The Bill to Beat

Two bills on population control and reproductive health are making headlines in the news, I just thought I should post the text of the bills (apparently pretty hard to find) for us to review. There are many different opinions being thrown around in cyberspace, I'd welcome yours as well. I will also post the files in the Archived Documents section.

The first is the "Reproductive Health,Responsible Parenthood and Population Development Act of 2007" or HB16 (it appears as HB00016 or HB00017 in different websites), authored by Rep. Edcel Lagman. He delves into it in the Inquirer HERE, with a dissenting opinion HERE.

Click HERE to download the text of the bill.

The second is authored by lady solon Janette Garin entitled "Reproductive Health Care Act" or HB812 (HB00812), which "...establishes the Reproductive Health Care Program that recognizes women's rights and gender equality and ensures universal access to reproductive health information, education and services. Comprehensive health care includes measures that promote safe motherhood, care for persons with HIV/AIDS and other STIs, infertility treatment, and male involvement in reproductive health."

Click HERE to download the text of the bill.

THIS version is more readable (and text searchable), but I'm not sure if it's the updated one, since it was last edited in August 2007, I found it as a .doc HERE.

I'm posting these in case any of you wanted to do any more research into this. Here are examples of different opinions on the matter:

First, the CBCP is already waging an active campaign against the bills, which have already won a spot on the Anti-Family Watch List of the ALFI.

However,

The Warrior Lawyer gives his take, and opines against the church's continued opposition to these bills, saying, "...there is none so blind as those who refuse to see."



Have a good weekend my friends.

So It's True

Apparently the Easter Group really is trying to distance themselves from Remarville. They don't even list it in their "Restoration" villages list on their site.

I have heard (and seen a comment about it) that all CFC members have now been unceremoniously delisted. It is no surprise that this has caused an incredible amount of stress to the beneficiaries who have looked forward to their home there. IF they truly are denying involvement in Remarville, they're going to have a tough time denying it, considering they themselves sent out an email from a certain Mario Pareno basically admitting that FFL members had "taken over" over the site (found near the end of this entry). I also don't know how they're going to explain the "RESTORATION" plastered on the entrance arch. I guess we'll have to be prepared for whatever spin they attempt. If any of you have any more information or documents regarding this, I'd welcome it. You know where to reach me.

So after making a complete mess of things, they now want to deny and walk away from everything. How nice.

* * *

A recent comment brought up a very very important item. We as a community firmly believe in the power of prayer. I apologize that I have been so focused on bringing forth the facts about the recent events that have not even made a personal plea for it. I am asking now for all us to make it a point to PRAY for a resolution to these issues. Let us all pray for the favorable conclusion of our fight for our name; let us pray for God to soften the heart of Jun Junia and allow our brethren their homes. Most importantly, lets us all pray TOGETHER.

If any of you can arrange group prayers in your respective chapels, please do so. If we can arrange an even bigger group, please, do your best. It's high time to raise our problems and pain to the Almighty and trust Him to make things right. I hope that we can all try and make this a priority this Sunday, and the subsequent Sundays, and if you can do it everyday, all the better. In fact, if you need me to post your announcements for prayer meetings, I'd be more than happy to do so.

Have a blessed weekend bloggers.

A Call To Arms Pt 2

UPDATED 08/14/2008 7:45AM
Poll added on the right, I'd like your opinion on what direction we should be going on this issue. Thank you.

UPDATED 08/11/2008 4:45PM
CBCP News Item added.

Hello all, I have to get some sleep for an early day tomorrow, but I just wanted to post the latest on the Easter Group's SEC shenanigans. We'll get more in depth later. For now I'll let you all read the documents and make your own observations, and then tell me why we as community shouldn't be up in arms right about now.

A good friend once told me, a long time ago, when I confided to him that someone was spreading lies about my business and I had been staying silent about it,

"When under attack and you sit by and do nothing, who are you really helping?”

These are publicly available documents through the SEC. Lets go and play "catch the anomaly":









Download all the documents as a pdf HERE.

In related news, the CBCP website gives us an update of CFC's defense of its name in the international arena.

Couples for Christ members fight for ‘name tag’ in court

MANILA, August 10, 2008—The tussle among members of Couples for Christ has not ended after a year it got divided.

Now the bone of contention among the two groups is about the “name tag,” making the matter a “legal battle” in a court.

Couples for Christ Inc., the outgrowth of a religious movement that began in the Philippines in the 1981, has sued four organizations that use its name for trademark infringement.

The Couples for Christ chapter based in West Palm Beach, Florida, has three registered US trademarks, including “Couples for Christ,” “CFC,” and a stylized cross design.

The organization provides educational services and religious and relationship counseling to couples and individuals, according to the Aug. 1 complaint filed in Los Angeles federal court, said a Bloomberg report.

Couples for Christ USA of Renton, Washington; Couples for Christ-Nor Cal, of Modesto, California; and Couples for Christ USA Southern California are all accused of infringing on the trademarks.

Couples for Christ Inc. says it repeatedly asked the defendants to quit using the marks, but they have repeatedly refused, court papers said.

The organization asked the court to order the defendants to quit using the marks, and for unspecified money damages. It is asking that the damages be tripled to punish the defendants for their acts of infringement.

Edward Schwartz, Thomas Daily and Steven Lauridsen of Pasadena, California’s Christie, Parker & Hale represent Couples for Christ.

Earlier this year, the Couples for Christ was rocked by an internal dispute that spilled over to the Securities and Exchange Commission and the courts in the Philippines.

The dispute pit the Couples for Christ Foundation Inc. of Frank Padilla against the Couples for Christ Global Mission Foundation identified with Gawad Kalinga’s Frank Meloto.

While the SEC ruled in favor of Padilla’s group, Meloto’s camp vowed to take the case all the way to the Supreme Court. (Santosh Digal)

Bold/Italic highlight mine.

Funny little faux pas there, Mr. Digal. I'd expect someone with a Bachelor's Degree in English to do a better job proof reading his own work. No worries, no harm done and thanks for the Monday giggles.

Ok folks, it's looking like the Easter Group is pulling its political strings - which our IC may not have or is unwilling to resort to. There is no other way this anomaly-riddled joke of a petition at the SEC could have gotten through without it. That leaves it all up to us, the VOTING members who can let our voices be heard loudly at the polls. Where are you guys? Are we 300 really going to be the only ones holding fast at the gates then? Look, I know you might think we're going to look really sexy in our spartan outfits replete with plumed helmets as we make our stand, but seriously now, what will it take for us all to act? When it is too late?

There is a way to save the IC its lawyer fees, headaches, and lost hair (joke joke joke...wala namang tinamaan), and that is by mobilizing on our own to be HEARD. While 50,000 voices outside the SEC office may not have the legal venom of a lawyer's petition for a Writ of Certiorari or TRO, but trust me, it CANNOT be ignored. Not that I'm downplaying our lawyers' good work, but the 4th quarter bell has sounded and our star players have to be on the court.

That means US. We are CFC's strength, each one of us. In the lives we lead and the examples we lay down, we show what CFC is all about. Let the SEC hear our displeasure. Let Mr. and Mrs. Villar realize whose votes actually matter. There I said it. I hope you see this, Manny. I HAD a lot of respect for you.

Remember guys, Jericho's walls came down eventually: Due to persistence. The Easter Group may reek of inconsistencies, lies, and corruption, but there is one thing they are doing right, they sure are persistent. Remember the endlessly repetetive droning of veering, of partnering, of nation-building? Need I tell you what the Servant General's strategy is?

They have changed tactics over and over, and over and over. Now from the looks of it, they're going to try the "death by a thousand cuts" approach. DO WE LET THEM?

Realize that if the Easter Group is able to retain the CFC-FI name, they will be able to tell US not to use it.



To be continued.

Blogger Issues

Hello bloggers, I notice we're seeing comments getting posted late and other related issues. I'm checking with Blogger to see what the problem is. I also see that one of the older entries is getting re-sent by Feedburner if you had signed up to receive the blog entries through email. I'm also checking with Feedburner regarding that, tho it might be related to the blogger issues.

Sorry about that and I hope for your understanding.

Boom De Ah Dah

Some weekend fun before the defending begins anew.

Thanks Athrun!