Some e-mailed responses from our readers

We do have our share of e-mailed letters or commentaries in response to our articles, especially on the various topics we write about, and I always respond to our readers, regardless of whether their comments are good or negative with the exception of those who often send us insulting letters. So allow me to reprint some letters that we got in the past three weeks.

We have two responses to our column on Spiritual Warfare. “Thank you for your article today in The Philippine STAR, ‘The RH issue; This is Spiritual Warfare!’ Indeed, the Church is and will always be consistent in her teachings. They are not subject to surveys and trends. Its individual Catholics who choose to obey only the Commandments that agree with their lifestyles steeped in consumerism and hedonism.

“Please continue to write in support of life, the unborn, marriage and the family. We need your help in junking the RH bill, divorce bill and whatever bill that catches the fancy and whim of this modern misguided world. Sadly, they are aimed at breaking the family, the basic unit of society. It will be only as strong or as weak, as what the government wants it to be. Responsible Filipinos must decide once and for all to live their faith, have a unity of life. Their beliefs and actions must agree, must be one and the same. Unknown to you, millions of readers do share your enthusiasm about your Catholic faith! God put you there for a purpose. May God always bless you and all your endeavors. Very truly yours, Ms. Ching Anuario.”

The other letter response comes from Sr. Ma. Carmela Cabactulan. “Many thanks for helping out clarify matters regarding the RH bill. Indeed, this controversy seems a warfare between law and faith. I presume many (if not all) of your readers understand that law is external (though it could be internalized) and faith is inherently internal (though manifestations may be externalized).

“I agree with Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez quoted in the same Philippine STAR Oct.6 issue urging the DOH and the FDA to issue strong public warnings after the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans stated that certain contraceptives are carcinogenic to humans.

“I also endorse another statement from the Philippine Medial Association calling on the government to spare young students and abandon any plan to distribute condoms and other contraceptives in schools. If many Catholics are ignorant of their faith morals and the dangerous side effects of contraceptives, the need for sufficient education (information) in morality and reproductive health is urgent and important before any law about it can be morally acceptable. I hope and pray that President Aquino will be open to guidance on this very delicate matter. From a concerned citizen.”

On the article we wrote about our support for drunken driving laws, we have this letter from long-time reader Joe Nacilla. “Dear Bobit, I doubt if there is really hope for improvement or change in our country. Your column of Oct. 2, 2010, mentioned about the bill of Cong. GMA on driving under the influence of liquor. What a waste of her time and energy. Will she be serious about it? In 2002, I made a suggestion of eliminating drug testing as one of the requirements in renewing our driver’s license with reasons thereof. This was included in your Sept. 8, 2002 column with your additional comments that alcoholism is also one of the main factors in road accidents.

“On the Sept. 16, 2002 issue of PhilStar, Sen. Villar found that no such law on driving against the influence of liquor exists in our country’s statute books, except in local ordinances. Sen. Villar filed a bill concerning the matter. We don’t know what happened. Maybe, it is still pending for deliberation. On the Oct. 5, 2002 issue of PhilStar, the DOTC chief batted for tough (drive against) drunken driving. You and I know the status thereof.

“After eight years, why file again another bill of the same nature changing only the amount of penalty and the author thereof? Why not just continue pushing the early approval to immediately solve or minimize road accidents? To save time, money and efforts, I suggest that our new congressmen review all pending bills and push immediate approval that needs priority.”

I fully agree with the observations of my good friend Joe Nacilla. It just makes me wonder how many pending bills are out there that could usher real changes to make this country run like heaven by Filipinos. But like what I’ve always said, Congress enacts bills that give businesses to the corrupt and the damned. A case in point is the drug testing that the LTO has required for license renewal. I was told that if drug addicts wanted to pass this test, all they need to do is refrain from using drugs for two days… then they’ll pass the drug test. But then too many centers can be “paid” anyway so you can still pass those tests even if you’re a drug addict. What’s the use of these drug testing centers, except it’s a lucrative business for “connected” friends?

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For e-mail responses to this article, write to [email protected] or [email protected]. Avila’s columns can be accessed through www.philstar.com.