UP silent protest against RH draws courage from youth

UP silent protest against RH draws courage from youth

Pro-Life University of the Philippines students put anti-RH Bill protest signs along the university campus.

MANILA, July 2, 2011 [CBCP News]--It was a silent protest, but it looks like the demonstration carried out by some University of the Philippines (UP) students showed conviction to go against the grain in a campus that had been dismissed as simply going with the flow as far as support for a proposed birth control measure is concerned.

The students, part of a growing group dubbed UP Against RH, had been handing out around campus information materials revealing the truth about the Reproductive Health (RH) bill for a few days up to a July 1 march conducted by RH supporters.

They also tied red ribbons around trees and lamp posts and stuck the ubiquitous "No to RH bill" stickers in some parts of the campus to demonstrate the presence of the pro-life voice in what had been previously perceived as an RH-supporting university.

The silent protest culminated in red-garbed students walking with red balloons toward a crowd gathered at the steps fronting Palma Hall, one of the university's main buildings, for the RH activity, then releasing the balloons one by one.

"The whole RH bill [leads to] a culture of death," asserted John Juat, a senior student who took part in the protest, adding that the things he questions most about the measure are the mandated sex education component and the promotion of contraceptives.

The 21-year-old student noted that freedom and the availability of choices--with which many young people mistakenly associate the RH bill--are good, "but if you're giving too much freedom, it can be dangerous."

"Like for instance, in a multiple choice exam--the more choices you have, the more chances of getting a mistake. There's only one correct answer," he said.

"Now, there's only one correct answer [regarding the issue] and that correct answer is already within all of us--our values which have been taught to us by our parents since we were young."

Though freedom is good, "more choices" doesn't necessarily mean "better," according to Juat.

"If you're in UP (University of the Philippines) you're trained to be critical thinkers..." said Jove Tercero, also a senior student, who, though unable to take part in the red balloon walk, had spent the past days and nights preparing the materials for the protest activity.

Initially pro-RH--which is "somewhat the default stand" on the issue--he assumed contraception was a positive thing due to belief in the overpopulation myth. But "by reading and being more oriented with serious facts," Tercero said he has learned the truth about the issues.

Juat admitted being a little intimidated by the idea of the balloon walk at first, but related that an incident prior to the activity made him see things in a different light.

"It just started with one person approaching me, saying she has the same stand but is scared to speak up," shared Juat, who had been casually discussing the RH issue with friends, sometimes as part of class activities.

"Some who are pro-RH even approached me and said, 'I never looked at things the way you did. I thought what society was offering was the only way, but i think the option you stated is much better.'"

UP Against RH is a group composed of students and faculty. (Diana Uichanco)