Buhay Party-List Rep. Irwin Tieng is seeking to regulate the increasing proliferation of “sex toys” in the local market as he warned that this may lead to the rise of sex-related crimes in the country.

In filing House Bill No. 4509 entitled “An Act Penalizing the Distribution, Possession with Intent to Distribute and Production of Any Device for the Physical Stimulation of Human Genitals for Anything of Pecuniary Value …”, Tieng said he was out to safeguard the moral, spiritual and social being of the citizens from the destructive effects of these “obscene devices.”

“The influence of obscene devices designed primarily for the physical stimulation of human genitals, commonly called as sex toys and gadgets may seem unnoticed. However, there is now an influx of these kind of devices in the Philippines, especially in Metro Manila,” Tieng said in the bill’s explanatory note.

“The proliferation of these obscene devises which are insensitively and openly displayed in shops or stalls is very alarming. The public, especially minors, being exposed to these obscenities may suffer disturbing effects and could trigger sexually impure ideas and acts that give room to sex related offenses,” Tieng said.

The Buhay party-list solon pointed to Quiapo, Sta. Cruz and Recto the so-called university belt in Metro Manila as among the areas where sex toys  are allegedly proliferating.

According to him, the bill seeks to “penalize the distribution, possession with intent to distribute and production of any obscene device designed or marketed as useful primarily for the physical stimulation of human genital organs for anything of pecuniary value in order to protect the morals of the society.”

“This is also in keeping with the policy of the state to value the dignity of every human person and to promote and safeguard its integrity and the moral, spiritual and social being of its citizenry from the pernicious effects of obscene devices,” he added.

The bill calls on government agents to “pursue an intensive and unrelenting campaign against the distribution, possession with intent to distribute and production of any obscene device.”

Under the bill, it will be unlawful for any person to: a.) Knowingly distribute, possess with intent to distribute, or offer or agree to distribute, any obscene device designed or marketed as useful primarily for the physical stimulation of human genital organs for anything of pecuniary value; b.) Become a wholesaler, to knowingly distribute, possess with intent to distribute, or offer or agree to distribute, for the purpose of resale or commercial distribution at retail of sex toys; and c.) To knowingly produce, or offer or agree to produce sex toys.

Violators of the proposed law will suffer the “penalty of imprisonment of not more than one (1) year and/or fine ranging from Ten Thousand (P 10,000.00) to Twenty Thousand Pesos (P 20,000.00)” and  for acts falling under Section 3(a);” and the “penalty of imprisonment of not more than one (1) year and/or a fine ranging from Twenty Thousand Pesos (P 20,000.00) to Thirty Thousand Pesos (P 30,000.00) for acts falling under Section (b) and (c).”

The bill tasks the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Department of Justice to implement and promulgate the proposed law.

Buhay Party-List Rep. Michael Velarde co-authored Tieng’s bill.

CARCAR, CEBU, February 11-13, 2011—A LARGE Marian movement has released a document stating their complete objection to the approval of the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) Bill (House Bill 4244) into law.

During a national convention with the theme “Marian Pro-Life Witnesses of Hope, Reconciliation and Peace in Our Times”, the Perpetual Dawn Rosary (PDR) and Cenacle of Fr. Stephano Gobbi urged all the attendees of the convention and its members to a sign an omnibus resolution declaring their total “rejection of the RH agenda and to choose life.”

The groups’ bold move is in consonance with the Joint Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines titled “CHOOSING LIFE, REJECTING THE RH BILL” which proclaims the strong opposition of Filipino bishops against the RH agenda as well as a lucid explanation of the real reasons behind the country’s poverty.

The statement was signed by over 1,400 leaders and members of the various Perpetual Dawn Rosary and Cenacle organizations that met during the convention.

The Task Force for Family and Life Visayas, Inc. (TFFL) in turn forwarded copies of the resolution to President Aquino, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, CBCP President Nereo Odchimar, and newly-installed Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma. The TFFL called on all parties to heed the heartfelt sentiments of ordinary Filipino citizens expressed in the resolution.

To view the complete omnibus resolution, click here.

MANILA, Philippines—Bad news for lovers: On Valentine’s Day, the Department of Health (DoH) won’t be around to give away free condoms to couples assailed by temptations.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona has announced his department would not be doing what it did around this time last year when it handed condoms to adult customers at the popular Dangwa Flower Market in Manila.

Instead of condoms, the DoH will be dispensing advice.

“Be careful on Feb.14 … Enjoy it with your wife or husband,” Ona said in a press briefing. “Have sex, but only with your wife or husband … Avoid sex if not married.”

For spouses only

The DoH is promoting abstinence and monogamy to help curb the growing number of HIV and AIDS cases in the country.

Ona reminded Filipinos of the importance of safe sex and to be aware of the dangers of HIV and AIDS.

“I’m addressing this to everybody: What is really important is that our morality tells us that one must only have sex with the wife or husband,” he said.

“We’d like adults to understand that there is this scourge that we have to avoid and, therefore, use your judgment if and when tempted.”

The human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, leads to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), a condition in which the body’s immune systems are attacked and damaged by the virus, ultimately causing death.

323 deaths

Last year alone, the DoH National Epidemiology Center officially logged 1,591 HIV cases, bringing the number of total incidence to 6,015 since the virus was first detected in the Philippines in 1984.

Since 1984, the DoH has recorded 323 deaths due to AIDS. At least two deaths were reported from January to December last year.

The National Center for Disease Prevention and Control last year staged a condom-giving campaign, dubbed “Be My Valentine, Ingat Lagi,” to enhance awareness to the perils of unprotected sex, and not as a family planning method.

The Catholic Church branded the stunt as “vulgar and gross.”

Fidelity, not condom

Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, supported the DoH’s plan to scrap the campaign on Valentine’s Day this year.

“The number of HIV cases is increasing because they are giving young people a false sense of security by distributing condoms,” Castro said.

He said giving away condoms was one way of enticing young people to be experimental and promiscuous.

“In the end, a change in attitude and behavior towards sex will help bring down the prevalence of HIV,” he said.

Castro said that instead of condom use, marital fidelity and abstention among unmarried pairs should be promoted by the government.

Credits:

Cited from an original article by Christine Avendaño for the Philippine Daily Inquirer last 02/08/11

MANILA, Philippines—A LARGE population can be a blessing to the Philippines if this is harnessed to drive up domestic demand, especially at a time when emerging economies assume greater role in world economic recovery, according to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr..

“This can be an advantage if the purchasing power of the population can be improved,” Tetangco said in an interview over the weekend.

The size of a population is also an indicator of potential demand considering that the bigger the population, the higher potential demand there is, the BSP chief explained.

Citing data from the Asian Development Bank’s 2010 Key Indicators report, Tetangco said the middle class – defined as those with consumption expenses of between $2 and $20 daily at the value of money 2005 – has grown from about a fifth of the total Asian population in 1990 to more than half or 56 percent in 2008.

The ADB estimates that in 2008, the middle class had a spending capacity of $3.3 trillion, an increase of almost five times from the $721 billion in 1990.

“This purchasing power potential represents a powerful force for future growth,” Tetangco said.

He said this was a key consideration at a time when the disparate levels of development around the world are poised to normalize, as emerging Asian economies are growing stronger than developed ones.

To harness Asia’s strong growth as well as the rise of the Asian middle class, Tetangco said it is important for governments – particularly monetary authorities – to adopt longer-term policies towards strengthening domestic investment and consumption as well as exports.

He said that the exports sector continues to be a dynamic force in Asian economies given that, for many small economies, the domestic consumption base is limited and growth prospects are moderate.

Even then, Tetangco said domestic demand should be developed as a “second engine for growth” in order to promote broad-based, sustained growth.

“For growth to be sustainable and productive for future generations, consideration should be given to the environment-friendly policies and actions,” he added. (Cited from an original article by Ronnel Domingo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer last 10/24/10)

MANILA, Sept. 30, 2010—CATHOLICS are not alone in its war against artificial contraception.

In what could be a boost to the Catholic Church’s campaign against contraceptives, the Imam Council of the Philippines said Muslims favor the Catholic stand in opposing the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, which promotes the use of birth control pills and condoms.

“Sa contraceptives, hindi tayo pabor diyan para bawasan ang populasyon ng Pilipinas. Kontra po diyan ang Islam dahil bakit natin i-under estimate ang plano ng Panginoon,” Ibram Moxir, council head, said over Radyo Veritas.

Moxir also said he is saddened that the government is pushing for the legislation so that at least 100 million pesos will be allocated for the purchase of artificial contraceptives.

“Bakit hindi natin ilalaan ang nasabing pondo sa ibang kapaki-pakinabang na paraan? Baka maging immoral na tayo diyan. Bakit tayo mamahagi ng ganyan?” he said.

President Benigno Aquino III earlier said he supports the use of contraceptives among couples because they should be the ones to decide what type of family planning methods they will use. The said statement purportedly railroads the passage of the controversial RH bill in Congress.

Credits:

Cited from an original article from cbccpnews.com last 09/30/10.

CAGAYAN DE ORO, September 2, 2010— CDO Archbishop Antonio Ledesma launched two books on natural family planning (NFP) as part of the Catholic church’s promotion of NFP as an alternative to the artificial contraceptive methods.

According to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news site, one of the books, titled “Natural Family Planning: Values, Issues and Practices,” is a compilation of articles about NFP.

“It gives the values formation of the Church and also simplified methods like the standard days method,” Ledesma said.

The second book is a trainers’ manual for “teaching NFP for potential trainers and counselor providers,” he added.

NFP coordinator Ana Leah Pealago said the books are products of the archdiocese’s three-year NFP program.

“We found that almost 3,000 couples are now users of NFP. There is a growing number of people that are really interested in promoting this,” Pealago said.

She said the book is not meant for elementary and high school students because the main target of the program are married couples. – Cited from an original article from GMANews.TV last 09/10/10

MANILA, August 9, 2010— Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz told the media last week that actively supporting the legalization of abortion in the country warrants excommunication and the prelate means it.

The vocal canon lawyer told CBCPNews “that anyone called to active participation for abortion … from the woman concerned, the husband who helped her, the abortionist, or the nurses,” should receive the said penalty.

“Excommunication means that the person concerned is separated from the spiritual benefits enjoyed by all members of the Church. Furthermore, the same person could not take communion,” the prelate added.

The Code of Canon Law specifies that participating in an abortion involves a latae sententiae excommunication (Can. 1398), meaning that the penalty is awarded eventually from the act itself, without need for official pronouncement.

In the United States, Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix, Arizona appealed to this canon when he announced that a nun in his diocese had incurred automatic excommunication by permitting an abortion at a local Catholic hospital.  While he faced tremendous backlash, numerous Catholic commentators pointed out that the bishop had done nothing but alert the nun to the fact that she had excommunicated herself.

Credits:

Cited from an original article by Patrick B. Craine for lifesitenews.com last 8/10/10

MANILA, July 22, 2010 –AS P-NOY’s first State of the Nation Address looms, a bishop based in Mindanao has asked the President to clarify his stand on the controversial Reproductive Health bill come July 26.

Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad sais during his interview over Radio Veritas that he wants the President to clearly address the debate over the issue of reproductive health specifically the new administration’s policies on child spacing.

“As we have said we are only for natural family planning. I wish also to hear from the President that he will really say his position concerning RH bill…I wish to hear from the President he will really completely say that he is for natural family planning,” Jumoad said.

This 15th Congress, the RH bill was recently re-filed as House Bill 96 under the names of Iloilo Rep. Janet Garin and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman. In the previous Congress, the bill’s last version made it through the second reading.

Since the inception for push for the passage of the RH bill, the prelate of Basilan has always been vocal in rejecting its provisions. In a 2008 interview with the same radio station, Bishop Jumoad mentioned of what vile effects the bill could bring forth to society once it gets implemented.

“If it [RH Bill] will become a law, morality will go down and it will be very dangerous to our young people. Pre-marital sex would be prevalent. The policy will just spoon-feed Filipinos of the contraceptive mentality which is against cultural, moral, and religious beliefs.”

Aside from the RH Bill, the bishop also hopes that P-Noy will discuss his stance on the peace process in Mindanao.

“I would like hear how he will get rid of corruption in government, what step he will take, how will he generate jobs. I wish to hear would be is giving ultimatum to all absentee mayors particularly in ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao),” Jumoad added. With citations from an original article from philstar.com last 07/23/10.

MANILA, July 6, 2010—A STALWART anti-RH bill congressman filed a bill seeking to protect the unborn and penalize proven offenders who threaten the life inside the mother’s womb.

Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez crafted House Bill No. 13 aptly called Protection of the Unborn Child Act of 2010 to safeguard pregnant women and their unborn children from abortionists and other means that can imperil their lives.

The bill firmly resolves that “The unborn child shall be protected from abortive acts including the use, administration, dispensing, injection or delivery by whatever means of substances, medicines in any form, or practice such as massage, which are hereby declared as abortifacients which cause o may recklessly endanger or expose the unborn child to damag­e, injury or death.”

With this legislative proposition’s advent, the passage of the controversial RH Bill might be delayed due to conflicting provisions. Under the proposals of the RH Bill, couples can subscribe to using artificial contraceptive methods to avert unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases and infections.

On the other hand, Rep. Golez’ bill strongly promotes responsible parenthood and child spacing leaving artificial contraception out of the scene.

Section 8 of House Bill No. 13 also promulgates “The rights of pa­rents of a minor with a unborn child shall be superior to that of the State in all stances, involving the safety, protection and welfare of the unborn child and the mother and shall not be affected by social stigma, laws, regulations, go­vernment policy considerations, health, racial or religious concerns.”

The said provision is opposite of what the RH bill tries to implement which hinges the responsibility of educating students regarding family planning and population control primarily to the government.

Once the bill passes this 15th Congress, abortionists and other violators of the bill will be subjected to imprisonment of at least 6 months or fined from P 10,000.00 to P50,000.00. Cited from an original article by Bernard Taguinod for abante.com.ph last 07/06/10.