Politics: Moronic Judgment

I am a supporter of the Reproductive Health Bill.  Despite being a Catholic and educated at the one and only Pontifical University in the country, I can still see the light which the proposed RH bill shines on the issue of Population Control and Family Planning.  As a physician and a responsible, thinking citizen, I strongly believe that the options on Family Planning should be the choice of the couples.  And the government should make all these possible means available to these couples when they need them.  As opposed to what the Catholic Church was wrongfully preaching, RH bill does not touch on dreadful things like abortion.  It does not solely deal about both natural and artificial methods of Family Planning. The RH bill encompasses all things pertinent to Reproductive bill like maternal and child care, STD prevention and screening, fertility and infertility programs, population (or sex) education and also Reproductive tract malignancies.

That is why i was shocked to read from the online news that Sen. Tito Sotto, the comedian that he is, proposed to cut the 880 million fund for Reproductive Health and re-allocate it to funding of State universities and colleges.  I understand that priority should be given to Education, but it should not be expense of Reproductive Health and Population Control, which I think is one of the issues behind the endless poverty in our country.  Why not do a cut on the Pork barrel, the defense or their intelligence (or non-intelligence as you would like) funds instead? This is moronic to say the least. 

Health and Education should be given equitable priorities and one must not compromise one for the other.  How can the average student study effectively when he can't even have three square meals because his parents have to split equally allocate their earnings to their numerous brood? Or what will be the use of school buildings when no one will use it because the eldest son has to go to work instead to feed his younger brothers because his parents can't bear the brunt alone?  Whether you like it our not, the issue of poverty is still tied to the issue of overpopulation.  The issue on corruption is just another issue.

I still can't understand why our lawmakers are still adamant to pass the RH bill when in fact, it is a harmless but efficient measure aimed to promote responsible reproductive health.  Are they still afraid of the Catholic Church?  Separation of State and Church must prevail, and our lawmakers must adhere to that.  The Catholic Church has a fundamental duty to teach its flock, but it must also be stressed that these flock also have brains and are capable of making their own choices.  The parishioners are not robots dictated by a central command, but rather thinking individuals who share a role in the stewardship of what God has given. 

Maybe it's time for Carlos Celdran to bring his acts to the mighty halls of these lawmakers.  If that's the kind of attention these lawmakers want, then so be it.