Live and Let Live.

My Full Statement by Carlos Celdran

Your Honorables Joey Lina and Roilo Golez.

The Reproductive Health Bill is not a new bill.
It’s no secret that the RH Bill has been languishing in Congress for the last 16 years.
And unfortunately, the problems we face today are not new as well.
Because after all your fancy words have been said and done, your economic numbers and scientific data thrown about, one thing will remain for sure: outside on the streets, life is a living hell for a majority of Filipinos.

We’re still plagued by high infant mortality, high maternal deaths, overpopulation, & a skyrocketing HIV and abortion rate and it’s the worst it’s ever been in our history.

And for the last 16 years, people in Congress have been trying to pass the RH Bill, a piece of legislation that would holistically address these issues. And this bill has been held back, delayed, and shot down by Anti-RH lawmakers such as yourselves for reasons that were either legal, economic, or religious.

But it also seems that for the last 16 years, these problems that I have mentioned have gotten worse. So tell me, your honors, if your alternate solutions to the RHBill are so great, why haven’t you implemented them in the last 16 years? Why haven’t I felt its effects on a national scale? Your honors, tell me: After 16 years, why are we STILL where we are?

And since the RH bill has been shot down so many times by lawmakers like you, in effect, we have been trying it your way for the last 16 years and we haven’t seen any tangible results at all. The mortality numbers are still there and staring at us in the face.

So as a member of the public and as your boss – so to speak – allow me to say that either your solutions to these problems have failed, you aren’t doing your job, or you are just plain ineffective as public servants.
I sincerely believe it is time for us to try a different strategy, a new one. We don’t have much choices anymore. Your side has never really presented us with any. It is time to turn away from this ineffectiveness of the last 16 years. It is time to activate the RH bill and let the power of education, information, and choice create a better Philippines before it’s too late.

Because unless you Anti-RH lawmakers can present a cohesive, concrete plan of action to solve these problems holistically TODAY and right now. I’m not going to wait for another 16 years.

Let the RH Bill start doing it’s work or get out of the way. Because if you have no better solutions, then you are just part of the problem.

Sincerely,

A Filipino named Carlos Celdran

(Source: celdrantours.blogspot.com)

To all commuters in Manila! PLEASE READ and PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHENEVER COMMUTING!

Hindi ako makapaniwalang may mga tao talagang handang pumatay para lang makuha yung mga materyal na bagay na gusto nila o siguro dala na ng desperasyon kung paano makakatawid ng gutom.

Kwinento sakin ‘to nung kaibigan ko kanina:

Papunta sila ng kaibigan niya sa CEU kahapon para sunduin yung isa pa nilang kaibigan. Sumakay sila ng jeep sa may bandang Ortigas. Pagsakay nila, konti lang yung mga pasaherong nakasakay. Mag-jowang magkayakap, isang matandang babae, sila, tapos yung driver. Sa may bandang likod sila nakaupo. Yung mag-jowa yung nasa may bandang unahan ng jeep. Nakasandal si ate kay kuya na parang natutulog tapos si kuya nakayakap kay ate. Yung matandang babae naman nasa may bandang gitna. Inaabot na nung kaibigan ko yung bayad niya dun sa lalaki pero hindi siya pinapansin kaya yung matandang babae na lang yung nagabot ng bayad. Yung matandang babae din yung nagabot ng sukli sa kanila. Napansin na din nila nung mga oras na yun na ang sama ng tingin ng driver sa kanila. So medyo nagtataka na din sila. Mayamaya, biglang sinabi sa kanila nung matandang babae na bumaba na sila. So lalo silang naguluhan kung saan mas matatakot. Sa manong driver na masama yung tingin o sa aleng bigla na lang nagyayayang bumaba ng jeep. Hindi na din sila nagisip tapos bumaba na sila ng jeep. Pagkababa nila ng jeep, sinabi sa kanila nung matandang babae kung bakit. Buti na lang daw hindi sila nagtanong kung bakit. Sabi nung matandang babae patay na daw yung babaeng nasa jeep. Hindi daw mag-jowa yung dalawa. Kaya nakasandal si ate kay kuya tsaka nakayakap si kuya kay ate kasi may nakasaksak kay ate na ice pick. Kaya hindi din inaabot ni kuya yung bayad. Napansin din daw ni ale na medyo nangingitim na yung bandang leeg ni ate. Kaya din daw siguro masama yung tingin ni manong driver sa kanila kasi baka binabalaan na din silang bumaba.

Nakakatakot lang kung iisipin mong isa ka sa mga nakasakay sa jeep na yun. Sobrang nakakatakot. Sa panahon ngayon, hindi ka na talaga makakasigurado kung sino yung mapagkakatiwalaan mo tsaka kung hanggang kelan na lang yung buhay mo. Nakakatakot na, lalo na kapag gabi.

Kaya paalala lang sa mga madalas bumyahe sa gabi, mag-ingat. Hangga’t maaari, maghanap ng kasama. Tsaka wag kalimutang magdasal. Hindi mo man akalain pero malaki ang impact niyan.

Ingat!

-A student from AB Pol Sci. (UST)

(via centimeters)

**got this from a friend on FB. Just had to share cuz it really scared me.