Funds for education, not for contraceptives

The Reproductive Health bill has been touted as the cure for our poverty-stricken nation. Its proponents claim it will aid in the reduction of maternal deaths, decrease the cases of unwanted and unplanned pregnancies by providing access to contraceptives and sex education, curb our population growth and allocate funds for women’s reproductive health care. The proposed budget for the implementation of this program is a whopping P17 billion.

But do we really need to allocate public funds for the distribution of contraceptives? Will this create a marked improvement of our society in the long run?

I have personally taught in some public high schools that didn’t have enough funds for a conducive learning environment. I have seen students squeezed into classrooms like sardines, classrooms where there was no running water and the heat was oppressive. The teachers shouted to be heard above the cacophony of noise rising from different classrooms. Shortened class hours designed to accommodate a second batch of students did not help either. The teachers were tired, and yet they forged on. I’m sure they would have loved to get additional funding to improve the quality of education for our public school students.

Let’s put our public funds to good use. We do not need funding for contraceptives. Some may argue that we are poor because we are many. But it doesn’t necessarily follow that if we are less, we will be richer, stronger and better. We need education, discipline and good governance to solve the problems of our nation. Indeed, an educated and disciplined population can be our greatest asset.

—STEPHANIE OLIVARES,

Ayala Alabang Village,

Muntinlupa City