Power play. This is the heart of the issue, the unwritten, unsaid and as always denied truth behind the much-awaited, ever-protracted, always controversial Reproductive Health Bill. The game is played between the State represented most prominently by the President and the Church represented mostly by the powerful Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines. The State stands that the RH is about health and well-being of the 94 or so million populace. The Church as expected is taking the tack of moral and eternal well-being.
No president, not even the current, and to date popular occupant in Malacañang would want to openly support the RH bill. If any open support is given, expect that the Church will raise the red flag. Threats, in the forms of unverified rumors, have been cast: the possibility of being identified ex-communicado, and the more threatening possibility, of a force beyond reckoning with people marching to the streets, like in the days of Edsa 1 and 2, to protest and ultimately to snatch the power bestowed upon the chosen. The term civil disobedience is also played out. The state of the nation is on a perennial ceasefire.
Previous political power holders, especially those who eye for more power submit to the threat. The icon of democracy, the late President Corazon Aquino, due perhaps to a huge “utang na loob” and her close association to the late Cardinal Sin, gave in to the demands of the Bishops. Succeeding presidents were no better. Protestant Ramos was and is still is a savvy power player. Popular Estrada learned too late that no matter how he played politics with the religious, in the end, they were not too-happy with him, not only because he drained the public coffer but also because he was able to get away with his many mistresses, and still became president anyway. Magtatagal Arroyo was a clear case of wanting to have more.
Thus, the unending “dialogues” in the corridors of power ensue. Edwin Lacierda, the Palace spokesperson had to finely chisel the choice, lest he and his boss be misunderstood. Malacañang brings us back to a more ancient terminology—“responsible parenthood.” And because the term has surely been coined by similar, if not the same people, who gave us the more politically correct and more expansive Reproductive Health tag, P-Noy and his minions had to come-up with the five-point position (pun surely intended and ignited).
No to abortion, among other things, was identified. There is also the respect to couple’s rights to choose and follow their conscience and religious conviction. The Palace is also quick to draw the sacredness of life from conception to natural death while cognizant to the State’s responsibility to provide correct information concerning family planning. But, what about the giving out of other artificial contraceptive devices? The Palace, again, cowered in the “palda” of the poor. If only to alleviate the plight of the poor masses, the State is bound to provide free contraceptive devices (I suppose the Palace is saying condoms, pills, depo-provera, etc.).
Outside of our surrealistic Republic, where the power between the Church and the State is clearly drawn, divided and decided, the issue has long been settled. Like divorce, we are the only remaining country still biting the sway of the religious formula on reproductive health. Carlos Celdran, the “unruly” tourist guide who dramatically raised a political placard complete with his Rizal costume in a Eucharistic mass, is after all correct. Padre Damaso, and his hell-brimming warnings, still work fear and wonder. Instead of taking Celdran as another nut who finally gave in to his insanity or one of those “kulang sa pansin” in our surrealistic Republic, we might as well take Celdran’s poster nudge and reminder with serious message and intent.
In this ensuing power play, casualties are very visible. Hunger, malnutrition, death of women in child birth and abortion and ultimately poverty ravage our surrealistic land. You don’t need statistics on this, do you? But if you need the obligatory stats, the 2008 nationwide survey of the Commission of Population showed that 63% of Pinoys are in favor of the reproductive health. Those who can afford, in fact, are into planning the number of their children, including the brazen use of artificial family planning method if need be.
If you are into serious evidence and would want more proof on how the delaying of the reproductive health bill is affecting the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of our surrealistic society, go to the Jesuit-run Ateneo, and look for the members of the faculty of the Social Sciences. Ask and inquire of their “critical yes”. The critical yes is replete with research accounts on the lives of marginalized families. Better still, live with poor families, and then decide. Heads of these families can’t even acquire lotto tickets to buy them out of poverty.
Of late, I chance upon a chummy librarian on my way out of the library. I inquired about her stand on the RH bill. She is struggling to raise her three children, she noted. And she would not want to put in jeopardy the lives of her children by having more. She was quick to the draw. She would not want to leave the decision to people who never had to face the devil and the deep blue sea in raising a family.
I leave to your imagination who, between the State and the Church, is the devil and the deep blue sea.
tobe_wtdpoor@yahoo.com
No president, not even the current, and to date popular occupant in Malacañang would want to openly support the RH bill. If any open support is given, expect that the Church will raise the red flag. Threats, in the forms of unverified rumors, have been cast: the possibility of being identified ex-communicado, and the more threatening possibility, of a force beyond reckoning with people marching to the streets, like in the days of Edsa 1 and 2, to protest and ultimately to snatch the power bestowed upon the chosen. The term civil disobedience is also played out. The state of the nation is on a perennial ceasefire.
Previous political power holders, especially those who eye for more power submit to the threat. The icon of democracy, the late President Corazon Aquino, due perhaps to a huge “utang na loob” and her close association to the late Cardinal Sin, gave in to the demands of the Bishops. Succeeding presidents were no better. Protestant Ramos was and is still is a savvy power player. Popular Estrada learned too late that no matter how he played politics with the religious, in the end, they were not too-happy with him, not only because he drained the public coffer but also because he was able to get away with his many mistresses, and still became president anyway. Magtatagal Arroyo was a clear case of wanting to have more.
Thus, the unending “dialogues” in the corridors of power ensue. Edwin Lacierda, the Palace spokesperson had to finely chisel the choice, lest he and his boss be misunderstood. Malacañang brings us back to a more ancient terminology—“responsible parenthood.” And because the term has surely been coined by similar, if not the same people, who gave us the more politically correct and more expansive Reproductive Health tag, P-Noy and his minions had to come-up with the five-point position (pun surely intended and ignited).
No to abortion, among other things, was identified. There is also the respect to couple’s rights to choose and follow their conscience and religious conviction. The Palace is also quick to draw the sacredness of life from conception to natural death while cognizant to the State’s responsibility to provide correct information concerning family planning. But, what about the giving out of other artificial contraceptive devices? The Palace, again, cowered in the “palda” of the poor. If only to alleviate the plight of the poor masses, the State is bound to provide free contraceptive devices (I suppose the Palace is saying condoms, pills, depo-provera, etc.).
Outside of our surrealistic Republic, where the power between the Church and the State is clearly drawn, divided and decided, the issue has long been settled. Like divorce, we are the only remaining country still biting the sway of the religious formula on reproductive health. Carlos Celdran, the “unruly” tourist guide who dramatically raised a political placard complete with his Rizal costume in a Eucharistic mass, is after all correct. Padre Damaso, and his hell-brimming warnings, still work fear and wonder. Instead of taking Celdran as another nut who finally gave in to his insanity or one of those “kulang sa pansin” in our surrealistic Republic, we might as well take Celdran’s poster nudge and reminder with serious message and intent.
In this ensuing power play, casualties are very visible. Hunger, malnutrition, death of women in child birth and abortion and ultimately poverty ravage our surrealistic land. You don’t need statistics on this, do you? But if you need the obligatory stats, the 2008 nationwide survey of the Commission of Population showed that 63% of Pinoys are in favor of the reproductive health. Those who can afford, in fact, are into planning the number of their children, including the brazen use of artificial family planning method if need be.
If you are into serious evidence and would want more proof on how the delaying of the reproductive health bill is affecting the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of our surrealistic society, go to the Jesuit-run Ateneo, and look for the members of the faculty of the Social Sciences. Ask and inquire of their “critical yes”. The critical yes is replete with research accounts on the lives of marginalized families. Better still, live with poor families, and then decide. Heads of these families can’t even acquire lotto tickets to buy them out of poverty.
Of late, I chance upon a chummy librarian on my way out of the library. I inquired about her stand on the RH bill. She is struggling to raise her three children, she noted. And she would not want to put in jeopardy the lives of her children by having more. She was quick to the draw. She would not want to leave the decision to people who never had to face the devil and the deep blue sea in raising a family.
I leave to your imagination who, between the State and the Church, is the devil and the deep blue sea.
tobe_wtdpoor@yahoo.com
