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“Now that you’ve passed the RH bill, my conscience says I have to marry my goldfish”

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Hi, guys.

I’d like to give you a glimpse of the pitched verbal battles that went on for years before the passage of the Reproductive Health Law.

My husband Alan was very much a part of those battles.

In his post for ABS-CBN News today, he writes about the agony, the ecstasy and the comedy  of it all.

Pls click on the link below to read it –

The Story of the RH Bill 

 

Meanwhile, I’m just trying to recover from a nasty cold.

But you’ll hear from me soon.

Comments

  1. Supreme Court halts RH Law for 120 days

    by Ira Pedrasa, ABS-CBNnews com
    Posted at 03/19/2013 2:12 PM
    Updated as of 03/19/2013 3:21 PM

    MANILA (3rd UPDATE) – The Supreme Court has issued a 120-day status quo ante (SQA) order against the highly divisive reproductive health (RH) Law.

    In a text message, SC spokesperson Theodore Te said 10 of the members of the high court voted to issue the halt order.

    The five who dissented were: Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno and Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Mariano del Castillo, Estela Perlas Bernabe and Marvic Leonen.

    Oral arguments have been set on June 18, 2013 at 2:00 p.m.

    Malacanang said it will abide by the ruling.

    “We will observe the SQA resolution issued by the Supreme Court and we are confident that government will be able to defend the merits of the Responsible Parenthood Law,” said Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

    Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, one of the law’s principal proponents, said the SQA is just a temporary setback. He believes the high court will uphold it in the end.

    “The status quo ante order issued by the Supreme Court is only a temporary delay in the implementation of the Reproductive Health law to enable the High Court to fully assess the merits and demerits of the pending petitions challenging the constitutionality of the RH law. I firmly believe that eventually the constitutionality of the RH law will be sustained,” he said.

    The controversial measure was signed into law last December amid a strong lobby against it by the Catholic Church.

    In a statement on December 29, Malacanang said: “The passage into law of the Responsible Parenthood Act closes a highly divisive chapter of our history—a chapter borne of the convictions of those who argued for, or against this Act, whether in the legislative branch or in civil society. At the same time, it opens the possibility of cooperation and reconciliation among different sectors in society: engagement and dialogue characterized not by animosity, but by our collective desire to better the welfare of the Filipino people. ”

    Lagman said the long debates on the RH bill will not go to waste.

    He said the right to life and health will not be defiled by virtue of the law, contrary to the opinion of the Catholic church.

    He also said: “The accusation that the RH law is offensive to religious freedom is a patent aberration. The Act is replete with provisions upholding the freedom of religion and respecting religious convictions. The guarantee of freedom of informed choice is an assurance that no one would be compelled to violate the tenets of his religion or defy his religious convictions against his free will and own discernment of his faith.” – with a report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

    SOURCE: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/03/19/13/sc-halts-rh-law

  2. RH Bill finally signed into law

    By Karen Boncocan
    INQUIRER.net
    8:18 pm | Friday, December 28th, 2012

    MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III signed the Reproductive Health Bill last December 21, which is now known as Republic Act 10354, House majority leader Neptali Gonzales II said on Friday.

    Gonzales told reporters through text message that Aquino had signed the measure into a law without fanfare a day after both chambers of the 15th Congress ratified the bill’s bicameral report.

    Seen as one of the most controversial measures handled by legislators, the RH Bill had languished for 13 years in Congress before it was passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives this month. It was also deemed one of the most divisive of measures deliberated this year.

    RA 10354 will provide its beneficiaries, as determined by the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), with “universal access to medically safe, non-abortifacient, effective, legal, affordable and quality reproductive health care services, methods, devices, supplies which do not prevent the implantation of a fertilized ovum.”

    Both the national and local government will shoulder responsibility in implementing the said law which will also provide “age- and development-appropriate reproductive health education” to public school students aged between 10 and 19.
    Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, the main proponent of the RH Bill at the House of Representatives, has earlier pegged 7.5 million public school students as beneficiaries of RH education once it is rolled out by the Department of Education. He was also hopeful that private schools would follow suit and adapt the DepEd’s curriculum on RH education.

    The law will only provide minors with access to artificial birth control methods in health centers and state-run hospitals if they have written parental consent, or have already given birth or have had miscarriages.

    Information and access to family planning methods which have are “proven medically safe, legal, non-abortifacient, and effective in accordance with scientific and evidence-based medical research standards such as those registered and approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)” will be provided by the State under the said law.

    RA 10354 also gives the health department the responsibility as the lead agency for implementing the law and will handle procurement and distribution of family planning supplies for the beneficiaries.

    The DOH will also have a hand in campaigns meant to raise public awareness on reproductive health.

    • BUT –

      :?:

      PNoy yet to sign RH law, Palace says

      by RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
      Posted at 12/28/2012 8:46 PM
      Updated as of 12/28/2012 9:09 PM

      MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino has not yet signed into law the controversial reproductive health (RH) bill.

      This, amid rumors over social media last night that the bill has been signed into law.

      Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Friday that the Office of the Executive Secretary has not yet issued any advisory on the matter.

      Valte explained that after being approved by Congress, an enrolled bill is sent to the President for his signature.

      Only after it is signed will a bill be sent to the office of the executive secretary for numbering and processing, validating, and bar coding.

      Valte added there is still no word if there will be a signing ceremony similar to the sin tax law signing.

      In a related development, Valte said the Bureau of Internal revenue has published the revenue regulations that will serve as the implementing rules of the sin tax law.

      • PNoy signs RH bill into law: sources

        ABS-CBNnews.com
        Posted at 12/28/2012 9:30 PM
        Updated as of 12/28/2012 9:30 PM

        Announcement on Rizal Day, says source

        MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino will formally announce that he has signed the reproductive health (RH) bill into law on Sunday, December 30, a source said.

        The date falls on the day commemorating the death of national hero Jose Rizal, whose novels being made as required reading in all schools were opposed by the Catholic Church more than 50 years ago.

        Aquino has already reportedly signed the bill into law, according to a pro-RH lawmaker.

        Read the rest of the story at www abs-cbnnews com/nation/12/28/12/pnoy-signs-rh-bill-law-sources

  4. Raissa, Alan and the CPMers may I wish you a merry, merry Christmas and a New Year filled with Raissa generated intrigue.

  5. 2012: THE YEAR THAT WAS

    On the first month of ’12 the DOH consi__dered,
    The New Yea__r is the deadliest

    On the second month of ’12 a 6.9 jolted Negros and Cebu,
    At least 52__ were killed

    On the third month of ’12 an earthquake hit Surigao,
    65 or so were injured

    On the fourth month of ’12 Navy at the Shoal almost had a skirmish,
    China ties further severed

    On the fifth month of ’12 Impeachment was concluded,
    Corona guil__ty

    On the sixth month of ’12 Manny had another fight,
    Pacquiao lost to Bradley

    On the seventh month of ’12 the RP Team went to ‘Lympics,
    Went home with NO medals

    On the eighth month of ’12 typhoons, flash floods, and plane crash hap__pened;
    More deaths and injuries

    On the ninth month of ’12 Cybercrime Prevention Act was signed,
    Cyber Libel included

    On the tenth month of ’12 Bangsamoro Agreement already framed,
    Good news too in 2012__

    On the eleventh month of ’12 Tagle became a cardinal,
    One Hallelujah!

    On the twelfth month of ’12 Pablo struck dead a-plen__ty,
    More deaths and misery__

  6. @chiwee. Your post at 12 which says“…napunta na lang ba sa kangkungan ang mga programang makabuluhan (POPCOM) nung panahon ng diktaturya kasi, identified na Marcos era siya?” has put me to work.

    This is my findings: I found this piece of writing, posted March 2003, with the title “Arroyo Used Pills, but is against Birth Control” written by Marites N. Sison. You can read Marites’ article in full here:

    http://pcij.org/stories/2003/population.html

    Since the article is quite long, I’ll try to make it brief by lifting pertinent paragraphs only to show how five Presidential terms (Marcos, Cory Aquino, Ramos, Estrada and Arroyo) dealt with POPCOM (Population Commission) program before it got fed up and dived into the “kangkungan.”

    Marcos’ creation of POPCOM. Marcos created POPCOM in 1969 “to regulate population growth and reduce fertility rate with the goal of achieving economic development.” He put NEDA Chief Gerardo Sicat as Chairman but was eventually replaced by Placido Mapa “who was a member of the ultraconservative Catholic group Opus Dei.” During his brief Chairmanship, Mapa could not come to terms with his conscience “to advocate a government policy that would include the distribution of supplies for birth control.”
    Cory Aquino’s term: Aquino’s choice of Dr. Mita Pardo de Tavera, a devout Catholic, as the Sec. of DSWD and head of POPCOM, reflected her stance on family planning. U.P. School of Economics Prof. Alex Herrin has said that “While there was a strong fertility reduction objective during the Marcos era, there was none during the Aquino administration.

    Ramos’ term: Ramos, a Protestant, entrusted the management of family planning policies to the Dept. of Health headed by Dr. Juan Flavier. In addition to setting aside money for buying birth control pills and other contraceptives, he even launched an anti-AIDS campaign that strongly featured the use of condoms. This provoked the Church leaders to rise in arms against Flavier.

    Joseph Estrada’s term: Following Ramos for not wanting to upset the Church, Estrada adopted the same “hands off” policy by relying on “his Cabinet to shield him from controversy. But his stance didn’t prevent him from almost becoming the “first president to allocate a big amount for contraceptives” had it not been for his impeachment.

    GMA’s term: Afraid of incurring the Church’s ire, GMA did not use the P100-million congressional insertion for the purchase of contraceptives as proposed by Flavier before Estrada’s impeachment. Instead, she pursued family planning policies with the cosmetic names “Responsible Parenthood” and Informed Choices.

    Pnoy Aguino’s term: No need to prep you on this, except to say, the Church is not easy to give up. There is still the SC hurdle.

    So how does one describe the fate of POPCOM before it dived to the “kangkungan”?
    Let’s hear what Prof. Alex Herrin has to say: the “persistent and consistent opposition of the Catholic Church hierarchy to the government population policy of reducing population growth as well as the promotion of artificial family planning methods” is the “single most important factor influencing population policy-making” in the last three decades.”

    The fate of the POPCOM program, like any well-meaning government program designed to alleviate the suffering of the mass of Filipino poor, is a classic example why our “rocket of state” can never take off from the lift pad because it either lacks adequate booster fuel to escape the “gravity” of backwardness of Filipino society or is overflowing with decadent mentality payload.

  7. @raissa @alan @cpmers:
    breaking my silence to wish you all a happy holidays! i wasn’t able to participate in the discussions but kudos to you for all the facts, opinions and discussions! you have certainly aided the growth of our country as a nation! here’s to another year of the cyber plaza miranda!

    @raissa and @alan: thanks to you both for your tireless hosting of this cyber venue!

    Merry Christmas Everybody!

  8. Raissa and Alan and all the genious CPMers, may your christmas be the merriest yet and wishing that 2013 will bring good health, happiness and more oppurtunities your way.
    Raissa, I always enjoy your blogs and the comments. Special shout outs to the likes of Johnny Lin, Baycas, Joe Am, Springwoodman, Leona, Cha and all of those who contributed through valuable researches and intelligent comments. More power you all! Cheers!

  9. From Rappler’s news: psychological tests for candidates to judiciary posts “to be scrapped?” as it is causing delays in screening. Why not require all candidates for those posts to have already their own psychological tests results when they file their applications with the JBC?

    If any judge or judges etc., afterwards starts weirdo, the doctor who gave a passing test must be DE-DOC by the PRC Office!

    Also requires such people to have Lie Detector tests results….never made a legal lie in practice or in court. If found otherwise in their decisions, etc. subject the Examiner of the tests to water-boarding test!

    All tests are good for the JBC screening. Why remove them? That is scrapping the Judiciary rather than the tests!

    • hi leona,
      merry christmas.
      i just wonder if anyone can furnish or post in this blog a list of all doctors who certified corrupt officials as sick to be qualified for hospital arrest. who knows, baka iilan lang sila na paulit-ulit na nagbibigay ng pabor sa mga buwayang opisyales.
      so they can be subject to cpmers scrutiny…
      just an idea…

      • @vander…the courts have those medical files issued by the concerned doctors. The problem is judges are probably as sick also!

        Some judges takes “hook line and sinker” those certifications issued by the doctors! Actually, maybe something is rotten in Denmark here. That is A JUDICIARY PROBLEM…SO BIG A HEADACHE many judges likes to have.

        The money side for/to these doctors is so tempting!

        • we need to know those judges silent on the issues.
          i think the FOI bill will boost our drive to further probe on those issues.
          so my barrel shoots for that bill come 2013…
          pnoy’s track is getting clearer…:)

    • Hi Leona,

      Merry Christmas to one of my favorite CPMers!

      Re: psych tests. One can actually fake one’s answers to those tests to come out looking like a wel balanced mentally stable individual. Like you can answer no , you don’t believe that people are out to get you, even if you were just pursued by a gang of carnappers on your way to the psysch test. :)

      I once flunked a psych test myself because I didn’t finish answering all the questions. I was annoyed at the person administering the test and wasn’t desperate enough for a new job to suffer his presence :).. Thankfully I was still asked to come for an interview after which I was asked to just take another psych test. This time around I got to answer No, i don’t think people are out to get me :)))

      • @Cha…you’re right! Maybe Pyscho tests by JBC is of no use. Palakasan Test is much better. One candidate doesn’t know a bit of anything but just the same PASSES and gets the high post thru courtesy of Papa god-father or mama god-mother!

        MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU!

        • yes agree ako na mas nangingibabaw ang palakasan. each one is a patron of another.
          jbc and ibp are getting erratic once the power that be intervenes. proof are the slow-foot justices glued on their seats when the GREAT GMA was in power. the waves are still felt up to this time giving headaches to the new CJ.
          i wish a tsunami of change sweep the judiciary and rid of the immatured tampororong AJ’s…
          cpm can be a catalyst for that tsunami once again…2013 is another year for us….

      • @cha:
        I agree. These tests should be hidden behind double blinders to get the more accurate results from people. we can hide it in other surveys like credit card applications or government ID applications. we will need the cooperation of the private sector for the former, though.

  10. Breaking News: Erap, Binay, JPE come to Cebu gov’s rescue (Rappler.com)

    Just when we thought we could relax for Christmas, here comes the UNA-nos to the rescue of Gwen Garcia. If America is suspended over a Fiscal Cliff, the Philippines is suspended over the Beeg Cliff. Beeg, pronounced “big”, stands for Binay, Enrile, Estrada, Garcia.

    This is a good test for Mar, see how he handles this crisis.

    • The una-nos were actually banished from the North Pole. The other elves got wind of their plans to take over from Santa and Mrs Claus, that’s why. The three tried to steal the list of nice children on their way out but grabbed the naughty list instead. That’s how they ended up with Garcia.

      • @Cha…thanks, I saw your words “banished from the North Pole,” here is a quote from Editiorial re Pres. Aquino’s speech at the anniversary of AFP and contrasted to nothing about his signing also the Anti-Disappearance law…quote –

        “xxx It doesn’t help that some confusion about some of the specific provisions of the new law remains. It may not exactly be accurate to say, for example, that all orders of battle have been declared illegal. The phrasing of Section 5 of the new law limits the scope of the declaration: “‘An order of battle’ or any order of similar nature, official or otherwise, from a superior officer or a public authority causing the commission of enforced or involuntary disappearance is unlawful and cannot be invoked as a justifying or exempting circumstance.”

        One can read that to mean that any order of battle, or orbat, a strategic or tactical document that, among other tasks, lists so-called enemies of the state, may be deemed legal as long as it does not include instructions that will cause “the commission of enforced or voluntary disappearance.” We realize this is a gray area with black-or-white (that is, life-or-death) consequences, so perhaps the confusion is inherent in the concept.

        But whatever the reading, the importance of this provision is that the old military practice of misusing the order of battle to target noncombatants, such as journalists and NGO activists, will no longer be condoned. Surely this is worth celebrating, together with other breakthrough provisions, even in the context of the military’s own founding anniversary? By keeping the two events separate last Friday, we all lost a teaching moment. ”

        That new law in SEC. 5 refers to “lawful orders,” etc. re disappearances to be committed which are unlawful and a crime now. How about ‘banishing’ those Una-nos to North Pole, is this covered by the law on disappearances?

    • @ Springwooman,

      WALA NA BANG IBANG TRABAHO ITONG MGA ELECTED OPISYAL NATIN AT PUMUNTA PA SA CEBU AT ANO NAMAN ANG TULONG NA GAGAWIN NILA DOON? PARA ANO? NANDOON SA SINALANTA NANG BAGYONG PABLO ANG NANGANGAILANGAN NANG TULONG? DOON KAYO PUMUNTA?ALAM KAYA NILA GINAGAWA NILA O NAG HAHANAP NA NANG BOTO NGAYON PALANG? NAKAKAHIYA NA PANGYAYARING ITO…