Choices

This entry seems a bit late considering the amount of time that happened since the event. But I feel that the RH bill deserves to be mentioned, especially since I am in favor of its implementation. From the way I see it, this bill is quite promising.

Critics point out that the 3B pesos should have been used to provide jobs, build more schools, etc. claiming that these would be more helpful to solve the poverty situation. Apparently, RH bill’s primary goal is not to alleviate poverty, but to make sure that everyone gets to be properly educated about their options regarding family planning. “Informed choice” is the key phrase here.

Some, if not most, people may know about the options available for them. However, availability is different from accessibility, which is something that the RH bill is expected to provide. One could not expect a family that earns an amount below the minimum wage to easily avail of the contraceptives that they may use. In this situation, the priority of that family’s breadwinner(s) would be their daily sustenance, which is most possibly still barely enough for all the family members. The bill may not readily address the poverty issue, because its approach is meant to be somewhat proactive, not reactive. But if it does help later on, then that would be good.

Currently, the Congress and the Senate has ratified the bill and it is now waiting for President Aquino’s signature. His final ink stroke would ensure that bill will become a law. I’m looking forward to that day.

Paradox

People would generally agree that I am the silent-type of person. I could not really describe myself as shy. Perhaps, INTROVERT would be a more accurate term.

I have gotten used to their reaction whenever they get to know me better. At first, they may think that I just have refined manners or I’m just being demure. They tend to change their mind once they discover that I am usually straightforward when it comes to speaking my mind.

Recently, people have been asking me if I have a boyfriend. Of course, I am willing to tell them the truth—that I never had one. I can’t interpret their reactions whether they pity me, if they are surprised, or if they simply refuse to believe me. But if they have a hard time accepting the truth, I just tell them that I am not forcing them to do so.

Maybe it is because I am quite liberal about topics regarding sexual intimacy, and very vocal about my points of view as well. So much for stereotypes. If their follow up question is whether I am still a virgin or not, I just tell them that their guess is as good as mine. I know that they would find it even harder to believe that, at my age, I still am. So, I just let them assume whatever it is they like to assume. As for myself, I like to think that they find that the truth is shrouded in mystery.

Starting Out

So much has been blogged about the lives of the so-called “sexual minorities.” I usually get information about the social stratification within the gay community here in the Philippines. Sometimes I encounter blogs that aim to titillate its audience. I found them amusing at first, but they later lost their appeal. I may discuss my own reasons later on, if this blog will thrive.

Naturally, I do not expect my first entries to be elaborate, or very defining. Chances are they would tend to focus on my personal emotions-over-rational-thinking struggles. Readers may figure out later which of the two tend to prevail. As the year is about to end, I am hoping to develop a blogging skill that may be of some use to me.