On responsible parenthood
THREE days ago, a man who was out on a dumpsite to look for reusable garbage found a bloody crime instead. Along with the opened tin cans and foul rats was a fetus left to decay by its mother.
As expected, some cannot resist to comment how heartless the mother was for doing such a horrific act. However, if we think about it. No one wants to kill anyone, much more their own blood.
Maybe it is time for everyone to welcome the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act and the complexities that come along with it so we would see less stories like these. Because whether we admit it or not, not everyone accepts contraceptives as means to choose the life you want to live.
On Monday, July 9, the Davao City Population Office (CPO) announced to install condom dispensing machines at the Davao City Council building as part of the office’s Responsible Sexuality Program.
City population chief Jeffrey Fuentes said they target to implement the project by September through the support of both local and private organizations in the city.
“For now, we’ll be having the condom dispensing machine for male comfort rooms because the female condom dispensing machines are expensive,” Fuentes said.
He said they are eyeing to install one or two dispensing machines. The condoms are not for free. It’s a vending machine. The price per condom will still be determined. Fuentes said this project is only one of the many programs being explored to address the issues on teenage pregnancies.
“We never consider this as a single solution, but what we are trying to do now is explore possible solutions that are not tested. Also, with the multifaceted issues concerning sex, the solutions must also be multifaceted,” he said.
Fuentes said if the program yields a positive result through its pilot testing, then it could be institutionalized.
With little steps like this, we hope that the government can promote the idea that everyone has the right when to have a child. And using contraceptives is not shameful, just being responsible.