The RH Bill 2

 Just bringing up this article from the CBCP. Below is an excerpt:

Pangasinan Rep. Kimi Cojuangco, co-sponsor of the bill (House Bill No. 4244, otherwise known as the RH bill), was interpellated by Zambales Rep. Ma. Milagros Magsaysay, at times responding with arrogance over points in which she apparently was not well-versed but swiftly making an admission that surprised even her co-RH proponents.

“Is [the RH bill] a population measure?”

“Of course.”

“Of course? It’s a population measure? To curb poverty, do you need to curb population? In your eyes?”

“Definitely.”

“In other words, you are contradicting the position of all your other co-sponsors there who said that this is not a population measure, that this is not a poverty alleviation measure.”

The Pangasinan congresswoman paused for a few seconds before saying, “Well, it’s not a population… ay, it is a population measure but it’s not population control.”

After a few more moments of silence in the hall, Cojuangco insisted, “It’s a population measure but it’s not population control.”

The article also mentions the MCW, or the Magna Carta of Women "which Magsaysay repeatedly pointed out was an existing law that already addresses the concerns Cojuangco mentioned as reasons why an RH law in her opinion was necessary, such as the need for more birthing facilities, maternal health services, to name a few."

Furthermore, the article narrates the debate that ensued between Magsaysay and Cojuangco. While Magsaysay notified the congress that there was an existing law that addressed the concerns of the RH bill, Cojuangco nevertheless insisted that the seemingly ineffective application of the law's provisions is cause enough for congress to pass the RH bill. Magsaysay had the final say though when she argued back that what was needed was a stricter implementation of the MCW by the government, not another law altogether.

In line with Magsaysay's argument, I also believe that the RH bill shouldn't be passed for the simple reason of redundancy. We have an existing law in the form of the MCW which, given enough resources and focus by the local government, is potent enough to promote and improve the reproductive health of our women brethren. By introducing the RH bill, we are setting ourselves up for double failure, with two laws, aimed at solving the same problem, scrounging for the same limited supply of resources. That's a recipe for disaster.

We're smarter than this. Or are we?

It's A Girl

This was so easy. It's my first time to embed a video in a blog post so forgive me for my ignorance.

Self-congratulatory pat-backs aside, I came across this video of an all-too-real reality in some parts of the world. It's a teaser about a documentary film reporting on 'gendercide' or the mass killing of female babies, most especially in China and India.

This is plain wrong. But what's even disturbing is that almost entire societies, save for some stalwart human rights advocates, approve of these silent murders. I'm angry right now. I just can't fathom the depravity inside the persons responsible for the killing of these innocents.

Motherhood

I wish I was a woman.

That was a point of realization. It happened when I was with my colleagues at work in a private maternity room. We were all gazing at the small bundle of innocence and bliss lying on the bed as Alex, the newly-anointed mother, narrated to us the excruciating experience of her childbirth.

She was talking to us how painful everything was. Hers was supposed to be a normal delivery, which turned out to be not so normal after all. First, she lost almost all her water and went into dry labor. Contractions then were like arrows from hell. Second, the baby got 'stressed', went into fetal distress, and she had to do a Caesarean delivery.But through it all, when she heard and saw her baby, everything was simply swept away.

Through it all, I simply wondered: what was it like? Although I could approximate, albeit barely, the entire experience, my sex limits me from living through one of life's most paradoxical, most joyous moments. Sadly, you only get to live once and delivering a baby will never be crossed out of my bucket list.

Kudos to you mothers. 

Praying The Rosary

I've been praying the rosary ever since I was young. The rosary was a staple of my family's spiritual life, especially during the month of October when the devotion was set anew.

Mama had a story about the rosary, one that involved her father, my late Lolo Lino. She was complaining about praying the rosary, claiming that it was boring and repetitive. My lolo simply pointed out an analogy of the bus' wheels. The bus is on a journey and, like any other journey, the bus has to reach a destination. In order to reach a destination, the bus' wheels had to do their thing, which is to keep turning round and round until the bus gets to the place. This is the same thing that happens with the rosary. We pray the same prayers over and over again so we can reach that special destination.

I also came to a point where I questioned the whole thing. Praying the rosary was hard work; it was a chore. What made it look uglier was that praying it was coerced. I had no choice because, as mentioned, it was the staple prayer of the family. I also did not find any meaning in praying a very "unnatural" prayer, silently citing Matthew 6:7 as proof that I was right.

But my attitude changed. All it took was a little education, of course. The rosary was, for all intents and purposes, a guide to meditation. It wasn't a prayer per se but a tool to meditate on the Mystery found in each decade. Technically, the rosary was a litany of prayers, whispered repeatedly, as one's mind transcended its verbal utterances and delved into the depths of the Mysteries of Christ's life and God's love.

However, despite this, I cannot say I'm a fan of praying the rosary. Perhaps, I prefer a different kind of prayer, one that would suit me more. Still, one cannot discount the immense power it holds on many of the faithful and how it has nourished generations of Catholics over the years.

There's Something About Boracay

I'm not an expert on Boracay or anything but I'm pretty glad we went there during the off-season (read: the "-ber" months). Otherwise, we would have to contend with traffic and lots of people. Sure, we could have had a good time ogling at the many celebrities if we went during the summer, but we also could have wrestled with the steeper prices of accommodations and rides (which is never fun).

Having been to the place, what can I say? What is there in Boracay that is so special? Well, let me first describe it by saying what it's not.

If you are every bit the eco-tourist, then Boracay is not for you. We fed the fish and saw some birds and bats but that was it. You're better off going to Palawan where the fish are bigger or to other secluded resorts in the Philippines which sport wilder varieties of fauna.

If you like the beach, Boracay's white sand coastline may suit you well (although there are many white beach resorts in the country which can boast of the same thing). Just don't go during the peak season, where all sorts of weeds reportedly spring up because of pollution.

What does make Boracay special are the many establishments that dot its shoreline. It's amazing. You can choose from so many restaurants, hotels, and bars in the area that you'll simply be bewildered by the staggering variety of choices. 

In addition, Boracay also sport several rides, which can only be found there. 

It's ironic, really. Boracay is Boracay not because of the place itself but because of the many people who have made the place something worth visiting.