Religion and RH

The Reproductive Health Bill is direly needed by our society. Ironically, the same society is ruled by religious fanatics; fanatics who are blinded by faith and inspired by lies. These are the same people serve as the largest roadblock to the delivery of a substantive and reliable reproductive health measure to millions of Filipinos around the country.

Currently, there are 90 Million Filipinos and it is projected to double and reach the 180 Million mark by 2040. That incredible increase in population would bring the already scarce resources this country has to even greater scarcity. This would mean a dramatic increase in poverty rates, which in turn translates to hunger, little to no education and a steady increase in criminality. This situation is already prevalent. Now, imagine the same picture and multiply that by two in 20 years.

In addition to these, the United Nations Population Fund has said that our country has one of the most dismal maternal death rates in South East Asia. It even said that we, as a country, have not made significant progress on the standards set in the Millennium Development Goals, a virtual to-do list drafted by the United Nations, signed and agreed upon by all 193 member states and at least 23 foreign agencies, that mandates us accomplish eight goals that would improve the way of life of all humanity. One of the most important goals is to improve reproductive health and reduce if not totally eradicate maternal deaths.

Dissenters of the Reproductive Health Bill currently discussed in the two houses of congress have, primarily, been Bishops of the Catholic Church and so-called socio-civic organizations who apparently have deep relations with the Holy Mother Church. The most disturbing fact about the meddling of the Catholic Church is that it has kept on peddling factually inconsistent data, data that betrays the basic teaching of their religion which is to never speak fallacious and fabricated words. They have used the ignorance and lack of education of many marginally poor Filipinos to mobilize the masses against a measure that could, and as some would like to argue would, improve the lives of many of our countrymen.

Even the United Nations bemoans the situation here in the Philippines. They say that what should have been a national political debate about the merits and points of the proposed Reproductive Health Bill has been muddled by the strong protests of different religious leaders whose beliefs have proven outdated and detrimental to the lives of many people. They continue to trumpet morality when morality and the overzealousness of those who claim to hold in great esteem continue to drive this nation deeper into despair. These people, whose morality is always in question, have continued to use the name of Jesus to defeat every legislative action that runs contrary to their interests. They have also used the impoverished people to further their personal agenda, remember the 4x4s?

Bishops may say that the vehicles were for the good of their communities but no one in their right frame of mind would say that nothing was irregular about the Catholic prelates’ acquisition of these SUVs. If I dare say, it was downright immoral.

Now, back to the RH Bill, I find it amusing that we have all the time in the world to discuss the lives of every other showbiz personality but we hardly talk about the practicality and probable effectiveness of a bill that would allow our citizens the power to choose the path that they would take in life. I believe that choice is the very essence of every democracy, not pompous filibustering by few and definitely not religion. Without the power to choose for ourselves we will fail as a democracy. Thus, depriving our people the ability to choose artificial or natural forms of contraception and of the right to a safe and healthy pregnancy and birth is tantamount to robbing us of our rights to vote and be heard.

This country has suffered through over 300 years of blind observance of a flawed belief in a religion that is as corrupt any government this country has ever had. It is about time that Filipinos grow a healthy amount of rebelliousness. We will not go to hell if we choose to put on condoms or to pop a pill so that we could ensure that our children would have a better future. We will not go to hell if we strive for a future where no Filipina dies because of childbirth. And we would most likely not go to hell if we cover our ears every time a priest climbs the pulpit and share his personal belief about what happens in our bedrooms.

There is a reason why the framers of our constitution opted to include the clause separating the church and the state; simply because religious leaders have the frightening tendency of going ahead of themselves. They also have the power to persuade the uneducated and the poor whose only source of strength lies in their belief of a greater power. This has been the hand they usually hide behind their sleeves, putting it into play whenever it is most advantageous to them. And when the RH Bill debate intensified, the cards all fell into place. The Catholic Church had their army; an army of blind followers who never question the infallible and divine wisdom bestowed upon the prelates.

But enough is enough, the Catholic Doctrine does not serve as a real answer to the ills of our country, and it most certainly does not answer our need for government funding of a comprehensive reproductive health program. The Bible teaches us virtues, morality and faith but it does not serve an answer to the booming population. And the famous line in Genesis where the Good Lord has ordered Adam and Eve ‘to go forth and multiply’ is reasonable back then, but surely the Lord understands that we cannot afford to feed another 90 Million people in 20 years, the logic especially when applied to present times simply does not seem sound.

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