By Desmond Elliott

19/11/2012 – MANILA, Philippines – Does human life begin when a man’s sperm meets a woman’s egg? Or when the fertilized ovum implants itself in the woman’s uterus? Does life start when a fetus’ heart starts beating on its own? Or does being human begin when a baby leaves its mother’s body?

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Monday tried to define when the beginning of life starts as part of his proposed amendments in the reproductive health (RH) bill sponsored by Senator Pia Cayetano.

The seemingly innocuous issue on the definition of conception has dogged both “pro-life” and “pro-choice” activists for years, as the issue is tied to reproductive rights and abortion. Reference ABS CNN News

Do the majority of Filipinos care when life actually begins? If a pregnancy is unplanned the child is doomed to poverty. This is the issue here. What right does a politician have to determine the success or failure of nature or when life begins (these are politicians not scientists or doctors) and making decisions determining the percentage who will have insufficient nourishment and live or die in poverty. It is apparent politicians have little concern or consideration for the wellbeing of 90% of the population. As the Global Population approaches 8 billion the time is ripe to rationally discuss the issue of Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health in intelligent debate…not influenced by religious doctrine.

There will be mass starvation if population growth is not addressed. Countries’ have an obligation to feed their people, and addressing the real social issues. Who has the right to regulate families seeking to improve their life outcomes and to determine their children’s capacity to flourish by simply using contraception or to be more realistic, common sense! Contraception is used freely across nearly every country of the world, there are many various tried and proven types of birth control to choose from. It is every woman’s basic right to control her breeding cycle. Do politicians understand this or do they seek to control the population by starving them to death by overpopulation.
The Senate appears to have lost the plot when it comes to the winners and losers in this debate – they are playing with the lives of the people of the Philippines as a nation. Are women’s rights secondary to the ideals of the matriarchs, the leaders.

The government should initiate a nation wide vote providing the statistics for balanced debate, the wishes of the people, avoiding the high moral ground. Whether it be for moral or religious reasons, the needs and rights of the majority of women should be considered first and foremost, not what is deemed to be moral or the doctrine of the church. Does the church provide these retched starving people with the basic needs for survival, not likely. The Government’s responsibility is to empower the majority and write their will in law. This is primarily an issue for women, empowering them to control the number of children they bear. Abstinence as a contraceptive is like trying to stop a hurricane with a personal fan, this is the 21st century, this archaic doctrine dates back to the dark ages, the decision to use birth control should not be in the hands of our governing elite, it should be an individual choice.

If politicians were totally honest, they probably represent the group most likely to practice birth control, this social group does not represent the majority of the population in these issues. As an elite they have the power on a personal and political level to make decisions tempering their lives, this choice is attributed only to the rich and powerful. I take a philosophical viewpoint, a neutral position on this subject, basing my comments on the common good of the people, not the rights of a group to make survival related decisions based on religious doctrine or morality for the masses. This is immoral and unfair in the highest order. The government should be taking the position, what is best for the people and the country; there is no place for religion in politics.

Have political, religious and moral conscience ever reduced the urge for the human species to copulate, Never! As the risk of infanticide increases animals instinctively (including humans) propagate, this is well documented and prevalent across most species. As food shortage and infant death rate increase, so does the birthrate, a natural survival phenomena. When the environment cannot support a population, they tend to breed at a higher rate to maintain the survival of the species. No consideration for the environment or capacity to feed the offspring.

We have all heard the statement, “But humans are intelligent animals they can abstain, they have the power to decide when they mate (theoretically this is true), in reality this increases the birthrate. Government should be discussing how to encourage contraception and  reduce fertility across the population to increase potential for the country to flourish, encouraging the people to control the birthrate. Instead they discuss the moral elite discuss the basic rights of the majority for months on end to enforce permanent and savage poverty on the population. Maybe this is how they aim to control the masses . Ultimately destructive, counter productive at best.

Of equal concern is the potential of the population to flourish. Those born no matter what the circumstance, deserve the right to food, shelter, basic health and education. Children conceived and nurtured in poverty, starved of adequate nutrition cannot reach intellectual or financial potential – the brain and intellectual capacity is permanently affected. The problem then becomes exponential affecting development of the nation. Politicians have a responsibility to prevent this from occurring whatever there beliefs. While politicians debate this subject from their seats of power and return home to a life of luxury, it is the majority of the population who suffer at their hand, we question where reality and the dream of a utopian society meet and to what end.

The population should be given the opportunity to vote on this issue. Maybe best served by sampling the population or a referendum, giving everyone a vote, whether compulsory or voluntary, sanity will prevail. It would better serve the people than the rants of a few moralistic self serving politicians, the horror of one stillborn as presented by 1/80,000,000th of the population. I refer to the presentation by a Senator whose wife bore a still born blamed on faulty contraception, it was the script for a soap opera, presented as a case to overturn Filipino women’s right to reproductive health – the right to choose contraception or abortion.

The outcome of one unfortunate politician’s wife should not be used to influence the future and well being of the 40+ million women across the country, this was little more than emotional blackmail.  Public opinion seems to agree.

Please note: The views and opinions expressed above are those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher; www.theissue.com.au