SSPX News Archive Philippines Photo Album Apostles of Mary October 2004 +JMJ+ The Apostles of Mary WE SAY  NO TO HOUSE BILL 16 KNOWN AS “REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH  ACT OF 2004” WE DECLARE THAT THIS BILL IS ANTI-CATHOLIC AND ANTI-FILIPINO WE REJECT THIS BILL AND WE DEMAND THAT THIS BILL BE REJECTED BY CONGRESS AND SENATE We say NO to the provisions that promote the “fulfillment” of sexual rights of children (below 10 y.o.) and adolescents (10-19 years old), giving them freedom to information and means to carry out decisions on reproductive functions, free from discrimination and coercion.  (See Sec.3.i and Sec.4.a and 4.b)  This Bill violates moral principles and cultural values of the Filipino family.    These provisions seek to destroy the moral authority of parents over their children in matters of sexual behavior, penalizing parents when they exercise parental guidance to children and teenagers regarding sexuality.  By this Act, Filipino parents and moral guardians will lose moral authority over children because by resisting this Act they shall be penalized by imprisonment of up to 6 months or fined P20,000.00, or both (Sec.20). We say NO to Mandatory Sexuality Education (Sec.4.i; Sec.11)) to Grade 5 until 4th Year High School giving children and adolescents in public and private schools accurate information on contraception and abortion, natural and traditional methods to prevent unwanted, unplanned and mistimed pregnancy (Sec.11.f), safe sex (Sec.11.j) and use of modern contraceptive devices (Sec.11.g), among other things.  This bill seeks to revolutionize the Filipino society by producing “sexually-liberated” children who can demand “sexual rights” and “freedom from coercion” from parents and Church leaders, who shall be imprisoned of up to 6 months or fined P20,000.00 if they refuse to grant this sexual “rights” of children. We say NO to the ANTI-FAMILY provisions of House Bill 16 that refuse to acknowledge the right of the husband or the wife to refuse ligation, sterilization, contraception, and other such reproductive health services on his or her spouse (Sec.19.a.2).   We say NO to the provision that “NO PARENTAL CONSENT” is necessary, and penalizing private and public health service providers from refusing to perform voluntary sterilization, ligation and other reproductive health care services for abused minors and pregnant minors (Sec. 19.a.2). We say NO to the preferential grant of college scholarships for children coming from 2-children families (Sec.13), discriminating children of larger families from availing of a tax-funded government program.  Catholics are conscience-bound to resist contraception, thus, this Bill clearly discriminates Catholics from availing of the government scholarships in college.  And since Catholics make up the majority of the taxpayers in the country, this is BLATANT INJUSTICE. We declare that this bill DISCRIMINATES against Catholics, disqualifying them from working in public health stations and teaching positions by imposing on all health service workers and all school teachers the mandatory sexual education, and penalizing them for refusing to extend reproductive health information and services on account of RELIGION (Sec. 11; Sec.19.a.4, Sec. 19.a.1), binding them to materially cooperate in such services by referral to the nearest provider.  We declare also that this Bill unjustly strips the Catholic public official of his rights as a person and as a moral authority to refuse the delivery of family planning services; to refuse to cooperate in those services according to his conscience; and/or to introduce measures to deliberately counter such family planning services that are against the natural and moral laws (Sec.19.1.3; Sec.19.b).  We declare that this bill summarily leads to the dismissal from the government service of Catholics who, in conscience, cannot cooperate with the provisions of this Bill. (Sec.20).  We declare that this bill unjustly infringes on the religious and civil rights of Catholics, disqualifying them from public service and denying them the right to freely exercise their religion in the society. WE DO NOT WANT TAX MONEY TO FUND A PROGRAM THAT IS ANTI-MORALITY, ANTI-FAMILY, ANTI-FILIPINO, ANTI-CATHOLIC, ANTI-GOD.  We say NO to the initial appropriation of P100 million pesos for this bill, and other subsequent funding.  We say no to the appropriation of 50% of the Local Government Unit’s Internal Revenue Allotment to such program. WE SAY NO TO HOUSE BILL 16. We pray for all engaged in affairs of state and for all their ministries and powers: that our God and Lord may guide according to His will their minds and hearts, to our lasting peace. WITH OUR PRAYERS, WE REJECT HOUSE BILL 16. VIVA CRISTO REY!   Some posters were used as walking banners during our campaigns in the downtown avenues. Two youth would walk around bringing posters and calling for attention, another two would be following them bringing signature forms. While the "callers" were explaining, the other two were collecting signatures. Some posters were pasted at the churches…. ….some at the parish centers. Some members of the League took over an abandoned ticket booth. Others went to do the campaign of signatures at the airport…. …in the restaurants… …inside various offices and schools….. and even in the cemeteries….. Long live Christ the king! Long live the Catholic Church!   back to Photo Album Contents