The common sexist notion is that women talk too much. But on the issue of reproductive health, a bachelors’ club and a bachelor president may well be gearing up to talk each other to death.
I’m talking of course about the CBCP bishops and President Aquino. Listen to the palace’s spokesman and pray tell if you can detect any sense of urgency: “As you know we still have a dialogue with the bishops on the end of February. We committed to propose a responsible parenthood bill with inputs from the dialogue. … The President will limit his power to certify measures as urgent based on what is stated in the Constitution. It refers only to emergency cases. So most likely, [the RP bill] will not be certified as urgent.”
But really, what can these bachelors with palaces talk and agree about?
The bishops are sworn to obey the pope and Humanae Vitae—they can’t agree to any law that includes artificial contraception as a choice, even if it’s called “The Most Sacred, Blessed and Responsible Parenthood Within Holy Matrimony Act.”
The president has sworn to a Constitution where human rights and Church-and-State separation are fundamental principles. His idea that informed choice must be central to family planning is a mere reiteration of constitutional tenets. He cannot endorse the bishops’ NFP-only doctrine without junking his “daang matuwid” (honourable path) and following his predecessor’s hobby of trashing our basic law.
And so we had mighty men glaring at each other the last few months. A tense deadlock, dramatically broken when the most powerful of them all decided… to talk some more.
Poor mothers and infants die each day, half from pregnancies unplanned, others due to simple RH services unavailable. Will bachelors with palaces notice or care?
what a poorly written and grammatically problematic article…
Don't forget despite their vow of poverty, priests have a higher Quality of life than the poor laymen they preach.
I cannot trust a bunch of bachelors-in-robes to tell me how to bring up my two daughters. And a president who's yet to sire an heir. Point is, how can I, a father of two, married to a hardworking Wife, listen to people who have no experience in watching a wife give birth, hustle to make ends meet to keep food on the table, and then talk to me about how to plan my own family?
I totally agree with you sir. For far too long the hypocrisy within the Church halls has gone rampant and unchecked. I believe that everyone has a choice and that is why I want the RH bill to be implemented. Women should have a greater role in their own reproductive health. The only immoral thing is to sire a child into this world and deny him the basic necessities such as food, clothing and shelter.