Update 10-12-2011
Today we uploaded a preview trailer onto our Youtube channel.
Update 04-12-2011
Are US condom manufacturers pushing the RH-bill into the Philippines? Why is it taking 19 years for the RH bill to pass? Fr. Pascual of Caritas Manila and Elisbeth Angsioco of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines explain their position at:
Update 17-11-2011
We uploaded a new clip “What it means to be catholic in the Philippines”
Update 07-11-11
Majority leader of the Philippine Senate Tito Sotto and Dr. Enrique Tayag talk about why the bill is or is not necessary on our Youtube site:
Update 04-11-11
On this day our www.indiegogo.com/RH-bill passed the USD 500 mark.
To all contributors so far: thank you very very much 
http://www.indiegogo.com/R
Update 20-10-11
Today we uploaded a preview interview with an illegal abortionist:
Update 22-9-11
This week we will add an interview with artist Carlos Celdran who was arrested for the Damaso event in a Manila church. Also coming team up will be an interview with an illegal abortionist in Manila.
Stay tuned to www.youtube.com/reproductivebill and our facebook site.
Update 17-9-11
Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date
Update 11-9-11
Watch this trailer for the official launch of our Indiegogo.com/RH-bill site. See some of the people and place we met in the Philippines. We would also like to thank all those who helped us so far with this production.
Update 5-9-11
Today the RH-bill documentary launched a crowd funding campaign at http://www.indiegogo.com/R
Update 3-9-11
Red Tani of the Filipino Freethinkers and Eric Manalang talk about the RH Bill. In this clip Red also discusses the moment when Eric Manalang was trying to cast out Satan from the Filipino Freethinkers.
Update 1-9-2011
Msgr. Figura discusses the CBCP’s perspective on why the RH bill is immoral and how the CBCP perceives other cultures and catholic priests who support the RH bill.
Update 22-8-2011
Arguments against the RH bill:
Fr. Anton Pascual, Director of Caritas Metro Manila, discusses why the RH bill is not necessary and what church and government should do to fight poverty in the Philippines.
Update 14-8-2011
In a press conference on 25th July the CBPC said one can still be a good catholic and support the RH bill.
When asked if one can remain a good catholic, Spokesman Monsignor Juanito Figura said the CBPC won’t judge catholics as good or bad if they support the RH bill, effectively saying that catholics can support the RH bill.
Catholics supporting the RH bill may be “inconsistent” being catholic but it is ok to support the bill and it does not make you a bad catholic.
This makes sense – otherwise catholics around the world in countries other than the Philippines who have laws such as the controversial RH bill would have to leave the catholic church or face excommunication.
At 1 minute and 10 seconds you can view in the below clip the CBPC statement by Monsignor Juanito Figura.
There are also moderate voices in the catholic community of the Philippines. Fr. Bernas is one of them. He is also the Dean Emeritus of the Ateneo School of Law in Manila.
In this clip he talks about moral and religious issues surrounding the RH bill. Fr. Bernas has been called a ‘heretic’ by members of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines and has received hundreds of hate mails for his support of the RH Bill. Click here to read more about his position.
Update 4-8-2011
http://fritzkohle.de/rally-student-confession.mp3
The student in this audio clip confesses says that he and his peers were forced to attend the Pro life and CBCP rally at Club Filipino. He wanted to remain anonymous so we only have this audio recording. The students courage to speak up though is admirable considering the peer pressure before, during and after the rally.
You need a browser that can play mp3 files to listen to this audio file
UPDATE 28-7-2011
Last week we spoke with senators, priests, doctors, the rich and the poor and their views on the RH bill. We drove from one end of Manila to other every day in the search to an answer whether or not the RH bill is needed. Here is what Senator Tito Sotto had to say about law implementation and why the bill is not needed:
We followed pro life on their Club Filipino rally, saw the Knights of Columbus march, saw the Socialist Democratic Women educate families in Tondo, discussed contraceptive measures with activists of the women’s group Likhaan. From grass roots to senators – we covered most of those people we wanted to speak to.
And to all of them we extend our gratitude for finding the time to speak with us. All spoke about the RH bill with passion, we listened to some very compelling and convincing arguments for and against the bill. And it will take us some time to put together this film – so please bear with us.
Yet at the end of this very intense week I cannot help but wonder where all of this leaves the women, men and children living in places such as Tondo and San Andres. The one issue that kept coming up in all of our discussion was implementation of the existing law.
The CBPC says that this is up to the government. Senator Sotto says the task is to make the executive arm of the government responsible. And this sentiment was echoed in many of our interviews. Senator Lagman says he will presume proper implementation of the law.
Law implementation has not been working out in the past. Why should it work out in a new bill? No one was able to offer an answer to that question or a roadmap as how to get there.
Right now we are trying to set up interviews with members of the government who can shed more light on these matters. Still – presently we are left with more answers than questions. And there are still some 750 pregnant women and their babies in need of care in Fabella. This is a national crisis and perhaps it is time for the middle class to take responsibility.
Previous entries:
“RH Bill” tells the story of the people supporting and opposing the Philippine reproductive bill. The bill proposes some drastic changes in the way the Philippine government provides health care and family planning support.
95% of Filipinos are catholic – which means a public debate on family planning is highly controversial. Condoms for example are only available on prescription. Abortion is illegal, sex education or lack thereof in schools a hotly debated topic, teenage pregnancies and stillbirth take their toll among young mothers.
Bishop Arturo Bastes stated recently that the Filipino politician Edcel Lagman effectively “excommunicated” himself from the Catholic church by pursuing the controversial bill. Benigno Aquino, President of the Philippines, is also prepared to be excommunicated to ensure the reproductive bill passes.
Proponents of the bill argue that it is needed to deal with overpopulation in the Philippines. Some 101 million people live in the Philippines of which 32% live below the poverty line – nearly 33 million people. Or twice the population of the Netherlands. Another argument for the bill is that the use of condoms helps avoid teenage pregnancies.
Opponents of the bill claim that condoms will not tackle issues such as poverty and overpopulation. Better education, better family planning for all and fighting corruption is the right way to face these challenges. But is this approach realistic?
This documentary tells the story of people like Edcel Lagman who want the bill to succeed as well as opponents of the bill such as the Catholic church. This is a hotly debated topic in the Philippines and in addition to high profile stakeholders the ordinary Filipino will want to have a say in this matter as well.
Tell us what you make of this bill here.
