Eric Manalang

In this week's jam-packed episode, we talk about the Philippine government, for once, respecting secularism by removing "God-loving" from the Department of Education vision statement. Then, we talk about Pro-Life Philippines President Eric Manalang and his homophobic and violent comments against Carlos Celdran. We also talk a bit about Ramon Bautista and his being declared persona non grata by the Davao City local government.

This week, we talk about abortion rights in the Philippines. We go into detail about what's been happening with the 7th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights, which conservative Catholics have been trying to shut down.

This week, we talk about abortion rights in the Philippines. We go into detail about what's been happening with the 7th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights, which conservative Catholics have been trying to shut down.

You may have heard about Pro-Life Philippines' recent filing of their new congressional party list, ANG PRO LIFE. Perhaps you wondered how this camp, with high profile supporters like Golez, Pacquiao, Sotto, and Enrile, who have managed to delay reproductive health legislation for more than a decade, could realistically be called 'underrepresented' (a basic requirement for establishing a party list group).

Despite every effort made at civil accomodation, the CBCP and Pro-life Philippines have shown through their actions that they do not want discourse or discussion; they only want their demands met and their dictates obeyed.

For the sake of accuracy (and the chance to portray all of this as the off-Broadway play it might as well be), below are script-style excerpts of the exchange between members of the Filipino Freethinkers and anti-RH individuals at the forum's Q&A segment. Most lines were lifted verbatim.

“Your mother should have aborted you” easily ranks as one of the worst things you can say to a person. Everyone is probably allowed one or two incidents in a lifetime to completely go bonkers but an outburst like that certainly crosses all sorts of lines and for sure, umpires from all sectors would come to point it out.

I believe freethinkers are a proud people in a sense that they often undertake to set themselves up as judges of Truth and Knowledge, laughing at the idea of being shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods. But I also believe that freethinkers are a humble people because they acknowledge their own fallibility.