| “CFC-FFL
IS PRO-LIFE”
Renewing
the Family and Defending
Life
CFC
FI AND ALL ITS MINISTRIES
STAND ALONGSIDE THE PHILIPPINE
CATHOLIC CHURCH IN OPPOSING
THE CURRENT PHILIPPINE CONGRESSIONAL
HOUSEBILL NO. 5043
SEC.
12 of HB 5043. Mandatory
Age-Appropriate Reproductive
Health Education.
– recognizing the
importance of reproductive
rights in empowering the
youth and developing them
into responsible adults,
Reproductive Health Education
in an age-appropriate manner
shall be taught by adequately
trained teachers starting
from Grade 5 up to Fourth
Year High School.
What
is wrong with this Section
of RH 5043?
1) By Philippine
Law:
Republic
Act 9344
Sec 6 provides:
"A child fifteen (15)
years of age or under at
the time of the commission
of the offense shall be
exempt from criminal liability.
However, the child shall
be subjected to an intervention
program pursuant to Sec
20 of this Act.
"A child above fifteen
(15) years but below eighteen
(18) years of age shall
likewise be exempt from
criminal; liability and
be subjected to an intervention
program, unless he/she has
acted with discernment,
in which age, such child
shall be subjected to the
appropriate proceedings
in accordance with this
Act.
"The exemption from
criminal liability herein
established does not include
exemption from civil liability,
which shall be enforced
in accordance with existing
laws".
2)
Commentary from The Hon.
Maria Belen R. Liban, mother
of five children, a Presiding
Judge, of the Regional Trial
Court of Malolos, and a
CFC FI leader:
"We should look at
the debate in Congress also
with reference to RA 9344
to know why the age of responsibility
was increased to fifteen
(15). The goal of RA 9344
is to protect the children
because they still do not
have the capability to discern
the gravity of one's liability,
in this period of latency.
The present reproductive
health bill seems to contradict
this law because it assumes
that children 11 years and
above, now have the capability
to discern serious matters
regarding sexual acts and
its possible grave consequences
to society."
3) How much can
a child, in the latency
period of psychosexual development,
absorb about this moral
responsibility in matters
of sex.
Familiaris
Consortio Sec 8
-
The education of the
moral conscience, which
makes every human being
capable of judging and
of discerning the proper
ways to achieve self-realization
according to his or
her original truth,
thus becomes a pressing
requirement that cannot
be renounced.
-
In the context of a
culture which seriously
distorts or entirely
misinterprets the true
meaning of human sexuality,
because it separates
it from its essential
reference to the person,
the Church more urgently
feels how irreplaceable
is her mission of presenting
sexuality as a value
and task of the whole
person, created male
and female in the image
of God.
-
In this perspective,
the Second Vatican Council
clearly affirmed that
"when there is
a question of harmonizing
conjugal love with the
responsible transmission
of life, the moral aspect
of any procedure does
not depend solely on
sincere intentions or
on an evaluation of
motives. It must be
determined by objective
standards. These, based
on the nature of the
human person and his
or her acts, preserve
the full sense of mutual
self-giving and human
procreation in the context
of true love. Such a
goal cannot be achieved
unless the virtue of
conjugal chastity is
sincerely practiced."(85)
Contributed by:
TEODORA:
IN DEFENSE OF THE AUTHENTIC
WOMAN, INC.
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