Political Speech

My constituents, my fellow countrymen and my dear brothers and sisters have a pleasant good day.  The issues that I am addressing to you are not as new as the high-technology change more rapidly but are old as the society of human being ever existed.  Morality is the paradoxical reality of every person around the globe; it depends upon the culture, religion and outlook of perception of a human person.  What the good for me is not good for you; and the good for us is not the good for others.  Now let me underscore morality; what is morality?  Morality is pertaining or relating to the conscience or moral sense or to the general principles of right conduct.  It is also cognizable or enforceable only by the conscience or by the principles of right conduct depending upon or resulting from probability; raising a belief or conviction in the mind independent of strict or logical proof.

Now let me address the issues of Divorce, polygamy, same sex marriage, early marriage, illegal drugs and war on drugs, one child policy and the issue of reproductive health law in our nation.  Let me address first the issue on divorce in Biblical perspective.  Divorce in the Old Testament is permitted or legal; but on the contrary the New Testament is quite against it.  As we can read in the Gospel of Saint Mathew 9:8-9 (TNIV) Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”  And in the Gospel of Saint Mark 9:10 we can read “Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Yet there is exception to this as we can read in the Gospel of Saint Mathew 5:32 (NASB) but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for [the] cause of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” it is very clear that the Bible itself provide an exception to the teaching about divorce in the New Testament.  Then my dear constituents it is respectfully submitted that I am in favor of the legalization of a divorce bill or law in the Philippines.

As to the issue of Polygamy, we are already known that our minority Muslim brothers and our native folks are exempted to the monogamous stipulations of our Family Code.  And for my opinion, we should respect this one.  The Philippines is a majority Christian Nation; Christianity teaches monogamy in accordance to the Bible as we can read this one in again the book of Mathew 19:4-5 (NASB) “And He answered and said, "Have you not read, that He who created [them] from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh”; hence the Philippines should continue to uphold monogamy. 

As to the issue of same sex marriage; with due respect to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community; is a blatant disregards to the moral teaching of Christianity.  As we can read in the First letter of Paul to the Corinthians 6:9 (TNIV) “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor practicing homosexuals.”  We should love LGBT community, yet this love must be based on morality of human persons. 

            As to the issue of early marriage; I would like to quote the provisions of the Family code about marriage.  Family Code of the Philippines Article 5 which state that “Any male or female of the age of eighteen years or upwards not under any of the impediments mentioned in Articles 37 and 38 of the Family Code, may contract marriage.”  I maintained that the legal age for the male and female to contract marriage is 18 years of age subject to the limitations of the pertinent laws of the Philippines.

As to the current issues of illegal drugs and war on drugs; yet as I had said these issues were not brand new. The fight of illegal drugs is excellent but the means does not justify the ends.  As stipulated in our Constitution the supreme law of the land; “No Person shall be deprived by his life, property and freedom without due process of law.”  If the war on drugs is all about killing drug addict it does not justify its end to eradicate drugs.  Every person has the capacity to change.  If you kill the person then you had disregard our Constitution; hence you are also a law breaker citizen!

On the issue of one child policy; this is an offensive and blatant encroachment of the fundamental right of every Filipino – the right of choice, freedom and the right of life!  I am very against of this policy because it is not only against morality but also against the society as well.  The issue of over population is not about the number of child; but it is issue whether or not the government is true to its mandate about the education and reproductive health reforms in our country.

My fellow countrymen; I would like to borrow the sayings of President John F. Kennedy which states that “ask not what the country do for you; but ask what you can do for our country” Once again good day everyone!