What a mess

DAVAO CITY: The mess at the Philippine National Archives has become a political football. It has confused and muddled the issues. It has distracted the smooth flow of governance of the nation once again.

This will not be the end of political mudslinging. This is like the bread and butter of those who make mudslinging their profession. This is bizarre, and the irony of it is that the President, who abhors dirty politics, is becoming the target of criticisms and finger-pointing.

But one thing is clear: President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo distanced herself from the fracas, and acted with dispatch by immediately asking Director Ricardo Manapat to go on leave. That is the appropriate thing to do. Manapat, who some people here are saying is "frying in his own fat", should go. By distancing herself from the brouhaha, PGMA is lending credence to her genuine desire to go to the bottom of the whole unfortunate incident. The sad thing is that while the plan was to discredit the opposition by "inventing" scenarios, the opposite thing is happening.

The President cannot prevent anybody from filing a case against anybody – in this case, those who are questioning the citizenship of Mr. Fernando Poe Jr., the opposition standard bearer, and she is not amused by the action of those who filed the case against Mr. Poe. I sincerely believe she knew nothing about the plan to discredit the opposition presidential candidate.

The Comelec must resolve this case as early as possible, and let those persons guilty suffer the consequences.

While much of the nation is talking about the National Archives brouhaha, some 30 non-government organization leaders and provincial health officers of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) are preparing project proposals to create awareness among the constituents of their communities of the link between the population growth rate and poverty. The workshop, called "Strengthening Social Acceptance of Family Planning in the Philippines Project", is a three-year USAID-funded project implemented by the Academy for Educational Development (AED) in collaboration with the Futures Group International (TFGI), Center for Development and Population (CEDPA), and Ketchum PR which was started in August 2002.

The participants come from Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, Marawi City, Maguindanao, and Tawi-Tawi. They are being taught to prepare proposals for USAID small grants funding for reproductive health projects that must be acceptable to the Islam leaders and their communities.

Very good news for reproductive health advocates is the AED’s having recently sponsored members of the Darul Iftah (council of Filipino Muslim religious leaders led by the National Grand Mufti Uztadz Omar Mohamad Pasigan of Cotabato City) to go on an observation tour and to confer and seek endorsement of the Grand Mufti of Egypt on the National Fatwa on Family Planning. The religious decree will be announced in mosques in March, and its having been passed has pleased the Muslim participants in the AED-sponsored workshop.

Uztadz Harybert Hadjala, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Health Office of Basilan City, tells this columnist that "As a Muslim, you should not just accept any family planning method without the approval of the ulama based on Koranic and the ways (hadith) of the Prophet. The National Fatwa is a religious decree that sets guidelines on what is acceptable and what is not as a method."

Harrybert says that Muslims are prohibited from using abortion and vasectomy as family planning methods. However, if the life of the mother is certain to be endangered, then abortion may be allowed. In the case of a man with incurable infirmity, then he may undergo vasectomy.

Dr. Fahra Oman, Provincial Health Officer of Sulu says that with the Fatwa "more Muslim women will be users of family planning methods or be advocates of birth-spacing, because they know they are in fact following the teachings of Islam. There will also be less "guilt" feelings because the women now know they are not going against the teachings of their religion. There will also be a positive impact on the male Muslims, i.e., they will be more involved in family planning issues."

Dr. Lily Rosqueta-Rosales recently launched her book, Cherished Memories, at the Heritage Park with Ann Marie Baradi, May C. Dumlao, Paz Puruganan, Conchita Umali and Naomi Damian interpreting in voice recital the five parts of the first chapter which deals with love and sentimental longings.

The Women’s Voices, conducted by Josie Garlit-Bailen with soloists Agnes Barredo, Esper Gutierrez, Andy Carlos, Claire Caraig and Suzie Narzo, sang love songs after each voice recital interpretation.

The choir of the Church of the Risen Lord at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, rendered a chorus under the baton of Joshibiah G. de Juan with Augusto Espino on the organ and Jun Ramos as soloist for the song of dedication, If With All Your Heart, from Elijah by Felix Mendelsson.

Cherished Memories was printed by the UP Printery and is a semi-biography of the late Rodolfo Ch. Veloso Rosales, Lily’s husband.

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