RH Bill and The Pro-Life Battle
by: FLORENCE NEIL FORCA and STEVE VILLACORTA (June - December 2011)
illustration by: LESYN ALLAUIGAN
The proposed Reproductive Health Bill brought a commotion both in the private and public sectors. It raises a very controversial issue and a dilemma dividing the country into factions either for or against the proposed legislation. But before we state our various reactions on the issue, we have to know what the RH Bill is all about and its implications to human society.
RH Bill or House Bill No. 96 was introduced by Representative Edcel Lagman. The chief aims of the bill are as follows: 1) to give the parents the opportunity to exercise their right to freely and responsibly plan the number and spacing for their children; 2) to help improve maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition, and reduce maternal, infant and child mortality; 3) to give women more opportunities to finish their education and secure productive work by freeing them from unremitting pregnancies; 4) to help reduce poverty and achieve sustainable human development; 5) to help lower the incidence of abortion by preventing unplanned, mistimed and unwanted pregnancies which are the ones usually terminated; and 6) to promote reproductive health which is cost-effective.
Seemingly, the proposal would benefit our country and people. But behind the sugar-coated provisions of the Bill are hidden agenda which undermines the dignity of life and solidarity of family. The Catholic church and pro-life advocates are strongly opposed to this bill because this is ANTI-LIFE AND ANTI-FAMILY. According to Monsignor Paul Cuizon, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Davao, the anti-RH Bill stand is not just of the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines but of the universal church as well.
The Encyclical letter of the late Pope Paul VI entitled “HUMANAE VITAE” which means “Of Human Life” emphasizes that the union of husband and wife must be open to life. For the Catholic church, there’s no compromise on the use of the natural method of contraception. Pro-Life advocates believe that the RH Bill has negative repercussions on the dignity of the person, life, family, faith and morality because it explicitly directs the use of artificial contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancies which is purportedly cost-effective. However, studies show that these artificial contraceptives are dangerous to the mother and to the baby and may lead to abortion. Also the use of these contraceptives may lead to promiscuity. Does this mean that to engage in premarital sex will now be socially acceptable? Here is where the church teaching on the sacredness of marriage and the marital act is endangered. Let us be reminded that procreation is one of the greatest gift to married couples.
The proponents of the Bill want to project that the House Bill will promote the people’s welfare and bring an instant solution to the perennial problem of overpopulation, poverty, low employment rate and poor quality of education. Are we really certain that a single house bill can truly cure the present economic condition of our country? Do we really need population reduction? No. Studies have shown that poverty is not caused by overpopulation but by the inequitable distribution of wealth and corruption in government. It is not the RH Bill that can combat these problems and restore peace and harmony in the country, rather, the conscious effort of every Filipino to be DISCIPLINED. The debates and deliberations on the merits of the proposed Bill should awaken our sense of social responsibility to be more discerning in our values. No gigantic population will come about if we take responsibility for our acts including the giving of life to another human being. No poverty will be experienced if we are not greedy and we allow equitable distribution of resources. No incidence of corruption will occur if we only genuinely serve the people without vested interest. We can have a productive population. It is just a matter of discipline.
RH Bill or House Bill No. 96 was introduced by Representative Edcel Lagman. The chief aims of the bill are as follows: 1) to give the parents the opportunity to exercise their right to freely and responsibly plan the number and spacing for their children; 2) to help improve maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition, and reduce maternal, infant and child mortality; 3) to give women more opportunities to finish their education and secure productive work by freeing them from unremitting pregnancies; 4) to help reduce poverty and achieve sustainable human development; 5) to help lower the incidence of abortion by preventing unplanned, mistimed and unwanted pregnancies which are the ones usually terminated; and 6) to promote reproductive health which is cost-effective.
Seemingly, the proposal would benefit our country and people. But behind the sugar-coated provisions of the Bill are hidden agenda which undermines the dignity of life and solidarity of family. The Catholic church and pro-life advocates are strongly opposed to this bill because this is ANTI-LIFE AND ANTI-FAMILY. According to Monsignor Paul Cuizon, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Davao, the anti-RH Bill stand is not just of the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines but of the universal church as well.
The Encyclical letter of the late Pope Paul VI entitled “HUMANAE VITAE” which means “Of Human Life” emphasizes that the union of husband and wife must be open to life. For the Catholic church, there’s no compromise on the use of the natural method of contraception. Pro-Life advocates believe that the RH Bill has negative repercussions on the dignity of the person, life, family, faith and morality because it explicitly directs the use of artificial contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancies which is purportedly cost-effective. However, studies show that these artificial contraceptives are dangerous to the mother and to the baby and may lead to abortion. Also the use of these contraceptives may lead to promiscuity. Does this mean that to engage in premarital sex will now be socially acceptable? Here is where the church teaching on the sacredness of marriage and the marital act is endangered. Let us be reminded that procreation is one of the greatest gift to married couples.
The proponents of the Bill want to project that the House Bill will promote the people’s welfare and bring an instant solution to the perennial problem of overpopulation, poverty, low employment rate and poor quality of education. Are we really certain that a single house bill can truly cure the present economic condition of our country? Do we really need population reduction? No. Studies have shown that poverty is not caused by overpopulation but by the inequitable distribution of wealth and corruption in government. It is not the RH Bill that can combat these problems and restore peace and harmony in the country, rather, the conscious effort of every Filipino to be DISCIPLINED. The debates and deliberations on the merits of the proposed Bill should awaken our sense of social responsibility to be more discerning in our values. No gigantic population will come about if we take responsibility for our acts including the giving of life to another human being. No poverty will be experienced if we are not greedy and we allow equitable distribution of resources. No incidence of corruption will occur if we only genuinely serve the people without vested interest. We can have a productive population. It is just a matter of discipline.