The Rh Bill in the Philippines
To
move to approve the RH Bill (House Bill No. 4244), an act of providing for a
comprehensive policy on responsible parenthood, reproductive health, and
population and development, and for other purposes and development in the
Philippine, is one of the most recent of the moral hot potatoes. The church the
Filipino Catholics to be firm in opposing the approval of the said bill,
because it will destroy Catholic Christian morality. The church stands firm in
its protest. Avoid immorality and away from moral sin.
The Filipino people are divided when
it comes to this issue, even among the Filipino Catholics. The said bill will
promote the death of both the body and the soul, because people will be prone
to unchastely acts like premarital sex, extramarital sex, and worst, the
abortion of the unborn.
Religions vary widely in their views
of the ethics of the reproductive health especially birth control. The Roman
Catholic Church accepts only the Natural Family Planning and only for serious
reasons, Protestants maintain a wide range of views from allowing none to every
lenient. Views in Judaism range from the stricter Orthodox sect to the more
relaxed Reform sect. In Islam, contraceptives are allowed if they do not
threaten health, although their use is artificial contraceptives, however they
are against any contraceptive method, which works after fertilization. A common
Buddhist view of birth control is that preventing conception is ethically
acceptable, while intervening after contraception has occurred or may have occurred
is not.
Moreover, the RH Bill has gone into
another level last August 7 – 8, 2012. The issue on the RH Bill has been
connected to the calamity caused by the southwest monsoon and people have even
gone further towards offering it with a religious meaning.
Many stories and counter-stories have
come their way from both the Anti’s and the Pro’s. Every story was aimed at
justifying their respective stance over the issue to the extent of the
ironically resorting to God to demonize the whole event.
The bad weather was just part of the
global problem on climate change. It is said “weather throws the punches but
the climate trains the punches. The heavy downfall of rain brought the
southwest monsoon, which eventually flooded many places in National Capital
Region was one adverse condition of a more unfavorable change in the climate
the world is facing. Although nature finds it right under the purpose of God,
it is not prudent enough to attribute its devastating effects to God.
We have learned in Noah’s story from
the book of Genesis that the flood was not at all a curse. That after the
flood, God made a covenant with humanity to never again destroy nature. The
rainbows were the sign that God will permanently protect and care for creation.
We may not have one view on the issue
of the RH Bill, but we can at least have a unified view to the realities of our
country. The RH Bill is just one concern of more pressing challenges the
Philippines is particularly dealing with. The lack of basic public services is
of prime importance. Indeed, the country’s disaster preparedness is far from
efficient as it was evident in the recent calamities. As a nation, during
floods and other natural calamities, we are less expected to flood the social
networks with comments but more expected to show a concrete social networking
in solidarity with the victims.
I believe we can live together
peacefully even in rivalry in convictions. We can have a peaceful rivalry, not
on the dogmatic level nor in political maneuvering, but in good deeds. If God
would say, “Everybody, the Pro – RH Bill and Anti – RH Bill goes to hell”, then
it does not make sense. However, we can at least understand that we will go to
hell if we do not save other people.
A merciful God may not be happy from
the miseries caused by the merciless downpour of rain. But certainly, God was
not delighted when people considered the bad weather as the answer to their
prayers of the unsuccessful passage of the RH Bill; when they made it as a
proof of His favor of their conviction; when it became an opportunity to get
back at others; when it turned out to be a confirmation and satisfaction of
their stance. Even more, God was not happy when they simply spoke their minds
and had not even extended a hand to the victims of the flood.
Both personally and collectively,
there should be a change of outlook and attitude on matters like this. On the
one hand, the RH Bill issue calls us to discern well of its relevance to our
lives. On the other hand, the erratic behavior of nature signals us to get
prepared always.
Indeed, the truth of the RH Bill and
the Habagat is geared towards a deeper reflection and greater preparation on
our part, and God will do the rest.
