, like the rhythm and calendar methods and abstinence (?).
Maternal, infant and child health and nutrition. Having one foot of the mother in the grave while giving birth, it is but proper to consider the health and security of the mother and the child. That is why the Bill offers proper information and education in valuing their health and nutrition.
Promotion of breast feeding. According to some experts, one way of building a closer relationship between the mother and the child is through breast feeding. This is explained by closeness of the mammary organ to the heart.
Another benefit of breast feeding is that it delays the fertility of the mother because of what they call lactational amenorrhea. Consequently, breast feeding aids in the promotion of birth control.
Most importantly, breast milk contains the best nutrients for an infant, such as folate, protein, vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, among others. Thus, the promotion of breast feeding through the RH Bill is fitted for the program.
Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications. With the right information and proper education of the possible parents, cases of fetus found anywhere can be lessened, if not totally eliminated.
Adolescent and youth health. The Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008 does not only cover the married couples or the parents. This extends to the possible and future parents—the adolescents and the youth.
Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections, HIV/AIDS and STDs.
HIV/AIDS and STDs are rampant because people infected with these diseases were ignorant or misinformed with the danger of having sex with their partners. Through this Bill, cases of such diseases will surely decrease because of the information and proper orientation given to the people.
Elimination of violence against women. A contestant in an international beauty pageant once said, “The real essence of a woman is to give birth…” true enough, women play a great and important role in the society. But unfortunately, they are being maltreated; they receive so much disdain; they are being oppressed of their rights. Thus, this Bill protects the rights of every woman, especially in the violence that they are receiving.
Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers. As early as 35 years old, most Filipino women are diagnosed with breast cancer. In a report, the Philippines has the most number of breast cancer cases in the Asian region. In fact, 47.7 percent for every 100, 000 females face the risk of having this kind of cancer. Thus, this RH Bill aims to address this problem.
Male involvement and participation in RH. Since population explosion is not only the problem of the female sex, male participation is also important. Since women can not reproduce alone, therefore, male should also play an active role in the promotion of the reproductive health.
Prevention and treatment of infertility. The Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008 does not tackle only about family planning or birth controls. Every parent’s wish is to have an offspring that will serve as their guide in the sunset stage of their lives.
RH education for the youth. Sex education among Philippine elementary and secondary schools an important aspect of the proposed RH Bill. With the alarming number of abortion, early pregnancy, early marriages, and population explosion, the Bill proposes to give the Filipino children the necessary orientation of reproductive health and practices, as early as grade five.
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Here are some of the potential consequences of the passage into law of the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill (HB O5043) which have dawned upon me; to wit:
1.0 BIG BUSINESS, BIGGER MONEY. If RH Bill passes into law, condom suppliers may earn from the Philippine government (which will be mandated to distribute free condoms to 4.9 million youth aged 15-27), PhP 2.548 billion every year. (Or 4.9 million youth times 1 sex act per week times 52 weeks per year times condom usage of 1 piece per sex act times supplier’s price of P10 per piece of condom.) The assumption of a youth engaging in sex at the average of once a week, I am afraid, is in order and conservative. It will be unthinkable for a young student to obey the reminder of his RH teacher or older relatives that abstinence is the most effective birth control method when that young student is aware, the government is duty-bound to provide him or her with free condom for his or her sexual cravings anytime, anywhere. Condom supply is therefore a big business if RH Bill passes into law. Nevertheless, what is bigger money is when government canvassers, signatories of purchase orders, receivers of condom deliveries, as well as check payment signatories and releasers may connive with condom suppliers to price the condom at P 100 per piece instead of P 10. The over price of P 90 per piece of condom will be distributed among the involved government officials. Therefore, due to the passage of the RH Bill, there is an opportunity for a PhP 25.48 billion condom scam to happen.
2.0 BOARS AND GILTS. These 4.9 million youth who are recipients of the government’s free supply of condoms may naturally crave for sex like animals (considering the additional enticement from the immodest mass media and the internet pornography). The young male may act like boar while the young female behaves like gilt that is in heat. This promiscuity or multiple sexual relationships, is probably just a take off point. The Law of Diminishing Extra Satisfaction (as adopted from the psychological and economic law of diminishing marginal utility) that governs pure human and animal endeavors including sexual relations will be fully operational. In other words, if sex will be a preoccupation of the Filipino youth, then the satisfaction that a young male derives having sex with female partner/s, will decrease or wane eventually. He then ventures to partner sexually with his fellow male/s to seek new level of satisfaction. He may push further by engaging in bisexual activities. But most likely he will end up as a pure homosexual. A young female may also follow the same path as she craves for sex and sexual satisfactions. She may graduate as a pure lesbian. But this scenario will not be glaring overnight. It will take a generation – ten years span. This may then translate to the need of a new advocacy – to support the passing into law of the bill on same-sex marriages and divorce in the country.
3.0 POPULATION REDUCTION. The ultimate aim of RH Bill, I understand, is achieving economic prosperity (particularly for the poor) however through population reduction approach. In case the RH Bill is passed, its success will be measured therefore by, among others, whether its respective population reduction target (PRT) is attained. And the critical factor in attaining PRT is the effective distribution and use of condom of the 4.9 million Filipino youth in particular. Effective means here, making a condom available for free, on demand of the youth, either male or female, anywhere, anytime. As mentioned above, this will cost the Philippine government, PhP 2.548 billion every year. If the government will have limited or doesn’t have that amount of taxpayers’ money (for condom purchase and distribution) then the full attainment of the PRT will be jeopardized. Thus RH Law may prove to be ineffective to reduce population in the country. If this is the case, other population reduction measures or Bills will be therefore sought. So there will be a future need to support for the passage into law of Pro-abortion Bills as well as of Pro-euthanasia Bills.
So then, to all the RH Bill advocates, if your support for the passage into law of RH Bill (which may lead to additional opportunity for corruptions in the Philippine government, to transformation of the Filipino youth as homosexuals and lesbians, to eventual murder of unborn babies and to future mercy-killing of senior citizens, etc.) makes your Mama proud of you, then go full speed ahead of your RH Bill advocacy. Otherwise, please resign as a RH Bill supporter and lobby harder for our legislators to vote against RH Bill.
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