Youth groups’ understanding of RH issues boosted

MANILA,
July 29, 2011–The youth are hungry for information about themselves and
about vital issues of the day—this much was evident based on requests
received by Filipinos for Life to deliver talks on the Reproductive
Health (RH) bill at a school and to an audience composed of high
schoolers.

Some 150 students from various campus organizations of AMA East Rizal
gathered for a symposium on the House Bill 4244, dubbed “RH Bill
Awareness.”

In a three-hour presentation, Dr. Melissa Poblete and Dr. Abraham
Cruz tackled key portions of the bill and explained relevant medical
studies to help the students understand the repercussions of allowing
the measure to be enacted into law.

Poblete, also a board member of Pro-Life Philippines, pointed out
seemingly  harmless sections of the P3 billion piece of legislation but
devoted much time to tackle provisions that ought to be rejected and
which the doctor referred to as coercive, anti-poor and anti-life.

Armed
with documented medical research, she presented how oral contraceptive
pills—the procurement and distribution of which are mandated by the RH
bill—are actually carcinogenic, specifically linked to an increase risk
of breast cancer.

“It is unethical for a medical professional not to disclose these medical facts,” Poblete said.

She also pointed out to the students that these birth control pills
as well as other contraceptive drugs and devices, are being pushed to be
categorized as “essential medicines” under the law via the bill
authored by Albay Representative Edcel Lagman.

After
the speaker’s presentation, the question about abortion being
considered a “necessity” in some cases came up as a student queried,
“Ano po ba ang masasabi ninyo sa aborsyon na isang option kung ang
sitwasyon ay dapat papiliin, ina o sanggol?”

“If a treatment should be applied on the mother, and the baby dies
[as a result of] the treatment, that is unintentional. It is different
from intentionally killing the baby,” Poblete replied. “It’s a matter of
ethics that the life of the baby should be considered as well.”

Cruz gave his insights as well on the ethics and Hippocratic oath
taken by medical professionals—that they swear to save lives and not to
kill. He then enjoined the AMA students to take to heart the importance
of valuing life from beginning to end.

The
youth parishioners of San Pablo Apostol  in Tondo, on the other hand,
were reminded about the importance of embracing chastity and keeping
relationships pure, as Filipinos for Life founder Anthony James Perez
provided a brief overture before nurse trainer Anna Cosio launched into a
simple but informative talk on the medical aspects of the RH bill.

The high school juniors and seniors of the parish were visibly
fascinated by the learnings they acquired through the talk even after
the speakers were bidding them goodbye for the night.

The forum was preceded by a Eucharistic celebration with San Pablo
Apostol parish priest Fr. Ricky Cabugsa FdCC, then a short musical
performance by youth parishioners. (Raymond Bandril)