The trashing of a treasure

There have been times that I felt that my own people (lawmakers, to be precise) were selling my country, its heritage and its future to foreigners. It can be quite disturbing (and painful in some way) because aren't public servants supposed to take care of the public? Aren't the people whom they should be serving?

Lately I've been having that feeling again due to developments in legislation. Not a day goes by that I don't think of the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill, partly because reporting the developments concerning this issue is part of my job. But the more I learn about it and the more I understand the tiniest details about its history and provisions, the gloomier I feel about my own government leaders apparently putting other interests above protecting the country and its people. I mean, they can't all be ignorant of the facts.

Then just this week I attended a House committee hearing on the proposed divorce bill. What else will our elected leaders push our people to accept?

Below are articles I recently wrote that shed more light on the issues and developments:


More funds for RH mean less for basic services -- solon

MANILA, May 30, 2011―Allocating millions of pesos for House Bill 4244 means slashing the budget that would have otherwise been spent on education and other basic services, said a member of the House of Representatives in a recent press conference.

Full story

* * * * * * * * * *

RH Bill redundant, similar to int'l agreement

MANILA, May 26, 2011― Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez has underscored the redundancy of a portion of the Reproductive Health bill during interpellation in Congress on Wednesday.

Full story

* * * * * * * * * *

Curb corruption, not population to kill poverty -- pro-lifers

MANILA, May 27, 2011―A legislative measure that regards members of a huge population as the cause of poverty does not provide a proper solution, say pro-lifers who were present at this week’s plenary debates at the House of Representatives.

Full story

* * * * * * * * * *

RH legislation a "cultural intrusion" -- lawyer

MANILA, June 1, 2011—While the formulation of Philippine laws is essentially based on the needs and conditions of the country’s citizens, the crafting of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill cannot be attributed to Filipino lawmakers but to foreign organizations, said Atty. Jo Aurea Imbong, Executive Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Legal Office.

Full story

* * * * * * * * * *

Divorce a gross injustice to children

MANILA, June 3, 2011―The cost of divorce on children was among the crucial points repeatedly brought up at Wednesday’s Congressional committee hearing on the divorce bill sponsored by Gabriela Representatives Luzviminda Ilagan and Emerenciana de Jesus.

Full story