QUESTION: Sir John, what can you say about RH Bill?
ANSWER: It is moot and academic. Right now, people in Philippines have freedom to buy any kind of contraceptives, with or without doctor prescription. Even priests use condoms. RH Bill is just a lobby of Condom Producers who wants to "use" government machinery to induce "demand" for their product. When the President allows the government to become an advertising medium or become a bulk buyer of contraceptives, merong "porsyento" dyan ang Presidente.
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RH Bill is simply the Administration's "investment" into something they can blame when their anti poverty-program fails. They would blame their failure on the usual fall-guy named POPULATION. PNoy said "We gave ourselves a more reasonable timeline, TWO YEARS in fact, to show evidence of real transformation". His campaign slogan is "Pag walang currupt, Walang mahirap". Hence, we are also adjusting expectation timeline: "Pag may Mahirap pa by July 2012, ibig sabihin Corrupt and Administration mo".
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That's why it's called FAMILY PLANNING. It is not called GOVERNMENT PLANNING!
The current set-up is already fine. Individuals are FREE to buy contraceptives. Information about contraceptives are freely available from various sources and contraceptives are available for sale in the pharmacies. For those who want several opinion, they are free to consult their doctors, their religious leaders, or friends, or the internet. What else do they need to alter in the current set-up that we already enjoy?
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Those IECA (information, Education, and Communication Advocacy) activities for reproductive health have long been freely practiced already by the medical profesionals without any resistance from the religious. The issue is moot and academic.
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"Government to buy contraceptives in bulk for distribution to poor people who can't afford it" --- ayan ang sinasabi ko na fictitious justification na pinipresenta ng RH Bill Proponents. Mga ulol! That demand is NON-EXISTING!
Nakakita na ba kayo ng pulubi na may bitbit na baby na kumakatok sa pinto ng koste ninyo at nanghihingi ng condom?
Yung mga sobrang hirap na, ang hinihingi nyan ay libreng lugaw para may lakas na lumakad at mag-hanap ng trabaho, para may lakas na mag trabaho ng isang buwan bago pasahurin. Ang kailangan ng mahihirap ay hindi naman engrande na mass housing, kundi konting bed-space lang para may-matulugan lang para makapag-trabaho ng mayos the following day.
Bobo etong Administration na eto! Hindi nakikita ang pangangailangan ng mahihirap.
Ang kailangan i-provide na subsidy ng gobyerno sa mahihirap sa urban area ay (1) lugaw/egg feeding stations, and (2) expansion ng GwapoTel dorms. Sa rural area naman ay rice/egg subsidy -- hindi pwedeng pansit canton lang dahil walang protein yang pansit na yan. At hindi pwedeng condom dahil hindi nila yan makakain.
