There is a parallel thread on this as we speak...
http://filipinaroses.com/showthread....oing-this-ouch
There is a parallel thread on this as we speak...
http://filipinaroses.com/showthread....oing-this-ouch
I have. I will need to spend a bit of time reading and digesting it. Presumably Filipino Freethinkers is not the same as freethinking Filipinos?Originally Posted by CBM
Go on - take a look - I dare you!
Just another bunch of well meaning middle class intellectuals!
But well meaning middle class intellectuals can work wonders - Marcos fell in part because of the excellent work done by Social Weather Stations in preventing polling fraud.
I guess its a start though....
They look like fun - I am going to be in Manila shortly and will make a point of turning up to a meeting!
Just had a quick squint through the Filipino Freethinkers. I notice it is all in English....
..because English is a national language.
National newspapers are published in it; national TV programmes use it, it is the language of the Law and of Congress.
There are people who refuse to use Taglish because it is a language that can only be understood if you are bilingual (and "hip"!) in both English and Taglog so you don't "get through" to anyone else, and there are people who use English because their native tongue is not Tagalog and they don't see why they should use Tagalog if they are native speakers of Ilocano, Bisayan, etc...
I see.
This is interesting.
Representative Kimi Cojuanco supports the RH Bill, and has made good use of Government statistics.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/254976/...o-poverty-nscb
Marriages are decreasing by 1.5% a year whilst the population is rising by 2% a year - because the poor cannot afford to marry, still less can they afford an annulment should they find they have made a mistake.
Many of these new households will have been formed because the girl got pregnant, because neither he nor she had access to contraception...
Annual Compounded Decline Rate?
Tito Sotto makes the New York Times - and "not in a good way"...
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/30/op...trol.html?_r=4
but Europeans see it differently...
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story...age-of-rh-bill
Interesting post. I noted the Portugese representation being quoted. The Portugese are a fairly strict Roman Catholic country. A trip to Fatima a few years ago (2002) opened my eyes up to that. It was a bit of an eyeopener to be honest. First time I had seen religious tourism too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_F%C3%A1tima
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A1tima,_Portugal
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...e-Fatima.html#
I am not religious but I was staggered by what I saw.
"The shrine attracts a large number of Roman Catholics, and every year pilgrims fill the country road that leads to the shrine with crowds that approach one million on May 13th and October 13th, the significant dates of the Fátima apparitions. Overall, about four million pilgrims visit the basilica every year."
Not the best of commentries or videos, but illustrates the amazing belief these people have.
European legislators call for passage of RH bill
Pregnant teenage girls. Young children being left to fend for themselves. Couples with 16 kids struggling to raise their families.
These were some of the images that greeted European legislators when they visited urban poor communities in Metro Manila this week.
Carina Hägg, a member of the Swedish parliament, said she was overcome with emotion when she witnessed the plight of poor families living near dumpsites and under bridges in the Philippines’ capital region.
“I really wanted to cry. It was very sad to see that not every woman here has access to healthcare. It was depressing to see kids lose their mothers too early,” she said in a press briefing in Quezon City on Thursday morning.
At the same briefing, Portuguese lawmaker Ricardo Baptista Leite said that the situation in Metro Manila slums reminded him of the population situation in his country three decades ago.
“It was really [a] learning experience for me. Thirty years ago in Portugal, we had very similar health indicators as you have now. We had maternal death rates and extremely high newborn death rates,” he said.
The foreign lawmakers’ visit to urban poor communities in Metro Manila was part of their study tour organized by the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development.
The tour was locally hosted by the Philippines Legislators Committee on Population and Development, a group that supports the passage of the reproductive health (RH) bill.
‘Crucial legislation’
In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the European parliamentarians endorsed the passage of the RH bill, which they described as a “crucial” legislation “for the eradication of poverty” in the Philippines.
British parliamentarian Helen Grant said the enactment of a reproductive health law is “critical” for the Philippines to improve the lives of its citizens.
“If this bill is passed, the Philippines will be able to nourish social justice by allowing women and girls to have children out of choice and not out of chance,” she said.
Birute Vesaite, a member of the parliament of Lithuania, meanwhile said that the RH bill should be passed to make sure that economic development in the Philippines will trickle down to the poor.
“The implementation of the law would be a test of the strength of the public provision of health services. This law will cost money but you can be proud that the Philippines is a well developing country. The fruits of development should reach the people of this country,” she said.
The RH bill, one of President Benigno Aquino III’s priority legislations, promotes the use of both natural and artificial methods of family planning. It is being opposed by the Roman Catholic Church, which promotes only natural forms of family planning.
The measure has yet to hurdle second reading in both chambers of Congress.
‘Engage the Church’
Leite, who comes from predominantly Roman Catholic Portugal, said it is important for the government to continue engaging Church officials in discussions to be able to make them appreciate the merits of the RH bill.
“There is no greater act of Christianity than saving lives, and that is what you are doing with the RH bill… We should not use faith to block or misinform. It is important to engage the Church in discussions in all levels,” he said.
Leite however said that the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church in Portugal seem to be more “modern” in their views and more mindful of the separation between Church and State.
“In my country, the Church is actually an ally in providing good health. They disagree with some laws, but they do not try to block it. They give their faithful the freedom to choose,” he said.
In the Philippines, a country of 96 million people, eight out of 10 Filipinos are Roman Catholics.
Grant, for her part, dared Filipino lawmakers to be “brave, bold and fearless” in enacting an RH law.
“Please do not miss this wonderful opportunity to make this law a real mover, changer and shaker for the Philippines. It might be a long time before it comes around again,” she said
Source:-
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story...age-of-rh-bill
Terpe, this one is buried away in post 102 above.
There are some cracking monastries in Portugal, 100km north of Lisbon, btw. And some great wines, not to mention ports from Porto.
Whoops! so it isTerpe, this one is buried away in post 102 above.
My bad
No need for the whoops Terpe ...excellent post excellent reminder of the Portuguese holidays I took in the late 80's early 90's.Whoops! so it is
My bad
Someone needs to decide who governs the Phils...church or elected representatives.
In most respects the Roman catholic church is an absolute disgrace and a couple of thousand years behind the times.
A thoroughly self-serving bunch of parasites.
Just my most humble opinion...as a neutral Atheist who has nothing to fear from bolts of lightening. As for the fiery furnace awaiting me, I'll take my chances in exchange for having a free mind...and my Sundays free to watch motor-sport.
I'll get me coat.
Nowt like not sitting on the fence Graham...you making me laugh again
Nowt like not sitting on the fence GrahamTbh ... there's NEITHER of you two blokes could ever be accused of "sitting on the fence"!
And RIGHTLY so!
Practice what you preach is what I say.
Talking of which, we got the pleasures of Spa this weekendSomeone needs to decide who governs the Phils...church or elected representatives.
In most respects the Roman catholic church is an absolute disgrace and a couple of thousand years behind the times.
A thoroughly self-serving bunch of parasites.
Just my most humble opinion...as a neutral Atheist who has nothing to fear from bolts of lightening. As for the fiery furnace awaiting me, I'll take my chances in exchange for having a free mind...and my Sundays free to watch motor-sport.
I'll get me coat.
Im hedging my bets Graham...the thought of gnashing my teeth in tunsavoury conditions for an eternity fills me with horror.
Fantastic !
I'd forgotten they're at what is probably my favourite track this weekend.
As for other matters, I'll assume my time is finite and make the most of what I've got left.
Then again...am I REALLY doing that ?
Speaking for myself yes, is my answer...I'd hazard a guess you are the same.
Well, haven't robbed a bank yet or done 200mph on the M1.
So much still to do.
Me too Graham..although I got close to doing that speed once on my unrestricted hayabusa..rather a stupid thing to do reallyWell, haven't robbed a bank yet or done 200mph on the M1.
So much still to do.
I'll be at a big TVR meet next weekend at a local private airport...lots of mates going with their cars too.
The newly rebuilt and legendary 800bhp Cerbera Speed 12 ( street legal !) will be there doing demo runs, so I'm looking forward to that.
.
why dont you keep your dam opinion to yourself
Which post(s) are you referring to?
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