People’s power on ‘right to life’

LIGHTER MOMENTS
Hilarion “Abe”Pawid
(First of two parts)

If I were a woman of reproductive age belonging to the Roman Catholic, I would go crazy on how to plan a happy family - what with the raging controversy over the Reproductive Health Bill.

If I follow the teachings of my church, my husband and I would one way or another enter into at least 20 nights of bickering in a month’s time if only to prevent pregnancy. As to who wins the nightly row will be known months later when I will experience my monthly periods or not.

If I follow the government policy on family planning, there would be no reason for us to engage in a nightly clash of emotions. And look forward to bright mornings the day after with a hot and ready full breakfast with a cup of steaming coffee at the sides to boot. Whoever stood earlier to prepare the breakfast does not matter to smiling contended couples.

But I would be bothered with the notion that I disobeyed the teachings of my religion. I recognize that the issue is a moral one involving religious doctrine versus population management policies of the government.

Which one will I abide by between the two authorities in my life is not calming. It is the predicament of thousands of women of reproductive age must contend with.

The increasing rate of population growth in the country saw the Roman Catholic Church and the government at opposite sides on family planning policies. The Philippines is one of the fast growing populations in the world. Surveys reveal a huge 92 million figure with a fertility rate of high 3.2 percent.

The government fears the ballooning population at the backdrop of slow economic growth. Food production in the countryside can no longer sustain the growing population prompting the importation of rice and other food commodities. This further depletes the monetary reserves of the country which is presently operating this early on deficit expenditure.

Per capita income has consistently stayed at low levels versus the ever increasing cost of living resulting to poor quality of life and eventually leading to less productive citizens.

How government and the church can jumpstart a better life in the RH Bill is far from the imagination of ordinary people as they try to wiggle their lives with low incomes in a not so palatable in a fast growing population.

Over 40,000 RC faithful recently gathered in Manila even as congregations in the provinces are being educated on the position of the church on abortion and the ill effects of population control methods adopted by the government in the proposed law. The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country which has also opposed the enactment of divorce among married couples.

The church objects to the government’s artificial methods of preventing pregnancies. She pushes the natural birth control method of abstinence but weak in educating her flock on how it works. Abortion is not acceptable.

The Roman Catholic Church has rallied her multitude of followers in a call for people’s power against the Reproductive Health bill which is awaiting a vote in the lower House of Congress.

In the end however, married couples and women in particular will take a stand on the moral issue. After all it’s the woman’s body that nourishes the unborn child and nurses his upbringing in life. -hp