The RH bill has had a tough go of it lately. It had stirred heated debates lately and I have been hearing it's rise and fall since time immemorial. I was not into it to begin with because I thought the answer is too obvious. Poverty results from overpopulation. So the government just needs to curb the ballooning population by introducing family planning. But watching the debate yesterday in GMA tells me how little I know on the nitty-gritty of the issue.
I do not support the use of contraception grounded simply on the basis of my religion's teachings and principles. Being Muslim at birth, the usage of artificial form of contraception is something that we do not really tolerate. When I marry, I will resort as much as possible to natural method; will probably raise 2 or 3 kids because my mind couldn't afford to raise and discipline kids more than my preferred number. This is my personal choice.
But just because I rally against contraception does not mean I dismiss the whole idea of RH bill. It is so hypocrite of me to trash RH bill just because I opt to be on the side of fundamentalists. If people respect me of my decision of being anti-contraception and resort instead to the natural way things work, I don't see the point of not respecting or worse, not giving others their free will. For me, RH bill is an opportunity people with different views and beliefs and individuals in the far-flung areas can have a full access of. I support RH bill because others might be fighting for it and probably, it's their only way of redemption. I support RH bill because I don't want to curtail others' freedom of choice. Lea Salonga best puts it in her statement during an interview "You don't need to be pro-contraception to be pro-RH."
I also believe that we shouldn't reduce the whole bill into just the issue of contraception. The provisions of the bill, in fact, capitalizes more on uplifting women's reproductive health. I have to admit that the provisions swayed me at some point because I came to realize that the bill is not simply what others might think of as providing the mass contraceptives so everyone including the teenagers, could have an access to. There is a whole lot more to the bill. It does not guarantee to be a panacea to poverty but it sure provides avenues for more sustainable health programs that could benefit women, men and children alike.
RH bill has trekked a rocky road - the church and even some members of the academe and the government kept on questioning its possible implementation along the way. I understand this because there is always downside to everything. But is it worth pursuing? I believe it's worth a try. During tough times like these, we need to seek every possible solution to the problem.
In China, a family is restricted to raise more than 2 children. This bill on the other hand, lenient as it is, just provides you an option. This bill does not sanction you for bearing a dozen of children. It only conveys the message that if you cannot stand the problem associated with your present condition, then you can choose RH bill to help you out, but if you choose not, then at least be responsible of your own future actions.
We might as well stop seeing the bill as some madmen disseminating condoms in the street for public consumption. That is just not fair.
