Pacquiao: If my dad used a condom, I wouldn't be here now

A world-class boxing champion, the very epitome of male virility, has found common cause with Catholic bishops who want to keep sex sacred and procreative. Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, now a member of the Lower House representing Sarangani province, was among critics of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill who shared testimonies on Friday, in one of the biggest anti-RH bill gatherings at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila’s famed Rizal Park. Pacquiao, who could not be at the rally, sent a recorded message instead, where he said the RH bill will prevent "blessings" from being born. "Kung nag-condom po ang aking ama, si Mommy D (Dionesia), wala pong Manny Pacquiao (If my dad and Mommy Dionesia used a condom, there wouldn't be a Manny Pacquiao)," he said. He also said the RH bill will cause the degradation of the youth's morality. "Bilang ama, ayoko po na turuan ang aking mga anak ng kalaswaan. Kaya po ako'y nakikiusap na labanan po natin ang RH bill (As a father, I don't want my children to be taught such lewdness. That's why I'm asking you to fight the RH bill)," he said. "Sa aking paniniwala, labag po ito sa kautusan ng Panginoon. Hindi po ito solusyon para labanan ang kahirapan. Ang solusyon ay labanan ang korupsyon (I believe the bill is against the Lord's teachings. This is not the solution we need to eradicate poverty. The solution for poverty is fighting corruption)," he told a cheering crowd of 40,000 according to police estimates. Among other notable attendees of the anti-RH bill rally are former Manila mayor Jose “Lito" Atienza, Lanao del Norte Rep. Aliah Dimaporo, leader of the El Shaddai evangelist movement Bro. Mike Velarde, lawyer-broadcaster Jose "Ipaglaban Mo" Sison, and lay evangelist and author Bo Sanchez. Proposed sex ed ‘too long’ Television host Christine Jacob-Sandejas also attended the rally with her children, aged two, four, seven, ten and eleven. Jacob-Sandejas, a 1984 Olympics swimmer and SEA Games medalist before her TV career, said that if the RH bill were in effect now, she would not have her three youngest children as the bill would limit the number of children to only two.

She added that she does not want the RH bill teaching her children about sex. "Ang mga magulang lamang ang dapat magturo sa kanilang mga anak dahil sila lang ang nakakaalam kung kaya na ba ito ng kanilang mga anak (Only parents should teach their children about sex because only they know when the children are ready to understand it)," she said. Jacob-Sandejas also said that seven years of sex education in schools, from Grade 4 to fourth year in high school, is too much. "Masyadong OA (over acting) naman 'yun, parang hindi na tama," she said. "Ano kaya ang ituturo nila for seven years na sex ed? Eh kung hindi pumasa, may summer classes pa para lang sa sex ed!" (That's overkill, it doesn't seem right. What kind of sex ed will they teach for seven years? And if a student does not pass, he’ll have to take summer classes just for sex ed!) Many Metro Manila reps are anti-RH Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez also gave a testimonial, saying he does not believe that the bill will stop the cycle of poverty in the Philippines, where children of poor families will likely end up poor as well. "Para nilang sinabi na nakakahawa ang pagka-mahirap. Para nilang sinabi na ang mahirap, hindi dapat magka-anak," he said. (It's like saying that poverty is contagious and that poor people are not allowed to have children.) He also blasted other lawmakers who claim that the RH bill is not for population management but for maternal and child health. "Kung hindi totoo na hindi population control ang reproductive health bill, bakit nila nilagay sa Committee on Population? Dapat ang bill na ito ay nasa Committee on Health kung maternal health ang gusto natin," he said. (If the reproductive health bill is not for population control, then why did they file it under the Committee on Population? It should be under the Committee on Health if it's maternal health that they want.) “Gusto nila gumasta ng P3 bilyon para sa condom, para sa contraceptives, para mapigilan ng pagsilang ng 200,000 na babies. Kung ako ang tatanungin ninyo, yung P3 bilyon na 'yan, ilalagay ko sa training ng 200,000 na mga batang Pinoy nang sa gano'n, lalu silang gumaling," he added. (They want to spend P3 billion for condoms and contraceptives that will prevent the birth of 200,000 babies. If you were to ask me, I’d use the P3 billion for the training of 200,000 young Filipinos so that they will excel.) Golez said that among House members representing Metro Manila districts, there are more anti-RH advocates than there are pro-RH. "Kailangan lamang, ikalat natin ang balitang ito (na marami tayong anti-RH), para sa ganoon, yung iba pang natitira, maging anti-RH na rin para lalung lumakas ang ating laban," he said. (We just need to spread the word that we who are anti-RH are bigger in number, so that the rest will turn anti-RH as well and reinforce our opposition.)—JV, GMA News