Excommunication, Anyone? Thoughts on RH Bill No. 5043

WTFriendship Day!!!

Aw c'mon! This is too much, we are reverting back to the ancient times when opinions opposing the Church merit threat to the infernal fires!!!

"The CBCP threatens politicians who support the RH bill with excommunication. But our representatives are not backing down. To ensure the passage of the bill, they are willing to risk being excommunicated," according to the article from filipinofreethinkers.org.

It is so sad that things have come to this.

Surely, the higher ups in the Catholic Church are doing their job according to the teachings of the Vatican, etc. But sadly, I must say that oppressing people who share a different view is unloving, the total antithesis of what Jesus taught.

It is true that humans are biblically told to multiply. But I believe that it should be responsible reproductive health that we must go for, for the sake of the next generation.

How?

First of all, get into the context of the day. The media is the number one worldly ruler of this era. Everyone is exposed to media. And media, for better or for worse, is a reckless, if happy, laissiez-faire of all things under the sun. Needless to say that includes the implicit sensuality and outright pornography in the radio, prime time TV and in the web.

We can use this as a spring board to teach responsible reproductive health to our children, which does not exclude the teaching of moral values (such as how to choose the right partner, when the right time to get married and have children is; and on a more basic note teach them about what hormones do to their bodies and the alternative activities to deal with changes in the bodies and the resulting reactions to these changes; how to protect themselves from pedophiles, molestation and being physically violated and on and on and on).

The Church has taken an offensive tactic which is working to their disadvantage. But then again, they could always say that Jesus lashed out a couple of times in the Bible (for sure, once in the temple where people put up a bazaar). But still, this bullying via the threat of hellfire is not helping the Philippines and its wards towards its goal of progress.

Progress (even in this issue) can be attained but not with this "religious and civil" war of words.

In RH Bill No. 5043, the people are given a choice between natural and modern family planning methods with the bill but not the option of abortion (Thank God!). In fact, this bill broadens the assistance it gives to the grassroots members of society, beginning in the barangay, reproductive healthcare assistance, not limited to, but neither excluding family planning.

Our country has too many children who are either living in the streets or living in poor emotional conditions due to parents' and extended families' lack of real education (whether they are college graduates or not). The education we are talking about here is the basic knowledge of knowing one's body, how it works by itself and in relation to another (meaning sexually). We can even point the truth to ourselves and to impressionable minds what ignorance of the matter can result to!

If the family is to be saved, we have to teach our children how to take care of their bodies, minds and souls. And how can we freely teach our children these things if even our Church plays guilt trips on the adults?

I commend the authors of the RH Bill in the Philippines. Your dedication towards education and healthcare is one concrete step towards our nation's progress. Your courage in standing firm in this controversial issue is much needed and appreciated.

God is blessing our country right now.

"Education costs money, but then so does ignorance."
-- Sir Claus Moser

Taiwan Drama: Down With Love 2010

I am currently watching Down With Love starring Jerry Yan (of Meteor Garden) and Ella Chen (of the female band S.H.E.). This is Jerry Yan's best idol drama since Meteor Garden. Needless to say, Jerry provides the eye-candy while Ella Chen lends the cutest comic relief in the series.

Down With Love is yet another Cinderella story - leveled up to the max, with Ella Chen playing Yang Guo, a poor, hardworking, tomboyish girl with the most emphatic facial expressions, and Jerry Yan as Xiang Yu Ping, the cold-hearted, cynical divorce lawyer who doesn't trust girls.

I like the themes of the series which include some child psychology, same-sex issues, and tough love on errant parents (so far) - which is a refreshing change from the "magical thinking" mechanisms usual for Asian TV series. Of course, as it is, Down With Love, with the central Cinderella motif is magical thinking in itself, but I highly appreciate how the writers peppered the fairytale storyline with pressing issues of the day (ahem, here I am again defending my beloved Jerry Yan dramas).

I thought I wouldn't like Ella Chen as Jerry Yan's leading lady. Being used to the likes of Janine Chang and Barbie Hsu, willowy and dreamy, Ella Chen is a refreshing difference. I like how natural her beauty is, with the apple hairdo only some fashion mavericks would dare to sport. She has this cute stray cowlick that makes her look anime perfect! What makes her stand out is her acting abilities - slapstick but not awkward, downright funny, you can't help but love her! She shifts from silly facial expressions to a more serious appearance with natural grace. Ella Chen's Yang Guo grew on me after 2 segments, I could actually empathize with her character.

If you're looking for a good laugh and a live-action-anime-style series, Down With Love is it!!

Halloween 2010 Reading/Movie: Carrie

Forget about the diabolical clowns or creepy poltergeists. Get your popcorn, pizza and soda ready for the vintage movie from the book or the book that was made into a movie: Stephen King's Carrie.

Carrie is the ultimate pariah in the typical American highschool - withdrawn and insecure, she hides a secret power and a secret homelife and nurtures special dreams just like any other teenage girl.

When the high school hotties play a dirty trick on her, trampling on her hopes, Carrie unleashes her rage that turns a dream prom into a nightmare.

King at his early best!

Etiquette for the Next Girlfriend

Are you the next girlfriend? If you are, then there's a tall order from the standard your predecessor set, for better or for worse.

Before you, there was a love affair of the now-ex-girlfriend. Your boyfriend and his ex shared a history, whether long or short, good or bad, happy or sad. That's a given. You, yourself, unless this is your first time to enter into a relationship shared a history with your previous mate.

Then ties were severed, bitterly or gracefully, partly or in totality.

And now you and your boyfriend forge a new life together.

How do you deal with the past history which is part of the whole which is your boyfriend? What do you do when you see presents from the ex-girlfriend still decorated in your boyfriend's place? How do you respond when his ex-girlfriend or a member of that continues to interact with your lover?

1. RESPECT YOUR BOYFRIEND'S PAST. Just as you have your own history apart from your boyfriend, your boyfriend has that too. Don't meddle with it. Treat it according to its position: a thing/relic of the past. So with his ex's gifts (after all, you've received gifts from your exes too - it's a matter of how both of you decide what to do with these things).

2. RESPECT YOUR PREDECESSORS. Whether she be an ex-wife, former paramour or plain ex-girlfriend, show some grace in accepting his past and showing them that you are worthy to be part of his life, his PRESENT life. Should you meet his past flames, be magnanimous (even if you should find that his exes are deplorable). This will impress the others, or cause jealousy at the worst, but it will give you a feeling of goodwill not only to your boyfriend and to his exes, but most of all to yourself.

3. RESPECT YOUR BOYFRIEND'S FAMILY. This will never go out of style. Even if you find that you don't like them that much, always be polite. There's nothing like a courteous girlfriend (whether you're 16 or 65). Keep your distance should you find them disagreeable. Speak your truth quietly and clearly, to quote the Desiderata. But show respect.

4. RESPECT YOUR BOYFRIEND'S PRIVACY. In the digital era, this is the easiest rule to break. What with accessible cellphones and hackable emails. But you will know something's wrong with your relationship when you will feel the itch to check his messages behind his back or even upfront.

5. RESPECT YOURSELF. Should you find something amiss, i.e. a flirtatious message from an ex-girlfriend or someone you don't know from Adam, confront your boyfriend, but never give yourself away to the other person. Confronting the other person will put you in a compromised position: you will appear uncouth, uneducated and wretched. You may feel the latter, as jealousy is normal. But if you cave in and explode to her, you could be accused of assault (physical or verbal)and you also give up your power. Keep your self-respect at all times. If there is a person you need to face, it is your boyfriend. Let him be the one to tell her off, this will be the test of your relationship. LEAVE THE RELATIONSHIP if you need to. Or work it out with your boyfriend without giving the other person the satisfaction of your jealousy.

One of the hallmarks of a longstanding relationship, aside from the mush called love, is RESPECT.

Humor: Sex Education?

My eleven year old son and I were waiting to be waited at the mall pharmacy. He was looking at the merchandise on the left side of the counter.
Son: (Reading aloud from a packet) Brand-X Lubricating Jelly, water-based, easy to use, condom-safe. (Pause) Ma, what's a condom?
Me: Er, er, it's a plastic (!), like a plastic bag, a man puts on his penis to protect himself from diseases... But it's not too safe, it sometimes gets ripped... (Satisfied with the answer, despite the faltering introduction).
Son: Ah, yeah, the disease... (looking thoughtful) So ma, why are they flavored?
Me: @.@ (Dazed) It's like, er, perfume, son...Yeah (sniff) They want to put perfume... @.@

Hotdogs, Barbecue & Cakes, anyone?

Check these out! Look at the mouth-watering barbecue, hotdogs and burgers on the grill!

This designer cake was made by Isabel's Confections as a gift to the pastry chef's friend who opened her own barbecue restaurant.

I thought the hotdogs were real, but the chef said that all the edible toppings are made from gumpaste. Such a creative gift!

New Notes on Safety Measures

It pays to be SAFE AND VIGILANT ALWAYS.

Beware of posers. Warn your house help, relatives and staff of posers who SEEM to be looking for you or a member of the family (or officemate, in the workplace). TELL YOUR STAFF AND FAMILY MEMBERS NOT TO LET UNFAMILIAR PEOPLE INTO YOUR PREMISES, even if they claim to be relatives, close friends or business associates.

These people look confident, educated and ACT AS IF THEY HAVE IMPORTANT BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS OR SOCIAL RELATIONS TO YOU.

LET US TRAIN OUR CHILDREN IN DEALING WITH STRANGERS. It's sad, but the police and intelligence officers I have spoken with have said that October to February are the months when MODUS OPERANDI are rampant in progressive cities such as ours. TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WHAT TO DO WHEN STRANGERS TALK TO THEM. "Don't talk to strangers even if these strangers look and act pleasant and claim to know you." Teach them who strangers are (people who are unfamiliar to them). It's okay when children act aloof to people they meet for the first time (even the ones you know). It is one of their ways of protecting themselves. If a stranger holds their hand, tell the children to scream out for you and bite the stranger or do anything to attract other people's attention (make your own suggestions to your children/ask your children what they think will help them be safe and work from there). They will appear rude and uncouth but BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.

As much as we want to expose the children to the outside world, it is best to keep an eye on them at all times while teaching them safety measures, especially the young children, tweens and teens.

I'm saying this because there have been real incidents wherein a "confident", Tagalog-speaking man who calls himself different names for each location (sometimes not identifying himself at all), rides a Maroon Vios (Plate # to be posted later), has been surveying premises within our barangay, in the guise of having some "important personal business" with "someone" in the premises. This has happened in two different locations known to me. Thank God no harm has been done to anyone within both premises. BUT BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY. IT'S SAD, BUT FOR SUSPICIOUS LOOKING PEOPLE WITH DUBIOUS INTENTIONS AND ACTIONS - "Guilty until proven innocent."

This has already been reported to one of the higher ranking police officers (a family friend) and to the active members of the barangay. Safety measures are being taken.

LET US PRAY FOR SAFETY AND PROTECTION FOR OUR CITIES, PUBLIC PLACES, SCHOOLS AND HOMES. LET US TAKE ACTION IN PROTECTING OURSELVES AS WELL. May God bring security and peace in each of our lives.

Whether this Bible verse is within context, this will still help us gain the courage to carry on while being safe:

1 Corinthians 16:13 "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong."

So while we are being on GUARD, let us also have faith that God oversees all.

GOD BLESS US ALL. Please pass whether by message or word-of-mouth. Thank you.

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