Instead of tutoring his laggard son, the father went to the Department of Education (DepEd) to ask that thecurriculum be adjusted so that his child could pass. Because he could not stop his boy from badgering him for money with which to buy candies everytime they pass a store, he asked the storekeepers to shut their stores whenever they see him and his son about to pass by. When the barangay was in the process of deliberating an ordinance imposing a curfew on minors, he urged the barangay officials to forgo the legislation on the ground that the moment it is passed into law, his children will start coming home late at night because it is their wont to do the prohibited. He contended that because of the proclivity of his children to break the law, it is much better if there was no curfew regulation at all.
That’s precisely the kind ofimpossible parents the RH Bill controversy has exposed the Roman Catholic (RC) clergy to be. In one of his tirades against the bill and the people who support it,Archbishop Oscar Cruz of the jueteng fame declared that once the bill becomes a law, there will be no stopping immorality and promiscuity from engulfing the country. He is trying to impress upon us that when the bill becomes a law, at the mere sight of condoms which will then be there for the asking, manyFilipinos will start salivating and then jumping out of their clothes; the country will crawl with people who do nothing but look for sinful sexual gratification as a result of the free access to contraceptives. When the CBCP waves this bogey of promiscuity and immorality becoming uncontrollable when the bill becomes a law, they are saying that the moral fiber of Filipinos is so tattered the accessibility of contraceptives will be their utter ruin. This is unfair to a lot of Filipinos including many members of the RC.
Now, what is the meaning of the RC clergy invoking the alleged moral dangers the public will face when contraceptives become almost ubiquitous and easy to obtain as a ground to abort the RH Bill? First, it is an admission that aspreachers of the teachings of Christ, they are pathetic failures. For almost 500 years, they have been here but they were unable to teach Filipinos just 10 commandments. Now, they want the Filipino nation to make allowances for their failure.
Second, they do not really care for their children. A good father would not be the first one toexpose the weaknesses of his children to the public for the sake of his own his children,of himself and the family. There is an idiom for that: washing dirty linen in public.The act boomerangs on the doer as well as destroys the members of the family so exposed.A father who genuinely cares for his children when he sees faults or even wrongdoing in the latter would tirelessly work to correct the same in the privacy of the home. He does notannounce to the world what a bad excuse of a father he is because for one thing, he will lose whatever remaining respect his children have for him and, as a result, any hope of reformation on the part of the children due to his efforts evaporates.
If the RC clergy were a good father, instead of raving, ranting and engaging in scare tactics all for the purpose of frustrating the RH Bill one more time, they should be working double time to prepare their flocks to be able to handle the situation the moment the “evil” bill becomes a law because it just might. At the risk of repeating myself,there is no basis in the Scriptures for the church to try and influence governmet decisions. In fact Christ and the Apostles were very clear in their instructions that Christians should respect and obey government authorities.
Third, the RC clergy are willing to sacrifice their spiritual flesh and bloodto gain a selfish advantage.Imagine using an unfortunate situation in the family to block the passage of a government law!The real reason for theirdetermined and unreasoning resistance to the bill is they do not want their authority to be challenged by anyone and they desire to hold on to their power over Filipinos indefinitely. They act as though there is no tomorrow relative to the RH Bill because it is simply unthinkable to themto yield to the government. They claim time and again that they are not violating the principle of the separation of the Church and the State but, just like any citizen of the republic, are merely expressing their opinion on the RH Bill. But how come the arm-twisting, thethreats, the deploymentof the full might of the church against the bill and its the exponents?
What is despicable is they do not think twice about using their children as props towards the perpetuation of their power.
For better appreciation of the kind of parent and pastorthe RC clergy are, let’s contrast them with their counterparts in the Iglesia ni Cristo and the Prorestant churches which have declared their support for the RH Bill. They are not scared of the law wreaking immorality and other evils on their congregations because they are confident that even if the country will be flooded with contraceptives, their members will not fall into sexual sin. They have done their duties by their congregations and are certain that the latter are mature Christians who know what is right and wrong and will act accordingly. There is no need to adjust the laws of the country for the sake of their flocks.
In invoking the possible effects of the RH Bill on the morality ofthe public which happens to be 85 percent Catholic, the RC clergy is merely announcing to the whole wide world that they are derelicts as spiritual parents to their congregation becauseit takes more than easy access to contraceptives to lead sound and solid Christians astray.They are merely trying to make the rest of the Filipino society make allowances for the results of their failed spiritual tutelage and parenting.
Let me repeat: In opposing the RH Bill on the allegation thatitwill spawn immorality and promiscuity not to include more abortion and fatherless children, the RC clergy is like the parent of aschool laggard who, instead of trying to correct the problem within the confines of the home and on his own, had petitioned the DepEd to lower its academic standards. An execrable parent indeed.
Along the road in sitio Saudi, Bulo, Tabuk City, there’s a thick man-made forest. The mahogany trees which make it up have heights ranging from 15 to 20 feet with the biggest having a trunk diameter of a foot at the base. They are planted in neat lines and in regular intervals. At that time, we were rushing back to the center from a visit to Burubor, Bulo but so impressed I was with the human accomplishment that I told my companion Teofilo Pittong, Jr. to stop the XRM so we could shoot the refreshing spectacle.
My intention was to have a proof that contrary to what the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) would want us to believe, it is possible to grow a forest in the province.
Sometime later when I found the time, I sought out Rodolfo “Damagen” Apil to learn directly from him how his family managed to grow the forest and in the process, inflict a resounding slap on the face of the DENR. He told me that he first thought of growing trees on his land when he heard from the DENR sometime in 1994 that you could grow rich by planting trees. So rather than let the portion of their pastureland on the other side of the road measuring around six hectares remain idle and because he does not see his children doing dry farming in the future they going to school, he decided to embark on the new project. At the time, Manong Rudy was a farmer and a rancher and Manang Judith was already working at the Capitol.
To prepare the slightly sloping cogonal land measuring some 2.5 hectare – the remaining portion would later be planted to citrus and mangoes – for the planting of the mahogany seedlings, he paid P3,000.00 for mechanized plowing and harrowing services. That done, he, Manang Judith and their three sons who were then in high school and elementary planted the seedlings during weekends in the rainy season of 1994. After a year passed, he paid his farmhands P150.00 a day to plow the space in between the saplings to kill or deter the growth of the cogon. .
By the way, half of the seedlings planted on the land were produced by the family from their own nursery and the other half obtained from the DENR for free. That and the encouragement to plant trees was all the participation of the government in the growing of the 2.5 mahogany plantation.
Every February since 1995, Manong Rudy to protected his investment and future fortune from getting wiped out by grass fires which usually happen during the summer months by separating the planted area through 7-meter wide firebreaks. Knowing that sometimes embers could be blown by the wind across the firebreaks even that wide to start fires on the other side, the family and their workers are always on their toes day and night during the grass fire season just in case there is a need to fight fires. Manong Rudy recalls that there was one time when the firebreak and their vigilance proved no match to a grass fire and some 1,000 of the young trees which were then 10-12 feet were gobbled up by a fire. That’s about all that did not grow up to be real trees of the seedlings they planted as the mortality from other causes was very minimal.
When I asked Manong Rudy how much all in all he spent to grow his 2.5 hectare mahogany plantation, he said that it will not exceed P50,000.00. Perhaps he did not quantify the regular installation of the firebreaks and the guard work they have to do during summers but I am sure that even if those were factored in, the amount would still be just a drop in the see when compared to the how much the DENR spends to grow the same number of trees as there are in the Apil forest. I could bet that if you put together all the surviving trees in the numerous reforestation projects of the DENR in the province, they would not occupy 2.5 hectares. And to think that possibly, more than P100M has already been poured into the province to grow trees since the 90s.
In other words, when it comes to growing real trees, the Apil family with their estimated P100,000.00 has outdone the entire DENR workforce in the province with P100M at its disposal.
That is to be expected because while Manong Rudy is thinking of ROI through the sale of lumber, the DENR workforce are interested in something else. Once the money for the planting has been released, never mind what happens to the plantations.
Way back in the early 90s when I attacked their reforestation program accomplishments in the provincial media, I was invited by the DENR officials so they could explain to me their side of the issue. One of the things they pointed out to me was that it was difficult to keep the plantations from getting burned during the hot summer months when a mere spark could create devastating grass fires. My answer to that now is if the Apils could guard their trees against fires, why not the government with all its resources?
Perhaps they will say that in the current reforestation program, there is no provision for paying people to see to it that the plantations do not get burned especially when the trees are still small and very vulnerable to fires. By that, what they mean is the planners and decision-makers of the DENR are so stupid that after almost two decades of dismal failure in growing trees, they still have to learn their lessons that growing forests does not stop and end with the planting of the seedlings because the harder part is ensuring that they should grow up into actual trees.
Manong Rudy rues the fact that only a few paper trees around the hut where the man who got the contract for the reforestation of the Talaca, Agbannawag area remains of the reported P900,000.00 spent for the venture. But that wasted money is nothing to all the DENR people in the province and perhaps in the whole country because the long and short of it is that they are more interested in something else than in grown up trees and watersheds.
To bare to you the kind of lowdown characters I am talking about, Manong Rudy informed me that he heard from his farmhands that there were several instances when the trees were still young that some alleged DENR people took photos of the plantation apparently to support claims for payments of reforestation projects.
And just to further prove to you that the DENR is not really serious about the reforestation program, they will never allow people who know how to grow trees like Manong Rudy and the orchard owners in the province to compete with them in the disposition of reforestation funds. They would rather let the Philippines remain denuded forever than share the money with people who know the task that they being the implementors of the program are supposed to be well-versed in but in actuality are entirely stupid about.
For two weeks now, I have been hounding anti-RH Bill advocates in an Internet forum to reconcile the interference of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)in the legislative process with I Peter 2: 13, 14 to no avail. Here are the last exchanges on the subject I had with them:
Me: HERE’S THE QUESTION FOUR ANTI-RH ADVOCATES IN THIS FORUM TRIED BUT FAILED TO ANSWERIN THE LAST FOUR DAYS. LIKE IN THE CASE OF THE RH BILL, IT IS ALSO RELEVANT IN THE DIVORCE BILL BECAUSE IF THE CBCP BUT FOLLOWS THE TEACHING OF ST. PETER CONTAINED IN THE PASSAGE QUOTED HEREIN, THEY WOULD SUBMIT AND NOT RESIST GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY AND THEREFORE WOULD NOT INTERFERE AT ALL IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
What is the teaching of the RCC on the declaration of Jesus Christ that we should give to Caesar what is due Caesar and to God what is due to God? Does it give room for RC clergy to try and bully governments to desist from making laws that is contrary to RCC teachings? Pray tell me if there were instances in the New Testament when Christ and the Apostles tried to interfere in government matters. When did Christ and the Apostles acted as if they know more how to run the government than the emperor and his representative? If there is none, what is then the basis for the local RC clergy to be doing what it is doing in the case of the RH Bill? The RCC claims that Peter is the successor of Christ but why does the CBCP act as though his teaching that church people should be subject to secular authorities does not exist? I Peter 2:13, 14 states “Therefore submit yourself to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme. Or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.”
Anti-RH Bill Advocate 1: RH Bill is NOT A LAW of the Philippines. It is a bill being discussed. Not approved yet. Have you realized that? Therefore the Church being part of the Philippines has all the right to voice it's opinion. Take note, the church has been granting the sacrament of marriage long before the Philippines was discovered. God has been creating babies for thousands of years long before our constitution was drafted. Who do you think is meddling with whose affairs?
Me: Your answer is contradictory. First, you say that one side of the coin belongs to the Republic of the Philippines and then you change your mind and declare that the whole coin belongs to the church, in this case the RCC. In saying that the RCC, being a part of the nation, has the right to speak its mind on a proposed legislation, you recognize the role of the government to enact laws. Had you stopped there, you would been home dry and we could have started discussing whether or not the employment by the RCC of its powers to frustrate the legislative process is mere expression of opinion. But you went ahead and declared that since the RCC has been granting the sacrament of marriage before the republic came into being, then, in attempting to pass a divorce law, the state is encroaching in the territory of the church. Which means, according to you, the Republic of the Philippines has no part in the coin at all. Since the RCC came ahead of the government, the later has no right to pass a law on divorce. Now you make up your mind which is which then you can come back and we could continue the debate.
Anti-RH Bill Advocate 1 stopped entertaining the question after this. This was eight days ago. But the following day, Anti-RH Bill Advocate 2 gave this reply: What is “every ordinance of man” that you are trying to force your meaning on? If it's the RH Bill, it is not yet an ordinance! It is still being debated! Do you refer to governors or those sent by him? Clearly, your quotation is inapplicable; for, the purpose of such are "...for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good." The RH Bill does not fulfill any of these purposes!
I really hope that discussions should be on a more mature level, less emotionally/hostilely driven and backed by relevant citations, if any, not questionable or ill-quoted. Me: You go back to my post again. I was not referring to the RH Bill but to the practice of the CBCP of wanting government to only pass laws to its liking. It is you who are misterpreting the passage. The second part of I Peter 2:14 does not refer to the word “ordinance” but to the phrase “those who are sent by him.” You go overtheverses anew on the Online Catholic Bible: “13 For the sake of the Lord, accept the authority of every human institution: the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 and the governors as commissioned by him to punish criminals and praise those who do good.” Now that we have a clear reading of what the Biblical passage really means, you comment on my original post. And also this question: Is interference in government legislation your way of complying with the instruction of Apostle Peter, the first pope, as contained in this passage?
Anti-RH Bill Advocate 2 also kept mum on the subject from then on. But the following day, Anti-RH Bill Advocate 3 took the cudgels for him with this: The context on which 1Pt2:13 ff should be looked at 1Pt2:12. "Maintain good conduct among the gentiles." In other words, 1Pt2:13 says be a good citizen. But, 2:12 says the action is to glorify God. So, 2:13 is subject is to the glorification of God. If it does not, then man cannot follow the earthly authority. Christian cannot be blind followers, but have to use reason together with faith. Which is exactly the Catholic Church. It has to use reason with faith. For faith without reason is superstition, and reason without faith is arrogance. Peter died in the colloseum martyred by Roman authority for standing up to his faith.
Me: Granting but not accepting that you are correct in your interpretation, does the passage allow for believers to try and preempt the passage of laws which they perceive to be contrary to the law of God? Indeed, does the passage approve of believers encroaching into the law-making role of the state by attempting to bludgeon the state into passing only laws that they approve of? Granting that as citizens of the republic, believers have the right to express their opinion on proposed laws, does this particular instruction of Apostle Peter give room for insolence and arrogance towards government officials? Does the passage give room for use of diatribe and intimidation? You mentioned that Apostle Peter was martyred for standing up to his faith. Has the filing of the RH Bill brought the CBCP and other RC clergy to a situation remotely resembling that of the Apostle Peter before he was martyred so as to justify their open defiance of local officials pushing for the passage of the bill?
Total silence from the anti-RH advocates in that Internet forum from that day on. I still saw the three in the forum after that commenting on other topics but when I remind them of the unanswered question, they would ignore me.
The things Rep. Roilo Golezwould say in his determined effort to abort the RH Bill one more time. It does not matter when what he is saying is the exact opposite of the truth and he is already insulting the intelligence of the public with his presumption that they would accept his falsehoodhook, line and sinker. Take his statements during the recent anti-RH Bill rally in Bulacan. He was quoted in the media as saying among others that the contention ofRH Bill proponents that a large population and poverty go together cannot be borne by realities because in Paranaque “we have a huge population, but the people are not impoverished”andcountries like Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, and Korea have higher population densities but are more stable economically than the country. (At 13,999 in 2006, the population density of Paranaque per square kilometer is roughly double that of Singapore.)
Given his position as a congressman of his city, it is quite impossible that Golez is unaware of the existence of official documents in the Internet which gives the lie to histall tale that residents of his city are better off than most Filipinos despite being crowded. First, we have thereport of the Department of Health Center for Health Development on January 17, 2008 (http://www.chdmm.doh.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=93&Itemid=40) which statesthat the urban poor population of his city is at 41.8% and that one of the leading causes of infant mortality there is malnutrition. Granting that the urban poor data is inaccurate, do the children of people who are not impoverished die for lack of nutrition?
We also have the 2009 Local Government Performance Management System reportof Paranaque (http://www.blgs.gov.ph/lgpmsv2/appshome/report/rpt_eSLDR.php?frmIdLgu=1734&frmIdDcfCode=6)– the LGPMS is a yearly self-assessment by LGUs which is required by the Department of Interior and Local Government – which says that infant mortalityrate in Paranaque“is considerably high”and“ Unemployment rate is alarming.” Do these data support Golez’s glowing description of the economic state of the people of Paranaque?
Based on his contention that the country does not need the RH Bill and his above-cited statements, Golez is saying thatthere will be no serious problems even if the population of his already crowded city will still significantly increase.That means that Golez is shutting off from his consciousnessadverse realities in his city which are directly connected with its big population.The LGPMS report cited abovecontinues that the city’s ecosystemsis in advance state of deterioration with the “Tree cover in urban areas falls short with the desirable condition. Air quality is at stake;”the coastal marine ecosystem is in the same state with high mangrove loss and marine productivity at riskas “Coastal fish catch has decreased for the past five years.”The report alsodescribed water in the bodies of water in the cityas “intolerable” and “worthless.”
In short, going by its online definition which is “Excessive population of an area to the point of overcrowding, depletion of natural resources, or environmental deterioration,” overpopulation is already a reality in Paranaque. And here is one of its leaders boldy and incessantly proclaiming to the country that overpopulation is something that needs not concern us.
Regarding his contention that since the economies of theAsian countries he cited are robust despite their higher population densities,what we need in the country is not the RH Bill but “right leadership and right economic strategy,” at his age, Golez already knows that that is asking for the moon but keeps repeating it nevertheless. We have been independent for 113 years now and never in our history did we have a leader who had the good intentions and the will to carry them out of a Lee Kuan Yew. Personally, the prudent thing to do is to pass the RH Bill while waiting forour Lee Kuan Yew because if we listen to the likes of Golez and we delay putting a rational population management measure in place, not even theemergence of an exceptional leader will avail us if by then, the country will have turned into one wide Paranaque.
What is worse is if through the two official documents one can force Golez to admit the realities in his city, he would insist that thehuge population of his city has nothing to do with these. He would say like he did to me when I pointed out the effects of a large population on the environment in my Facebook debate with him (http://northnotes.posterous.com/golez-versus-goye-68373) that to blame for death of the Pasig River and other rivers in MetroManila are defective governmentenvironmental policy and deficient implementation of the same. Like the rest of the anti-RH Bill crowd, Golezmakes believe that none of the ills of the country, present or future,has anything to do withits large population. It would be alright if he keeps the belief to himself but the trouble is at every chance he gets, he attempts to spread the lie to the whole country.
(This is the raw record of my litte debate with Rep. Roilo Golez alternately on the Facebook Wall of Rep. Janette Loreto Garin and the Message box of Rep. Golez. The encounter was set up after Rep. Golez commented on my post asking how come the anti-RH Bill champion has only two children on the Wall of Rep. Garin. Read on and then tell me later who won the debate.
Estanislao Albano: Like Inquirer columnist Raul Pangalangan (So what’s the Catholic advice to Salve?, May 27,2011 issue) I have a nagging doubt that these anti-RH Bill congressmen have never touched contraceptives. May be we could challenge Rep. Roilo Golez to answer this question while strapped to a polygraph machine: Being an advocate of the "children are assets" school of thought, how come you only have two children and how come you only have four grandchildren? How were you able to keep the number of your children to two?
Roilo Golez: My wife had a problem with her ovary and had difficulty with having a second pregnancy. It took more than five years for the second child to come and required lots of care from the doctor and lots of prayers before the patron saint of my wife's home town in Loboc, Bohol, Our Lady of Guadalupe. That's why our second child, our daughter, was named Guadalupe after the virgin. My wife had to regretfully undergo a hysterectomy after our second child, so she could not bear any more children after that. We have five grandchildren, not four. BTW, if we follow the principle that only those who can afford can have children, does that mean the poorest of the poor, who cannot even fully take care of themselves by the standards of the well off, are not entitled to have children? How do we measure capacity to take care of children? Material? Ability to love? Material but inadequate love and care? Love and care but inadequate material things? By the way, of the 30 million increase in our population since 1992, from 65M to 95M, 4 million accounted for by those below the poverty line and 26 by the better off. So why blame the poor for the increase in population?
This is the Debate on RH sponsored by the Rotary Club of Manila between Cong. Roilo Golez (Anti-RH) and Cong. joey Zubiri (Pro RH). Cong. Edcel Lagman, as ea...
Estanislao Albano: Thank you, sir, for going out of your way to react to my Wall post. With your explanation, we can now leave the number of your children out of the discussion. Before I answer your questions and without meaning any disrespect, I cannot resist the light comment that there is some sort of “irony” in your being anti-RH Bill because what we believe to be one of the main answers to the poverty in the country is encapsulized in your surname. Sadly, you are in the Goye side. My answer to your question is the principle of responsible parenthood. It’s not a question of the poor being and not being entitled to have children but if in bringing children into the world, they have acted as responsible parents. To my mind, to thousands of couples all over the land, responsible parenthood would mean not having a child at all because a responbsible parent or person to start with would not want an innocent and vulnerable being to share in his deplorable conditions. May be that is too harsh in your lights but I am willing to compromise and say that at least poor parents, say in squatter areas, should limit themselves to the number of children which would give the latter better chance to transfer to better living area during their lifetime.
Estanislao Albano: Sir, as for your question during the Harapan why we should be pushing the RH Bill when it will only benefit the contraceptive manufacturers, here are my counter questions: If the AFP will buy arms and other war equipment, the arms dealers will make a killing not to mention the generals with their kickbacks. Because of this, are we to forego the long delayed modernization of the AFP? No contractor in his right mind would take on a project without assurance of profits. Does that mean you you no longer use your CDF for infrastructure development?
Estanislao Albano: Sir, this is my reaction to you argument during the Harapan that it is not true a smaller population would mean better economic status for the people because there are countries with lower population densities than the Philippines but are poorer than we are and there are countries like Singapore with much much higher population density than we do which are very rich. Your reasoning assumes that the economic usefulness of land in Singapore, the Philippines and that African country you mentioned are equal. My family owns a .7 hectare ricefield. Would you anti-RH Bill folks please go to Singapore and look for a land owner there willing to exchange his .7 hectare land or even just say .007 hectare part of it with mine? Comparing population densities is meaningless when we talk of countries in the first world and in the third world. The number of people the same measure of land in the two countries could sustain is the real determinant of whether one has a problem with population or not. The yield of our ricefield is not enough to meet all the needs of my family of four but the same area of land in Singapore could sustain the rich lifestyle of hundreds of people. If the Singaporeans were also farmers like us, Singapore would be a lot poorer than we are now given its minuscule area and its current population.
Estanislao Albano: Regarding your interpretation of concept of the separation of Church and State being basically that the state should not interfere in church matters and not the other way around, are you aware of this following instruction of Apostle Peter, the first pope, to the believers: “Therefore submit yourself to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme. Or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.” I Peter 2:13, 14? Does Apostle Peter sound like he would approve of this attempt of the church, in alliance with its allies in Congress, to derail the RH Bill?
Roilo Golez: Unfortunately, the concept of separation of Church & State is not biblical. During those times, religious beliefs were imposed and non- adherence could be fatal. This concept is a Jeffersonian legacy embodied in the US Constitution as an act of defiance to the King of England:
There is often debate about what exactly the First Amendment means, however, in an 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptists, Thomas Jefferson made clear that the purpose of the First Amendment was to establish a "wall of separation" between Church and State in order to protect individuals' right of conscience: Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.
Roilo Golez: On Singapore, you mention the Singapore of today, but forget the Singapore prior to Lee Kuan Yew, when it boasted only of a teeming port that was the crossroad of the Indian Ocean and the China Sea-Pacific Ocean, primarily a transshipment port, still part of Malaya. Then it became a hub of shipyards then financial center. Manila was way ahead of Singapore in the 50s, even 60s, but it's much higher population density, overcrowdedness did not become an obstacle to progress because of Lee Kuan Yew's leadership. With comparable leadership, we can develop several Singapores within the Philippines and some have the makings already in Metro Manila and other high density development centers.
Estanislao Albano: Actually, whatever the origin of the concept of the separation of church and state, as Roman Catholics, should'nt the CBCP be obeying and not setting aside the teaching of Apostle Paul who they claim was the first pope? And was there a time in US history when the Danbury Baptists tried to derail a US Congress legislation?
Estanislao Albano: Sir, you mentioned the phrase "wall of separation" in your explanation above. It does not seem to apply in the country when it comes to the RC. What we have here is a wall which the government cannot cross and I suppose has never intended to cross but which should give way every time the RC clergy feels that the government does not adhere or bow to the church such as in the case of the RH Bill.
Estanislao Albano: Sir, I understand how Lee Kuan Yew was able to lead Singapore into the rich nation it now is. I am not disputing that. What I was only pointing out in my comment was that you were wrong about saying that there is no connection between the poverty and population of the country by comparing the population densities of that African country, the Philippines and Singapore. As far as I am concerned, when the services, economic opportunities and natural resources are no longer enough to go around. Overpopulation need not sweep the nation all at ones. I am sure you agree with me that it is already being experienced in many urban centers in the country but of course, will never be felt in the enclaves of the rich. Hundreds of thousands of families are already affected just like that of Salve who was featured in the PDI four days ago.
Roilo Golez: You cannot compare defense and public works expenditures with contraceptives because the former are basic requirements which a sovereign nation cannot do without. My pdaf projects are all for basic projects.
Estanislao Albano: Okey, you might be correct there, sir. What's your comment on my response to your question about whether or not the poor who cannot even take care of themselves are entitled to have children?
Estanislao Albano: Please respond also to the following questions raised in my other post in Rep. Garin's Wall: Is having millions of children being born in shanties, being malnourished, being unable to go to school due to lack of finances a prelude to economic progress? Will more or less big families in the squatters areas in your district make it easier for your city to achieve super city status?
Estanislao Albano: Sir, have you also considered the environmental toll of a runaway population growth? The dead rivers, the overfished seas, the denuded mountains, the vanished wildlife, the springs and bodies of water that have dried up for good? This article gives you a sampling of the impact of a large population to the environment. If you have any doubts as to the veracity of the article, I could bring you to the place so you can verify yourself. http://northnotes.posterous.com/catholic-village-accepts-population-control-0
Estanislao Albano: Sir, if you have nothing more to say, I will now post our exchange in my blog.
Estanislao Albano: I did not yet post the conversation in my blog as you might want to say something more, sir. It would be helpful if you could react to my question on the environmental toll of the large local population starting from the dead Pasig River, the other bodies of water in MM that are now sewers, the overfished seas, the wildlife species going extinct, denudation, the disappearance of water resources, etc. This is because so far, the environment has not been mentioned in your debates in Congress and even in the media. The environmental degradation in the country will escalate as the population continues to bloat.
Roilo Golez: Sorry, I have more to say, but not now. On the Pasig River, it had long been dead even in the 70s or earlier when the population was around 50M, because of the industries along the river and Laguna Lake. It is our defective environment policy and implementation that is to blame. For one, the Laguba Lake Development Authority generates revenue by charging industries for releasing effluents into the river. We should teach our people how to manage their waste, as even the low density areas have problems with their lakes, rivers and creeks which have been converted into sewers. Look at the Marilao River, an area where populaton density is not that high. Again I go back to high density areas like Tokyo, HK, Washington DC, Columbia River, Ohio River, Mississippi River, etc, where rivers have been well maintained in spite of the huge population. More to follow but not now.
· Estanislao Albano Thank you, sir, for taking the time to explain your position on the RH Bill. Hope you will find the time to entertain questions from me in the future as I have a lot more to ask.
FOR ADELROSARIO WHOIS SUGGESTING THAT WE LOOK INTO A GOOGLE WEBSITE WHICH CLAIMS OVERPOPULATION IS A MYTH AND WHO SAYS IF ONE LOVES THE COUNTRY, HE COULD NOT BE PRO-RH BILL:
adelrosario, of course sa mga loyalista ni Padre Damaso na kagayo mo, wala kayong pakialam sa mga nangyayari dito sa bansa natin on the ground. Parehas nyo rin si Pacquiao na masyadong literal ang pakaintindi sa mga bagay-bagay. Komo's may word na divided doon sa sentence na United we stand, divided we fall, dinivide naman.. Ang gusto nyo seguro sabihin e para matawag na overpopulated ang Pilipinas, ang situation sa Divisoria tuwing bago pasukan e maduplicate mula Batanes hanggang Julo. Ang overpopulation sa tunay na buhay e kung mas marami ang tao kaysa doon sa resources, economic opportunities and services available sa isang lugar. For example, ang income ng mag-asawa e kasya lang para sa dalawang anak at ang barong-barong nila e kasya lang para sa dalawang anak at ang actual na anak nila dahil nakikinig sila sa turo ni Padre Damaso e lima, may overpopulation sa pamilya nila. Palagi nyong sinasabi na marami pang vacant space sa Pilipinas na kung saan dapat maredistribute ang mga tao para even at walang overcrowding sa ibang lugar at bakante naman sa iba. Kung sabihin namin na lilipat kayo sa Sahara Desert dahil maluwang doon at very low ang population density, gusto nyo? Yong ang punto dito adel. Dito sa Pilipinas lahat ng puedeng makasustain ng buhay na mga lugar okupado na maliban na lang kung gusto mong manirahan at maghanap ng ikabubuhay sa mga lugar na walang tubig at di tumutubo ang halaman dahil infertile ang lupa. Kung kayo kayang mga anti-RH irelocate namin sa mga lugar dito sa Pilipinas na bakante pa kagaya ng mga matatarik na bundok sa Cordillera? Kayong mga alagad ni Padre Damaso, wala sa google at pacland ang reality on the ground dito sa bansa natin. Buksan niyo ang mga mata at puso nyo. Huwag lang si Padre Damaso ang isipin at mahalin nyo. Bigyan din nyo ng puwang sa puso nyo ang mga milyongmilyong mga Pilipino na hindi pa nga alam kung ano ang google dahil sa kahirapan. Bakit, may makukuha ba tayong ikabubuhay sa mga detached from local realities na mga websites na yan? Ang igoogglemo minsan e kung ilang Pilipino ang living below the poverty line. At minsan mapadaan ka sa DSWD sa inyo, itanongmo sa kanila yong result ng 4Ps survey. Total nagiispendka naman ng time sa google para maghanap ng ammunition kontra sa RH bill, for a change go actual. Tignan mo doon kung ilan sa mga 4Ps beneficiries diyan sa inyo na may anak na lima kompara doon sa may mga anak na dalawa. Pero bat kita linilekturan at halata naman na nabilog ni Padre Damaso ang utakmo? Talking about Padre Damaso, di niya alam na maski ang RC e overpopulated. Ganito yon adel na may rosario. Ang mga schools ang ratio per teacher ata esomething like 1 to 50 students. Doon ay education lang ang pakay. Sa RC na ang pakay e para maligtas kaluluaw ng mga tao sa impierno, ang ratio yata per Padre Damaso e 1 is to 10,000 kaya tuwing misa lang sila nagkikita at ni hindi kilala ng mga pare ang kanyang mga parishioners. So anong expectmo na mangyari? Ang moralidad ba e maituromo sa 30 minutes sa isang linggo? Yong Thou shalt not steal na commandment ba e kaya mong ituro sa 30 minutes sa isang lingo? No wonder natatakot ang mga pari na pag libre na ang contraceptives,maging mas laganap ang immoralidad at yong tinatawag nilang promiscuity kung anuman yon dahil alam nila sa kanilang utak na kulang ang turo nila sa mga Katoliko. At paano naman e di naman sila Wonder Woman. Tao lang naman sila pero iba yata akala ni Bishop Bacani pero ibang usapan na yon. Ratio Filipino priest to parishioners 1 is to 10,000!Tignan naman natin sa INC at ibang churches, yong mga churches na di takot na maski babaha ng condom dito sa bansa e maapektohan ang moralidad ng kanilang miembro, mas mababa ang ratio per preacher to members na di hamak. Wala kang makita doon sa google noon kaya ang advise ko sa iyo pagkagaling sa DSWD, daan ka sa isang simbahan ng INC or Methodist o Baptist. Tanungin mo sa pastor kung kilala niya lahat ang mga nagsisimba sa church niya. Libutin mo simbahan niya. Wala kang makikita na screen sa labas ng simbahan para sa mga di makapasok sa loob di kagaya sa Quiapo Church niyo. Meaning sa kanila, hindi overpopulated. Katamtaman lang. Itanongmo kung binibisita nila ang mga members nilamaski hindi pa sila may sakit o namatay at sasabihin niya oo. Alam ko yong dahil di kagayo nyong mga antiRH, nagoobserve ako. Tongkol naman sa mga nagkakasala ng mga member nila ang tanungin mo. Kagaya ba ng isang priest nyo na noong nakitang mas nakakarami ang mga artista na kumampi sa amin e siniraan sa media ang mga artistang iyon na mga dati na raw sila immoral kaya ang tendency e punta talaga sila sa RH Bill? Hindi na niya inisip na mga Katoliko yon at dapat din niyong tulungan para maituwid ang landas at di siraan sa media. Malamang na sabihin sa iyo na binibisita at kinakounsel at pinipray over or something like that. Basta may attempt sa part ng simbahan nila para ituwid ang landas noong troubled member.Kaya segurado ko na kung may survey na gaganapin yong mga makasalan sa church nila at makasalan kina Padre Damaso, yong percentage e iba in favor sa kanila. Ngayon siempre seguro pag di close na close ang utak mo, di ang sunod na puntahan mo ngayon ay ang pari niyo. Sharemo yong finding mo na dapat pala binibisito ang mga miembrongnagkakaproblema dahil epectibo pala yon para di mapariwara ang mga miembro. Ang segurado ko adel maski makita ng pari ang punto mo, sahibin niya na imposible dahil mag-isa lang siya at kayo ay 10,000. Hindiko sinasuggest na magpasa ng RC ng RH Bill para sa kanilang simbahan dahil ibang kuento yon. Pero puede nyong ikonsider kung gusto nyo. Ang gusto ko lang na imartilyo sa kukutemo e, hindi density ang measurement ng overpopulation kundi yong avaiability of adquate services for all the people in the given location. Kung kagaya sa RC na ang pari lang e sabihin natin e 10,000 sa buong Pilipinas, ang kaya lang seguro nila para magabayan ng husto ang mga Katoliko e 3,000 per priest. So that means 30,000,000 lang na Katoliko ang maserve.Yon e kung walang inaatupag na iba yong mga ibang pare kagaya ni FrRobert Reyes na always running away from what he should really be doing o kagaya ng iba diyan na ginawa ng fulltime ang pakikipaglaban sa RH at may talagang itinalaga na yata ang CBCP para mag-isip 24 hours a day ng kung ano anong paninira at pananakot kay Pinoy. Siempre hanggang di matapos itong RH issue na ito, medio masakrpisyo muna yong spiritual welfare ng 3,000 parishioners nila. Ngayon adel sino naman ngayon ang aasikaso sa ispiritual na panngangailangan noong natitirang 30,000,000 na Katoliko na di kaya noong 10,000 na pari nyo? Napalayo na yata sa original issue pero don't give us this crap na dahil sinabi ng google ang ganito ganyan, di na namin mahal angating bansa dahil naniniwala kami sa RH Bill. Hindi kami sa computer tumitingin pero sa tunay na situasyon. Kung minsan seguro sama kayo sa amin. Bring your mga possessions already and we relocate you to the remaining vacant areas in the country of your choice dahil gospel truth naman sa iyo yong sinasabi nga google at pacland na malayong maluwang ang bansa natin kaysa Singapore at Macau na di hamak na mayaman sa atin. Baka ang pagkaintindi pa niyo seguro sa population density data sa google e kagaya ng sinabi ni Joey Lina sa Harapan na sa bansa daw natin e mas marami tao kagaya Manila, mas mataas na per capita income. Kung andoon lang ako sinabi ko sana sa kanya na ilipat natin ang mga taga-Bicol at Batangas sa Laguna para maging Singaporena ang kanyang probinsiya. To end this morning lecture to the loyalists of Padre Damaso, I just want to warn you that defending the anti-RH position is dangerous to the IQ. Hindi lang si Lina na hinahangaan ko pa mandin dati due to his phenomenal rise in politics and apektado kundi si Congressman Roilo Golez. Ang talino pero noong dumating ang RH Bill e medyo kaunti na lang ang angat niya sa kakampi niyang si Congressman Pacquiao. Biruinmo sabihin sa national television during sa Harapan na bakit daw isusulong ang RH Bill e ang yayaman lang naman diyan e yong mga gumagawa ng contraceptives. Parang ang ibig sabihin e dahil kikita ang mga arms dealers pag bumili ng AFP ng armas, huwang ng magbudget ng pera ang Congress para sa modernization ng AFP at hayaan nang manatiling Jurassic ito. Kung sabihinko kaya na kikita rin ang mga kontratista sa Paranaque pag may mga infrastructure project doon?
Honestly, I quaked in my boots when Manny Pacquiao started mouthing anti-RH Bill statements like the proposed law being a violation of the divine command to go and multiply and that corruption and not population is the cause of poverty in the country and other such nonsense.
I told myself that the Roman Catholic (RC) clergy and their faithful following is already a formidable force and here comes the most popular personality in the country to reinforce them. Although I know the brilliant boxer is not the best person to articulate the anti-RH position, I was scared that his legions of supporters would, without questions asked, follow his lead. That was a daunting thoughtand I was already about to accept the possibility that the fight to pass the RH Bill which is already protracted will be extended to yet another term.
The day before his fight with Shane Mosley, a Facebook friend who is one of the most visible pro-RH Bill advocates in the social networking site, made the novel suggestion that we should not give up on Pacquiao but instead try to convince him that to win his fight against poverty, he should support the RH Bill instead of oppose it. I was very skeptical but afterwards I told myself why not. The reason for my change of mind was the awareness that as a boxer, Pacquiao is a very reasonable man so there is the possibility that if properly briefed on the merits of the RH Bill, he will see the light. So I suggested to the friend that we appeal to the boxer-legislator’s reason by giving him data which proves there indeed is a compelling reason to pass the legislation. One data that should be submitted to the congressman-boxer is the comparison ofthe incidence of poverty between small families and large families in Sarangani.
To answer Pacquiao’s argument that had his parents used condoms, he would not have come into existence, I suggested to the Facebook friend that we also show him statistics onhow many of the No. 4 child of poor families in Sarangani have been able to escape from poverty like he has as against the number of those who have not. The purpose is to make it clear to the boxer-congressman that his case is not really thatcommon and that the more children a poor family has, the lesser their chances of graduating to a higher economic status.
But when he got back home and reiterated his position during the thanksgiving mass at the Quiapo Church, I knew that the idea of the Facebook friend was like asking for the moon. He might be very reasonable when it comes to the purpose of besting another boxer but when it comes to things that touches on his religious beliefs, his reason fails him. My impression was not helped by the fact that on his way to the plenary debates in Congress on May 17, he had lunchwith the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
What sort of dispelled my gloomy thoughts was Senator Miriam Santiago when at around this point, she all but declared that the boxer was out of his depths in the legislative ocean and should therefore stay off the RH Bill issue.
She dismissed the idea that Pacquiao’s vast popularity will impact on how the issue will finally be resolved “because this is a literate country.” This reference to Filipinos not being suckers put the Pacquiao factor in the RH Bill issue in proper perspective for me. Although I am not a great believer in the intelligence of Filipinos for the simple reason that people who have average IQ know the number of children they could reasonably provide for and would not exceed the number meaning if Filipinos have average IQ, we would not be now locked in this fight to death over a mere legislation, I could not help but agree with the senator that Filipinos are not that dumb and would not swallowhook, line and sinker what a very popular person says regardless of the lack of validity of the same. My fears started to ebb away.
And more so whenthe CBCP, who would not lose a second to lash backat any statement or action adverse to their position, kept mum on the tirade of Santiago against Pacquiao. I was thrilled by the observation that the belligerent CBCP does not want to mess up with the feisty and articulate RH Bill proponent. Worthy of note here is that they gang up on President Benigno Aquino, Jr. at every remark he makes in favor of the RH Bill but do not want to cross swords with Santiago. I told myself thatwe now have an answer to the CBCP.
But what totally banished my fear of Pacquaio as an anti-RH force was his execrable performance in his interpellation of Congressman Edcel Lagman. For those who admire him for all his stellar accomplishments as a boxer, it was painful to watch him essay a performance that was the exact opposite of his brilliance in the ring. I am sure many of even his most avid fans cringed as he read from his script and could not fashion his own follow-up questions, unlike atop the ring when his punches come in combinations. He repeated questions that were alreadyanswered the day before, showing to all and sundry that he was not following the proceedings, and made a citation sans complete research which baredto the world he takes boxing more seriously than his legislative work. He opened up the mismatch with the naïve question why Congress should not just pass a law to solve poverty instead of spending its time on the divisive RH Bill.Had Lagman been as unkind to opponents as the RC bishops are to supporters of the RH Bill, Pacquiao would have been beaten black and blue so that he regretted the inclusion of his name in the list of interpellators..
He was such a colossal letdown regardless of what his fellow anti-RH Bill congressman say about his performance that I will not be surprised if the CBCP and other anti-RH Bill advocates will now distance themselves from him.
Actually, if they know what is good for them, they should just drop Pacquaio as an indorser like a hot potato. The more he opens his mouth with the intention ofarticulating the anti-RH Bill position, the more his unfitness for the rolebecomes apparent and as a result, he will end up turning away even his own fans instead of convincing them to join the resistance to the bill. And does the CBCP think the damaging information that his wife Jinky admitted using pills is lost on the masses? Do the bishops think Filipinos forget things like that specially so in this case when Pacquiao did not give a convincing answer when the media asked him about the matter? The possibility that the legions of admirers of Pacquaio will resent the CBCP’s selfish action of shoving the boxing hero into the jaws ofa lion is also there. Because whether they admit it or not, Pacquiao wading into RH Bill issue is like a welterweight boxer trying to campaign in the heavyweight division.
What I am trying to say is that the presence of Pacquaio on the other side enhances instead of lessens the chances of the RH Bill getting finally enacted. He is a windfall to the pro-RH Bill movement and more so when he opens his mouth.
Wait until Floyd Mayweather hears how Pacquiao made a fool of himself in Congress yesterday. He will have more unflattering things to say against our boxing hero and unlike in the steroid accusations, the latter cannot take him to court because the cutting observations will not be entirely way off mark.
(NOTE: This piece was written in February 2005 but it is still as relevant as when it is written because the Running Priest, Fr. Robert Reyes, and thousands of other clergymen in this country still think and act as though their mission is outside, not inside their churches. Particularly, it is directed to Reyes and Father Amado Picardal who were in the news recently for their walk across the Philippines intended to try and convince President Benigno Aquino III to turn his back on the RH Bill and likewise to thousands of their fellows who think it is a part of their calling to frustrate the state’s legislative process.)
I read with bated breath that story in the last issue of this paper about Fr. Robert Reyes, the Running Priest, taking his cause for simple living and environmental consciousness to the Cordillera last week of this month. The reason was that I wanted to find out if his itinerary includes Kalinga so that I will have a chance to confront one of the most visible symbols of what the clergy in this country has degenerated into in recent years. But alas, Tabuk will not so honored by the soles of his running shoes.
Given the chance to face this personality whose appearance on television prompts me to switch channels, I would ask him pointblank what he thinks is the real mission of men of the clothe and if he is accomplishing this by spending his time running on the streets and roads advocating secular causes. Prior to his Cordillera marathon, he was seen on the streets of Cebu City calling for the review of a celebrated rape case there if I am not mistaken. Relative to this, I would also ask him about the current spiritual health of the people in the parish he is assigned to. My personal opinion is that a priest has no business outside of his fold if there are spiritually sick or lost members in his flock. What I mean is that priests just like other people should first do their assignments before trying to take on other tasks. If simple living is his concern, Fr. Reyes should ensure that all people in his parish live simple lives before coming to the Cordillera or going elsewhere to spread that particular gospel.
I would also ask him if what he is doing has precedents in Christian history. Of course the New Testament did not record all the activities of the Apostles and other Christian preachers in the early days but by any stretch of the imagination, I could not see St. Paul or St. Peter taking up advocacies other than the spiritual salvation of men. And in that they were correct because people who are spiritually sound are free from the attitudes, vices and way of life which Fr. Reyes and his ilk are fighting against in their own strength. For one, I do not think a real Christian would be so greedy and irresponsible to decimate the trees in the forest knowing that such will endanger the community and deprive future generations of their resource. The Apostles believed in the power of the gospel in bringing about fundamental changes in the way men lived. For one, St. Paul declared in II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” When he said that, St. Paul was not making a wish. He was stating the truth because how else would the enemies of the Gospel say of him and Silas: “Those who have turned the world upside down have come here too”? (Acts 17:6)
Which brings as to the point which I raised sometime back that every time Roman Catholic priests in this country rail publicly against jueteng, corruption, etc., and in the case of Fr. Reyes run against this or that, they are just proclaiming to the world their inutility as preachers of the Christian religion. As could be seen from the Biblical record, Christianity is not helpless against evil. History also tells us that during the spiritual upheavals in Europe brought about by the powerful preaching of people who deserve to be called men of God, there was evident change for the better in the morality of the people. The mere fact that Fr. Reyes and his fellows in the Catholic Church still use venues other than their churches to denounce this or that is enough proof that the transforming power of the Christian religion still has to be felt in this country. I will ask Fr. Reyes who he thinks are to own most of the blame for that given the fact that this country is 85 percent Roman Catholic.
What the Running Priest is doing has similarity with what the tribes of Israel did against the city of Jericho in that in both cases, the feet have been used for a purpose other than that of getting people someplace. The Israelites also marched around the Jericho for a cause. But the similarity ends there. I will point to Fr. Reyes that there are stark differences. First, the tribes accomplished the objective because on the seventh day, Jericho fell in their hands. By contrast, I do not think all that mileage of the shoes of Fr. Reyes has brought this country any concrete good and even if he keeps running until his retirement, I do not think it will make this country any better. Second and more importantly, the tribes got their instructions to march around Jericho from God. I will ask Fr. Reyes where he got his orders to run for PAYAK and the convicted rapists in Cebu City because I do not believe God would want priests to dissipate their strength and dilute the Gospel by taking on causes other than what they were called for which is the salvation of the souls of men
As far as I am concerned, clergymen should remain in their parishes and do their real homework because in the first place, if they are ineffective in their churches, what gives them the idea that they could be effective elsewhere?
Today, we examine the favorite Bible verse of the anti-RH Bill advocates. I refer to Genesis 1:28 which reads as follows: “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”I caught at least two Roman Catholic (RC) bishops citing the verse to bolster their anti-RH Bill position and perhaps to make it look like God is on their side on the controversy. In quoting the verse in the context of the RH Bill, these clergymen are merely exposing their inability to properly understand that particular verse. Either that or they are knowingly twisting the Word of God to suit their purposes which is even worse.
The RC priests whouse the verse against the RH Bill want to make it appear that the command is still in effect which, if true, would make the proposed legislation contrary to the Scriptures. They conveniently forget that God gave the command to man when the latter was still the garden of Eden. The earth then was perfect. Whatever man needed was provided. There was no want of anything. That I suppose was the reason God gave the command. Now, if the condition in this country is Edenic, I am sure nobody would have thought of proposing a measure intended to rein in its runaway population growth. However, the sad truth which I have no doubt even the most rabid anti-RH Bill people will allow, is that there is stark contrast between the situation when the command was given and the situation we in this country find ourselves.
If only the RC clergy would care to read their Bibles a bit farther, they would come upon the story of the Fall and how Adam and Eve were driven out of the garden of Eden as a consequence. There was a drastic alteration in their situation. In Genesis 3:16-19, God told Adam and Eve that because of their disobedience, Eve will experience pain in childbirth, the earth is cursed and that Adam will have to sweat and toil in order to eat. After condemning the human race to such a condition, does God still encourage man to go and multiply? There is no verse in the Scriptures reiterating the command after the Fall and neither is there one which says God has reconsidered it. It’s up to us to use our God-given intelligence to decide whether or not the command is still in effect even after the earth has been cursedby God.
As far as this country is concerned, the answer to the question whether or not that particular divine command still holds can be found in the later part of Genesis 1:28 which, remarkably, the RC clergy leave out when they cite the verse: “fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” This has already been accomplished in this country. The earth and the wildlifein this country have already been subdued for quite some time.Consider the denuded mountains, the dry or dead rivers, the numerous species of flora and fauna which have already become extinct and are becoming extinct due to the improvident activitiesand sheer number of Filipinos. Our resources could hardly sustain the present population so how much more when all the babies the RC clergy and their blind followers want to be born join us?
The land in this country has already been saturated by human beings. Go to the most remote barangays and you will see that all habitable areas are already owned and occupied. The RC clergy and their fellow anti-RH Bill advocates would point out that the Philippines is not really overpopulated because some rich countries like Singapore have population densities that are way above ours. But the argument is fallacious. It’sonlywhen Singapore turns agricultural orwe have become industrialized that this comparison of population densities has meaning. The argument does not put into consideration the simple fact that in industrialized countries, people do not need a lot of space to make a living while Filipinos require a wide plot of land in order to produce barely enough food for their families. If we follow their logic, we will find ourselves believing that the Sahara Desert is underpopulated because of the very few people who live in its vast expanse.
Now, if there are no more wildlife to have dominion over and no more living space remains to be filled, are Filipinos still to go and multiply as though they are in the garden of Eden?
And in the face of current rash of conflicts, natural calamities and widespread hunger in many parts of the world, in determining whether or not God’s command to go and multiply is still in effect, it would be wise to consider the words of Christ while He was describing the situation preceding His second coming in Matthew 24. He said that among other signs, there will be wars, famine, plagues and earthquakes such that the magnitude of human sufferingduring those days will be unprecedented. In verse 19, Christ stated: “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies during those days!” Does that sound like an encouragement to go and multiply?
The RC clergy will be quick to respond that the advice implied in the statement of Christ does not still apply as nobody can tell the exact time when the greattribulation which Christ foretold will start.Precisely, since nobody can predict when it will, the prudent thing to do is act as though it will happen anytime because it can happen anytime.
Nambukayan, one of the barangays in the hilly area southwest of the Tabuk Valley, used to be richly endowed by nature. Most of the area was covered with thick virgin forest where hard wood species were in abundance. The forest fairly burst with wildlife – deer, wild pigs, monkeys, wild cats, wild chicken and all sorts of birds. The streams all of which flowed all year round teemed with different species of fish and other aquatic resources.
(Photo: Due to the attractive price of corn in recent years, the little forests remaining in Tabuk City are giving way to corn lands. Notice the corn lands adjoining the erstwhile forest. It’s a case of corn more precious than trees. Photo taken at sitio Casabang in barangay Nambukayan.)
Just to picture how it was way back then, former barangay captain Abelardo Magadang, 74, relates that in the place called Kapanikian, the bats were such a multitude that the branches of trees they alighted on would break. He adds that back in his youth, when he went fishing in the Mananig River with his tabukol – a net fishing gear –, he could fill a standard kerosene can in an hour. In contrast, if he goes fishing now, he would be lucky if he lands 10 fish in a day.
(Photo: Those tall trees in the cleared area will eventually go too because local farmers say that corn and rice will do not grow properly under trees.)
(Photo: With the hills and mountains of Nambukayan deforested, a large portion of their ricefields could no longer be tilled during the dry season due to lack of irrigation water.)
(Photo: Nearly the only trees that are left untouched in the barangay are the acacia trees found in the coffee plantations.)
Along with the aquatic life in the Mananig River, the wildlife in the forest of Nambukayan are just a memory in the minds of residents who were already old enough to remember in the 70s. So are the tall trees in the forest. In fact, according to Eusebio Lunang, 68, a resident of sitio Pao, nobody in the barangay could build a house made of hard wood now because the only trees that remain in the land are the soft ones. He related that when they built the house of his firstborn in 2001, they have to go buy and saw a tree growing in the lot of a resident of an adjoining barangay.
(Photo: It is ironic that in the barangay which used to have an abundance of quality wood like narra and molave, residents now build their houses with bamboos and inferior wood.)
Lunang blames the disappearance of the quality wood in the barangay to the advent of the chainsaw in the 70s and likewise the kaingin (slash and burn farming) practice of residents. With the chainsaw facilitating the cutting and sawing of trees which, with the old tools used to be very laborious, some residents felled trees not only to construct their houses but for commercial purposes. This accelerated the decimation of the useful trees in the barangay.
(Photo: Clearly, the generations in Nambukayan preceding these children never considered the conservation of natural resources for the use of generations to come. It is possible that these children in sitio Gumibao do not know the taste of wild boar or deer, animals which used to abound in the area in years gone by.)
Speaking of how the kaingin system destroys trees and prevents forests from growing, as the barangay captain way back in the mid-90s, Artemio Gunaban, 62, tried to reverse the trend through the passage of an ordinance mandating residents to plant their kaingins with fruit trees. According to him, this was in compliance with the government mandate to preserve ecology. The trouble was only a few complied because most of the people were thinking that a land planted to fruit trees could no longer be made into a kaingin in the future. Gunaban says: “Because of the advocacy of the DENR, the people know of the ill effects of cutting down trees but there is nothing they could do and we could do because most of them depend on their kaingins for their livelihood.”
The residents of sitio Nansibakan where Gunaban resides already know from experience the adverse result of cutting trees down. For decades now, the springs in the village which used to provide their domestic water needs all year round now dry up during summer. That’s when the whole village of 30 households depend on the water system sourced from a spring three kilometers away. The water is not enough to go around so some households go down to sitio Tagul-an which is three kilometers away to fetch their water. At least one family is known to haul water from Bulanao which is 10 kilometers away.
Magadang, Lunang and Gunaban all agree that the natural resources of the barangay would not have disappeared as quickly as it did if not for the fast growing population. Gunaban: “Back in those days, there were a few people to hunt wild game. The hunters then used to choose the big ones unlike now when they shoot even the young ones.” Magadang: “If the population did not multiply, we would still have fish in the river and deer in the forest. Now, even the wild chicken have became very scarce because of too many people are trapping them. We just eat vegetables now or buy meat from the market.” Lunang: “With more people hunting and more people eating, what do you expect?”
Magadang reveals that many people in the barangay have realized the disadvantages of having too many children. Magadang says that in sitio Pao where families used to have at least five children, young couples now have an average of three to four children..
Marieta, wife of Lunang, informs that in Nansibakan, there are many acceptors of family planning some of whom had themselves ligated. She adds though that there are still some in the barangay who still adhere to the old belief that even when one is poor if he has many children, he is rich. I found that out myself during my visit to the adjoining village when a woman who lives in a small house on stilts, in answer to my question, bared she has 10 children.
(Photo: The Lunangs blame the introduction of modern technology, the kaingin system of farming and the rapid increase in population for the dismal state of the natural resources and environment of Nambukayan.)
I am certain that if just like Magadang, Gunaban and Eusebio, all the child-bearing residents of Nambukayan make the connection between the lack of building materials, the altered climate, the near fishless bodies of water, the streams and springs which dry up during dry spells and the near zero wildlife in the forest on one hand and the population on the other, the small family would become the trend in the barangay. If they do not and they continue propagating without thought of how this impacts on the environment, then the ecological degradation of the barangay would continue until such time that human life in the place becomes extremely difficult or even impossible.
Gary Pekas
