Sad Truth

Clarifying the Pope

Last week, the Pope pronounced that it is ok to use condoms in certain cases. Those in the Philippines who support the passage of the Reproductive Health bill saw this as a sign that the catholic church is about to change it's position of contraceptives while those who oppose the bill tried to do damage control and assert that the fundamental stance of the church remains the same.

What they are missing is that the Pope in this instance stopped focusing on the doctrine, but focused on the consequences of that doctrine. Less than a year ago, the Pope was too focused on the doctrine that in his visit to Africa

"The Pope had said the "cruel epidemic" should be tackled through abstinence and fidelity rather than condom use."

He was so focused on the doctrine that he dismissed those dying of AIDS and those at risk in contracting HIV in order to promote the doctrine. His recent pronouncement makes it seem that he has now focused on the people, that it is now more important to him to save the people rather than follow the doctrine blindly.

This is why we are hopeful that catholic doctrine will change, it may not be tomorrow, it may be years from now, but once you focus on the effects of the doctrine on people, you will notice other things. One of them as Congressman Lagman points out

"If condom use is the lesser evil than the spread of HIV/AIDS as clarified by Papal sources, then contraceptives are an infinitely lesser evil than maternal death and abortion,"

Freedom of Information

Mayroong bagong panukalang batas para mas palakasin ang Freedom of Information sa ating bayan. Pero mayroong agam agam si Secretary Coloma ng dahil daw baka wala ng gawin ang mga taong gobyerno kundi mag responde sa mga humihingi ng impormasyon ("paralyzed by gratuituous requests for information.’’). Para hindi mangyari ito, maganda siguro kung ilagay na lang nila online lahat ng impormasyon, yung may gusto humingi, hanapin niya at i download yung gusto niya, wala ng oras na gugulin ang mga taong gobyerno.

Isa pang agam agam ni Secretary Coloma ay baka daw hindi na maging bukas ang mga taong gobyerno dahil kung baka mapahiya sila (access to transcripts and minutes of official meetings may diminish candid and open discussions by public officials.) Kung nakakahiya lang naman ang sasabihin nila, mabuti na nga na huwag na sila magsalita, para naman sa mga miting ng taong gobyerno, talagang pinag isipan ang kanilang mga sinasabi.

Mas bukas ang impormasyon sa tao, mas madali nating makikita kung nagloloko nga ang ating mga opisyal. Mas bukas ang impormasyon, mas maganda para sa tao.

Lotto

Wala pang nananalo sa jackpot sa lotto gusto ng bawasan ng mga Congressman yung ipapanalo. Sa isang inihaing resolusyon sa Kongreso, lilimitahan ang premyo sa 500 milyon at yung sobra ay donasyon na lamang daw.

Sabi ni Speaker Belmonte, maski 1 bilyon daw ang premyo o 500 milyon, di rin alam ng mananalo kung paano niya ito gagamitin. Pakialam ba niya kung pano gustong gamitin ng nanalo yung pera niya? Kung gusto niya itong sunugin lahat, hayaan mo siya, pera niya yon, wag niyong pakialaman ang pera ng may pera.

Nabanggit na lang ang pagsunog sa pera. Dito sa isang artikulo sa cracked napaka hirap manalo sa lotto. Sa 6/55 draw ng Pinas 1 sa 28,989,675 ang tsamba para manalo ka. At sa mga regular na tumataya sa lotto, para lang kayong nagtatapon ng pera, oo nga, minsan nananalo pero sa buong panahon na tumataya kayo, natatalo kayo.

At duon sa mga pinalad na manalo? Suerte sila, at sana huwag nilang waldasin yung pera nila.

Religious Reasons

Most of the people who oppose the RH bill are religious people, and it is their religiosity that is the wellspring of their opposition to the RH bill. I recognize this reality with my previous posts that since the Pope has approved the use of condom and non-procreative sex, there should be no more opposition to the RH bill. This is also recognized by members of Congress who support the bill when they urged the catholic church to follow the Pope's lead on the RH bill.

The various rationalizations of the oppositors why they should not listen to the Pope crystallizes this reality.

Which is of course the problem. Laws, specially laws that will affect the health of every Filipino should be based on the needs of the country, not on the religious sensibilities of people.

LOL

nabasa ko lang sa reddit

"as a friend of mine pointed out "The bible says it's a sin for a man to lay with another man as he would a woman. Last time I checked men don't have sex with other men's vaginas""

Trapik sa EDSA

Ako po ay buong buhay na pasahero, mula nang estudyante pa ako hanggang nung nagtrabaho na ako. Ang problema ko sa debate sa trapik sa EDSA, ang mga nagdedebate ay yung mga tao na laging naka kotse. Yung mga tao na hindi na nakakaranas kung gaano kahirap sumakay ng bus sa EDSA kung rush hour, o kaya kung umuulan. Natatrapik sila sa EDSA, ang nakikita nila ay yung malalaking bus, at yun ang gusto nilang bawasan.

Kung kailangan talagang mabawasan ang bilang ng sasakyan sa EDSA, sa halip na maglagay tayo ng arbitrary na patakaran, bakit di na lang natin lagyan ng pang pinansiyal na insentibo. Una, puedeng babaan natin ang takdang pasahe sa bus, kung totoo ang sinasabi nila na bumibiyahe ang mga bus ng kalahati lang ang sakay, ibig sabihin noon ay kumikita ang mga bus maski na hindi sila puno. Ibig sabihin noon, puedeng babaan ang pasahe ng mga tao. Kakailanganin ngayon ng mga bus na magpuno ng bus para kumita, malulugi ngayon yung mga hindi makakapuno, mababawasan ang nagbibiyahe.

Puede rin, para naman mabawasan din ang mga kotse sa daan na lagyan natin ng bayad ang pag biyahe sa EDSA sa oras ng rush hour. Para yung lang talagang may kailangan na magbiyahe sa oras na ito ang mag biyahe. Yung mga hindi kaya na magbayad, di sumakay sila ng bus, o ng MRT. Tataas pa ang kita ng gobyerno.

Ipasa na ang RH Bill 2

Napag isipan ko pa, hindi lang pumayag ang Papa sa pag gamit ng condom, pero kung susuriin mo ang kanayang sinabi, ok lang sa kanya na makipag sex ang tao na hindi intensyon ang magkaanak (non-procreative sex).

Ang ginamit niyang halimbawa na sitwasyon sa pag gamit ng condom ay ang pakikpag sex sa siang male prostitute. Isang pagtanggap ito na ang mga tao ay nakikipag sex sa mga prostitute, at ang pakikipag sex sa isang prostitute ay hindi para magkaanak ang isang tao.

So kung kaya tutol kayo sa RH bill dahil naniniwala kayo na dapat ang pakikipag sex ay para lamang magkaanak, magbago na isip niyo. Dahil nagbago na isip ni Papa.

Ipasa na ang RH Bill

Ok na daw gumamit ng condom sabi ng Papa.

"In a series of interviews published in his native German, the 83-year-old Benedict is asked whether "the Catholic Church is not fundamentally against the use of condoms."

"It of course does not see it as a real and moral solution," the pope replies.

"In certain cases, where the intention is to reduce the risk of infection, it can nevertheless be a first step on the way to another, more humane sexuality," said the head of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics."

Bakit Pro-Choice

May isang istorya ako nabasa na naging dahilan kung bakit ko naisipang isulat itong post na ito. Ayon dun sa blog na naka link, may isang mag-asawa, na buntis, na gumawa ng website kung saan puede kang bumoto kung gusto mo na ipa-abort nila o ituloy ang pagbubuntis.

Sa pag imbestiga nitong website na ito, napag alaman nila na isa lamang pakana ng isang pro-life na mag asawa ang website nila na ito. Sapantaha nila, dahil sa alam ng mag asawa na ito na mas nakararami sa mga amerikano ang pro-choice, mananalo ang ipa-abort na choice sa botohan. Problema sa kanilang pag-iisip, hindi porke pro-choice ang isang tao, ibig sabihin boboto na siya na magpa abort na lang ng magpa abort.

Ang taong pro-choice ay naniniwala na ang desisyon pagtuloy o hindi ng pagbubuntis ay nakasalalay sa kung sino ang buntis. Siyempre, kung gusto niyang kausapin ang nakabuntis sa kanya, ang kanyang mga magulang, kapatid, kamag-anak, kaibigan, o kung sino man, desisyon niya iyon. Pero ultimately, yung buntis pa rin ang mag dedesisyon.

Sa mga pro-life, wala dapat gawing desisyon pa ang babae, pag nabuntis siya, kailangan niya itong ituloy, kasi ang fetus ay buhay. Pero paano yung mga nabuntis dahil ni rape sila? Sa ganitong sitwasyon, puede ba na magpa-abort? Pano kung mamamatay yung babae dahil sa buntis siya? Puede ba magpa-abort sa ganitong sitwasyon? Paano kung may genetic defect yung fetus? Kung 10 na anak nung babae? Kung domestic abuser yung asawa niya? Kung wala siyang pera para mabigyan ng mabuting buhay yung magiging anak?

Merong sasagot diyan na oo sa lahat ng sitwasyon sa taas, meron na oo sa iba, hindi sa iba. Ang punto ay iba-iba ang pananaw ng bawat tao, iba't iba rin ang ating sitwasyon. Ang sinasabi lang ng pro-choice, yung taong nasa sitwasyon ang mag desisyon, kung ano man ang desisyon niya, iyon ay dapat nating igalang.

Golez true stance on Freedom of Speech

Congressman Roilo Golez today showed his true color on the issue of free speech by calling for the deportation of a population expert who said something he didn't like.

update:

lol, it seems Congressman's reason for wanting Dr. Malcolm Potts is really not for something he said but for being somebody he doesn't like. He has not done anything illegal in our country but Congressman Golez wants him deported anyway.

What is with our Congressmen and their obsession with deporting foreigners anyway?

ACLU Asks Holder To Investigate Bush For Violation Of Torture Statute

From ACLU Asks Holder To Investigate Bush For Violation Of Torture Statute | American Civil Liberties Union

"The ACLU acknowledges the significance of this request, but it bears emphasis that the former President’s acknowledgement that he authorized torture is absolutely without parallel in American history. The admission cannot be ignored. In our system, no one is above the law or beyond its reach, not even a former president. That founding principle of our democracy would mean little if it were ignored with respect to those in whom the public most invests its trust. It would also be profoundly unfair for Mr. Durham to focus his inquiry on low-level officials charged with implementing official policy but to ignore the role of those who authorized or ordered the use of torture.

Failure to fully investigate the role of the former President in the use of torture would also severely compromise our ability to advocate for human rights in other countries."

Former President Bush seems to really think he did not do anything wrong. That the end, actually justifies the means. Or that as an American, he is above international conventions that other country leaders, like Saddam Hussein, are not.

AI calls for criminal investigations against President Bush

From USA: Former President's defence of torture highlights need for criminal investigations

"In the NBC interview, former President Bush said that he authorized the interrogation techniques in question because government lawyers had cleared them as legal under US law, and he asserted that using them had “saved lives”. Asked whether he would make the same decision today, the former President responded that “Yeah, I would”.

Under international law, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment are never legal. No lawyer can render them lawful; no politician, legislator, judge, soldier, police officer, prison guard, medical professional or interrogator can override this prohibition. Even in a time of war or threat of war, even in a state of emergency which threatens the life of the nation, there can be no exemption from this obligation. The same is true of enforced disappearance.

Whether torture is effective or not in obtaining useful information is irrelevant to the question of whether it is lawful – it never is – or whether an individual responsible for torture is to be investigated or prosecuted."

The Golden Rule

He who has the gold, makes the rules

got this from reddit

Konsyensiya

Sa isang interview ipinahiwatig ni Archbishop Rosales na walang konsiyensiya ang mga sumusporta sa Reproductive Health Bill sa Kongreso, sabi niya

"“Ay talaga. Wala tayong problema kung lahat ay may konsyensya".

Ang tanong ko lang kay Archbishop Rosales, nasan ang konsiyensiya niya ng malaman niya na pinagtakpan ni Pope Benedict ang isang pedophile, hindi ko siya narinig na tumawag para mag resign ang Papa. Nasan ang konsensiya niya noon?

Sino ang walang konsensiya ngayon?

How can you not want Robredo?

Linking to this column by Professor Monsod

"You want someone to help you fight jueteng? Robredo got an award for that. You want transparency and accountability? He also got an award for that. You want someone who can help poverty? Getting down to brass tacks: Naga had the lowest incidence of poverty—one out of every 5 households below the poverty line, half of the regional average, and lower than the national average (26 percent). In terms of hunger, Naga had the lowest preschool malnutrition rate—half of the next best performer in the Bicol region; in terms of education, it had the highest participation rate (100 percent). In terms of health, it had the lowest incidence of child and infant mortality rates, maternal mortality rates, and highest immunization coverage; it is the only locality in Bicol with 100 percent access to safe water and sanitary facilities.

What more can you ask, Mr. President? How can you not want someone like Robredo, who has an unsurpassed delivery record, at your side as you lead the Philippines in its fight against poverty?

Mr. President, in your appointments, you have accommodated friends and classmates. I ask you now to accommodate the Philippines. Keep Jesse."

Ka Ben

I met Ka Ben when I was in college and just joined BISIG. I never really got to know him but I was always in awe of his dedication to the cause of socialism. I hoped to be able to be as dedicated as he was. I don't know if how he will think of me now, I can only tell him that I am doing the best I can.

Below is an e-mail by Dr. Nemenzo, reminiscing on the life of Ka Ben.

Dear friends and comrades,

I am sad to inform you that Kasamang Benjamin Cunanan (a.k.a. Kumander Hizon, Apong Kuna, Ka Ben) died yesterday ( 2 Nov. 2010) at the age of 82, after a long battle with cancer. His body now lies in state in his little hut in 120 AV Cruz St., Kalawaan, Pasig. Interment will be on Sunday, after lunch.

Ka Ben was only in his teens during the Japanese occupation when he was recruited to the Hukbalahap. Showing mettle in combat, he rose quickly to the rank of unit commander. To hold such a position of responsibility, one has to go through the party school and be accepted as member of Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas. At the height of the Huk rebellion, he headed Field Command 78, the largest (oversized battalion) unit of Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan.

Refusing to “return to civilian life” in line with the single-file policy, he continued fighting in the Pampanga-Tarlac area until his capture in 1961. Kumander Hizon was the last real Huk commander to fall. (I underline “real” because the AFP always “promoted” every Huk they captured to the rank of “Kumander.”

As commander of the last remaining HMB unit, Ka Ben recruited new combatants like Bernabe Buscayno (Ka Dante). This tried Faustino del Mundo (Sumulong) for breach of discipline, but before a sentence was handed down Sumulong disappeared, only to resurface when Ka Ben was captured. For unknown reason, Pedro Taruc (the only surviving PKP central committee member) appointed Sumulong to Ka Ben’s position. He quickly transformed the HMB into a gangster organization and established control over the rackets during the boom years when Angeles City became the rest and recreation center of American soldiers from Vietnam.

Ka Ben was sentenced to life imprisonment for one of the 16 murder cases filed against him. He stayed in prison longer than any Huk (longer than Jose Lava, etc.) During martial law Luis Taruc offered to arrange a presidential pardon. When Taruc asked if he was willing to meet Marcos in Malacanang, he replied: “Sigue, para murahin ko siya.” Taruc never visited him again. Tact was not among Ka Ben’s many virtues.

Upon release, Ka Ben joined us in BISIG. He tried reactivating his comrades in Central Luzon and invited them to the new rebel army he dreamed of forming. But, alas, they were too old to fight.

We should honor this brave warrior who, despite the colossal setback, was never ashamed to be called a communist.

Ka Dodong

I expected better

Ayon sa balitang ito ng INQUIRER.net gusto ni AKBAYAN representative Walden Bello na

"Walden Bello of the Akbayan party list also urged the Bureau of Immigration to ban the entry of Korean citizens in the country until the South Korean government apologizes for its actions.

He said Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo should immediately lodge the protest and “demand an explanation for the use of unwarranted force against the six Filipino activists.”

“We cannot turn a blind eye to the South Korean government’s act of repression against Filipino nationals. This arbitrary act manifests a lack of respect for the Philippine government and the Filipino nation,” Bello said in a statement."

Pino-protesta niya ang pag deport ng South Korea sa mga Pilipino ng walang magandang dahilan at ang sagot niya dito ay ang pag ganti sa mga South Korean citizens na wala namang kinalaman sa polisiya ng kanilang gobyerno.

I exspected clearer thinking from Congressman Walden Bello.