tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7979176051059009432024-03-13T18:22:29.676+08:00The Catholic Position on the RH LawThis is an archive for open letters and declarations, illustrations, treatises, opinion pieces, interviews and videos that support the orthodox Catholic position on the so-called "Reproductive Health Law" passed by the Philippine Legislature and signed into law in December 2012.
(NB: Inclusion of a given piece in this blog-archive neither necessarily signifies the blog owner's agreement with all of its assertions, nor does it mean that he endorses it as completely accurate or precise.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger749125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-48679608535152669922014-04-07T22:00:00.000+08:002014-04-06T23:54:13.798+08:00April 2014 - Various prayers versus the RH Law<i><b>Newer posts below. This post, originally posted in the morning of April 6, will stay on top until 5:59 PM of April 8, 2014. - CAP</b></i><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">Ang dasal natin na sana itong ating justices sa SC will be guided by wisdom, will be guided by their respect for life and their love for the Lord in this country to declare it [RH Law] as unconstitutional,” he said.</span></b></div>
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~ Fr. Melvin Castro</div>
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Quoted in "<a href="http://www.manilatimes.net/church-praying-high-court-will-kill-rh-law/76446/">Church praying High Court will ‘kill’ RH law</a>"<br />
Manila Times website, Feb. 17, 2014. </div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Mary, we entrust to your maternal care the cause of defending Life and Family! </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Hearken to our plea: Defeat the Culture of Death that is engulfing the world! </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><i>Monstra te esse Matrem!</i> </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Show unto us that you are our Mother! </b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Lenten Pro-life Prayer</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">(Posted on CBCP for Life Facebook Page, April 4, 2014)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Father of all mercy,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">We thank you for this season of grace and light.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">We know that sin has blinded us.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Draw us ever closer to you, in prayer and penance.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Since you, O God, are light itself,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Give all your people a clearer understanding</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Of what is sin, and what is virtue.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Grant in particular that we may see, as never before,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">The profound dignity of every human life,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Including the vulnerable unborn children.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Give us grace to defend</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Our brothers and sisters in the womb</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">By our prayers, our words,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">And our self-sacrificing actions.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Mary, Mother of Life , pray for us!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-srPjl3ffkFc/U0DBHd9bIHI/AAAAAAAADP0/vRiO8qjOKYE/s1600/Oratio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-srPjl3ffkFc/U0DBHd9bIHI/AAAAAAAADP0/vRiO8qjOKYE/s1600/Oratio.jpg" height="450" width="540" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">Almighty God, we thank You for You willed for us to be the People that the Devil cannot trick, as it tricked Eve. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">We thank You for You gave us a Spirit-guided conscience that knew how the Ancient Enemy works, so we can distinguish the works of the Devil from what You want. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">We are battling today against the RH Law that promises the bounty of worldly life, the selfish bodily satisfaction and to the delightful heights of personal freedom, but is a sure road to the meltdown of our morality and of the righteous and noble picture of sexual intimacy and the holiness of the body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit and an inseparable aspect of our personhood. It cannot give us the life that You desire for us, a life of self-giving and self-restraint, of sacrifice and of good virtues. Most especially, the FULLNESS of Life promised by Your Son Jesus Christ, a blessed life that remains in Your Love for us, and in our Love for You. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">We realized that Earthly Happiness cannot help us. Riches cannot help us. Comfort cannot help us. Personal choices cannot help us, if all of these are received without Your favor and blessings.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">We had been outwitted by the Devil again and again, but we acclaim that in every earthly battle against the Devil with You, we can never lose. If it even goes to the point of hurt, offense, getting ridiculed and destroyed, our earthly battle promises a heavenly reward and the cheers of the elect from age to age. Whatever happens, Lord, as long as we do and follow Your will, in the end we believe we shall receive the glorious crown as victors of the faith.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">May our Mother, The Lady of Guadalupe, protect us and meet us along the way, as she meet the worried Juan Diego. May she assure us of the Blessing of Heaven, which comes from her Son and Your Only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, from your company of the Most Holy Trinity. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-17119134930627013242014-04-06T23:56:00.000+08:002014-04-07T00:01:14.019+08:00The RH Law and the Promotion of Unnatural "Rights" - An Important Position Paper<div style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;">
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/216605591/A-Two-part-Critique-of-the-RH-Law" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View A Two-part Critique of the RH Law
on Scribd">A Two-part Critique of the RH Law</a> </div>
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.772922022279349" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_28129" scrolling="no" src="//www.scribd.com/embeds/216605591/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-bea8gn7rnyugy1csflv&show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-70201656252522000882014-04-06T21:27:00.000+08:002014-04-06T21:27:22.770+08:00An important document on the link between abortion and the RH Law<div style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;">
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/215883524/Urgent-Joint-Manifestation-vs-RH" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Urgent Joint Manifestation vs RH on Scribd">Urgent Joint Manifestation vs RH</a> by <a href="http://www.scribd.com/CBCP4LIFE" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View CBCP for Life's profile on Scribd">CBCP for Life</a></div>
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.653623188405797" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_56127" scrolling="no" src="//www.scribd.com/embeds/215883524/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-exw7e04ftbmqetssm5t&show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-40923325290071472552014-04-06T14:28:00.000+08:002014-04-07T16:08:43.226+08:00Pro-Life Pics: A Selection. <div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The following is an interesting selection of pictures / illustrations that Filipino Catholic pro-lifers have been circulating in through social media networks as part of the campaign versus the RH law. (Some of these were designed when the RH law was still the RH bill; nevertheless I have included them in this collection because of their relevance.) </b><br />
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<b>Whatever the outcome be of the fight over the RH law, it cannot be said that Filipino Catholic pro-lifers were idle, or did little to get their message across in "bite-sized" ways. This post is my small contribution to chronicling this aspect of the fight versus the RH law. </b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TtHUsFdSNyw/U0JSRoaaUdI/AAAAAAAADaE/ZMnoaRpSgDc/s1600/rh-bill1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TtHUsFdSNyw/U0JSRoaaUdI/AAAAAAAADaE/ZMnoaRpSgDc/s1600/rh-bill1.jpg" height="315" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YaqedjpeWeI/U0DtfdWT3-I/AAAAAAAADQ0/rbCB1iZs2Yk/s1600/RHImage01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YaqedjpeWeI/U0DtfdWT3-I/AAAAAAAADQ0/rbCB1iZs2Yk/s1600/RHImage01.jpg" height="270" width="540" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oFISPIeBwuw/U0Dx8li2KHI/AAAAAAAADSc/Rn5HAHmEulc/s1600/JunkRHLaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oFISPIeBwuw/U0Dx8li2KHI/AAAAAAAADSc/Rn5HAHmEulc/s1600/JunkRHLaw.jpg" height="200" width="540" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dBfbHvkRMno/U0D0zRq8-4I/AAAAAAAADSw/GOEO9U60tlc/s1600/RHBillPorkBarrel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dBfbHvkRMno/U0D0zRq8-4I/AAAAAAAADSw/GOEO9U60tlc/s1600/RHBillPorkBarrel.jpg" height="200" width="540" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CThNsGzKjyo/U0FpD-wybtI/AAAAAAAADY0/pRxIdiewDUc/s1600/PleaForLife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CThNsGzKjyo/U0FpD-wybtI/AAAAAAAADY0/pRxIdiewDUc/s1600/PleaForLife.jpg" height="300" width="540" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p2Res2R5STQ/U0JSDy8EJzI/AAAAAAAADZk/RfA9SRudGjg/s1600/ChooseLife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p2Res2R5STQ/U0JSDy8EJzI/AAAAAAAADZk/RfA9SRudGjg/s1600/ChooseLife.jpg" height="540" width="540" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9OgHtqF2gJI/U0D02EXl7uI/AAAAAAAADS4/6XlYSJ97NA4/s1600/VoxPopuli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9OgHtqF2gJI/U0D02EXl7uI/AAAAAAAADS4/6XlYSJ97NA4/s1600/VoxPopuli.jpg" height="200" width="540" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e6xBeLiFcEI/U0JcthesO0I/AAAAAAAADbQ/wny2ohdhxRM/s1600/RHImage15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e6xBeLiFcEI/U0JcthesO0I/AAAAAAAADbQ/wny2ohdhxRM/s1600/RHImage15.jpg" height="490" width="540" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TTeDFNbvgnc/U0JSZI0OaGI/AAAAAAAADac/hqt49xuIGos/s1600/SexorLife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TTeDFNbvgnc/U0JSZI0OaGI/AAAAAAAADac/hqt49xuIGos/s1600/SexorLife.jpg" height="338" width="540" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-31341117357817355482014-04-06T13:55:00.000+08:002014-04-06T13:55:21.424+08:00A UP Diliman student on why the Reproductive Health Law is unconstitutional and should be abolished<b><span style="font-size: large;">Abolish the Unconstitutional Reproductive Law</span></b><br />
Position Paper by Mary Minette M. Geñorga (University of the Philippines)<br />
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(<a href="https://sites.google.com/a/up.edu.ph/repealrhlaw/">Source</a>)</div>
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Once a bill is passed and it becomes a law, it does not mean that it cannot be abolished anymore. In the Republic of the Philippines, the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, a law that gives universal access to methods on contraception, fertility control, sex education, maternal care and family planning was approved by President Benigno Aquino III last December 21, 2012. Prior to the passage of the bill, two groups of people emerged to support and to criticize the bill. Different forums, debates, rallies and other demonstrations took place to express the side of both groups. "When does life begin?" and "Are contraceptives abortifacients?" are some of the questions intensely debated about over the bill. Amendments were proposed to respond to certain criticisms. Some of these amendments were approved and some were rejected. After 13 years of revisions and arguments over a law for responsible parenthood and reproductive health, the law was finally approved by the president. Yet, the commotion over the controversial bill did not stop when it was passed into a law. The implementation of the law is still pending. A status quo ante order was issued by the Supreme Court for the magistrates to assess the merits of the 14 petitions that were filed by various groups stating that the law is unconstitutional. According to an article on <i>philstar.com</i>, the voting for the legality of the said law has been rescheduled to April 2014 wherein the Supreme Court‟s annual summer session will be held (Punay).</div>
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It is clear that criticisms of the RH law persisted despite the fact that it has already been passed and approved. Its legality is being questioned mainly because it steps over some rights that are stated on our constitution. This violation on constitutional provisions leads to the need for the abrogation of the said law.</div>
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What are these constitutional provisions that the RH law violates? An article on <i>inquirer.net</i> from September 28, 2013 reports that Fr. Melvin Castro, the executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, asked the Supreme Court to declare the law as unconstitutional following that the Priority Development Assistance Fund or what is commonly known as pork barrel was used to pass the bill through bribery(Uy). The unconstitutionality of the law was again brought up in February 2014. In an article on <i>journal.com.ph</i>, Buhay Hayaang Yumabong party-list Representative Lito Atienza said:</div>
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Instead of instilling a contraceptive mentality in our children, our leaders should be cultivating a culture of life as embodied in our Constitution-Article II, Section 12. The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception. (Pacpaco)</div>
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Another violation is explained by Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. in a report on <i>sunstar.com.ph</i>. The former Senate President of the country explains that the said law is unconstitutional as it violates the local and regional autonomy of the local government units. He relayed how Muslims, especially the ones from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, consider children as their assets and they argued that the central government should not dictate what they will do for the education and health of their people(qtd. in Malalis). The violation of the doctrine of “benevolent neutrality” that is part of the 1987 constitution under the freedom of religion clause is another violation that adds up to the list of unconstitutional provisions of the RH Law which an article on abs-cbnnews.com reports on(Reformina). In relation to this, under the provision in Section five article three, the Constitution says that "[n]o law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" (“The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines”). Moreover, under Section 19 of the RH Law it states “The FDA shall issue strict guidelines with respect to the use of contraceptives, taking into consideration the side effects or other harmful effects of their use.” </div>
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(“ Republic Act No. 10354”)</div>
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Why would the use of contraceptives be included in a law if it is already known that its use will bring harmful effects?</div>
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Along with stepping over the rights of Filipinos, the RH law institutionalizes risks. One of these risks being the health risk that comes with the use of contraceptives. Many arguments have been made against the use of contraceptives. After the revisions, the specific type of contraceptive that is included in the law is the hormonal contraceptive. An article on rappler.com reports that Luisito Liban, an anti-RH lawyer, argues that the government has arbitrarily declared hormonal contraceptives safe by allowing it in the law (Fonbuena). This institutionalizes the hazards that contraceptives will bring to Filipinos. Another risk that is brought about by the RH law is that through increasing contraception availability it increases the population coverage of failure rate in terms of avoiding sexually transmitted illnesses(STI). Manufactured products have inherent defects. An example of a manufactured product is the latex condom which has pores of five to seventy microns. A human sperm cell has a diameter of five microns and the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS has a diameter of 0.1 microns. Through the presentation of this numerical data, it can be seen that the use of condoms does not completely prevent the transfer of STIs like AIDS. People tend to think that with the use of contraceptives they are protecting themselves from STIs. This is not true because AIDS is not even the top STI but it is Human papillomavirus or HPV. HPV is acquired or transmitted through skin contact. Its spread cannot be prevented with the use of contraceptives. Because people lack awareness about this kind of information, a false sense of security is established by having the wide distribution of contraceptives. Filipinos are made to think that since these condoms are part of the RH law and it is part of our constitution to protect the well-being of a person, these condoms will not bring any harm to them. Contraceptives will harm people through making them more susceptible to STIs which may even lead to death.</div>
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Aside from creating hazards to Filipinos as individuals through contraception, the RH also creates hazards to Filipinos as families. According to the studies of Nobel prize winner, George Akerlof, a contraceptive lifestyle paves the way for more premarital sex, more fatherless children, more single mothers, more poverty, more abortions, a decline of marriage, more crimes, more social pathology and poverty.</div>
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The said law does not only create risks to Filipinos but also to the Philippine economy. It is based on wrong economics. It seen as a factor that will help in the economic development of our country but that is not the case. An article on cbcpforlife.com states that “There is no clear correlation between population growth and economic development”, according to Simon Kuznets, Nobel Prize winner in the science of economics (qtd. in “7 Point”). It has been presented in anti-RH arguments that population control is not a factor that is needed for a high economic growth unlike governance, openness to knowledge, stable finances, market allocation, investment and savings. </div>
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The desire to improve the economy brings us back to the people. In an address delivered by Carlos Romulo, secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, before the eighth World Peace Through Law Conference, he reminds the people at the Philippine Convention Center in August 24, 1977 that wherever you may be born and in whatever circumstance, human beings have the right to be treated as human beings. This basic right should be protected so that all the others may be protected as well. Laws are implemented for the good of society. There is no need for a law that does not promote the rights of humans.</div>
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The RH Law with its unconstitutional provisions, risks to Filipino individuals and Filipino families and wrong economic basis gives the people something to ponder upon. Is it really just to have this law in our country? Is it even needed in our country? Does it address the top problems faced by the nation? A law that has been long debated upon and now is pending for its implementation, the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, violates constitutional provisions which leads to the necessity of abolishing the law.</div>
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<u>Works Cited</u></div>
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“1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines.” Chan Robles Virtual Law Library. <i>chanrobles.com</i>, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.</div>
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Fonbuena, Carmela. “Chief Justice Takes Up Cudgels for RH Law”. <i>rappler.com</i>. Rappler. 23 Aug 2013. Web. 12 Mar 2014.</div>
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Malalis, Abigail. “Nene Pimentel: RH Law 'Unconstitutional'”. <i>sunstar.com.p</i>h. Sun.Star Publishing, Inc. 10 July 2013. Web. 12 Mar 2014.</div>
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Pacpaco, Ryan. “Atienza Believes SC will Declare RH Law Unconstitutional”. <i>journal.com.ph</i>. I-Map Websolutions, Inc. 15 Feb 2014. Web. 12 Mar 2014.</div>
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Punay, Edu. “SC Resets Vote on RH to April”. <i>philstar.com</i>. Philstar. 5 Mar 2014. Web. 12 Mar 2014.</div>
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Reformina, Ina. “SC Consolidates 14th Petition vs RH Law”. <i>abs-cbnnews.com</i>. ABS-CBN Interactive. 02 Aug 2013. Web. 12 Mar 2014. </div>
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“Republic Act No. 10354”. <i>gov.ph</i>. Web. 12 Mar 2014. </div>
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Romulo, Carlos. The Right to Life is the Basic Human Right. Mandaue City:National Media Production Center. 1977. Print.</div>
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“7 Point Manifesto Families Against RH Bill”. <i>cbcpforlife.com</i>. CBCP for Life. 10 July 2011. Web. 12 Mar 2014.</div>
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Uy, Jocelyn. “SC Asked to Declare RH Law unconstitutional”. <i>inquirer.net</i>. Inquirer.net. 28 Sept 2013. Web. 12 Mar 2014.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-54028153941643786932014-04-06T12:39:00.004+08:002014-04-06T12:39:46.422+08:00Fr. Melvin Castro on why the RH Law is UnconstitutionalFrom <i>The Manila Times</i>:<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><a href="http://www.manilatimes.net/church-praying-high-court-will-kill-rh-law/76446/"><span style="font-size: large;">Church praying High Court will ‘kill’ RH law</span></a><br />February 17, 2014 11:44 pm<br />by Robertzon F. Ramirez</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is hoping that the Reproductive Health (RH) law or Republic Act (RA) 10354 will go the same way as the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), which was declared unconstitutional by the High Court.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Fr. Melvin Castro, executive director of the CBCP—Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, said the Catholic Church is hoping that the Supreme Court (SC) will be guided by the Constitution, which respects human life, not by public pressure.</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b>“The commitment of the state to protect family must be their basis to declare the law as unconstitutional,” Castro said.</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">The RH bill was signed into law by President Benigno Aquino 3rd in December 2012.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">In March 2013, the SC stopped the implementation of the RH law when it issued a status quo ante (SQA) order valid for 120 days. The order was extended indefinitely when the SQA lapsed in July 2013.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">The SC heard the final oral arguments on the case in August last year.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">Senate President Franklin Drilon earlier urged the high tribunal to render a decision so that government can address the increasing concerns on maternal and infant care.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">Castro said the Church is praying that the SC justices will rule against the RH law.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">“Ang dasal natin na sana itong ating justices sa SC will be guided by wisdom, will be guided by their respect for life and their love for the Lord in this country to declare it [RH Law] as unconstitutional,” he said.</span></blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-18884452224572142792014-04-06T12:30:00.000+08:002014-04-06T21:15:38.405+08:00When does human life begin? An advisory from the CBCP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-2387700730639627852014-04-06T11:14:00.000+08:002014-04-06T11:16:16.319+08:00Standing up to be counted as the SC decision on the RH Law looms: Senator Nancy Binay versus the RH Law<div class="tr_bq">
From the March 25, 2014 Interaksyon article <a href="http://www.interaksyon.com/article/83454/as-business-groups-seek-rh-law-tros-lifting-nancy-binay-calls-its-implementation-worrying" style="font-style: italic;">As business groups seek RH law TRO's lifting, Nancy Binay calls its implementation 'worrying'</a>:</div>
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<span style="color: #660000;">Meanwhile, Binay, mother of four, on Tuesday expressed concern over the implementation of the RH law, saying it contradicted existing laws protecting the unborn. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">Aside from existing laws, Binay cited Bible verses saying children are blessings from God. “Psalm 127:3 says ‘Behold, children are a blessing from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like armies in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth.’”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">She added: “The Church believes that life begins when an ovum is fertilized. Life begins and should be respected from the moment of conception.” The right to life is also embedded in Section 12 under Article 11 of the 1987 Constitution which declares that “the State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception,” she said.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">Binay cited as well Articles 256, 257, 258 and 259 of the Revised Penal Code which penalize anyone who intentionally causes abortion as well as Chapter 4 Article 40 of the Civil Code which states that “birth determines personality; but the conceived child shall be considered born for all purposes that are favorable to it.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">“This International Day of the Unborn, let us stand up for the rights of the unborn who cannot fight for themselves,” she added.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">She then urged citizens to defend mothers by making the right choice to choose life and allow the unborn to live.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #660000;">“Biyaya po ng Diyos ang pagkakaroon ng anak at bilang isang ina, alam ko po ang ligayang hatid ng pagkakaroon ng mga anak. Importante po ang buhay at lalong mas nararapat proteksiyunan, lalo na ang nasa sinapupunan pa,” Binay said.</span></blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-45362841714552559352014-04-06T10:13:00.000+08:002014-04-06T10:27:38.202+08:00Dr. Rey Echavez MD: Two summaries of reasons why the RH Law must be junked <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-84003383941432337922013-07-31T20:56:00.003+08:002013-08-01T00:20:33.574+08:00The Sexual Revolution and the Vitality of the Church<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With this piece I am returning to blogging - CAP.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The roundup of blog entries on "<i>The Deadly Fruits of the Sexual Revolution</i>" can be seen at the <i>Filipinos for Life </i>website. (<a href="http://filipinosforlife.com/2013/07/31/the-deadly-fruits-of-the-sexual-revolution-blogging-event-roundup-of-entries/">LINK</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*****</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The Sexual Revolution and the Vitality of the Church</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Carlos Antonio Palad</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">July 31, 2013</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, one of the greatest saints in the history of the Western Church, and one of the greatest leaders of what is now known as the “Catholic Reformation”, previously known as the “Counter-Reformation”. St. Ignatius of Loyola was a soldier who, after turning devout, became a pilgrim and a hermit; in the caves of Manresa he forged the beginnings of the Spiritual Exercises, and he also became fired up with zeal to convert non-Christians to the Catholic faith. Realizing the need for study, he humbly began in his early thirties to learn grammar alongside little boys, till at length he became a student in the great University of Paris, finally receiving his Master of Arts degree at the age of 42. Alongside his studies he continued with his tremendous apostolate, converting sinners and leading the lukewarm to greater piety with his preaching and his masterful direction in the ways of prayer, despite numerous misunderstandings from Church authorities. In the face of persecution he always remained a faithful son of the Church. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It would be interesting to know what St. Ignatius -- who suffered so much in order to learn philosophy and divinity, and who was often hounded by those who ought to have supported him -- thought of the numerous heretics of his time. He studied at the height of the Protestant Reformation, when so many learned men were abandoning the Catholic faith in order to propose various heresies. Many of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation, starting with Martin Luther himself, were doctors of divinity and stood among the intellectuals of their day. What must St. Ignatius have thought of them, who used their learning, learning they had received in the bosom of Holy Mother Church, in order to attack the Church and to draw not just their fellow doctors but also the simple and unlearned ones into the sorry vale of ecclesiastical revolt and schism? Was he angry? Was he sorrowful? I can imagine him thinking of the great revolt against the Catholic Church taking place during his time, led by many who had been educated and invested to be her defenders and promoters, and saying to himself: “What a waste. What a waste of time, of energy, of effort, only to come to this!” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today, we are in a similar situation. I have been asked to write about the deadly fruits of the Sexual Revolution. <a href="http://filipinosforlife.com/2013/07/31/the-deadly-fruits-of-the-sexual-revolution-blogging-event-roundup-of-entries/"><b>Many of my fellow Filipino Catholic bloggers have written this month about the deadly fruits that it has had on family life, on marital life, and on sexual life</b></a>. What I will point out in my little essay is yet another fruit of the Sexual Revolution: it is the tremendous diversion of time, resources and effort that it has drawn away from the other vital works of the Church. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I will discuss here three different species, so to speak, of this “fruit”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The first is the diversion of time, resources and effort from the intellectual life of the Church. Catholicism has a deep and rich theological and philosophical tradition that has been enriched from one generation to the next. This has continued even in our time, thanks be to God. Nevertheless, I cannot help but wonder at how much more enrichment might have been achieved in the last 50 years, had not many of the Catholic Church’s best minds found themselves having to spend so much time and expending so much effort, perhaps even their whole adult lives, in defending the most basic teachings of the Church on family life and sexual morality. While basic matters of liturgy and doctrine have been under attack as well, there is no denying that most of the Church’s largest battles, internal and external, in the last five decades have been those pertaining to sexual morality.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are so many theological and philosophical questions that cry out to be answered both on the academic and popular plane. There are so many wonderful topics in Church history that can and ought to be explored. The riches of Catholic worship in its historic expressions are there for endless discussion, and the delights of deeper prayer are waiting to be disclosed to Christians living in the middle of the world. The social teaching of the Church remains a hidden treasure, with far too few to bring it into the discussions of the movers and shakers of the worlds of labor and finance. Even in the best of times the Church did not have enough teachers to bring the message of the Gospel, in all its diverse riches and aspects, to all the fields of intellectual endeavor. In all but the very best of times the Church had too few minds who could deeply engage heterodox ideologies while hewing to doctrinal purity, and who read and wrote every word in a spirit of faith. Now, with the crises arising from the Sexual Revolution and all the questions of its proponents that need to be urgently answered, this shortage has become far more disastrous. The fields of theology often end up with lay professionals for whom theology is just a discipline like any other. This shortage is as tragic as the fact that many of the best minds of the Church have had to live out many years, if not their whole lives, fighting off inane attacks and crude sophistries. Their minds were fit to communicate with angels and to teach doctors; they were not fashioned to “cast pearls before swine”, but that is what they have had to do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Will God reward them? I am certain that He will. My point is that in a healthier time they could have put their minds to other matters and their pens to better use, for the greater glory of God and for the greater extension of His Holy Church. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am certain that many who have researched, written or anthologized in defense of Catholic teachings on human life and the sexual morality would have preferred to spend that time on other precious tasks. I am one of them: when I look back at the amount of time I spent on the “Catholic Position on the RH Bill” blog, I wish that I instead had that time to perfect my knowledge of Classical Philosophy and to write out the treatise on Theodicy I have been thinking about since I was an undergrad. This is not to say that I and many other pro-lifers did what we accomplished out of a burdensome sense of duty. We did all of that out of our generosity and love (albeit imperfect) for the Church and for our fellow men. Nevertheless I am sure that many of us dreamt of spending all that time and effort not in defenses and counter-attacks, but in building up the edifice of the Church in other ways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The second species of this “fruit” of the Sexual Revolution inside the Church is the waste and corruption of so much missionary love and talent. Many of the strongest enemies of Church doctrine today, especially on matters relating to family, human life, and sexuality, are drawn from those religious institutes and educational establishments that were created to give her the best and brightest defenders possible. Their purpose has been overthrown and now, as the saying goes, <i>corruptio optimi pessima</i>. When I read about elderly priests and nuns spending their last remaining years continuing to preach heresies that are so dated, so ‘60’s , heresies usually linked to the Sexual Revolution, I marvel at how they could have come to this. Many of them did not start out this way. Many of them entered the religious life before Vatican II, and surely imagined that they will spend their lives extending the reign of Christ the King in an ever more visible way over fields far and near, in city and forest, among pagans and Christians, the nominal and the devout. Instead, in defense of the passions unleashed by the Sexual Revolution they have spent their lives tearing down that upon which they had set out to build. In their wake are numerous broken religious congregations, stripped of vocations and reduced to staffing empty seminaries where only the birds sing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The third “species” of the fruit that I describe in this article is the loss of vitality that could have been dedicated to other apostolic works. Many reproach the Church for allegedly spending too much time on sexual topics – “why”, they ask, “does the Church spend so much time trying to correct sexual expressions instead of helping the poor”? This reproach is as about as sensible as reproaching a nation for casting aside everything else in order to throw back a military invasion. Of course the Church has to “cast aside” so many other things to defend chastity, purity, fidelity and the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman! Of course the Church has to defend the normative character of heterosexuality! Without these things being accepted by her own flock the Church cannot preach sanctity, and even the sacraments of the living become useless! What most people of our time simply do not understand is that the Church has no other choice but to defend the consistency of her doctrinal teaching through the past two millennia. Otherwise she forfeits the right to be seen as who she claims to be: the one true Church founded by Christ, for whom there can be no straying in doctrine and no error in anything essential to salvation from the Ascension until the Second Coming. Pope Francis, a spiritual son of Saint Ignatius whom so many would like to baselessly claim as a secret supporter of the Sexual Revolution, had this to say in his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei, no. 48: <i>“Since faith is one, it must be professed in all its purity and integrity.<b> Precisely because all the articles of faith are interconnected, to deny one of them, even of those that seem least important, is tantamount to distorting the whole. </b>Each period of history can find this or that point of faith easier or harder to accept: hence the need for vigilance in ensuring that the deposit of faith is passed on in its entirety (cf. 1 Tim 6:20) and that all aspects of the profession of faith are duly emphasized. Indeed, inasmuch as the unity of faith is the unity of the Church, to subtract something from the faith is to subtract something from the veracity of communion…”</i> (Emphases mine.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, the Church really should be spending more time on other apostolic tasks: adding splendor and depth to her worship, sending missionaries to the ends of the world to peacefully proclaim Christ as the sole Way of salvation, as He Himself said; doing more to improve the lot of the people, believer and unbeliever alike, in the name of justice and charity; doing more to catechize the faithful, doing more to ensure that those already churched are not satisfied to be mediocre Christians, but will want to be saints of mystical prayer. However, I would like to ask the critics this question: don't you think the Church can devote more time and effort to these things if she didn’t have to spend so much of her time fending off those who would like her to change her teachings to fit the passing moods of the times?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mark my words: the Church stands and falls on purity. The Church seeks to unite man with God, and as Christ Himself said, it is the pure of heart that shall see God. This is not to say that the Church should only consist of holy men and women with chastity untouched; many of the Church’s most loyal sons and daughters live their lives struggling to be chaste. I am one of them, and I will not be ashamed to admit that I have had my falls and failures in this regard. However, for us, our personal weaknesses are not a reason to reject the Church’s teachings. It is we who adjust to the Church and not the Church that should adjust to us, because if our weaknesses are the measure of the Church, then it is a Church that we do not need. We cling to the Church precisely because her teachings challenge us and she is worth clinging to only to the extent that she challenges us to transcend our weaknesses and reach out to God above the vicissitudes of culture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Saint Ignatius of Loyola, whose life is one great hymn to the power of repentance to transform a sinner into a beacon of light, knew this more than most. He would not have become a great saint if he had not allowed himself to be challenged by the holiness of Christ and his saints. He would not have become the founder of the Society of Jesus had he settled for his weaknesses and demanded that the Church tell him that this was “okay”. Today we look to his example; may this inspire us in our fight for the culture of life. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-58314465912581450522013-06-30T06:07:00.002+08:002013-06-30T06:17:03.181+08:00Call to Prayer on July 9<div style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;">
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/150660474" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View ECFL Letter for the July 9 RH Law Oral Arguments on Scribd">ECFL Letter for the July 9 RH Law Oral Arguments</a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-10553997462170884572013-06-03T15:20:00.000+08:002013-06-30T06:21:41.544+08:00(UPDATED) Our fight is not over - 2<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">UPDATE (June 4, 2013 at 5:52 P.M.) We have received word that the Supreme Court has decided to move the oral arguments on the RH bill to July 9, 2013.</span></b></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-23027233302845524332013-06-03T15:01:00.000+08:002013-06-03T15:39:01.591+08:00Our fight is not over - 1Red ribbons at the Carmel of Lipa, May 26, 2013.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-25121118685935158862013-03-19T14:12:00.000+08:002013-03-19T16:10:31.185+08:00Breaking news: Supreme Court stops implementation of the RH Law<div style="text-align: justify;">
As of 2:10 P.M. Manila time I have received word that the Supreme Court has stopped the implementation of the RH Law by a vote of 10-5. A 4-month status quo ante order has been issued. Oral arguments are set for June 18. <br />
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St. Joseph, Head of the Holy Family, pray for us. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-38574576099805173162013-01-06T23:59:00.000+08:002012-12-14T11:25:17.206+08:00The Spirit of the Season<i>(This post will stay on top of the blog until January 6, 2013, except on December 12, 2012.<b> Newer posts below</b>)</i><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>A reminder to all about the fact that every life is a gift.</b></span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-80605608744650248002012-12-28T12:00:00.000+08:002012-12-28T11:37:04.515+08:00Launched on Dec. 28: 1M Red Ribbons for Life Movement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-87566279755218805872012-12-28T11:26:00.000+08:002012-12-28T11:30:09.089+08:00What next for this blog?<div style="text-align: justify;">
Some have been asking me what I plan to do next, now that the RH bill has been signed into law. </div>
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First and foremost, the Church and the pro-life movement in the Philippines have not given up the fight against this law. Challenges to the law before the Supreme Court are all but certain to be mounted in the coming months. </div>
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Second, it remains to be seen how the law will be implemented. It is a fact that the actual implementation of a law often deviates a great deal from the law's original intent, purpose or means. It is still possible that many of the most objectionable portions of the bill will be all but forgotten in implementation, although I'm not really sanguine about this. </div>
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In short: as long as all legitimate and peaceful options have not been exhausted, and as long as the RH law's stay on Philippine law books is unsecured, this blog will stay up. I would like to emphasize <u>legitimate</u> and <u>peaceful</u>, as I don't look kindly either at premature calls for "civil disobedience" or other forms of rebellion. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-63185860746503681102012-12-28T11:11:00.001+08:002012-12-28T11:11:14.888+08:00Breaking News - RH Bill now Law (RA 10354)Various sources are now reporting that the PNoy signed the RH bill into law on December 21, 2012. It is now RA 10354. <div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-5359696198918864172012-12-23T02:55:00.002+08:002012-12-23T03:22:53.523+08:00Fr. Mark Ivo Velasquez on the Catholic Church's "defeat" in the battle over the RH bill<br />
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From Fr. Velasquez's blog <i><b>Ivo's Sanctuary:</b></i></div>
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<b><a href="http://amaranthsanctuary.blogspot.com/2012/12/taking-cue-from-history-thoughts.html"><span style="font-size: large;">TAKING A CUE FROM HISTORY: THOUGHTS CONCERNING AN ANALYSIS ON THE RH BILL DEBACLE.</span></a></b></div>
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The past weeks of final examinations seem to have overexcited my neurons and had pushed me to be especially fertile and productive in the literal sense. The analysis offered by Armando Doronila in the Philippine Daily Inquirer ("The RH Bill Debacle", December 20, 2012 issue) has piqued my curiosity and has set my thinking gears turning. It’s strange to note that precisely in a time when everything seems to settle down for a well-earned respite from intellectual work after the exams, the brain starts to function.</div>
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The Doronila’s article provides an analysis concerning the outcome of the recent debate on the Reproductive Health (or otherwise, Responsible Parenthood) bill, which I think would be remembered in Philippine contemporary history as one of the most divisive in society. Centering on the clash between the Catholic Church and the bill’s proponents in the legislature, not only does it recount the facts about the final stages of the debate, but in order to reinforce the author’s point concerning the ideological conflict between both, Doronila goes back in history, and points out the actuation of both parties in the debate concerning the legislation allowing for the compulsory reading of Rizal’s Noli and Fili in Philippine schools way back in the late 1950’s. In this debate, the Church (vehement against its application in the Philippine educational system) lost the debate, and the novels became part of the school curriculum. But as Sen. Joker Arroyo mentioned in his intervention during the Senate voting on the RH bill, in this 1956 debate, nobody lost face, neither the Church nor the politicians who sponsored the bill.</div>
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Doronila also mentions another episode in which the Church took a crucial part, and this was in ousting Marcos from power, effectively ending a twenty-year old regime. Here, the memorable role of the late Cardinal Sin was crucial in calling all Filipinos to the streets, a decision which was not done in the spur of the moment, but something that was taken after intense hours of prayer. Referring to this episode, the author of the article concludes that “in this role, Church intervention in state affairs was at its best and most welcomed by the Filipino people. It was the height of the influence and power of the Church in the development of democracy”.</div>
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He goes on, winding up a rather insightful analysis, commenting on the fact that since then, the Church’s influence has waned, and could not be regained by interventions related to population and its implications related to economic growth and poverty.</div>
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Doronila begins with what amounts to a general assumption: “the Roman Catholic Church suffered its most crushing defeat in its collision with the Philippine state in 13 years when Congress decisively voted on Monday to pass the Malacañang-certified reproductive health bill providing government funding for contraceptives and sex education in schools.” I would say that this could be taken as an apparent assumption, and this could be interpreted in many ways, depending on the perspective from which one may prefer to look at it.</div>
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Basically this was one statement that set me thinking. Certainly the votes of the anti-Rh legislators, backed by the bishops and the Catholic laity, were outnumbered by a comfortable margin by the pro-RH camp and the bill’s authors. Tactically, numerically and apparently, the outcome transformed the parties in the debate, turning it from a debate between pros and antis into one between the gleefully victorious and the defeated.</div>
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The day the results were officially made known to the public, placing the bill one step ahead into legality, many people expressed their dismay and their sadness on the outcome. Both news reached me as I surveyed the world in the internet. I guess the latter’s expressions of sadness and dismay personally irritated me more than the victory of the Pro-RH camp in the bicameral votations. The day the results went out, I didn’t have that sense of defeat, personally because it don’t see it as such. To express it more exactly, the legislators contrary to the bill lost in the votation; they may have been on the same side that the Catholic Church was championing, but it was the anti-RH votes that lost (as a parenthesis, I congratulate these legislators for being heroic in standing their ground, as much as I respect the rest of the other legislators in the other camp).</div>
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I don’t feel that there should be talk of the Catholic Church being defeated as yet, for the simple reason that the law still has to prove itself capable of bringing what it was supposed to bring on. It’s too premature to celebrate. <b>I would grant victory to the supporters of the RH bill as a law if it has indeed been able to make true its provisions, and has uplifted the poor, helped in defending the rights of women, and aided in the true education of the youth.</b> But the mere fact of it’s being passed into law is no guarantee that it will work. I’m not saying that it won’t work, it could be effective…but as the Holy Writ would express it, it would only be through the fruits that we would be able to see the true victory of this bill once enacted into law, and this will not happen at the spur of the moment.</div>
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I don’t think the Church has suffered a crushing defeat; a setback in its hold and influence (as the Inquirer would put it) perhaps, but a humiliated Church, I don’t think so. In the academic jests that we would throw at each other in the residence where I live in, we would debate upon the excellence of our fields: Canon lawyers would pit themselves jokingly against dogmatic theologians, moralists against philosophers, each saying their field is better and the studying the rest is an absolute waste of time. One day they turned to me, the only historian in the residence (there aren’t much of us in the Faculty of Theology, there are only about six of us, and I’m the lone Filipino) and asked me in jest concerning any importance my field would have. I replied smugly, “I don’t need to answer that question. I just have to direct you to the fact that chapter one in all of your respective textbooks would talk about the history of your specializations. Go and deduce the answer for yourselves. We historians cannot enter into your debates; transcending such conflicts, we have the duty to be observers of everything that takes place in time and space”. Verbatim. I suppose I felt like Buddha or some oriental sage, because my companions backed a hasty retreat and went for another companion.</div>
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There is a lot to be learned in history, and in a way, it gives you a perspective that helps orient things, and it is only when things are in place could one be at peace. The outcome of the RH bill debate, its impact on the Church and upon its public image in Philippine society, and the analysis afforded by Doronila brings be back to the case of the Protestant Reformation. The Reform wrought by Luther had huge consequences in European history. It was a tragic episode with respect to the history of European unity, as with the Reform movement, that millenary political, cultural and religious unity termed as Christendom was irreparable shattered. The revolution instigated by Luther’s defiance to authority, no matter how corrupt, started a long period of wars, which culminated in the rise of modern states, each with its own handling of religion. Far from being a principle of unity, it shattered it.</div>
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For the Church, the Reform brought heavy consequences. It was a huge blow, and perhaps historically, it was the greatest crisis that the Catholic Church had ever faced since the Great Schism in the fifteenth century, since it constituted a scandalously huge internet within the Church itself, termed by saints and intellectuals as that “seamless robe of Christ”, which the Protestant Reform had torn apart.</div>
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The Catholic Church was down, evidently…but that painful episode brought immediately brought forth one of the greatest moments of splendor that the Church has ever had in terms of art, intellectual science, administration, and most important of all, sanctity. The succeeding period brought forth a rich harvest of examples of lives that mirrored the holiness and the love of God. above everything, this is the victory that crowns them all. The seventeenth century, heir of the woes of it turbulent predecessor, was a moment of unparalleled glory in many aspects of the Church’s life.</div>
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I don’t feel defeated in any way, nor do I think that the Church in the Philippines should feel otherwise…aside from the reasons that I’ve expressed above, whatever low moments we may find ourselves in, the Church must always see as opportunities to rise. <b>To feel sad at an apparent setback is an error which the Catholic Church in the Philippines does not have the luxury to commit at this point in time.</b> Her critics and detractors are right when they say that this marks a new period for the Church, and they are equally right when they say that it is time for a humbler Church.</div>
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I think that it is time for the Church in the Philippines to let go of any triumphalist tendency that it may have inherited from its prestigious past. It is a triumphalism that we have inherited from the times when bishops and priests, religious and wealthy lay people were the Church. This triumphalism has given birth to a certain clericalism that does not speak true of the Gospel of Christ in contemporary Filipino society. True, the people don’t listen anymore to bishops and priests pontificating in their pulpits. But they cannot resist in listening to Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. People have that erroneous image of the Church as being merely the bishops and the priests and religious. No, they are not the Church. The lay people in themselves aren’t the Church either. We may sometimes have forgotten that the Church is neither of these. <b>The Church is of God, Christ is its head, and only if we let this word of Christ shine more brilliantly in the foreground, with us priests and bishops and lay people forming the mere background, wouldn’t the people listen more?</b></div>
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The RH Bill debates have merely set, with respect for the Church, the fertile ground upon which to grow stronger, by allowing it to see that its force is not in the numbers that it muster, but in the Truth that it needs to proclaim. For it to proclaim it as such, it needs to humble. Yes, humble, but not humiliated, as the Church’s detractors would have her. A humble Church in the Philippines will speak out all the more, forcefully than ever. <b>A Church that does not base her power in a system of privilege, but on the Gospel of Life</b>, a Church that is prophetic in its denunciation of evil, and active in works of charity, charity which is the only force that can uplift the Filipino, especially the poor, the women, and the youth. </div>
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This is the Church that we are called to be with the help of God’s grace, one which our country needs. And I believe optimistically, that the odds are helping us in achieving that.</div>
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Perhaps now you may understand why I don’t think of it as a defeat.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-39711726781028110002012-12-23T01:12:00.000+08:002012-12-23T03:13:48.461+08:00For the record: Carmen Pedrosa on the RH bill, December 2012For the record, I would like to note on this blog the six articles written this month by Carmen N. Pedrosa of the Philippine Star versus the RH bill. Mrs. Pedrosa is by no means in full agreement with orthodox Catholics who are opposed to the RH bill, which makes her opposition all the more interesting.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2012-12-01/877537/freedom-choose-all">The freedom to choose is for all </a><i> </i></span></b><i>(December 1)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2012-12-09/883759/rh-about-depopulation-filipinos-canada-canadians-philippines">RH is about depopulation; Filipinos to Canada, Canadians to Philippines</a> </span><i>(December 9)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2012-12-15/886161/meaning-word-quisling-and-rh-bill">The meaning of the word quisling and the RH bill</a> </span><i>(December 15)</i></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2012-12-16/886492/rh-bill-how-destroy-our-countrys-future"><span style="font-size: large;">RH bill: How to destroy our country’s future</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b><i>(December 16)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2012-12-22/888723/pro-rh-may-have-won-battle-anti-rh-won-war" style="font-weight: bold;">‘Pro-RH’ may have won the battle, but ‘Anti-RH’ won the war</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><i>(December 22) </i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2012-12-23/889092/unkindest-cut-all">The unkindest cut of all </a> </span></b><i>(December 23)</i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-37631945050626624152012-12-20T12:20:00.000+08:002012-12-20T12:22:11.086+08:00Seven quotes on the RH billFrom the Facebook page of pro-life author, blogger and journalist Diana Uichanco:<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">”Sabi ho ng kabilang partido, kaya daw po naghihikahos ang gobyerno ay dahil walang budget for stretching. Nanggaling na mismo sa kanila ang stretching… eh di kung linagyan pa po ng pondo na pambili ng condoms at contraceptives, eh di you stretch [the budget] further. So alin po ang willing i-sacrifice ng pro-RH legislators sa budget para lang po namin maisingit ang gusto nilang pondo para sa procurement of condoms and contraceptives?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">“We can even see that the budgets for education, for tertiary educational scholarships, skills training, livelihood projects, assistance for farmers, agrarian reform beneficiaries, are being cut.” – ZAMBALES REP. MITOS MAGSAYSAY</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #990000;">“It makes me wonder whether there is lack of freedom at present that warrants a new controversial measure that is HB 4244 just to give people a choice that they already enjoy. Certainly it is not prohibited to practice natural family planning or to abstain from sex altogether, nor is it prohibited at present to use contraceptives. Is there any existing law that prevents us from exercising freedom of choice on matters of contraception and abstinence? There is none.” – PALAWAN REP. DENNIS SOCRATES</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">"The government has no right to fund the purchase of bibles, crucifixes, copies of the Koran etc. because these are [personal] preferences. In the same way, the government has no right to fund the purchase of contraceptives.” – ED SORRETA, PRO-LIFE PHILIPPINES CHAIRMAN</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">“The RH promoters do whatever they have to do to get these things passed — they spend their money in promotion, in getting journalists on their side, opening clinics to circumvent pro-life laws, wooing politicians who value their own power more than they do the families and culture of the nation they represent. If they can’t get what they want — which is free-of-charge and full access to contraception and abortion — passed democratically, they will use the courts or other non-democratic means to get what they want.” – STEPHEN PHELAN, HUMAN LIFE INT'L (HLI) COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">“In 1984 was the AIDS breakout in the Philippines and in Thailand at the same time. The response in the Philippines was to promote abstinence; the response of Thailand was to promote condoms. Twenty years later, the rate of AIDS infection in Thailand was 50 times higher than in the Philippines.” – CHRIS STEFANICK, CHASTITY SPEAKER</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">“They want us to accept from Congress what is contrary to our faith. They ask Catholics to show tolerance for their belief or non-belief, but they show complete non-tolerance for our Catholic belief.” – FORMER SENATOR, FRANCISCO TATAD</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;">“Banal ang pag-aasawa; banal ang pagtatalik sapagka’t ito ay kalakip ng pagbibigay ng buhay na galing sa Panginoong Diyos. Hindi ito laru-laruan na ituturo sa mga bata sa paggamit ng goma, lobo o condom, para iwasan daw ang sakit? Bakit mga bata ang tuturuan ng ganitong laro? Hindi po ba ang tamang ituro sa kabataan ay ang magandang halimbawa ng matatanda at ang kahalagahan ng buhay, ang kabanalan ng pagpipigil sa sarili na ang tawag ay disiplina? Ang tawag po noong una ay kapag may pagpipigil, mayroong disiplina at paggalang at magkakaroon din ng Karakter ang tao. Ngayon ang gustong ipamulat sa kabataan ay ito: gamitin ang goma, maglaro kayo! Ganyan kabarato ang buhay ng tao ngayon.” – FORMER ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA GAUDENCIO CARDINAL ROSALES, at the March 25, 2011 pro-life rally</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-37978523301552292282012-12-20T11:00:00.000+08:002012-12-20T11:03:11.727+08:00World Youth Alliance on the Passage of the RH Bill<br />
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From the website of World Youth Alliance Int'l: </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.wya.net/news/index.html?pressid=711">Philippine Reproductive Health Bill Passed on Third and Final Reading</a></span></b></div>
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December 18, 2012</div>
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<b>Philippine Reproductive Health Bill Passed on Third and Final Reading in Congress and Senate</b></div>
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On December 17, after almost 14 years of discussion and debate, the reproductive health bill (the RH bill) was passed during its third and final reading in the House of Representatives, with a vote of 133 in favor and 79 against, and in the Senate, with a vote of 13 in favor and 8 against. Philippine President Benigno Aquino had designated passing the RH bill an urgent matter and called on Congress to vote on it before Christmas, prompting late-night congressional sessions that led to the passage of the bill. The bicameral conference committee is now set to consolidate the two versions of the bill, and then both chambers of Congress will need to ratify the consolidated version before it goes before the President for his final signature.</div>
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The World Youth Alliance laments the passage of the RH bill. For over four years, WYA has opposed the bill because it relies on the false premise that a government-run population management program is necessary for development. It also lacks adequate protections for freedom of conscience, pays inadequate attention to maternal and child health, and does not reaffirm commitment to protecting the unborn. The bill does not properly address the needs of Filipinos, who want measures to address sustainable development concerns that fully respect their cultures, religious beliefs, and values while promoting the health of mothers and children.</div>
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As the bill takes effect and is implemented over the coming years, we will continue to work with those legislators and advocates who fought against the measure to push for long-term solutions that actually respect the rights of conscience of Filipino health care workers and that stimulate the innovation needed for sustainable development in the Philippines. We will push for increased skilled birth attendants so that every mother has access to care during childbirth and maternal mortality drastically decreases. We will push for increased access to education so that every young person can be equipped with the knowledge and skills to recognize his or her own potential and to contribute to the development of our society and our economy. We will push for freedom of conscience for all Filipinos, allowing all to act according to the dictates of their own consciences and not to the commands of the government.</div>
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We call on young people in the Philippines to join us in this fight. We call on young people to be aware about issues related to the RH bill—population, development, and women’s health—and to continue to work together to safeguard our local communities from any threats to family and to human dignity. The passage of the bill and the years of debate leading up to it have shown us that our values and priorities as Filipinos continue to be threatened on different fronts. Young people must take a more vigilant and active role in monitoring the implementation of the bill in the next few years and in directing its impact on society, aiming to prevent the violation of dignity that the bill’s provisions threaten to do.</div>
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The World Youth Alliance would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people, especially the legislators, who selflessly devoted their time, talent and treasure to fighting a bill that does not adequately provide for the needs of Filipinos. The journey is not over, as we continue to work toward improving the health and education opportunities of Filipinos. We invite you to join us at WYA as we aim to improve the lives of our fellow Filipinos—and people around the world—through promoting the dignity of the human person and through educating youth about positive solutions to the problems facing our world, such as sustainable development, maternal and child health, and access to education and employment.<br />
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World Youth Alliance's statement on the passage of the RH bill on second reading can be found here: <b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.wya.net/news/index.html?pressid=707"><i>Philippine Reproductive Health Bill Passed on Second Reading in Congress</i></a></span></b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-49578052248717300332012-12-20T10:10:00.000+08:002012-12-20T11:10:37.953+08:00The fight is far from over! <br />
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From the blog <b>Confessions of a Prodigal Daughter</b>:</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://confessionsofaprodigaldaughter.blogspot.com/2012/12/pro-rh-supporters-celebrate-death-of.html">PRO-RH SUPPORTERS CELEBRATE DEATH OF PHILIPPINE DEMOCRACY</a></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j3pBiompO3Y/UNKA7NKh_UI/AAAAAAAACkM/xFrToi2aIoQ/s1600/No-To-RH-Bill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j3pBiompO3Y/UNKA7NKh_UI/AAAAAAAACkM/xFrToi2aIoQ/s400/No-To-RH-Bill.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Pro-Life lobbyists throw their hands in the air to applaud courageous Pro-Life congressmen </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">who voted "No" to the RH Bill (Photo courtesy of <a href="http://cbcpforlife.com/?p=482&album=5&gallery=108">CBCP for Life</a>)</span></div>
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December 13, 2012 was the day democracy died (again) in our country. And it is ironic that it was the very son of the hero who once restored democracy in our land, who actually put it to death. This is even scarier because at least when Martial Law was declared 40 years ago, people were aware of the dictatorship, but now it is a silent one. What's worse, some people-- many of them probably unsuspecting-- even celebrated it. It is such a pity that they did not know they were not really celebrating the passage of the RH Bill, but the resurrection of Marcos.</div>
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I am against the RH Bill and although I felt sad that it was passed on second reading, what made me sadder was the process by which it was passed. "Sad" is actually an understatement as I was already on the verge of tears out of anger as I witnessed how the Pro-RH people railroaded the bill at the House of Representatives in the wee hours of the night. Aside from the public knowledge that our congressmen were bribed with P280 million worth of pork barrel by PNoy, we also learned while the five-hour nominal voting was going on, that Malacanang sent Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, Secretary Ricky Carandang, and Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, to pressure the congressmen to either vote yes to RH Bill or just go home and abstain from voting. This is nothing but sheer corruption and abuse AND misuse of authority.</div>
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One of my Facebook friends tried to justify this, saying that what Malacañang did was just the same as what the Church is doing to the congressmen as She "threatens" them with the Catholic Vote. However, this is an illogical analogy. LOBBYING and BRIBING are two different things. On one hand, the Church (composed of both lay and religious people) came to the House of Representatives as ordinary citizens exercising their right to lobby, and they stayed on the second and third floor galleries of the Batasan Building. On the other hand, these people from Malacañang were operating inside the South Lounge of the building, looking for congressmen to send home as the fight between the votes became very close, as reported by the Inquirer. If Roxas, Lacierda, Carandang, and Abad came as ordinary citizens exercising their rights, they should have also stayed in the gallery where they would have been visible to all. But wherever they stayed that night does not change the fact that they destroyed the integrity of the Philippine Government as the Executive Branch violated the independence of our legislators. Nothing can justify that.</div>
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Contrary to what another one of my Pro-RH friends said, we are very far from a "politically mature Philippine legislative system," but we are definitely still stuck in a corrupt one. However, I believe there is still hope-- and a huge one at that. Considering the tally of votes: 113 allowed themselves to be bribed and dictated upon, 104 stood their ground and kept their integrity, and 3 abstained, those are 104 sparks of hope we got there! And they could be more come Monday as the 63 absentees cast their vote on the Third Reading.</div>
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This fight is far from over. What our congressmen need most right now is our moral support and assurance that if ever they do decide to go against the wishes of our President, they have the Filipino people to fall back on. So be with us on Monday (December 17, 2012) either at the House of Representatives (Quezon City) or at the Senate (Pasay City) and show our love and support for our courageous legislators. This is no longer just a fight for LIFE but a fight for our DEMOCRACY as well. See you there!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-80588140569343851552012-12-20T09:53:00.000+08:002012-12-20T12:53:32.694+08:00"If we fall from grace, we have only ourselves to blame..."<br />
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Form the Philippine Star:</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2012-12-20/888027/rh-bill-passage-humbling-moment">RH bill passage: A humbling moment!</a></span></b><br />
Bobit S. Avila (December 20, 2012)<br />
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I look at the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill in both legislative houses in the Senate and Congress last Monday as a watershed in Philippine history as it gives us a not-so-true-picture of the kind of people who represent the Filipino people in the Legislature. I have always looked at these people as nothing but greedy politicians who feed on the poverty of our people, blaming even the poor for having too many children, but never blaming themselves for feasting in the pork paid for by the taxpayers of this country. They call our overseas Filipino workers (OFW) as heroes, but even in honoring the OFW, they mostly get lip service from our politicians.</div>
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I look at this RH incident as a “humbling moment” especially for the Catholic Church and the realization that we Filipinos despite the millions that troop to the Feast of the Nazarene in Quiapo or during the Sinulog Week in Cebu City have become mere Catholics in name. I spent a huge part of Tuesday afternoon before the Blessed Sacrament, asking our Lord, “O Lord, have thou forsaken our nation?” I’m sure that God himself was disappointed and I can only ask the Lord to forgive our Congressmen and Senators for they know not what they do!</div>
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At this point, it is time for the Catholic Church to get its act together. In this spiritual battle, we have encountered priests and even Bishops who send confusing signals to the Laity about the RH bill. Perhaps the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) should seriously consider ways to strengthen our Catholic faith, and openly support the recent moves to create the Catholic Vote Movement so politicians will take notice.</div>
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Meanwhile, allow me to take a post RH bill comment from Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, Archbishop of Lingayen, Dagupan who said “The Reproductive Health bill has been passed by the Senate and Congress through a majority vote. They might have won through the tyranny of numbers but it does not mean that they are right. It is only a matter of time and then we will see more violations of “Thou shall not kill” and “Thou shall not commit adultery” among our families, our youth and children. If the President will sign this into law, he will give us a moral time bomb wrapped as a gift to celebrate Christmas. This law will open more doors to abortion and more crimes against women.” We are recording these arguments for future use.</div>
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At this point, allow me to congratulate the brave Senators and Congressmen and women who fought long and hard and more importantly, kept the faith and voted against the RH bill. They have fought a good fight, but history will judge their actions whether they are right and we are wrong. One thing is sure… Filipinos nowadays are no longer as religious as they were 25 years ago and if we fall from grace, we only have ourselves to blame.</div>
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The Greatest Commandment taught by our Lord Jesus Christ is to Love God with all your heart, your strength and your soul… and your neighbor as thyself. But the approval of the RH bill has tipped the scales away from God, whom we should love first, but greed, lust for power and materialism have overcome the people’s Representatives and I’m sure there are many Filipinos out there who are just as disappointed as we are.</div>
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In an article by Michael Voris, entitled “Suicide by Heresy” emailed to me, Voris says “When a heresy is left unchecked… people’s minds are poisoned. When their minds are poisoned… they actually lose the ability to perceive the truth any longer and they begin to live a lie.” I used this quote because in order to have this bill passed, the pro-RH Congressmen and their supporters used all kinds of squid tactics and even outright falsehood just to have this bill passed and it saddens me that their venom succeeded.</div>
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Where do we go from here? Divorce? Enough already! Even the Liberal Party issued a statement thanking the Senators and Congressmen “for engaging each other to forge a law that truly reflects the will of the people they represent. We thank an active citizenry that engaged our legislators in discourse as regards the merits of the bill. Through it all, the Liberal Party stood firm in its bedrock principles.” It makes you wonder what those bedrock principles are… the lying, the cheating even during the Congressional vote?</div>
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How far will the Liberal Party go in its pursuit to keep its power? In Cebu City, the Liberal Party isn’t really a huge party as it has to rely on the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) of Rep. Tomas Osmeña. In the Province of Cebu, it is the One Cebu Party that is dominant. But the Liberal Party has something up their sleeves… they can count on the Office of the Ombudsman to suspend Governor Gwen F. Garcia. Hmmm, no wonder the LP’s are not even campaigning in Cebu… not only will they get rid of Gov. Gwen courtesy of the Ombudsman… they also have the PCOS machine!</div>
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For email responses to this article, write to vsbobita@mo-pzcom.com or vsbobita@gmail.com. His columns can be accessed through www.philstar.com.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-797917605105900943.post-34154109437864044582012-12-18T21:07:00.001+08:002012-12-20T10:58:07.778+08:00Sen. Tito Sotto III explains his vote versus the RH bill (December 17, 2012)<br />
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From the Facebook page of Senator Tito Sotto:</div>
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10151314353619872&id=277863879871"><span style="font-size: large;">EXPLANATION OF VOTE OF SENATOR SOTTO </span></a></b></div>
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Marami pong gumugulo sa kaisipan ko sa ngayon. Pabayaan po ninyong kahit papaano, isa-isa ay mailabas ko iyong mga tumatakbo sa kaisipan ko sa tinatalakay nating panukalang-batas. </div>
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Lumalabas po ngayon, ang gobyerno natin, dahil dito sa RH bill na ito, sunud-sunoran sa mga international organizations. Kakuntsaba pa iyong mga ibang developed countries. Ang hangad lamang nila, pigilan ang pag-asenso at paglawak ng impluwensiya ng third world countries katulad ng ating bansa sa pamamagitan ng pagbabawas ng populasyon natin.</div>
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Kung ano pa iyong batas na lubhang humahati sa ating bansa ay siya pa iyong pinaapura ng Malacañang, imbes na inuna sana iyong mga katulad ng hinihingi ng karamihan ng mga kababayan natin na wala namang kumukontra sa atin. Hindi ko maunawaan kung bakit pahihintulutan ng ating Pangulo ang pagkakawatak-watak ng ating bansa para sa isang panukalang-batas na hindi naman tutugon sa suliranin talaga ng ating bansa. Kawawa naman ang Pilipinas. Kung nabubuhay lamang po ang ating yumaong mahal na Pangulong Presidente "Cory" Aquino, ni hindi naka-first base itong batas na ito. </div>
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Ang kailangan natin ay batas na naaayon sa ating natatanging kultura. Mali namang sumunod tayo sa tema ng mga panukala ng ating mga karatig bansa kung salungat naman ito sa ating kinaugalian at paniniwala bilang isang bansang nagpapahalaga sa responsableng pagpapamilya na nakapaloob sa sagradong institution ng kasal. </div>
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To top it all, Mr. President, magsasayang pa tayo ng bilyun-bilyong piso dito sa pagpapatupad ng batas na sisira lamang sa pagkakabuklud-buklod ng ating bansa. Pero isa lamang po ang masasabi ko, pagbutihin sana nila dahil tututukan natin ito. Pirmahan man ng Presidente ito, babantayan natin. Lahat ng--mayroon po akong record dito sa Senado. Mula noong 1992, noong natuntong ako dito hanggang sa ngayon, may mga tatlo hanggang apat na batas ang binutohan ko ng no. Lahat iyong tatlo, apat na iyon, pinagsisihan lahat. </div>
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Una iyong GATT/WTO. Ang daming gumagapang sa akin noon, hindi po ako nagpatinag, binutohan ko ng no dahil alam kong masama sa mga magsasaka. Ano ngayon? Pinagsisisihan nating lahat. Bumuto ako ng no sa EPIRA, tumaas lahat ang kuryente natin. Hindi ba pinagsisisihan din? Ngayon gusto i-repeal. Nilabanan ko rin po iyong Oil Deregulation Law; ngayon gustong ibalik. </div>
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Ito ho, ganoung-ganoon ang pakiramdam ko rito. Malamang pagsisihan po natin ito. Ang malungkot pa, isang parte, ultimo ang ating mga kasama rito, even our colleagues were made to believe the marketing strategy being used by these groups, these organizations from abroad. Iyong pinangangalandakan nilang 11 mothers a day, ultimo sa Uganda, iyon din ang gamit nila, 11 mothers die a day. Hiningan namin ng dokumento, ang Committee nanghingi ng dokumento, walang naibigay sa Committee hanggang ngayon. Ngayon, ang ginawa namin, kami mismo ang nag-research, hindi po ba, binasa ko dito noon iyon. </div>
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Doon sa 2011 na lamang dahil everyday sabi nila mayroong 11 namamatay. Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Hospital, ang namatay dalawa sa loob ng 2011, buong taon. Sa Pangasinan Provincial Hospital ang namatay apat lamang. Sa Batangas Regional Hospital, out of 2,584 births, ang namatay pito. Sa Cavite Naval Hospital, wala. O, hindi ba marketing strategy iyong 11 mothers a day para mapaniwala iyong ating mga kababaihan? Nakakalungkot po talaga. Isipin natin na maraming lugar sa bansa na, lalu na sa Metro Manila, ipinagbabawal na iyong paggamit ng plastik, akalain ninyong isabatas natin iyong condom? [Laughter] Hindi ko maintindihan. Masyado silang marurunong. </div>
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Upon our election as senators of this Republic, my term started in 2010, we took an oath before performing our functions. An oath is a promise to God, we promised among others, to support and defend the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines. We promised to support and defend the whole 1987 Constitution, not just the parts we agree to, the parts the suit our temperament, the parts that were convenient. It was a promise that did not have any qualifications. And because we promised to defend the whole Constitution, we must preserve and protect every part thereof. That is only logical and reasonable. Otherwise, we should not have promised if we did not intend to fulfill the import of our promise. Constitutional provisions, binanggit na po natin lahat lagi iyan.</div>
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What is left for us? May Almighty God understand this nation after this vote and forgive us if we do not keep our promise. I vote no to the RH bill, I have kept my promise. And if we approve this measure, may I ask God the Father to forgive us for we do not know what we are doing. </div>
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Thank you, Mr. President.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0