EDSA I, 23rd Anniversary - Whither the Philippines?

Yesterday was the 23^rd anniversary of the EDSA People Power revolution, and it’s very clear that we Filipinos as a nation still have a long way to go in terms of political maturity. Up to now, we have not really progressed as a nation politically, as we continue to maintain the very insular beliefs that keep us from thinking of ourselves as Filipinos.

It’s also clear that this administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is getting paranoid about getting overthrown. Why else would President Arroyo announce last Sunday that the world would not tolerate another People Power revolution? Not only has she forgotten the means by which she came into power to begin with, she has repudiated the means by which we freed ourselves from two decades of oppression and tyranny. Of course, since she would be the target of a possible similar revolution, it’s understandable, if unacceptable, that she would make noise to prevent what happened to her predecessor from happening to her.

Still, she probably shouldn’t worry too much. Sad to say, Filipinos will not take the people power route to oust her, mainly because the opposition is perceived to be equally corrupt; ousting GMA will only bring in a regime that will be more of the same corruption.

The other problem is that, as I mentioned before, Filipinos are still politically immature, as it is too easy for our politicians to manipulate the masses. Taking advantage of the widespread poverty, our politicians provide palliatives and useless placebos to keep our countrymen in check. And our countrymen, used to being spoiled by our politicians, are more than content to sit back and sell their votes for a few measly pesos, not realizing that they have within them more power than those who buy their votes.

In a way, GMA is correct, in playing down the need to resort to people power revolution. Simply ousting the one in power is no longer enough, because that won’t bring about a change in the system; it will only change the one in power, and the same corrupt practice will continue.

No, what is needed is a paradigm shift in the minds of our countrymen, a paradigm revolution, if you will. First of all, we have to begin looking beyond the insular world we frame ourselves in, and start truly thinking as a country. I think it was Philippine Star columnist William Esposo who pointed out that one of our problems as a country is that we don’t demonstrate a love for our country, even in the small things such as not littering. Compare this with Japan and its people’s national pride, and we pale in comparison. It’s funny how our overseas workers are noted for their ability to abide by the laws of their host country, and yet, it’s difficult to get Filipinos to obey simple traffic rules unless there’s a traffic enforcer keeping a watchful eye.

Second, it’s necessary to get our countrymen more involved in the political process, instead of letting the politicians take charge of everything. There’s this thing called accountability, and, if we want to be able to take our officials to task for their corruption, we have to take an active part in the political process. If we can manage this, it’s possible that actual political parties, with clear platforms and programs can emerge, instead of all of these personality cults passing themselves off as political parties.

Finally, yes, there is a need to revise our Constitution, if only to make it more accessible and understandable to our countrymen. I mean, how many of us actually know what our rights are as Filipinos, according to the Constitution? Not me.

And what changes should be done? For me, it doesn’t matter what form of government we adopt, as long as the proper safeguards are put into place. If we maintain a presidential form, then mechanisms such as additional runoffs should be added to make sure that the resulting president is truly a majority choice. If we adopt a parliamentary government, then the structures that make that particular system work should be in place.

The necessary changes to the economic provisions are needed to be able to cope with an ever-changing playing field. Perhaps simply deleting them, as Prof. Alex Magno has suggested, is enough; let Congress pass the laws to govern our economy.

At the same time, I will reiterate that this is the wrong time to put Charter Change into motion, as the political atmosphere is simply too polarized for it to happen. There is just too much distrust in our government, that any move to revise the Constitution will be met with suspicion.

It should be pointed out that, as a nation, we are still a very young one, and it’s clear that it will take a lot of time to get where we want to be as a nation. But, the first step for us to take is to be more aware and participative in what our government does; otherwise, it’s not a democracy that we have, but an oligarchy, where power is concentrated in the elite. It is important for us to remind them that their shenanigans are not unknown to us, so that maybe they’ll be a little more responsible.

Travails of Modern Youth - The Piezas/STOYA Issue

For a few weeks now, one of the issues emanating in the blogosphere is the shameful beating of Ateneo student Marcel Piezas at a so-called open party and the blog response of a group of students who organize such parties. I’d wanted to write about it earlier, but I wanted to do some checks on the stories, as I didn’t want a repeat of the Valley Golf brawl reporting.

Rather than take up valuable space here, here are the links to the accounts of the mother, Celine Piezas, which is a response both to what happened to her son and to the contents of the so-called STOYA blog, which is a reaction to what happened to Marcel Piezas. Please read them first, and then come back here.

No time to go to those sites? Oh, well…

In a nutshell: there apparently are events known as open parties to which high school students (mostly underage) are invited. One of the come-ons is the presence of free flowing (alcoholic) drinks, which technically, under Philippine laws, is illegal.

Marcel Piezas is supposed to have attended one of these parties last January, where he met a girl with whom he danced. Afterwards, he was accosted by the girl’s companions and accused of molesting the girl. For that, he was beaten up, allegedly by as many as 20 people; this happened despite the presence of bouncers and subdivision security guards. Some of Marcel’s friends were able to get him out of that situation, although he did sustain some serious injuries.

At school, members of the STOYA group, which organizes such parties, approached Marcel, probably in fear of being sanctioned, although, if I got the story right, the party Marcel attended was not organized by STOYA; in the same vein, it should be made clear that it was apparently a fraternity, not STOYA, that administered the beating. I’m not sure how the STOYA members approached Marcel, but the parents claimed he was harassed. A member of the group posted a long rant on his Multiply blog (now locked), to which Mrs. Piezas replied point by point.

Being a teacher of the High School, I realize that our students aren’t angels; some can barely even remember the basic values of the school. But it’s disheartening to read the rant, and see the warped values of students who are seniors, meaning that they are the ones whom the younger batches look up to. For these students to claim that drinking is part and parcel of high school life and that partying is apparently the end-all, be-all of their high school existence betrays the shallowness of their thinking. It’s depressing to realize that the values that the school stands for are clearly absent in these students.

Even though the STOYA blog was locked down after the furor, Mrs. Piezas managed to save a copy of the text, including the comments, which can only be described as immature ranting. At the end of the blog post, the writer invites others to comment on what was said, but apparently, he was looking for positive support, as comments which criticized the writer’s attitude were viciously attacked. It’s a raw look at how high school students can be when their opinions are attacked, and, as I said, it’s pretty depressing.

It’s also premature, because Mrs. Piezas had made it clear that no complaint was filed against STOYA. The blog post, then, was a knee-jerk reaction, and an abject lesson in being calm and cautious in what one posts on the Web. The STOYA blog was like trying to put out a fire by using gasoline; it only served to inflame the blogosphere, and expose the writer to ridicule about what he wrote.

At the same time, after talking to a co-teacher, another point arises. What is it about high school life that makes these students espouse such values? I remember that the University conducted a resiliency study a year or two ago; is it possible that the stress of high school life drives some students to have the attitude of the STOYA boys, that partying hard is their outlet?

At the same time, given the track record of our alumni as leaders of society, it’s also clear that this isn’t a new phenomenon. There will always be students/alumni who are proud of the fact that they come from the Ateneo, even if they don’t practice the values of the school. Just last year, an alumnus tarnished the UAAP basketball championship bonfire by including stakes with the names of the La Salle team in the bonfire, and, up to now, hasn’t apologized to either community for his actions.

I hope that the Piezas family will pursue the charges against those who beat up Marcel, as it will send a clear message to these bullies, that such actions will not be tolerated. As for STOYA, I sincerely hope they’ve had time to think things over, and exercise more prudence and security in organizing their parties.

As for me, it only serves to remind me of how crucial my work as a teacher is, to be able to try and reach these students and set them on the right path.

Turntable Tactics

In the Philippine Star a few days ago, columnist Cito Beltran described a tactic currently employed by the minions of this administration in dealing with critics and issues. He called it the “turntable tactic”, wherein, instead of going after the actual perpetrators, the various officials turn the tables by going after the critics and whistleblowers. It appears to be the current tactic of choice, considering the number of times it’s been used:

· Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, reacting to charges that her office has been sitting on various corruption cases, notably the World Bank (WB) report on corrupt practices of our construction contractors, lashed out at critics, demanding to know what they have done to combat corruption on government.

· In relation to the WB report, various congress-critters and columnists, such the Philippine Star’s Carmen Pedrosa, have virtually ignored the report, and instead attacked the World Bank, labeling it as a corrupt institution. The squid tactics effectively obscure the real issue, that government officials and politicians are colluding with contractors in order to corner lucrative projects.

· In reaction to the recent videotaped ‘rubout’ by members of the Philippine National Police, police investigators have threatened to file obstruction of justice charges against TV network ABS-CBN, which has refused to provide a copy of raw footage of the shooting of alleged carnappers, at one point, shooting one of them at point blank range.

· Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, from whom the tactic seems to have emanated, has blamed everyone except the government for various failings of the government. Relishing his role as the administration lightning rod, the secretary doesn’t shy away from dropping a quick sound-bite to turn the tables on those who accuse the government of corruption.

· Of course, there’s the government critics’ favorite whipping boy, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, whose tactics in reaction to the numerous corruption charges against him, have included slapping libel charges on all and sundry, as well as making St. Luke’s Medical Center a favorite sanctuary.

The tactics are indicative of a government that consistently refuses to take responsibility for its actions, as well as one which has done nothing to actively combat perceived widespread corruption. Even the recent conviction of former comptroller Carlos Garcia is not enough; he was convicted of perjury, and not of corruption, and it doesn’t even look as if he’s going to serve his 1-2 year sentence in jail.

As long as the administration deals in tactics such as the turntable, it’s highly unlikely that corruption in the government will ever be solved during its term.

Something Good: A Rare Act of Sportsmanship

I came across this on yahoo a few minutes ago: Amid the grieving, a rare act of sportsmanship

I'm touched by the fact that the coach and the captain of the visiting team had enough class to deliberately miss the technical free throw shots that their team was awarded. It didn't matter to them that it would have helped their team in the game; what mattered was that they did the right thing.

There is so much emphasis on winning, especially in professional sports, that the basic values that we hope our athletes espouse often get forgotten. Back in 1993, Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly wrote about the lack of sportsmanship in the U.S., and cited numerous instances of unsportsmanlike behavior, and too few instances of class acts.

It's sad to note that, 15 years later, there are still such instances of unsportsmanlike behavior going on. Consider that the title of the story goes "a rare act of sportsmanship."

But, it's nice to see examples such as that of the DeKalb High School coach and captain, who remind us what the game is really about.

My condolences go to the Milwaukee Madison co-captain Johntel Franklin, and kudos to coach Dave Rohlman and DeKalb captain Darius McNeal, for their act of sportsmanship.

Destruction Along Katipunan

After what the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) did to the trees along Katipunan Avenue over the past few days, I am fully committed to campaigning against MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando’s bid to become the President of the Philippines.

Just to recall: six years ago, the MMDA was prevented from cutting the trees down for road-widening purposes, thanks to a temporary restraining order (TRO) filed by concerned citizens and granted by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Marlene Gonzales Sison. And so the trees remained where they were since then.

Until last Thursday.

That morning, on my way to work, I was shocked to see that the trees in front of Shoppersville were gone, and all that remained were the large holes where they once stood. I couldn’t believe such a thing could have occurred without anyone’s knowledge.

The next morning, when I was watching the news, I saw that some Ateneo students had come out to protest the removal of the remaining trees but were helpless in the face of the MMDA machines and their operators. The TV reporter, Jenny Reyes, stated that the MMDA men claimed that the TRO had been lifted, and that they had a court order issued by RTC Judge Rosanna Fe Maglaya that allowed them to remove the trees. However, when asked to produce said order, they couldn’t, which makes me think that treachery was involved. The fact that the group which filed the petition for the TRO was not informed about the lifting strengthens that thought even more.

Today, I read in the Philippine Star that, apparently, the MMDA didn’t get any clearance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and that a cease and desist order had been belatedly issued. It’s too late for it, as all of the trees that once lined Katipunan Ave. are now gone. Even if the MMDA were charged for their dastardly deed, the damage has been done. According to DENR-NCD executive director Jose Andres Diaz, the balling of the trees was improperly done, so I’m not sure if the trees will survive being transplanted, which is another crime to lay at the feet of the MMDA.

All in all, twenty-five trees, which have stood for decades along Katipunan Ave. have been uprooted. It will take that much time to see their like once more. And the MMDA callously destroyed them in the name of progress. But, that is progress that I can do without.

Nothing can be done to bring back the trees along Katipunan Ave., but we can still vent our anger and outrage at the MMDA Chairman, upon whose shoulders the responsibility for this atrocity should be laid. It is Fernando’s single-mindedness that caused this to happen, and he is clearly no friend of the environment. Is this the sort of person that we want to see sitting in Malacanang? I don’t think so.

When the 2010 presidential race begins, you can be sure that, if Fernando pushes through with his bid, I will be among those who will be campaigning hard against him. And those of you who are similarly outraged by what his men did on Katipunan Ave. this week, I call upon you to do the same.

Questions of Life and Death

Life and death are dichotomous concepts, and it is interesting that two events occurred one after the other, both having to do with the sanctity of life and death.

Two weeks ago, Nadya Suleman, 33, gave birth to a set of live octuplets, through the wonder of in vitro fertilization. Last Monday, Eluana Englaro, 38, passed away after spending the last 17 years of her life in a vegetative state due to a car accident.

Both events pose serious bioethical problems. In the case of Suleman’s and her children, the question was raised whether it was wise, or even safe, for her to have so many embryos implanted in her, considering that she already has six other children, also through in vitro fertilization. Being a single unemployed mother, would she be able to handle the arduous task of raising all 14 children by herself? Already, her own mother, Angela Suleman, who has taken it upon herself to help take care of the other six children, has stated publicly that she will leave her daughter on her own once the younger Suleman leaves the hospital.

The implanted embryos were the result of Suleman’s attempts to have children, and were the result of a conscious decision not to dispose or abort them. While the pro-life decision was admirable, the question still remains whether she is able and ready to raise the children. As it is, it wasn’t comfortable for me to read that, as of this writing, the octuplets are the longest known surviving set of such in history, which means that there is still a chance that not all of them will survive. I hope, though, that, through the miracles of modern medicine, the octuplets will be able to do so. And, hopefully, their mother will not turn them into some sort of freak show in order to raise the money needed to bring them up.

On the other hand, the case of Eluana Englaro, an Italian woman, brings back memories of Terri Schiavo, who underwent a similar media and political circus over whether her feeding tube should be taken out or not, and asks the question whether life should be preserved, even if the person is in a vegetative state.

The comparison between Englaro and Schiavo, in terms of the political battle to save her, is almost eerily exact. The Italian parliament, like the United States Congress, attempted to pass legislation in order to prevent the tube from being removed, only to be stymied by the courts; in doing so, the parliament courted the same constitutional crisis that the U.S. Congress did over Schiavo.

While it’s possible that, being in a vegetative state, Englaro and Schiavo were not aware of what they underwent after the feeding tube was removed, it still meant that they would be subject to the depredations of dehydration and starvation, a horrible death to those who would consciously undergo it. Reading Wesley J. Smith’s descriptions of dehydration, it’s a gruesome death. And yet, the supposed loved ones of Englaro and Schiavo, the father and the husband, respectively, talked of dying with dignity; what is the dignity of dying through dehydration and starvation?

It’s especially more difficult for Italy, considering that it is where the center of the Catholic Church, the Vatican, is located. Pope Benedict XVI, in fact, has issued statements calling for the preservation of the sanctity of life; although he did not name Englaro specifically, it’s clear what his statements are targeting.

Even in death, Eluana Englaro is denied peace. While the official word is that she died of cardiac arrest, some questioned the sudden death, and called for an autopsy of Englaro’s body. What that might show is anybody’s guess. Hopefully, it will show that she died of natural causes; the alternative opens the door to even more moral questions. In addition, perhaps the Italian government can pass laws can more explicitly address situations such as that of Englaro, similar perhaps to Smith's suggestions on what the U.S. government can do in the wake of Terri Schiavo.

It’s not my position to judge Suleman’s decision to have her children, as that is her own decision, and I can only hope that she up to the task. However, I remain consistent in the case of Englaro in that all attempts to keep her alive should have continued; between life and death, I will always choose life. The debate will probably continue to rage over these two issues. However, one thing is clear: both the unique situation of Nadya Suleman and her children, and tragic death of Eluana Englaro serve to remind us that life is very precious, and it should not be given, or taken, lightly.

Charter Change - Focus on Pedrosa

My wife often says that my reading Carmen Pedrosa’s columns every weekend is a form of masochism on my part. Her assertion is that, since it’s clear that Pedrosa sings the same out-of-tune song every weekend, why do I continue to read her column?

The reason is simple: she continues to be allowed to publish her flawed ideas on Charter Change every weekend in the Philippine Star. And so, I read to see what counter-arguments can be readied against her assertions.

The main problem with her arguments on Charter change is that this is the wrong administration to push for it, because it is very clear that this administration will only seek to serve its own selfish interests. Congress cannot be trusted to champion the cause of Charter change, in the form of a constituent assembly, as the vested interests that make up Congress will dictate the form that Charter change will take. One telling detail is the fact that our Constitution disallows political dynasties, but Congress, which is mandated to define the ban against political dynasties, has never fulfilled its mandate. How can it be trusted with changing the Charter?

The other problem is that she appears to champion a very specific form of Charter change, which is the shift from the presidential system to the parliamentary system. She seems to have very specific ideas of how this parliamentary system will work in the Philippine context. Will her supposed champions in Congress actually make the shift, putting into place such mechanisms as a question hour, where the Philippine leader will be subject to questions from the members of Parliament? I sincerely doubt that they will.

I do not doubt Pedrosa’s sincerity in believing in Charter change. What I doubt is the manner by which she chooses her allies, and it appears that she’s willing to support any group or body that will push for Charter change, no matter how flawed or corrupt the group or body is. In the same vein, anyone who argues against Charter change, she consigns to the very depths of hell, or tries to vilify.

It is important not to be so obsessed with an idea that one can no longer distinguish what is right and what is wrong. And, right now, pushing for Charter change would be very wrong, indeed.

HB 5043 - Proposals for the Catholic Church

Here are the other proposals listed by Fr. Eric Genilo, SJ, to address the flaws of HB 5043, otherwise known as the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill. I didn't comment on them anymore, as either I don't have enough info to go on, or the proposals pretty much stand on their own.

Limits to the anti-discrimination provision

• The current Bill prohibits the refusal of quality health care services and information based on a patient’s marital status, gender or sexual orientation, age, religion, personal circumstances, and nature of work. (Sec. 21, a, 5).

• This anti-discrimination provision must have parameters to prevent abuse. For example, If a doctor refuses to administer an IUD to a minor who requests for it, would that be considered age discrimination?

Proper Promotion of Natural Family Planning

• The Bill should not use the term "modern" to describe artificial contraception because it implies that natural family planning methods are not modern or are unscientific. The proper term to be used is "artificial."

• The NFP advocates should be involved in monitoring the manner that NFP methods are taught in health centers.

Sterilization in Public Hospitals

• Sterilization services in government hospitals and clinics should not be provided free of charge (i.e., supported by taxpayers funds). These services should be paid for by those who requests for them.

• No enticements should be offered to encourage persons to have sterilizations.

Employers' Responsibility

• Employers should not be required to provide for the reproductive health services of their employees through their CBAs. To do so would violate the conscience of Catholic employers.

Contraception as Essential Medicines in Government Health Centers and Hospitals

• Government health centers and hospitals are meant for all Filipinos regardless of religious tradition.
• The question of whether contraceptives should be considered as essential medicines should be resolved by a panel of medical experts. What contraceptives actually prevent diseases? What contraceptives actually improve the general health of the population? What are the side effects of these contraceptives which can adversely affect the health of the user? Should some contraceptive be instead considered as emergency medicines for extraordinary cases only where the life, health, or general well-being of a person is seriously threatened?
• If some contraceptives are ultimately decided as essential or emergency medicines that should be stocked in government health centers and hospitals, no contraceptives with abortifacient effects are to be allowed.

Freedom of Speech

• The Bill should remove its penalties against malicious disinformation against the intention and provisions of the Bill. Such penalties are a violation of freedom of speech of dissenting groups.

Implementing Norms

• The committee to be in-charge of the Bill's implementing norms should have representatives from major religious traditions to ensure that the rights of people of various faith would be protected.


While a lot of these proposals are noteworthy and needed to address the problems in the RH Bill, I’m not sure whether the Church is willing to adopt them and attempt to convince the bill’s authors to consider them. At the same time, I’m not sure how willing the authors will be to incorporate the proposals in their bill. I guess it all depends on being constructive and how willing both sides are to find a middle ground.

When all is said and done, will the bill be passed in its current form? While it’s a possibility, if I’m not mistaken, the Senate must either agree with the bill, or file its own, and then thresh it out in the bicameral committee. Finally, it will all depend on whether the President will sign the bill into law; this is keeping in mind that the President tends to stick to the Catholic stance on moral issues, such as the suspension and subsequent removal of the death penalty.

What is clear is that the bill still has a long way to go before it becomes a law, and those of us who are concerned about the issue should continue to monitor the development of events surrounding it, and, in so doing, ensure that the right bill is finally passed.

RH Bill 5043 - What the Church Can Do, Part 1

In the debate over the issue of reproductive health, it’s unfortunate that the Catholic Church has taken an ‘all or nothing’ stand on House Bill 5043, because while it’s clear that, in terms of both the moral and constitutional law, the bill contains serious flaws, the Church cannot ignore the fact that, in the Philippines, the rate of infant mortality remains high. Illegal abortions occur on a daily basis, endangering the health of the mother, aside from the killing of the unborn. Filipinos, in general, appear largely ignorant of basic sexuality information; this is what leads to unwanted children and illegal abortions.

Whether the Church likes it or not, reproductive health is an issue that Filipinos must address, and, instead of opposing the bill’s passage, the Church must work with the bill’s authors to come up with a mutually acceptable governing policy to help address the issue of reproductive health. As Fr. Eric Genilo, SJ, states in his paper, “A Different Paradigm: Critical and Constructive Engagement Amending the Reproductive Health Bill”,

By working together to amend the objectionable provisions of the Bill and retain the provisions that actually improve the lives of Filipinos, both the proponents and opponents of the current Bill can make a contribution to protection of the dignity of Filipinos and an improvement of their quality of life.

According to Fr. Genilo, whose ideas have helped clarify my own, it’s possible to explore several proposals to amend the current bill so that it becomes more acceptable to Catholics. Since the list of proposals is a little long, I’ll be dividing it into two parts so that it’s more easily read. Here is the first set of proposals, with my own comments.

The Protection of Human Life and The Constitution

• The Bill must explicitly align itself with the Philippine Constitution regarding the starting point of the protection of human life. There must be a statement in the Bill that states in clear terms that the Bill affirms the constitutional protection of human life at the moment of conception. Such a statement will address the criticism that the Bill implicitly holds that human life is to be protected at implantation.

Comment: It should be noted that a number of drugs and devices that are identified as essential medicines are actually abortifacient in nature. If such is the case, it violates the section in the Constitution which states that life of the unborn starts from the time of conception. By revising the Bill such that it is in line with the Constitution, it put to rest fears that the bill is pro-abortion.

A Clear Position Against Abortion in all Forms

• The Bill must explicitly state that it rejects the promotion, sale, or provision of any medicine, devices, or procedures that lead to direct abortions which include the causing of non-implantation of embryos as well as the direct killing/removal of implanted embryos or fetuses. Such a statement will ensure that abortifacient devices, medicines, and procedures will not be part of the Bill's reproductive health program. This will address the objection made against the current Bill that it provides access to medicines and devices that have abortifacient effects.

Comment: Perhaps one oversight of the Ateneo educators who tried to argue in favor of the bill’s passage in their position paper is that they failed to note the nature of some of the drugs and devices, which are abortifacient. The bill, though, reaffirms the prohibition against abortion, so this shouldn’t be difficult to revise.

An Age Appropriate, Value Based Sexuality Education Program that Respects the Diversity of Religious Traditions in the Country

• The Bill should not have one RH Education curriculum written by the POPCOM and the DEPED for both private and public schools.
• Sectarian schools should be allowed to write and implement their own human sexuality education curriculum according their religious traditions. For Catholic schools, the CEAP can spearhead the writing of the curriculum using the best practices found in its top member schools. The Bill should ensure compliance of sectarian schools by giving a reasonable deadline for the implementation of their curricula.
• For public schools and non-sectarian private schools, an appointed panel of DEPED educators, experts in child development and psychology, medical experts, and representatives of religious traditions will write the human sexuality education curriculum and the DEPED will monitor the implementation. This sexuality education curriculum should include human value formation and respect for life, personal and social responsibility, and prevention of sexual abuse of children. It would be better for the POPCOM not to be directly involved in the writing of the public school curricula to avoid the accusation that the curricula would focus mainly on contraceptive methods. The public school curriculum writers can refer also to the best samples of curricula from sectarian schools.
• The question of whether information on contraception would be part of the public school curriculum should be addressed by an examination of real empirical evidence and not by mere speculation and emotional rhetoric. Does the provision of information about contraceptives to teenagers reduce or increase incidences of teenage premarital sex, teenage pregnancies, abortions, or STDs? These are serious public heath questions that need to be answered through a consideration of concrete, verifiable, and reliable empirical evidence and not speculations based on anecdotal evidence, personal opinions, or propaganda from lobby groups.
• Parents with children in public schools should have the right to have their children exempted from the sexuality education class if the curriculum is not acceptable to them.
• The Bill must respect the conscientious objection of individual educators who refuse to teach a human sexuality curriculum that violates their religious beliefs.

Comment: This, of course, is one of the thorny issues, as conservative Catholics have a strong bias against such classes being held at all. However, it is important that students be made aware of the importance of reproductive health, and, if Catholics are the ones who form the curriculum, then it should be generally acceptable to other Catholics. Of course, public schools will hold to the DEPED curriculum, and it will be up to Catholic parents who send their children to these school to decide what is best for their children.


Providing Reproductive Health Information and Services

• The current state of affairs: The sale of non-abotifacient contraceptives is not prohibited by law. These are already available in drugstores and other outlets.. Sterilizations are already provided by non-Catholic hospitals. The Philippines is a society with a diversity of religious positions on contraceptives and sterilization. There are religious traditions in the country that do not have any prohibition against the use of contraceptives and sterilization.
• Since contraceptives and sterilizations can be legally procured, the Bill must ensure that accurate and comprehensive information on all forms of family planning methods that are already available (NFP, artificial contraception, and sterilization).
• It would be the duty of various churches and sects to teach their faithful and form their consciences about what their religious tradition allows and prohibits with regard to family planning. Informed and formed consciences will be better equipped to make correct choices.
• Information on effectivity/failure rates and side effects of all family planning methods should be taken from reliable evidence-based sources, not from special interest groups such as drug companies and ideological organizations. The Philippine Medical Association can verify the accuracy of the information provided by the government on NFP, contraceptives, and sterilizations.
• The conscience of health workers and trainers should be respected. If a Catholic health worker or trainer conscientiously objects to teaching contraception methods, he or she should be allowed to teach only NFP methods.
• The conscientious objection of health care professionals should also be respected (as provided by the present Bill). They should be exempted from providing contraceptive/sterilizing services if this goes against their religious beliefs.

The challenge for the Church and its leaders is to be able to respond to the bill's contents with objectivity and with the goal of working to better the state of the Filipino people, especially the poor.

In the second part, we’ll take a look at the other proposals, and try to tie up the whole discussion.

Culture of Corruption

One of the problems with fighting corruption in the Philippines is that the authorities whose job it is to identify corruption cases and go after those involved are often themselves corrupt, so scoring victories against corruption in the government is very difficult.

Take, for example, the banning of three construction companies by the World Bank (WB) for engaging in corrupt practices. When the House of Representatives held an investigation into the matter, the committee heading the investigation was quick to: one, clear the companies involved, and two, turn the tables and claim that it is the WB that should be investigated. This is, of course, after the WB claimed in its report that the corruption was accomplished with the collusion of politicians and government officials. Of course, our Congressmen would want to sweep this whole matter under the rug as quickly as possible, lest they be pinpointed as accomplices.

Yesterday, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) came out with a report noting that several politicians are themselves involved in construction companies in the Philippines. This would explain the haste by which the congressmen ended their investigation into the matter. Like any close-knit fraternity, the congressmen are quick to defend their own. And thus, the battle against corruption is stymied.

Media closely affiliated with the administration have come out with their own spin of the matter. Carmen Pedrosa, of the Philippine Star, for one, questions the ability of the WB to identify corruption, when the WB is in itself, corrupt, or so she claims. While this may the case, her assertions can be seen as squid tactics designed to obfuscate the issue. Why can’t she question the construction companies on their own corruption?

The Ombudsman, whose job it is to file and prosecute cases against corrupt government officials, has failed in its role, considering the level of corruption in our country. As I’ve noted before, it doesn’t help that the Ombudsman is perceived to be close to the ruling administration, which is itself accused of corruption. When the top graftbuster of the country is beholden to the top officials, how can it be impartial and do its job effectively? It can’t.

The culture of corruption is condoned by prominent sectors of our country, and as long as this is the case, corruption will continue. The solution is for us not to be complacent or passive about it; we should make our displeasure heard, and heard loudly.