One big issue. One station. One great debate.

This May, one of the most divisive issues in society today will be discussed and dissected in a grand debate and the countrys first all-news and documentary channel on VHF free TV is going to make it happen. In line with its continuing advocacy to present the most pressing issues of the day, GMA News TV is mounting Reproductive Health (RH) Bill: The Grand Debate. Representatives from the government, religious groups and the womens sector gather for an impassioned debate on the controversial House Bill Number 4244 or the Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2011, otherwise known as the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill. Pitting lawmakers versus lawmakers, women versus women and church versus church, the debate will present and tackle the pros and cons of the RH Bill with representatives from opposing camps defending their side on every motion. The special aims to educate the general public and satisfy their need for information about this issue. Aside from the debate happening on the program, the public can also participate in an online debate on Twitter by sharing their opinions using the hash tags #proRH or #antiRH and by visiting www.gmanews.tv. RH Bill: The Grand Debate is hosted by respected broadcast journalist Mel Tiangco and assisted by GMA News TV personalities, Pia Arcangel and RJ Ledesma, the two being former debaters in their college days. The special airs this May on GMA News TV. @@@@@@ While Pro-Lifers and Pro-RH Bill supporters are scrambling for the peoples support, everyone now will have the opportunity to listen intellectually to each camp. Weighing the advantages and disadvantages, checking logic per logic, and ultimately understanding the whole point of this legislative bill and its real impact to our people.
Much has been written about the Reproductive Health bill and much has been argued for and against it, however, not all has been said The statement that reproductive health means free sex, use of contraceptives, abortion if contraception fails is not found anywhere on that bill. Use of contraceptives, yes, but free sex and abortion if contraception fails?! If you have read the bill, thats definitely putting words into the authors mouth. Contraception as defined poison in the wound, kill babies inside the womb. In medical lingo, contraception is prevention of pregnancy so basically, you dont kill any babies because in the 1st place, there arent any babies to kill. condoms increases sexual activity, increases incidence of AIDS and other STDs. First of all, let me say that condoms are not the enemy here. Time brings change and one of those changes is a more liberated

view on sexuality and sexual practices. Condoms are not for prevention of sex because sex is, to put it simply,impossible to prevent The argument that people are our greatest asset so why are we preventing birth? The bill doesnt force couples to only have 2 children, rather, they provide them w/ an effective choice of being responsible parents by not having too many kids. Isnt that the same w/ natural family planning?My point is this: natural family planning has been practiced since time began and it has never been effective. We have to admit that sex is probably one of the strongest forces on earth and is in usand it is almost always impossible to control. In the advent of poverty, price increases, STDs, AIDs and other crisis, we need to help our people, especially those on the lower end of the financial ladder, take care of their family by not having too many children too soon too fast and we cant do that with the natural method because that method has failed over and over and over again. The reproductive health bill not only gives us a choice of which contraception is best for usit prevents couples from having too many children whom they cant feed, too many children whomthey will leave to die in malnutrition, too many children who will not have an education. God may have told us to procreate but Im sure he did not mean this way. Contraception is not a sin but having 10 kids and not being able to feed them and take care of them is more than just a sinits violation of human rights and a childs right. I know a poor family of 8 children. 2 died because of sickness and malnutrition. It broke my heart, made me angry. No child should ever have to experience that. think about it. Its more a sin to do that to a child than to be responsible parent by deciding for contraception. ####### The advantages of the RH Bill include the couple's choice in the number of children they may like; the selection of the family planning method they will use; and more importantly the reproductive health education they may derive from the proposed law. The disadvantages of the proposed law include the presumed encroachment on the law to the revered Filipino values of abortion; the violation of religious dogma in a predominantly Catholic nation; and the allocation of limited government resources to the family planning programs. After discerning the pros and cons of the RH Bill, it will boil down to its hidden agenda:the wealthy nations are the ones interested and benefit more from the Bill. They overuse of the world's resources at the expense of the poor counties. Rich nations. which comprise less than one-third of the world's population consume and/or waste about 2/3 of the world's resources.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%RH Bill Forum was held last March 2, 2011 at St. Michaels College Auditorium facilitated by the Campus Ministry. Guest speakers for the forum, Atty. Ver Qiumpo and Rev. Fr. Nazer Zaragosa, the Vice President for Administrations, Dr. Romero Hermosilla, Sis. Ben from the Campus Ministry as well as some faculty and staff were present during the program. The forums objective is much on the awareness and consciousness of the truth in this fiercely debated bill.

An Act of Providing for a Comprehensive National Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population Development and for other Purposes was presented by the first speaker, Atty. Ver Quimpo who is the founding President of the Center for Alternative legal Forum and Justice (CALL FOR JUSTICE).He gave an overview on the historical backgrounds how it evolved and related it to works of the past presidents of the Philippines, the advantages and the disadvantages of this bill and discussed further on the real score how it affects our lives as citizens. Moreover, he emphasized the legalities and technicalities whenever RH Bill will become a law.

It is true that maternal and infant mortality rates increases. Thus, many poor women died because of lack access to reproductive health services. The DOH shows that the leading cause of maternal mortality is post-partum hemorrhage, followed by retained placenta, ecclampsia, and many more. Because of these, the DOH mandated to the best of its ability to provide care to pregnant women. Furthermore, the increase in population also causes poverty but not the primary reason. To limit the increasing number in which poor families are greatly affected, family planning concerns the spouses and their families. If approved to be a law, they have the constitutional right to participate in the artificial family planning.

Yet still his point in figurative language he used in the RH Bill. He compared and said, Fertility is the disease and the essential medicines are now the contraceptives!

After the lecture, there was an open forum. Ralph Ivan Samson, the President of the CSG KASAPI, tried to contradict the speakers interpretation to the RH Bill. He asked, Why do you say so that fertility becomes a disease and the essential medicines are now the contraceptives?

Atty Qiumpo answered it in a manner of figurative approach that with the RH Bill, fertility of the couples to conceive a child is now a problem or a disease and that the government who will be the doctors recommending contraceptives to be their medicines.

From an interview, he clearly stated that because of this RH bill the life of the unborn is at stake since the conception is halted. This statement was supported by Ceasar Padilla who is the Director for Call of Justice and said, It should be unconstitutional because well in fact the constitution recognizes life, and RH Bill deprives life. No to Reproductive Bill, but Yes to Reproductive Wealth! Its just another reason of the government to collect additional taxes and pay bills of the people, Atty Qiumpo said.

To the second speaker, Rev. Fr. Nazer Zaragosa spoken vigorously on how morality is affected by the RH Bill. The Catholic Church asserts on the sanctity of human life and the dignity of the human person. President Noynoy says, Pag walang corrupt, walang mahirap. Yet, the RH bill implies, Pag walang tao, walang mahirap.

Looking on the bigger picture, the poor does not need more sex and artificial contraception. Rather, they need better-paying work and more rewards for work to motivate their performance. He stressed that the basis of the good law comes from moral principles. It is a matter of conscience. Now Michaelites, as agents for social transformation, let us be the force to say NO to RH bill!