After skewering the antis as the Devil’s Advocate, now I’ll be Darwin’s Angel to the pro RH people by skewering the statement of support for this bill.

To:  Philippine Congress

We are seriously disturbed that more than 10 Filipino women die every day due to pregnancy and childbirth-related complications. The big majority of those who die are poor women at the prime of their lives

Good argument. There is data to support this. The problem is in the context of the argument.

We are alarmed that 29 out of 1,000 infants die due to various sickness and illnesses that are preventable and curable.

I believe this is a case of appeal to emotion. Nothing can tweak at your heartstrings as babies can. But there is nothing wrong with that if there is an appeal to reason to go with it.

Will a low population growth rate reduce these incidents? The Catholic Church and the NSO are right to say that the population growth rate has decreased. But why hasn’t infant mortality decreased? Shouldn’t the inequitable nature of our health delivery system more have to do with it?

We are troubled that 4.9 million Filipino youth, aged 15-27 are sexually active but programs that would ensure their safety and help them become more responsible in dealing with their sexuality and relationships are severely lacking. Especially worrisome is the fact that 1 out of 5 female teenagers get pregnant before they reach their 20th birthday. 

This is a good argument. There is data to support this but what causes this sexually active behaviour? Is it 1) poverty, 2) poor church catechesis, 3) overpopulation? 4) lack of information or the wrong kind of information? 5) Or just plain Darwinian biology?!?

The evolutionary biologist in me thinks number 5 is most parsimonious! But take note this isn’t the appeal to nature fallacy. There is a heap of scientific evidence to support number 5. I won’t comment on the catechesis bit. Let the Catholic Church comment on that.

BTW is there truly safe sex? Since all behaviours entail risk, what then is safe? Perhaps monogamy?!?

These are just a few of the problems in the midst of the ongoing economic crisis, escalating poverty, and the ever-increasing prices of basic commodities and services. Moreover, the Philippine population grows unabated with almost 2 million individuals added every year. Researches [sic] consistently show that poverty is more prevalent among big families compared to smaller ones.

Is poverty the cause of increasing population growth, increasing prices of basic commodities and services? The data may show some correlation but that could be just a weak analogy. I also think the reverse is true, increasing prices of basic commodities is more determinant of poverty. There is stronger reason to believe that poverty is correlated to life expectancy. Also this argument of the pro RH people goes ppffffft when there is data to say that in a globalised economy the reason why we have these problems is that the world economy has outstripped the world’s resources to support it. Thus we have more poverty. The impending financial doom of the First World is testament to this.

Now research may consistently show that poverty is more prevalent among big families as compared to smaller ones. The strongest support for this argument is that there is less resources to go around within the family unit. However there are some sectors of society that use more at the expense of the rest and the reason has nothing to do with population. So why not consider Marxian redistribution( which as DJB implies has been implemented on Wall Street!) instead of this RH Neo-Mathusianism?

The acute lack of services and information regarding reproductive health:

* results in the untimely death of women and children;
* is the reason why our youth are largely unprepared to deal with matters pertaining to their sexuality and relationships; and
* exacerbates the effects of economic crisis and poverty on millions of ordinary Filipinos, especially those with big families.

Again there is some evidence to support these arguments. But it pays to choose the most simple argument.  Isn’t it more parsimonious to say that the breakdown of the family unit (which should be the best medium for transmitting these good memes as Rich Dawkins would lead us to believe ) is the reason why this is happening? After all there is much evidence to show that the family unit has contributed to evolutionary fitness in humans. Also monogamous marriage seems to be directly selected (even with the occassional “straying” by me and you! ) and reinforces the family unit. This direct selection has its evolutionary biology roots as well as cultural evolutionary roots and these do confer fitness. We have to throw this piece of information (first recognized by Darwin) to the proponents of the RH bill.

Why not promote monogamy education, monogamous health and a strong family unit instead? :)

Also women can die in childbirth even if their pregnancy was planned. Children die within the first 5 years of life due to inadequacy of health services.  Now will less children die or at least a lower proportion die if the RH bill is passed? If this is linked with a low population growth rate then the Catholic Church will be justified in its stand that the RH bill goes against its teachings. No one on both sides of the debate can seriously consider that the Church is against reducing child mortality. To say so is poisoning the well.

We believe that Filipinos, particularly the poor, urgently need access to information and services that will address their reproductive health needs.

Well everyone has the right to a belief. But can the signatories to the petition sign in behalf of the poor?

We believe that a rights-based, comprehensive, and responsive reproductive health law will help empower Filipinos to achieve a better quality of life.

What rights are they referring to? –unstated premise

We firmly believe that the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill into law will help actualize people’s, especially women’s rights to make informed decisions- Begging the question

How different is women’s rights from human rights?

Therefore, we call on our legislators to pass the Reproductive Health Bill into law now –wishful thinking?

BTW  the petitioners failed to mention the best argument. To me one of the best arguments for the RH bill is the claimed paternity of some show biz personalities turned politicians! :-)

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