Sunday, July 13, 2008
2 solons take heat over bill
By Rene H. Martel
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
CEBU Reps. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz and Benhur Salimbangon were called “anti-Filipino, anti-God” in a prayer march-rally yesterday afternoon for signing a bill on the proposed national policy for reproductive health.
Human Life International’s Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer denounced Ruiz (Cebu Province, sixth district) and Salimbangon (Cebu Province, fourth district) for being among the 34 signatories of the “Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development.”
They are “anti-Filipino, anti-God, anti-life, anti-family. Dili angay kahadlokan ang (We have no need to fear growth in the) population,” Bullecer, a doctor, said.
He said the bill espouses “all-out sex education” for school children as young as 10 years olds. He also reminded Ruiz that four years ago, she reportedly wrote Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal that she will no longer be an “anti-life” supporter.
In an interview, Soon-Ruiz denied she is anti-life and pro-abortion, saying she just wants a population policy for the country, to help manage the distribution of resources and food.
She said she believes the bill is not pro-abortion and simply opens up avenues for Filipinos to explore in terms of reproductive health. As a doctor and mother of two daughters, she is sworn to protect life, she added.
Pro-life
Salimbangon, in a separate interview, said he supported the bill upon seeing the need to educate the people about sex and its implications for the family.
“Magkuyog kaha mi one time ni Bullecer adto sa akong distrito aron kakita siya anang mga pamilya nga gapasad lang ang mga bata, looy kayo dili maatiman. Si kinsa gyud kahay pro-life namo? (Perhaps Dr. Bullecer should join me for a visit to my district, so he can see those families who have more children than they can take care of. I wonder who between us is truly pro-life),” he said.
“We proposed it so it can be discussed intellectually, including them (pro-life advocates), and we can come up with a solution to address the population problem, compared to sige’g pangadye ilawom sa kwarto nga Ginoo ayaw lang usa,” he added.
In the same rally, Cardinal Vidal said contraception devalues conjugal love and “cannot be a licit means for responsible parenthood.”
He asked the two legislators to think of the consequences of their action, and revealed that President Arroyo has advised that the church speak with the legislators on the issue.
As of August 2007, the country’s population hovered at 88.5 million, according to the National Statistics Office, with an average annual growth rate of 2.04 percent from 2000 to 2007.
With 3.85 million people, Cebu is one of the country’s most populous provinces.
‘Prophetic’
In attendance in the gathering were students of Catholic schools, young people, seminarians, members of campus ministries, parish organizations, charismatic groups and nuns, among others.
“(Because of contraceptives, husbands) may come to disregard their wives’ psychological and physical equilibrium and use their wives as instruments for serving their own desires. Consequently, they will no longer view their wives as companions who should be treated with attentiveness and love,” the archbishop said, quoting the words uttered by Pope Paul VI 40 years ago.
Pope Paul VI had asked: “Who will prevent public authorities from favoring what they believe to be the most effective contraceptive methods, and from mandating that everyone must use them, whenever they consider necessary?”
Cardinal Vidal said the message was “prophetic,” but lamented that people have failed to listen to it. “This is the malaise of our times. We recognize the consequences, but we reject the prescription,” he said.
The cardinal said “spouses burdened with too many children are most likely spouses who live a distorted conjugal life. A battered wife raped periodically by her husband hardly knows what conjugal love is all about.”
‘Palliatives’
But promoters of contraception, he said, instead of teaching couples what conjugal love is, provide them with mere “palliatives.”
Bullecer said they had invited Cebuano members of Congress and other officials, particularly Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama and Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, to attend the gathering.
No one, though, showed up, as most officials had other commitments.
Cebu City Reps. Raul del Mar and Antonio Cuenco were out of the country.
“Kindly explain the reason for my absence to avoid any misunderstanding. I’ll be pro-life all my life! Kindly extend my warmest greetings to all pro-lifers,” del Mar said in a text message to Bullecer.
Bullecer said they will hold a series of prayer-rallies all over the country, which will culminate in a protest action in Manila on July 15.
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