Tiara-Ra

It’s been a while since I wrote about politics. I used to eat, breathe, and live politics, especially back when I was still affiliated with ab and himati. But despite the affinity for politics I never did get to help campaign for a better president, clean elections, and etcetera. A family event always got in the way, from campaigning for an uncle aiming for a seat in the council to family reunions in Aklan.

This time however I am taking a more active role or at least I hope to. People might ask why now when I’ve literally cut my cords to the organizations I supported way back in college. The only connection we now have is this uncanny friendship I have with my “twin” who’s sporting the whole ‘save the philippines principles’ to a hilt. But that’s another story.

What probably jolted me into taking a more active stance in the 2010 elections is the fact that a big chunk of my salary goes to taxes. (insert plurk angry fisted emoticon please!) It’s not pretty I tell you, especially when I browse through some news feeds I subscribe to and see how rampant corruption is and how languid most of us are when it comes to the issue.

The US and most of the world is tickled pink by Obama’s win. I am not, however, about to be tickled by the news of who’s running or not in the 2010 Presidential Elections.

More articles about the upcoming elections real soon.

Two days ago I was arguing having a shouting match with my brother about the reproductive health bill. Like most of our arguments, it started with something small and petty. For this episode, I think we started arguing about whether we should sell hosting space or not. Until now I have no idea how we came to the health bill, oh wait, I think it has something to do with him accusing me of not having a god, a religion, or something along that line.

And before we could come into blows, our mother (dragon as she is) scared us into shutting up lest we lose access to our precious internet connection. My brother’s main argument was that I have no (gasp!) morals because (gasp again!) I have no religion and (big gasp!) I am pro abortion.

So fine. Let me dissect the issue and clear up a few points along the way.

First, yes I am pro abortion on the grounds that:
- the mother (usually its only the female right? dickheads get the opportunity to skip ya know) cannot care and provide for the child. Adoption is a good option (remember Juno?) but in Pinas where everybody I think has no problem producing babies then this is not viable at all.

-if having the baby threatens the health of the mother. Yeah, yeah, life starts the moment spermy and eggy meet, which means we’re killing a human being! Oh really…so let me follow this logic… since spermy and eggy are cells and the zygote is a cell then all cells are signs of life then we cant uhm… eradicate or remove them, right? If so, then we might as well stop taking a bath and using all those exfoliants at watsons because we’re killing cells, millions and millions of cells. Convoluted I know. haha.

Second, I have no religion but that does not mean I have no morals!
It means I just follow a different set of rules, my rules! do I go to church? Yes, but only when forced to do so (e.g. christmas with family, etc.) or when I’m in the mood to take photographs of churches. Lols.

Third, I am rooting for the reproductive heath bill because I believe it’s about time we do something about our population problem and the escalating number of fellow filipinos suffering from STDs. The reproductive health bill, of course, does not legalize abortion (since doing so will mean we have to change our constitution), but it offers us a choice to use contraceptive methods approved and unapproved by the catholic church.

More so, the bill promotes:
(1) Information and access to natural and modern family planning
(2) Maternal, infant and child health and nutrition
(3) Promotion of breast feeding
(4) Prevention of abortion and management of post-abortion complications
(5) Adolescent and youth health
(6) Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections, HIV/AIDS and STDs
(7) Elimination of violence against women
(8) Counseling on sexuality and sexual and reproductive health
(9) Treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers
(10) Male involvement and participation in RH;
(11) Prevention and treatment of infertility
(12) RH education for the youth.

Fact: For the church, sex between unmarried couples is taboo.
Another fact: We’re doing it anyway, even the priests.

So why try to stop the bill? A woman who does not use contraceptive pills is more likely to get pregnant than a woman who uses it, despite the fact that its (only) 98% sure.  And the catholic church sure isn’t paying for the kids borne out of unplanned pregnancies right? Nor are they paying for the medical expenses of Filipinos who have STDs. As for the accusations of teens becoming raving sex maniacs and having loose morals, well, the media is doing that already. Blogs, porn sites, and porn (soft or not) magazines are everywhere. You don’t need a bill to turn me or a kid into one.

The church, let’s face it, is behind the times. I will not and the kid next door will probably not consult our parents about sex or the priest or somebody older. Fact is, we tend to discuss it first with our age group, our friends, people who we think would not condemn us for thinking lewdly or for asking ‘green’ questions. Opening a proper and more youthful venue where we (feeling teenager noh?) can discuss the options is a step in the right direction, if you ask me.

Of course, I am as wary of the bill as most of the critics are, only difference is, I recognize the need for a reproductive health bill and has long since abandoned the thought of the church having the  power to save us from hell (wherever that is).

Left Leaning

THE COLLEGE Editors Guild of the Philippines, in behalf of its National Office, regional formations and chapters, all member publications and affiliate organizations nationwide and across the globe, expresses its most heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Rachelle Mae Palang (1986-2008). (more…)

A few minutes ago I was snorting in disgust at how the media fawned over Erap’s arrival in Davao City. In my opinion people like Joseph Estrada, Imelda Marcos, and the rest of their cronies shouldn’t be given such attention. How can we forget the impeachment trials? Or that Estrada was also responsible for the all out war in Mindanao during his term?

Sometimes I just can’t help but marvel at the way politics is played here in our country. The bad asses, despite the hard evidences, continue to deny the issue, win over fans, and have the media scrambling about just to hear their two cents worth.

Erap, probably because the election’s in 2010, has been going around, visiting the regions, reminding everyone that he is very much still in the political scene. And just a few hours ago, he was in Davao and was flaunting himself via motorcade.

I’m interested in what Estrada and Duterte has to say about the continuing conflict in Mindanao. Erap,though he acknowledges that the ‘rebels cannot be trusted’ will be playing on GMA’s rising unpopularity while Duterte will have to play his cards right, especially as the election’s drawing near.

If I remember right, Duterte once said that he will support GMA’s presidency until it ends. But, he has to think of the voters and big men he has to please in Mindanao.  How our lawmakers deal with the escalating conflict in Mindanao will have a telling effect in the 2010 elections, assuming the conflict remains popular until 2010 that is.