UP silent protest against RH draws courage from youth

Pro-Life University of the Philippines students put anti-RH Bill protest signs along the university campus.

MANILA, July 2, 2011 [CBCP News]--It was a silent protest,
but it looks like the demonstration carried out by some University of
the Philippines (UP) students showed conviction to go against the grain
in a campus that had been dismissed as simply going with the flow as
far as support for a proposed birth control measure is concerned.

The students, part of a growing group dubbed UP Against RH, had been
handing out around campus information materials revealing the truth
about the Reproductive Health (RH) bill for a few days up to a July 1
march conducted by RH supporters. 

They also tied red ribbons around trees and lamp posts and stuck the
ubiquitous "No to RH bill" stickers in some parts of the campus to
demonstrate the presence of the pro-life voice in what had been
previously perceived as an RH-supporting university.

The silent protest culminated in red-garbed students walking with red
balloons toward a crowd gathered at the steps fronting Palma Hall, one
of the university's main buildings, for the RH activity, then releasing
the balloons one by one.

"The whole RH bill [leads to] a culture of death," asserted John
Juat, a senior student who took part in the protest, adding that the
things he questions most about the measure are the mandated sex
education component and the promotion of contraceptives. 

The 21-year-old student noted that freedom and the availability of
choices--with which many young people mistakenly associate the RH
bill--are good, "but if you're giving too much freedom, it can be
dangerous."

"Like for instance, in a multiple choice exam--the more choices you
have, the more chances of getting a mistake. There's only one correct
answer," he said.

"Now, there's only one correct answer [regarding the issue] and that
correct answer is already within all of us--our values which have been
taught to us by our parents since we were young."

Though freedom is good, "more choices" doesn't necessarily mean "better," according to Juat.

"If you're in UP (University of the Philippines) you're trained to be
critical thinkers..." said Jove Tercero, also a senior student, who,
though unable to take part in the red balloon walk, had spent the past
days and nights preparing the materials for the protest activity. 

Initially pro-RH--which is "somewhat the default stand" on the
issue--he assumed contraception was a positive thing due to belief in
the overpopulation myth. But "by reading and being more oriented with
serious facts," Tercero said he has learned the truth about the issues.

Juat admitted being a little intimidated by the idea of the balloon
walk at first, but related that an incident prior to the activity made
him see things in a different light.

"It just started with one person approaching me, saying she has the
same stand but is scared to speak up," shared Juat, who had been
casually discussing the RH issue with friends, sometimes as part of
class activities. 

"Some who are pro-RH even approached me and said, 'I never looked at
things the way you did. I thought what society was offering was the only
way, but i think the option you stated is much better.'"

UP Against RH is a group composed of students and faculty. (Diana Uichanco)