On Procreation

When GOD said “Go forth, and multiply,” there were only two people, Adam and Eve, and they had everything in the world they could ask for.

That is not the world we live in today. Now, our world is full of different kinds of people. While there is goodness in every man, there is also evil that lurks in every corner. There is poverty, sickness, and suffering. We don’t have the garden of Eden anymore, so yes, while we still obey the very first command to multiply, that does not mean we can multiply anytime we want to.

A parent’s responsibility does not end in child bearing. The biggest responsibility is in raising a child and making sure that that child grow up well and becomes a good man/woman who makes significant contribution for the good of the community, however small that community may be. That is why I support the RH Bill.

I don’t have children. Yet. However, that does not mean I never thought of having one or that I never wanted one. I did, and I still do. The only thing that stops me is the fact that I know I am not ready. I am not ready to take care of a child emotionally, psychologically and financially. While I can afford to be pregnant and have the baby at the best hospital in the city, it is the “after” that I cannot afford yet. The sleepless nights, the expenses for baby care, the dramatic change in lifestyle… and it does not end there. When the infant becomes a toddler, I cannot afford the education, the maturity to guide my child into making the right decisions, the stability… Having a child costs so much, and I don’t want to have a child just because I feel like it. When I start my own family, I want to be able to give my child the best out of everything, which is what a every parent should have the capacity to do.

Why would anyone not want to support a bill that will help the women and Philippine households become more aware of their choices and provide them with easy access to their reproductive health assistance? Is it because the Catholic church says it is against their religion? But it is not the only religion in the country. Is it because it promotes abortion? Well, abortion is still illegal and will remain illegal. Is it because it opens the risk of teenagers having premarital sex? Come on, this has been going on long before the bill was even thought of. Plus, if teenagers engage in premarital sex, it is the responsibility of the parent to make sure their children know what’s right and wrong and that these children make decisions that are for their own good. Is it because they keep saying it is just a front for other countries to gain control of the Philippines? Since when have we, as a country, become truly independent? Do we say we are independent because we have our own president and our privilege to organize “people power” rallies? Are we really that ignorant?

Contrary to what you may think, I strongly believe in God and life. I am “for” life. But what good is “life” when you end up in slums and become the problem of society? What good is life when all a child ends up being is a drug addict or a criminal or even just a poor little boy/girl who never becomes nourished with everything essential (and no, I’m not talking bout just food)? And for the parents, particularly for the woman, what good is bringing children into the world if it is at the expense of you being able to properly rear them?

Is it really just BRINGING A LIFE into this world that’s important? Aren’t we supposed to also think about what we can give to that life we bring? Aren’t we supposed to strive for something more, something deeper, something that’s not just meant to be enjoyed by you, but by your community as well?

Indelibly Inked

I don’t like politics. I especially don’t like Philippine politics.

Every now and then we hear of some politician, whether local or national, that gets involved in shady things. From drugs to money laundering to plagiarism, Philippines politics has it all, even tear-jerking dramatic privilege speeches. Yes, you know what I’m talking about.

However, what has this done for the government? Bills and laws take so long to be approved. Out legislation lacks so many things. There are so many issues and details that needs ironing out in our laws. None of those get resolved. It is sad that our legislators have years in office, but our laws never seem to change. We still have a lot of grey areas. The administrative branch does not even fare any better. While I applaud some cities for their discipline and progress, some local government units do not deliver as expected. Many people are still disappointed.

To be fair, whatever stagnant state we are trapped in now is not entirely the fault of politicians. A huge part should be placed on voters as well. If Filipino voters really take the election process seriously, I don’t think they’d be too careless in voting for certain people. Vote buying is still rampant. I hope that we realize that the money we get from selling our votes during elections is nothing compared to the next few years we have to endure if we happen to let the wrong person win.

I’d have to think that our country tops the bill when it comes to having the most actors and celebrities turned politician. I am not saying actors have no right to public office. I am just saying that while some of them really do want the good for the people and really want to help the country, it is not enough to run for public office. Everybody wants to help, but not everybody who wants to help should run for office. Let’s leave the politicking to those who have been trained well enough.