Focus on facts with Dr. Martha Madison Campbell and Former Senator of the Republic

   I had the chance of meeting Dr. Martha Madison Campbell when I attended one conference at Asian Institute of Management (AIM) about Population. With her solid credentials as an international expert and Lecturer about Global Health at the University of California at Berkeley, with her soft voice but strong and confident stand about Reproductive Health together with the facts and issues she discussed, I cannot help myself to admire her and her husband. This is not just a profession but an advocacy, being everywhere or anywhere, the resorces and observations they did are exceptional. On the other hand, from the Facebook of Carlos Celdran, I read that his fellow San Agustinian, Rep. Anthony Golez "called the attention of the public to Pott’s alleged crimes. He demanded that  Potts must be deported for  insulting the Philippines by comparing it to  “super backward” Somalia  and for promoting abortion. which the author wrote " If I remember my lessons well, that’s what we call argumentum ad hominem where instead of answering the issues, a person attacks the character of the one he is arguing with".

   I went straight to Former Senator Vicente Paterno when I saw that he was available for some interview from one probinsyana and to have some souvenir photos with him. He told me that he was a Senator under the Marcos Administration who happen to be related to me and even told me that he had an often chit chat with the youngest son of he previous president who is now Senator Bong Bong Marcos.

   Thats his birthday and meeting those exeptional people is something and I could say a very overwhelming experienced to me. The former Senator sofly spoke with a smile to everyone with the help of his wood cane. The panels were all supporting the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill. There were many in attendance that were against the bill, there were catholic nuns and critics. Though majority there were all supporting the bill, there was no commotion or debate that happened.

   There were public figures like the former government official Rafael Alunan who is now connected with the Lopez Foundation. Writer, Reproductive Health advocate and chair of Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines Elizabeth Angsioco and some advocates like Mulat Pinoy, Writers Block, Filipino Freethinkers and walk ins who were all curious about the event.

   This is the awareness program I am pushing and I want to bring those people who could give the people of Laguna first hand information about the Reproductive Health Bill. Awareness is the key and Curiosity keeps us knowledgeable and concerned about the issues that we all are involve. One step at a time, as young we are and as experts like Dr. Martha Campbell and Dr. Potts, I am sure that we can do it, one step at a time. This is not for us but for the next generation.

Padre Damaso

  
   We went to one Catholic Parish Church yesterday. I know the priest very well personally and I joined my two relatives to go there with an intention to ask him about the issue of Reproductive Health bill because I want to know his idea about it first hand.

   He looks different now since I last saw him. He is physically fit, smarter but still with that same smile on his face. He was from louisiana, one remote place in Philippines, where the means of living is selling native products like baskets, placemats or anything out of panday leaves which gave me an idea that one day, i'll reserve a time to go there and see those things for myself. Curious and for business I guess.

   We said our greetings till got a chance to asked him what he is usually doing as a priest or was it always the same everyday...he told me aside being the director of family and living something which really got my attention, he is also facebooking..to my surprised actually...so using my iphone, asked the password and voila!, I am connected.

   I asked him what is the biggest issue the Catholic Church is facing right now? and suddenly with a twinkle in his eyes he said wt an upbeat voice than before.."RH BILL". alright gotcha! I asked him why? he narrated that there are pro rh who are just attending the events or rally because someone is paying them to go with extra food..so I am like thinking....why I didn't receive anything like that and I am surely not hakot because I went to all rallies and events with just a driver and myself, not minding the two hours drive and traffic at SLEX and not to mention the effort.

   He said also about that the bill promotes abortion. well, as I read all the bills...there is one thing about abortion from that bill and it is PREVENTION. I remember one katekista and asked him if he is a PRO he said no, I asked him if he knows what RH BILL is all about and he said again..NO. How come people will be so against if they didnt even know anything about it. I am so dissapointed and thinking...am I the only one thinking about this?

   He said the the "catholic church CONDEMN THE SIN BUT NOT THE SINNER"....suddenly I remember what Carlos Celdran did, the famous tourist guide and became more famous for the method he used inside the Manila Cathedral during the Ecumenical meeting with a Damaso sign with him. So I asked again, "what do you mean by that father?"...he said an example about the Pope before, someone tried to kill him, the pope forgave him and even embraced the man but he was imprisoned because of the law of the government...so I understand.

   I asked him again, "Father is using a condom a sin?"..he said YES, because there must be a union..kaya nga raw sinabi ng diyos before "Humayo kayo at magpakarami..", I told him that it might be applicable before but not now. He told me also about the muslim issues that in the year 2030, the philippines might be a Islamic or muslim country..why? because for every couple the minimum children is eight, well i was informed before that if you are a muslim you are allowed to have four wives so I computed at instant if one man have 4 wives with 8 kids each as a minimum, for every man, he will have a minimum of 32 siblings....then remember a certain actor who converted himself to become a muslim because of his many women...for me, he is just justifying that it was just okey because he is a muslim now, but for me it is still just his escape goat.

   I asked him again "Father how about masturbating, is it a sin?" he said YES, and I am like, really!!!!...he said that is why they are celebating( is my spelling correct?). anyway..he said he is just praying and go to sleep when....
...to make the story short..because I know him pretty well..I know he is lying...when i was a child my mom told me to give donations to the church because thats the only way the priest can survive..from the donations...until, he saw my iphone and asked how much is it and i told him right now its only $99.00 in the states and he was like ok ill get one....

   I asked one of my employee this morning..I said..come here I have something to ask..."Is masturbating a sin?" he was surprised, he thought i am gonna asked him if there were materials that are lost or broken or something..though he answered..No its not...and he doesnt believe about what the priest said because he said, even a family man is doing it, what more if you dont have a partner.

   I am a Catholic and I believe about there are external forces helping and planning about everything, just like what Steve Jobs said..."connect the dots backwards for you to move forwards" and if he didnt became out of school in college maybe he will not be where he is now, maybe there is no pixar, iphone, macbook etc etc...he was talking as a guest infront of an ivy league graduates, stanford university.

   Curiosity kills the cat, well maybe he was not thinking well, that is why i am into continous education because knowledge is power though there are many geniuses who dont need to finish their college because at an early age they did something different already that others cant and bacame exceptional in their field. But because people are not satisfied..we innovate because of the need...we can decide thats why we act...we have reason to believe, a choice and could differentiate what is wrong and what is right. i believe that the basis of good morals came from our home, if you don't have a good family with you, where did you get the basis of your judgements? I know experience is the best teacher which in my case is my mother...my first teacher literally, she knows what i am doing and supporting me all the way.

   I respect my priest friends bcause they also believe on something..just like we all do. but aside from that, nothing more..there is nobody holy for moi. everyone is a sinner..there just some gauge and measures. Nobody is perfect anyway. but i also believe that to speak up, to stand even alone as long as you know you are right is courageous. I don't believe now with many loyal friends...proven...maybe FEW but not many..they might be there when you have something or they need you, but you will experience the meaning of friendship if they are still there when EVERYONE LEFT YOU.

 

When does life begins?

  

This is the only question that keeps on bugging me wherever I go. My mentor told me not to share my experienced and the scientific method that I used which is the IVF or In Vitro Fertilization, not to mention the amount I spent to have my three precious babies.

We all know that science and religion will never be at the same side, like the government and the Catholic Church. Most of the time people incorporated Science, Fertilization and Conception to Reproductive Health. They questioned God or even incorporated atheism and the bad part is not in layman’s terms which makes it hard to understand by the majority of the population and in which the target market is only the minorities and who are they? Those minds who thinks that they were the best of the best and the logic will always keeps them in a safer side.

Books are good but people must also consider that mostly they are research, theories and experiments. One priest considered using a condom as a sin same thing as masturbating, this fact was when I interview him who is from the biggest Baranggay in San Pablo City, Laguna province.

Does masturbating especially if you don’t have any partner with you a sin? Mostly even those who are married do that, what more if that somebody is single? I even saw that priest kissed a girl. Liar. I am not talking in general because it is the same as everyone else, everyone has flaws and obviously not perfect. Human Beings. Nature whether you like it or not. Hypocrisy at it’s best. Why need to lie?

Organism, oh yes organism, but we are talking about the human life, not just any kind of organism. This human life will have feelings, conscience and will have the ability to love. Let’s talk about worms. Yes they are important because of the ecology. The circle of life when one needs another. The question is, does worms have the feelings like human beings?

  I love to meet a lot of different people with different views, I am fortunate to talk to both sides and observe. I learned to know their own flaws, hypocrisy, integrity and the fact about just being human. What is the essence of a human? Maybe this is the question that the two sides needs to answer.

  I experienced being in  Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City with the best doctors and the best health plan. The doctor even asked me if they could do some experiments on me because of life and death, but I declined. If you know Celine Dion, We have the same situation. Experienced is better than books.

   I have two godfathers who are with different points of view, the former Senator, Former  Laguna Governor and Former DILG Secretary Joey David Lina and the incumbent senator Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos III. One is against for the passage of Reproductive Health Bill and the other one is supporting. I am lucky to have both sides with my family, so honest to tell me for what is right and their different views.

  

   My view (before), when does life begins.

   As a human being, this is when the egg and the semen meet then fertilized (point of CBCP or all against the bill). It will have heartbeats but I experienced to have six fertilized eggs though four got heartbeats at the same time inside my tummy. Salt, yes it is, to save the few.

That’s when I experienced hell, literally without anesthesia, twice because one syringe per fetus. That was my choice. Is it a sin? Yes to some I encountered. The doctor asked me to choose between one or two, I chose two. Reason; I am petit and my body cannot hold four babies inside my tummy.  Reproductive Health bill is all about choice. It's about thinking what is good for you and for the whole human beings. If this law will passed and there’s going to be corruption, that will be another story.

RH bill didn’t tell us that this will be the solution but rather MIGHT be one of the solution because our government cannot support everyone in need. Work is not equal to people. Yes compare it to China. What is a difference? It is a communist country unlike in Philippines with “kanya kanya” system and corruption is rampant. China based from Sen. Joey Lina is populated but unlike the Philippines, China’s economy is soaring high. Investors went there because of the tax, low salary for workers and if there is no corruption, it is moderated.

          

My new view and stand and answer to the question " When does life begins?"

• It’s a subjective question and could answer or defines by different authorities philosophically,   morally, religiously or liberally. It depends on the perception, culture and tradition of the receiver of this question. I would go with my endocrinologist point of view which is towards the liberal definition, it’s after 24 weeks of gestation, when there is already a fetal vitality. Morally and in religious point of view it’s when there’s a fertilized egg or after the ovulation period. The question is not about abortion, because I myself is against abortion and that is why I am supporting the passage of the reproductive health bill that says Prevention of Abortion, for the quality of life, women empowerment, prevention of HIV/AIDS...

Using In Vitro Fertilization procedure is not easy, Celine Dion used this too. I am thankful to my husband’s health care provider which is Aetna, everything even the impossible became possible, the beauty of science. The process starts with checking of the estrogen level in my body. The purpose is to check when will be the exact menstruation period. With the help of many syringe and medicines, menstruation came for the preparation of ovulation period. It was a joyous and painful process. My husband is the one who was injecting the meds after a one try testing from the laboratory with a three inches syringe to my body and not to mention that there is a correct way or angle in doing it. Every day, it will be injected in the muscles whether to my arms or legs. The objective is for me to ovulate. On the time of ovulation, there’s a scheduled process in the clinic with my endocrinologist Dr. Daniel Navot, that will be the time they will inject the semen after being washed. Well they asked me to check the bottle if the name there is my husband’s name to make sure.

After the procedure, I waited for a week and checked with the use of disposable pregnancy test. Everyday, the lines was getting darker which means to say that the procedure is a success. I am pregnant. Weeks after, curiosity became me and the rest is history.

  I can’t help but being sad, disappointed and smile at the same time. We elected the best from the best but how come they cannot solve this. I don’t want to start about the Environment with all the Republic Acts and Climate Change. One step at a time, will someone who is smart, has power, has the best lawyer, has the best advisers, has all the money in this world can do something? I am your Boss.