Mga Batang Manlalakbay

Reproductive Health Bill

Paula Bianca David Manlapaz

Pro-Life or Pro-Choice. These are the terminologies used by the church and the government, respectively, on the debates regarding the implementation of the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill. Despite the negative implications of the bill (i.e. legalization of abortion), there are still several benefits yet to be considered.

I choose to be Pro-choice. Legalizing the RH Bill doesn’t automatically mean killing innocent, unborn human beings; it merely gives individuals an option on how to prepare for their family – if they wanted to use contraceptive measures, they can do so, and they can also do otherwise. Not only that it heightens the awareness of people in family planning and responsible parenthood, it also gives them the opportunity to be educated regarding the pressing issues our country faces.

Overpopulation is one of those pressing issues that the RH Bill might help alleviate the burden. If the RH Bill be passed, apparently, the knowledge of the Filipinos regarding the use of contraceptives might contribute to counteract this issue. It also enables Filipinos to engage in “safe sex” and hence, protecting them from STDs such as HIV/AIDS. If some are thinking that making people – especially teenagers – aware of these things would make them engage in promiscuous acts, for me it is the other way around. This knowledge might prevent unwanted pregnancies and protect the rights of women as well. For teenagers and adolescents, it could also provide additional information regarding the risks of pre-marital sex.

In countries that value conservative traditions like ours, passing the RH Bill can be quite paradoxical. Nevertheless, I believe that sex education at home is still the best key in amplifying the awareness of individuals, young or old. It could also serve as a stepping stone in the progress of third-world countries such as ours, since we also have issues regarding the unequal distribution of our resources and many more.

Yvein David Paras

I greatly stand for and believe that the Reproductive health bill is a necessary action of the government that should not be set aside. I am pro RH bill. The Reproductive Health Bills, or popularly known as  RH bill, are Philippine bills aiming to guarantee universal access to methods and information on birth control and maternal care. It is a way of helping people to be more advance, well prepared, and to widen up each and every individuals mind setting about our society now a days.

I firmly believe that as humans, being considered as the greatest creation of God, we were given free will or the freedom of choice. We have the power to make our own decisions and exercise our rights and choice in whatever way we want. I respect the opposition of the Catholic Church about it but I sincerely believe that  No one has the right to dictate us even the church. As humans, we already been guided of the morals and virtues that can help us decide for our own good. The RH bill do not necessarily tells us that we are anti life, it only promotes knowledge and understanding of other possibilities that people can do if situations arise. The use of contraceptives and condoms which are being promoted by the RH bill does not necessarily mean that people are being push to have sex (because this is really not the case) but rather it is just a way to help people if confronted in such situations to act responsibly. After all, if you think having premarital is bad you would not engage to this act right? No one can decide for you;  you and you alone can help yourself and decide for yourself.  

Another thing, I am pro RH bill because it will help our country  stop the heightened population count. Philippines has now been lined up to other countries with overpopulation. When there is overpopulation, a lot of economic problems arise such as poverty, depletion of resources  etc. If the government does not make an action, we are all affected. So if people are very much sexually active and cannot stop the act, might as well give them something that will assure no conception. Thus, by doing so population will not increase rapidly. Lastly, whether Rh bill is passed or not, we must remember that in whatever we do we must be responsible of our actions. 

The impeachment trial of Chief Justice Corona has temporarily silenced the talks on the latest version of the Reproductive Health Bill. Fankly, I have never completely read its provisions. All I know is that it boils down to the so-called “pro-choice” movement in terms of contraception and other matters concerning reproduction. If I rest my case solely on this, I have nothing against the bill. At the end of the day, we are all humans – a group of creatures to which the gift of freewill has been given. We may be presented with the same arguments but we differ on we take on these arguments. The bill, I believe, offers couples an array of choices reharding the issues on building their families.

Some people who stand against this bill express their concerns on the possible implications and consequences (e.g. higher rates of abbortion and teenage pregnancy) if the bill will be legislated. Again, these presumed results involve the choice of those who are affected – a choice which is colored by a person’s knowledge on the issue, his attitudes and values. These are core to the feared implications on the morality of Filipinos. Doing away these implications means a more effective method to enrich one’s education on this important matter. “More effective” means a process that targets or solidifies the values that a person holds. In this light, knowing the issues initially at home would be the best strategy as it is the place where a person’s values are honed simulatneously. With this approach, I see persons having a stronger foundation on the choices that they are going to make especially those which would reflect who they are.

However, I cannot take the side of those who favor the bill in asserting that overpopulation could be the root cause of the Philippines’ present situation. Surely, it is one of or problems but there are other matters which could have more obvious impacts on our hardships. Corruption would be one then followed by the unwise distribution and utiliation of our nation’s resources. But whatever cause we present, there migght be a solution to answer all these – that is, to remain true to tha values we hold as a nation. There coulde be a bigger problem here since, it seems, we are starting to lose the grip of thses. This requires a more demanding solution -  a process that will ceratinly take a long time as we need to reflect on what brought us to our place now and finally act on it.