Nun of Your Business

My friend Lagrimas husband Manoling is a carpenter who works in a convent. One day he bought a pack of condom for his personal use as Lagrimas told him she does not want to be pregnant again. Manoling could not do anything as the wife does not allow him to have sex with her if he does not have protection against pregnancy when she’s fertile.

At ito ang nakakatawang kuwento. Isang araw habang nagpipintura si Manoling sa mga kinakalawang nang yero sa bubungan ng kumbento ay biglang sumakit ang kanyang tiyan at nakaramdam na parang gustong niyang magbawas. Mabilis siyang bumaba gamit ang isang hagdanan mula sa bubungan. Ngunit sa pagmamadali niya ay hindi niya namalayan na nalaglag ang isang paketeng condom mula sa kanyang bulsa.

Nagulat na lang siya kinabukasan nang siya ay tawagin ni sister Petra para kausapin.

“Sa iyo ba ito,” sabay abot sa kanya ang kanyang condom.

Hindi na siya nakapagkaila pa. “Opo.”

“Bakit may dala kang condom dito, di mo ba alam na bawal iyan sa kumbento?”

“Pasensiya na po hindi ko sinasadya.”

“Dapat noon mo pa naisip iyan, bakit may paggagamitan ka ba dito?”

“Wala po.” Ang malumanay niyang sagot.

“Natural, sino ang paggagamitan mo kami?” Pinandilatan pa siya ng madre.

“Nakalimutan ko pong iwan sa bahay…”

“Manoling, nagpa-family planning ba kayo ng misis mo?”

“Opo,” namumula na ang mukha nito sa hiya.

“Ay naku Manoling magisip-isip ka, bawal iyan sa Diyos at baka sa impierno pa mapuntal ang iyong kaluluwa.”

“Pasensiya na po, hindi na po ito mauulit.” Ibinulsa ang kanyang isang paketeng condom at tatalikud na sana papunta sa kanyang kimukumpuning bubungan nang bigla siyang pinigilan ng madre.

“Curious lang ako Manoling, may sizes ba ang mga condom?”

“Opo,” hiyang-hiya siyang sumagot.

“Iyang nabili mong condom mo, anong size?”

“Extra Large po!” At mabilis na niyang iniwan ang madre.

“Sus Maria, ganon pala kalaki! Kawawang babae…”

Hindi makapaniwala. Pailing-iling pa ang Madre.

Thy Condom Comes; The Politics of Contraceptives

This is the news, “Women activists present condoms to Philippine bishops.” What’s new? The Philippine Catholic bishops have been waging a bitter war with the government against the use of contraceptives. The Catholic church has never been weakened with its stiff stand against Family Planning and the use of artificial methods of birth control.

The Philippine Catholic Bishops have always been critical of any administration or political parties that support birth control and family planning. In fact presidential aspirants in the like of Senator Noynoy Aquino have been very careful with their stand with regards to population issues. The Bishop can always call on the Catholic faithful some 75 millions out of the 90 to 100 million Filipinos not to vote for any candidate who supports the family planning program of the government. One of the important criteria the good Bishops are looking to any politician vying for an elective position in the government is his policies and stand on the issues of family planning and birth control.

Even if President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo knows the significance of high birth rate in combating poverty problems in the Philippines, having been once a DSWD secretary, she tends to be careful with its population management program so as not to provoke the ire of the already critical Clergies to her administration. The bishops also took advantage of the government soft stand on Family Planning and birth control by calling for a ban on the advertisement of condom however the Arroyo’s administration only shrugged off their demands.

As if trying to maim the bishops stiff opposition on birth control and contraceptives, here comes Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral (former DSWD Secretary) “handing out condoms on February 13 as part of an information campaign on HIV-AIDS.” Her action may not necessarily be the collective stand of the government but nobody in the bureaucracy stood up to sanction her. She had not violated any law, she just exercised her political independence to promote actions responsive for the health and general welfare of the entire population. Yet the Bishops angrily called for her to resign.

But Health Secretary Cabral found allies on women’s health and rights advocate groups like the Party of the Workers who picketed and presented two baskest full of condoms at the headquarters of the Catholic Bishops Conference.

Judy Ann Miranda, the party’s secretary-general asked the bishops to “bless the condoms as a conciliatory gesture to unite for reproductive health and women’s rights” but unfortunately no bishop was around to receive/bless it.

As a response to the women activists action the bishops said, through spokesman Monsignor Pedro Quitorio, that they could not compromise on the church’s opposition to birth control devices. Again, a manifestation of the unwavering Catholic dogma on contraceptive devices which are perceived to tamper with the flow of nature and life. They the bishops however have no specific response on how to promote women’s reproductive health and quality of life.

“If contraceptives are immoral, nothing can change that… not even the vote of the whole country can change that,” Quitorio said. But should he not consider also immoral to see the health of women deteriorate just because couples are denied on the used of contraceptive devices. I think there is nothing more immoral than allowing spread of diseases and overpopulating the limited space we have in this country just because we can not control our rapid population growth.

And going back to politics, is the issue on contraceptives a leverage for a politician to improve his chances of winning in the presidential race? Will the good bishops support senator Manny Villar if he makes a covenant with the Catholic Church in the Philippines never to support legislative measures that advocate the use of contraceptives and other birth control devices? What will happen to the leading presidential candidate on surveys now should he decide to go against the bishops on their resistance to contraceptives and population control programs of the government?

So there we go, peace on earth and condom to all!

Maghapon na Nakatayo (They Stood their Ground)

They stood their ground, it is not in the battle but in an 8-hour funeral march for the late president Cory Aquino. The armed forces they represent are proud of them; they did not fail them. In return the three military honor guards shall be given medal of honors while their lone counterpart from the PNP is now due for promotion. Congratulations gentlemen.

MAGHAPON NA NAKATAYO

Sa edad na 28, parang kuwarentay sinko anyos na itong si Drima. Nag-asawa siya sa edad na labing walo at sa sampong taon na pagsasama nila ng kanyang mister na si Lauro, edad 29, ay nakasampo na sila ng anak. Anim ang babae, at apat na lalaki.

Sa hirap ng buhay dapat ay tumigil na ngunit buntis na naman itong si Drima. “Tumigil na kayo, hindi na ninyo kaya pang magdagdag ng isang pakakainin” ang laging ipinapayo sa kanila ni aling Taling na nanay ni Drima. Oo lang naman sila ng oo ngunit maya-may nandiyan na naman sila na walang kasawa-sawa sa paggawa ng bata.

Wala ngang bisyo si Lauro ngunit kakarampot naman ang kinikita at si Drima naman ay wala nang inatupag kundi mag-alaga ng bata. Kaya nagalit na si aling Taling sa anak.

“Hindi lang naman iyang pekpek mo ang may pangangailangan a Drima. Isipin mo sampo na ang iyong anak, papaano mo ba bubuhayin silang lahat at pag-aaralin niyan?” Parang masinggan kung makabuga ng mahahanghang na salita itong kanyang nanay.

“E kasi itong si Lauro sobra ang pagkahilig na magpatuka ng manok. Maya-may umuuwi siya at nangungulit. Pampabuenas daw para ganahan siyang magpasada,” ang lagi namang ikinakatuwiran ni Drima.

Pero para kay Lauro hindi siya dapat sisihin. Sabi niya kay Drima: “Bakit ako ang sisisihin mo, tuwing aalis ako para magpasada lagi mong pinipisil-pisil itong sandata ko sabay bulong na may sabong tayo mamayang gabi. Pareho lang naman tayo na mahilig a.”

Delikado ang ganitong palitan ng salita, away na ang kasunod.

“Hoy tumigil ka diyan ha, Lauro. Kung hindi ko pa alam na maghapong nakatayo iyang panabong mo. Laging nakatingala sa langit at parang sundalong naka-attention habang kinakantan ang Pambansang Awit. Paalis ka na nga lang ay nanghihipo ka pa ng aking dede at namiminger. Magsalita ka, libogero!”

“Aba kung makapagsalita ka, di ba parang panting nakakula’t nakababad sa tubig na may sabon iyang sunflower mo? Laging basa at nakatingala sa araw. Text ka nang text at pinapauwi kung ano-ano ang dahilan mo diyan. Iyon pala gusto mo lang ng fight. Libogera ka rin!”

Galit na si Drima, gustong sampalin ang asawa pero binalaan siya ni Lauro.

“Sige sampalin mo ako at isang buwan kitang hindi sisipingan. Tignan ko lang kung hindi ka matuyoan ng pekpek.”

Sa lakas ng kanilang boses dinig ng buong Barangay ang kanilang pinaguusapan. Napapatawa na lang ang kanilang mga kapit-bahay sa mga salitang nadidinig.

Kaya nang minsang nagawi ako sa kanilang Barangay ay dinalaw ko sila at upang kausapin tungkol sa kanilang problemang mag-asawa.

Sa paguusap namin ay kapwa namang nagsabi na gusto na nilang tumigil sa pagpaparami ng bata. Ngunit papaano? Nasa mataas na level pa rin ng fertility ang babae at aktibo naman sa seks itong si lalalaki. Kaya naman “Family Planning and Responsible Parenthood” kaagad ang pumasok sa aking isipan na makakatulong sa kanilang problema. At kapwa namang sumang-ayon nang aking iminungkahi ito.

Nagpa-tubal ligation kaagad ang babae. Kaya ganon na lang ang tuwa ni mister nang malaman niyang wala na siyang pangamba pa kahit magdamag silang magsabong pa ni misis. Kaya nang puwedi na niyang sipingan si misis ay bumili siya kaagad ng dalawang kilong karne baka na pambulalo upang mapaghandaan nila ang kanilang laban.

Ngunit hindi dito nagtatapos ang kanilang problema, maliit lang ang kanilang kinikita at huminto pa nga ang kanilang panganay sa pag-aaral. Naisipan kung ilapit sa isang foundation si Drima para pautangin siya ng maliit ng puhonan para magtayo ng maliit na tindahan. Dahil wala namang ginagawa sa bahay ang nanay ni Lauro, pinakiusapan naman siya ni Drima na siya muna ang mag-alaga ng kanilang iba pang anak habang ito ay nagluluto at nagtitinda ng mga kakanin sa isang paaralan na malapit sa kanilang bahay. At para mabawasan naman ang mga batang inaalagaan ni Drima ay isinama na ni Lauro ang isang magdadalawang taong gulang na anak sa kanyang pamamasada ng tricycle.

Sa ngayon iisa na lang ang inaalala ni Drima, iyong kanyang bunso na kanyang ipinagbubuntis noon nang dalawin ko sila sa kanilang tahanan. Lahat ng mga ibang anak nila ay nag-aaral na. Ang kanilang panganay na si Liza ay magtatapos na sa high school sa susunod na taon. Ngunit napaghandaan na nila ang kanyang pagaaral sa kolehiyo.

May malaking karinderya na si Drima at may katulong na rin siya ngayon sa kanilang tahanan. Apat na ang tricycle ni Lauro ngunit hindi na siya nagpapasada, ipinapa-boundary na lang niya ang mga ito. Tumutulong na lang siya sa karinderya ni Drima.

Tinanong ko kung aktibo pa rin sila sa kama, tumawa lang si Drima nadoble pa raw. Iyong nga lamang at hindi na maghapon na nakatayo ang manok ni Lauro, magdamag na lang daw.