“Blame it on Cain,
Oh-oh, oh, please don’t blame it on me
It’s nobody’s fault
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But it just seems to be his turn”
Just like when I talked to you folks about the Impeachment Trial of the Chief Justice, I hope you know by now that when I am not that well versed on something I will tell you upfront. I am not well versed on the RH Bill. I have read the arguments on social networking but not enough for me to take a stand either way. What I will take a stand on is the needless blame on the Catholic Church for the bulging population in this country.
If you want to blame the Catholic Church for being so ingrained in our culture that people just go through the motions of mass and sacraments because it’s expected by society fine. If you want to blame the Church for allowing itself to be used by politicians fine. You want to blame the Church for harboring their own when it comes to sex abuse scandals, fine. Just don’t blame the big population of the Philippines solely on the Church’s stance on contraception and abortion.
The beautiful province of Quebec is predominately Catholic and the Church there preaches the same birth control stance. As of the 2001 census their population is not spiraling out of control compared to the rest of Canada. I am assuming that many of you did not take Canadian History. The short version has two major themes: a) Canada developed out of the fur trade b) people from Quebec always felt discriminated against but want to right that wrong by proposing a plan that gives them all the benefits but spreads the risk to the rest of Canada. Canada is multi cultural because they have two founding fathers. The British and the French. They never had anything as spectacular as the 1776 revolution or the Civil War in the US but the internal animosity was more spread out over time I am not sure if these stats prove my point that being Catholic does not equate to over population but here is Statistics Canada’s data on Quebec and the rest of Canada in terms of population density.
The Church is used by some as a shield in this case for where the real blame lies. Pinoy culture is manifested in our relative large population. The Pinoy is not known to follow to rules or adhere to schedules. Even abroad there is a phenomenon known as “Manila Time” where the usually punctual locals expect the Filipinos to be systematically late. The Pinoy at least in Manila has no clue what it means to line up for something. “Singit” is a way of life. Don’t you dare tell me I am exaggerating because it is very evident each and every day on the MRT. If you have read me before you know how I feel about public transportation or even drivers in general here. The attitude of public transportation here is that life is cheap. Isn’t one of the points of the RH Bill is about the quality of life and not the quantity?
Whatever the result of the RH Bill, it will not change the pinoy values like I said before. Dolphy, Ramon Revilla and Erap are celebrated for populating medium sized towns in the province by themselves. Yet for some reason a piece of paper that the populace won’t read will change things. The culture here is what it is. No matter what law you pass. The Pinoy’s problem with the concept of family planning is the second word. They really don’t plan anything. Unlike in the movie The Hunt For Red October where Admiral Painter said “Russians don’t take a dump, son, without a plan. ”
Pinoys as a culture do not value a plan hence they continuously vote for public officials who show little evidence of having the capabilities to come up with a good plan let alone implement it. Whether it’s Joseph Estrada, Fernando Poe Jr., Lito Lapid or Noynoy Aquino. None of them appealed to the masses with any evidence of strategy and accomplishment in leadership. All that was required was a recognizable family name and reputation in anything in the public eye like show business. Cerebral prowess, leadership and track record be damned.
Every four years including this one, we wonder why the medal stand eludes Filipino athletes at the Olympics. In the words of Bob Dylan ” Why you say that for?” . Take away chemical enhancements and gender manipulation and we would like to think every Olympic medal represents an athlete or a group of athletes collective desire and discipline combined with a society that desire and discipline can be allowed to foster. If it all comes together and your performance is good enough to be among the best three in the world every four years then you have an Olympic medal. Does that process sound like us? Desire and discipline over an extended period of time? We are an instant gratification society? Our local TV is so guttural. We have no role models to speak of. And we wonder why we can’t compete with the rest of the world??
The Pinoy as a culture lacks discipline, restraint, patience and consideration. You see in the conditions in the streets whether its garbage all over the place or strangers kind enough to share their second hand smoke with you while you walk down a public street. You see it in how they go from point A to point B. You see it in public markets. Anarchy is the norm in the Philippines. It sure as heck ain’t order.
Another quote from Admiral Painter in the movie The Hunt For Red October was “This is going to get out of control, this is going to get out of control and we’ll be lucky to live through it. “. Maybe he is describing our population problem. The operative word there is control. Control is defined in the http://www.thefreedictionary.com/control dictionary as “To hold in restraint; check” . If you believe that definition describes pinoys, allow me to disagree with you. Pinoys were anything but restrained when they were irrationally cheering for Jessica Sanchez.
There is this syndicated article going around in many websites including the L.A. Times called Beyond 7 Billion | Dream out of reach Philippines birth control: Filipinos want it, priests don’t. It’s heartbreaking that’s for sure. Still many procreate out of their own free will knowing the consequences. Discipline and responsibility should be strived for in all socio-economic classes. The Weiss article says that the government did not fund condoms and birth control pills. Which brings up the question should the local government provide artificial contraception at taxpayer expense? Similar to the Olympic Village? Maybe the government won’t provide poor people with condoms and birth control pills like before but they will not provide for the resulting kids either. Just like you can lead a horse to water and cannot make him drink, you can provide all the contraception but there is no guarantee they will be used properly nor are they 100% effective.
” About a year ago my girlfriend was on the pill, using a diaphram, and an IUD all at once. Recently she had a baby. The baby was born wearing armor.”
Steven Wright
The Catholic Church does teach no artificial birth control and no abortion. People focus on that. They conveniently forget that the Church also preaches sex within wedlock, natural family planning and full respect and devotion for your spouse. All that is meant to be taken as one package and not piecemeal. Many of us pick and choose (order a la carte) and are surprised that we don’t like the results. Many like to trivialize the Church but it is so weird to have it both ways. Last I looked Bishop Tagle has not resorted to Spanish Inquisition techniques nor do they employ a secret police. People are free to ignore the Church but why do they get so much blame? There is a reason why Noynoy is labeled “Our President”. Because as long as I choose to live in this country, he is. I have the freedom to be a Baptist, Buddhist or Scientologist by tomorrow if I so choose. It is fashionable to bash the Catholic Church but I don’t see anybody bashing other religious organizations who vote as a pack. Maybe there is some logic that I just missed out on. If the Catholic Church has too much influence on elected officials remember my politically incorrect statement: The Filipino voter has bad judgment. If you won’t read my previous work then don’t complain if that statement offends you.
If the Catholic Church is to blame for over population then I am expected to believe that a culture that eschews discipline in all other areas is conveniently disciplined when it comes to the Church’s stance on artificial birth control. Any kind of birth control as far as I know is managing the urge to merge with certain methods and practices. These methods and practices require attention and discipline. Many operators of vehicles, commuters and pedestrians in this country do not give road rules and road signs attention nor do they drive with discipline. Yet for some reason I am expected to believe they will be attentive and disciplined in the bedroom to prevent unplanned pregnancy.
You can pass any bill you want but you will still be left with the Pinoy way of living life. I am not sure if there is legislation strong enough to overcome that.
Putting a very sharp needle into the balloon known as Pinoy Pride since 2012.
I completely agree with this article. It is distasteful to use religion in debates of such sensitive matter as many misconstrue the lessons being shared.
This is RH Bill is nothing but a blanket resolution. Whatever policies are pass, if not properly implemented, monitored and evaluated is useless. But don’t get me wrong I am pro-RH bill, it is the budgeting that concerns me.
Also, Filipinos are known to have no-discipline about sex. No control with their libidos. Well, they have nothing better to do!
This is a wonderful bill, but should not be the priority. We need to get the people to DO SOMETHING ELSE – focus on providing better environment for education, better curriculum and increase competitiveness of the academe, and more financially/professionally rewarding employment.
Enough with the pa-pogi and pa-ganda in congress. Pass the bill! Then focus on the more pressing matters — and I do NOT mean the budget for 2013 that the congress is so eager to discuss in the coming sessions.
Enough with the blame game!
The Filipino people have a whole bag of troubles far beyond what any single legislation can address. Nevertheless, the problem that needs to be addressed at this point is the delay of action as the result of the meddling rather than the cooperation of the Philippine Catholic clergy. For what? Because they’re KSP and they know that their influence and place in society is completely eroding. Even the pope is more progressive than they are now removing the ban on the use of condoms.The problem may be because they’re both Catholic and Filipino. We need more action and cooperation to fix the crap they put on our society after 300 years of power. The Philippines is still a young democracy compared to US or France, but we just need to keep rooting out the bad seeds and weeds from society in a democratic process to achieve any progress. And that starts with legislating more and more laws that promote choice and the ability for people to take responsibility.
Hi Maxster. For me they can’t be KSP or losing relevance if their wishes influences the process. Now if they were all sound and fury signifying nothing that would be KSP. It will be a while before religion does not influence policy and economics in this country. I mean does SM hire only INC? Very few developed countries will even consider that.
There is something symbolic if the RH Bill passes. It would make it look like they(church) lost much influence (not that they have much seeing our current society), something they are denying.
I agree that the Filipino attitude makes things much more worst but if we can at least get kids to learn responsibility, little by little, we may be able to improve.
Yes you get my points. Pinoys are not good at discipline or obedience or learning. Education is the way out. When the student is ready the teacher will appear. Though I know for sure the teacher is not Willie Revilliame.
Thank you itchybb. You get my point that if you are for it , it does not stop there . Also the point we are adults. The whole victim mentality that government or NGO s are obligated to provide birth control as my condition to have sex responsibly ? That’s already beyond any kind of jurisdiction of the Church. It takes two to tango. The Church is not the DJ or the DI.
I pay may dues expecting to get what it is worth. So far, in a business perspective, I should be shutting down by now. And this is not just me talking, it is the majority of the working class.
We have given enough to the down-trodden. Paid for their jumper electricity and water.
It is time to say NO to the injustice the government is putting upon the working class.
The saying should hold true but fails to work in our society: Beggars cannot be choosers.
WAKE UP PILIPINO!
pinoys haven’t forgotten about proving their manliness by having many kids. we usually know our grandparents/parents having so many siblings and IT was a bit okay back then because THEY can afford it. most have jobs and have enough properties to share to their heirs. unfortunately most of us forgot that part.
Miss Bread,
Yes its a rugged macho thing. They never claimed it was a practical thing.
Ed,
Not only is planning not done here, anybody who tries to do it gets shot down or ostracized. One is branded a killjoy, corny, anything that connotes not “going with the bahala na flow.”
The underlying question remains:
“Is the Filipino catholic restrained because he’s Catholic, or because he’s Filipino?” You assert that it’s because he’s Filipino. I can’t say that I disagree.
Exactly my point FA. Being Catholic is not the one variable equation that some make it out to be You saw my draft and had to change some of my points based on actual research. Bahala na attitude sums it up. Considering the consequence of sex , everybody should be tread carefully poor or affluent. One point I forgot to bring up was not only material needs but emotional ones too. Though I did bring that up in the Dennis Rodman piece.
I believe that it is about time to orient people on the dangers of STD. Condoms and safe sex practices should be distributed/taught to our people. The religious should wake up to the dangers of STD!
I am pessimistic about some people’s desire to learn about long term consequences to their engaging in sex . STD, multitude of babies yes those are consequences. That’s why I mention there ” You can lead a horse to water”. Well I hope they learn.
Well, at least it’s a lot better than leaving the horse on its own to find water.
It will be a debate to what degree do we handhold the horse . Keep in mind the tax payers are footing the bill. For the water and for the wrangler. Maybe there are no easy answers but we do have to ask the questions.
I agree with your points in your article, gogs. Somehow, I find it quite amusing the most of us Filipinos focus on religiosity and belief systems when tackling the RH Bill, when in fact it is more of a political and even an economical issue. It’s like some sort of a circular reasoning version of ad hominem.
I wrote this article a few hours ago, because I believe that people must focus more on how will the bill be implemented, not on how it will affect our so-called “personal philosophies” in life.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/philip-adrian-gonzales-fernandez/rh-bill-trying-another-perspective/10151121295896418
I skimmed through it and I like what you did. You saw who had anything to gain. Also a reality that if you are handed something you are less likely to appreciate it and even less likely use it. It becomes an entitlement unless you really see the need. Will read more later.
I am Catholic and proud of it. I am not in favor of RH bill not because of the moral and religious issues behind. IF we REALLY need this law, I am open to supporting but it is more a question of economics FOR NOW.
Filipinos do not understand that the use of contraceptives is NOT illegal. This bill is supposed to benefit the poor. But what the proponents failed to investigate was: Of those people who allegedly do not have access to contraceptives, how many have DELIBERATE access to cigarettes, alcohol, gambling? How many of them have access to cellphone loads to forward rubbish text messages?
I have not read the totality of the bill, perhaps there are portions worth salvaging. But proposals that give into and tolerate Pinoy’s carpices and idiosyncracies that the article above eloquently enumerated, I opine to a NO.
Amen to this, amen!
I have no problem with sex education, nor promoting condom use, vasectomy, tubal ligation, population control or what not. In fact, I am all for it.
However, universal access to contraceptives will not ensure that people will start using it. I can just imagine the millions or perhaps billions of pesos wasted on condoms, pills left expired in health centers that should be better spent in improving medical/health care services and education.
roi and living , thank you. It still comes down to the fact that many of us appreciate what we earn and take for granted what is handed out. Two years ago I went to Smoky Mountain . Seeing a young father hold his ten month old kid while smoking a cigarette, nice!!! Yes something must be done but forgive me of being cynical how this will be received by the very people its supposed to help.
Kudos, Gogs! Bullseye, you hit em, all right, as usual. Nothing much to say really, just glad that the Catholic leaders never stopped doing what they believe is right, for its their obligations, anyway, hence the opposition of the pro RH groups, otherwise, who’s gonna do that for us? Very simple, if one, truly believes on the bill, go for it, all the way! I wish em luck, though, I won’t vote for them in the coming election.
Thanks for reading as usual Crissy.
So long as the Church remains the most influential institution in the country faulting it regarding it’s stand on population problem will always make sense.
Is the Church on the right in opposing contraceptives and abortion? I really don’t know. Maybe yes, maybe no. All I know is I hardly read or hear them preach about how good it will be if people will help in controlling the growth of population. Of restraining acts that would exacerbate the problem of population explosion. Maybe they are doing it but not hard enough to convince people that they are not just out to there to oppose gov’t. stand on the issue.
Personally, I would like to see the Church demonstrate a commitment in addressing the population problem. Maybe they are doing it already or maybe not. No one is sure.
And it doesn’t help every time we see church people mingling with political people about some secular issues or events.
One thing:
In Spain and parts of Latin America, there was an era where being Catholic was considered a capital offense. This didn’t happen in the Philippines, IIRC.
Now I’m not saying we should pull off an anti-Catholic POGROM! I’m a Catholic, and I think such genocidal acts… Did not humanity vow “NEVER AGAIN!” to such evils?!
BUT I DIGRESS.
I’ll admit, the Church is flawed. Any institution composed of men will be flawed. But it WAS founded on certain principles, such as Love for Mankind, Devotion to a Higher Power, and an insatiable Thirst for Justice. If these principles bring death to the Church’s adherents, what does it say about these murderous beasts?
And one CAN be a Filipino Catholic without being as fanatical as the norm. Now those of you who think the only good Catholic is a dead one might disagree, but if you hate the institution as a whole, why not kill off those members of it?
There, I had to say my two cents’ worth.
Philippine overpopulation is a myth. Population is just a number by itself. The US pop is 300M, are they more overpopulated than PH? To determine OVERpopulation, one has to look at population density. The Philippines ranks somwhere in the 30+ range in density. Many in the Top 10 most dense populations are progressive countries. Singapore is in the Top 3 and is in fact still importing labor from abroad. And SG doesn’t even have the natural resources that we do. The difference is that SG and the other countries are effectively managed and corruption is minimal. Unlike other countries whose economies are propped up by gold, oil, or trade, the Philippines relies on MANPOWER. Our economy relies on agriculture, manufacturing, OFW, BPO, seafarers. When we choose to reduce our human RESOURCES rather than optimise it (reduce corruption and increase productivity), we are pointing the country towards disaster. We will someday end up with a lot of ageing people but no young to support them (still no gold, oil or trade). We were poorest at 65M than we are now at 100M. Why? Because that was our most corrupt period.