Birth control not the answer

I think it’s about time  the government cracks down on the practice in the National Bilibid Prison  of treating  rich inmates like VIPs  with  privileges not enjoyed by ordinary prisoner like being allowed “living-out” arrangements.

The discovery and arrest of former Batangas governor Jose Antonio  Leviste (former husband of Sen. Loren Legarda) who was allowed this leeway is  the tip of the iceberg. In the ’90s,  special treatment for favored, wealthy prisoners was well known but reports about it  fell on deaf ears. I’m happy  the national government is taking swift action unlike past administrations.

The double standard  doesn’t help  the inmates rehabilitate and instead  teaches them how to be abusive.

* * *

Some people worry about  the living conditions of dwellers in  Mahiga Creek but  I think it will ultimately be resolved with the help of other government agencies and  education.

The government this time means business in clearing areas that are  by law not allowed to be occupied by people regardless of their status. Recently the National Housing Authority (NHA)  announced that there was  money available for housing projects in Cebu City for these dwellers and the provincial government headed by Gov. Gwen Garcia has decided to heed the call of Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama for a joint  housing project for the urban poor.

I think if we put our act together we can help creek  dwellers find decent housing. The people  are starting to understand the position taken by the Cebu City mayor as an official  who is not  heartless but  after the welfare and safety of people especially those in the Mahiga Creek. It  would be best for the people to discern the issue carefully to  understand both sides of the issue.

It is not true that the mayor is not giving a relocation site for the poor.  He’s looking  for not just a relocation site but a complete housing project for them to settle in.

But it’s  important that Mahiga Creek residents  understand that they can’t pursue their demands to remain in the area which is unsafe  for them and their children. They have to be resettled.

Of course we understand their plight and that being near their means of livelihood is important but the city government is giving importance to the safety of  occupants.  I think it  best that we let the government do its job. We can all help find a  solution instead of fighting over an issue where we  have the same concerns.

* * *

The Reproductive Health bill debate should be widely discussed so people are  made aware of issues.  It is now becoming clear that the RH bill is being pushed as a means to control  population growth because for many of the sponsors,  this  is the only answer to  poverty.

But I would  take issue with this argument. The  solution to  poverty in the Philippines can happen in many ways.

I would agree that there is over-congestion of population in the metropolitan areas like Metro Cebu, Metro Manila, Metro Davao and others.

Local government leaders should be urged to come up with  creative solutions.  For one thing,  there is an unequal distribution of wealth in then country with  10 percent of the population owning practically  80 percent of the total resources. If only there was  a law that mandated an equal distribution of wealth, I think the RH bill would be  irrelevant.

To prove this point,  travel across the archipelago and  one will see  stretches of unoccupied  tracts of land owned by a few families.

If only the wealthy could share  their bounty with the less privileged, many of our problems would  be solved.  RH bill proponents need to be more imaginative in addressing the problem instead of proposing something that would just benefit  multi-national pharmaceutical companies doing business here.  We should just  dump the RH bill and propose legislation that squarely addresses  pressing problems in the  country.