Pagadian first anti-RH rally draws 8,000

PAGADIAN City, Aug. 1, 2011—As an answer to the obstacles being posed by pro-RH goverment officials which prevent a culture of life from flourishing in the country, the bishop, clergy and lay people of Pagadian diocese with Human Life International (HLI) Pilipinas organized the first Pro-Life & Anti-RH Prayer Rally in the city on July 30.

An estimated 8,000 pro-life rallyists trooped to the city’s public plaza to denounce the evils of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

The event in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur got going at 7:00 in the morning, starting with Holy Mass at the Santo Niño Cathedral. 

At exactly 8:30, thousands of placard- and streamer-bearing people—many of them, including students, coming from 24 different parishes—marched around the main streets of the city. 

Similar to the marchers of the Dipolog pro-life rally just a week before, a huge number of participants came from as far as 160 kilometers away, riding in open cargo trucks just to be able to manifest their desire to be one with the Church in opposing the RH bill.

The march was followed by the rally which consisted of four major speakers shedding light on the issues at hand. 

First was Fr. Rico Sayson, who spoke on the moral and spiritual evils of the bill and why this bill can never be acceptable to the Church. 

Sayson reminded Catholics never to become traitors to the Church.

Next to speak to the crowd was Dr. Rene Josef Bullecer, director of HLI Pilipinas, who discussed the origin of the P3 billion-legislative measure, the anti-life and pro-abortion forces behind it along with the demographic consequences of enacting it into law.

Bullecer likewise showed why, based on the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the RH bill is unlawful on many levels. In addition, he enumerated the reasons why the Philippines remained poor despite the imposition of population control in this country as early as 1967 by then President Ferdinand Marcos, who advocated artificial family planning as a remedy to the so-called overpopulation and economic hardships. 

He also delved on graft and corruption—which involves nearly all branches and departments of government—as the main cause of the misery and worsening hunger being experienced by the people.

Encarnacion Blanchia, former town mayor, was the next to address the crowd, explaining the untold evils of the RH bill, including the destructive effects of contraceptive use on women's bodies—something to guard against considering that birth control drugs and devices are expected to flood the country in the name of "reproductive health" and "reproductive rights."

A Muslim sultan then spoke to the thousands of rallyists, explaining why the bill is contrary to the teachings of Islam. He called on the Filipino people to be united and work as one so that the controversial piece of legislation will never be passed in this country.

Though unable to show up personally, Pagadian Bishop Emmanuel C. Cabajar, CssR had his prepared message read to the crowd. 

The bishop urged all Catholics to be good soldiers of Christ, ready to defend the faith, the sacredness of life and the sanctity of marriage, especially now that legislation on divorce and "homosexual rights" are also being filed in both Houses of Congress. (John Luke Evangelista)