The Blog and Tour Schedule of Carlos Celdran. A man who is trying to change the way you look at Manila - one step at a time. Telephone: (02)4844945 Text/Cell:(0920)9092021 or Email: celdrantours@hotmail.com

Monday, July 28, 2008

WHEE! WHEE! WHEE! Part II

To all those out there who sent their best wishes regarding my little project of giving away modern methods of birth control, I say, "thanks, guys."  Some words you sent were very nice, while some were TOO nice in fact.  Because at the end of the day, there is no need for the kind words.  What I'm doing does not require any special talent.  Giving away condoms and pills is something ANY idiot with a little money and a pair of hands can do.

Some snippets sent to my mailbox:

"The article reminds me of my son's first yaya. She was in her early thirties with eight children. It broke my heart that she was helping me care for my baby while her youngest was not even a year old. To make a long story short, she got pregnant during her holiday and decided to return home. One afternoon, I entered her bedroom, I found eight identical little stuffed toys. This image will always be in my mind. As parents, we want to try to provide for our children. In her place I employed two of her sisters. They have been with me for six years now. If you ever need extra funds for the contraceptive donations, I'ld like to make a humble contribution."

"I loved the article in the Sunday Inquirer today about you handing out contraceptives, especially given all the crap I've been reading about the opposition to the reproductive health bill. How can I make a donation to help you buy more? Can you give me a bank account number so I can make a deposit? Or can I have a check delivered to you?"

"Great article on PDI mag re your efforts to distribute modern FP. Galing! Hope Madame GMA and her cohorts are taking note as well."

Well first of all, please don't send any money.  Yikes!  Aside from being an abortionist, estafa is another accusation I would want to avoid here.  If you wish, you can get TRUST Pills and TRUST condoms at any drugstore (generic ones being cheaper than Mercury, for sure).  It's only Php30.00 ish for a one month cycle of pills and Php10.00 per condom. I will be more than happy to pick 'em up and give them to mothers who want them (and Trust me, I know many). 

Or better yet, let charity begin at home.  Keep a stash of it in the cupboard and give it away to those around you who may need it.  Have condoms in your car for the "park-your-car" guy, buy a year's worth of pills for the squatter mother next door, give the yaya a tubal ligation, or gift your driver with a vasectomy (PROVIDED OF COURSE THAT THEY WANT IT).  Forcing them to have one, well, will bring about really strange and perhaps ugly scenarios.

And I know an organization that helps provide ligations for mothers in need.  If anyone out there wants info on this, you could text or email my address above.

Because, really, if the government won't set aside the funding or effort for this glaringly obvious need in our society, then perhaps we all should start doing it on our own.  Promoting sexual responsibility and advocating family planning (in all it's methods) doesn't require superpowers at all.  I can do it.  I'm sure all of you out there can as well.  No doubt.

And as for those who sent criticism regarding this matter, I ask, "Where are you?"  I am actually surprised that I received zero criticism so far about giving away pills and condoms. Hmmm.  Why is that?  Do Filipinos really secretly support this bill and won't say so?  Or perhaps, I may be talking too soon..

10 Comments:

Anonymous Ed Perez said...

I nominate Carlos Celdran for a TOYM Award.

12:55 AM  
Anonymous Cathy said...

I support your cause! What you are doing is great! More power to you! I would really like to contribute but I am abroad. How can I help you?

Cheers!
Cathy

4:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sex ed should be taught in high school. I was fortunate enough to learn about family planning before I turned 12. Strange circumstances, though: my mom's friend needed contestants in a population quiz show for students so I was recruited to become a warm-body contestant. Must be a hidden talent because I quickly understood what coitus interruptus meant before I was even able to fully memorize all the members of Kingdom animalia. Reached the national finals, too (YAY!). Turned out normal - no teen pregnancy, no unplanned kids, didn't become a sex maniac. People should not be deprived of information. I don't understand why the Catholic church is treating its faithful like dimwits.

4:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello, I read this from http://hivpos27.blogspot.com. This is in connection with promoting sexual responsibility. There is free HIV testing in Social Hygiene Clinic - Manila Health Department, 2nd Floor of 208 Quiricada Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila(green building across the main gate of San Lazaro Hospital, between LRT Bambang and LRT Tayuman Station) Spread the info, not the disease.

6:32 PM  
Blogger Merry Widow said...

It never occured to me to look closer to home, but now it's too late. My girl who helps me in my small business is pregnant, and to think her security guard boyfriend lives all the way in Laguna... I thought phone sex was 100% safe :P

10:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ey carlos, thanks for supporting the real pro-life bill. i was just wondering if the women know to use the pills you distribute. diba hindi ito pwede sa heavy smokers, lactating moms and diabetics?

11:37 PM  
Blogger Tesa Celdran said...

Love, you should contact TRUST for pills and condoms for you to give away.

I'm sure they'd be happy to support you. Stupid of them to not.

Now, how do we do that?

Anybody out there with a contact?

2:35 PM  
Anonymous Lawrence said...

Best of luck in this recent advocacy of yours carlos.

Now, as to a different advocacy, one that we both share (I read it here in your blog sometime ago), I would like to impart this good news to you:

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/108465/Bill-seeks-underground-laying-of-electricity-phone-lines

If you know of ways on how we can support this, I would love to hear it. Thanks.

7:25 PM  
Anonymous Sonny Abesamis said...

Mark Jimenez said, "We are the only Catholic country and Christian country in Asia, and yet, we are the most corrupt country. What else do you want me to tell you? Go ahead and make your own conclusions. Do we have the wrong God? Maybe we have the wrong followers. Do they have the right God? Maybe. And the right followers? Maybe. Now, it depends on what you believe in. You see, you’ve forgotten something. You’ve cheated your own people. You’ve destroyed the environment. And you ask what is my formula? Don’t destroy. Build. All you have to do is reverse this country."

AMEN!

10:21 PM  
Blogger StrayDog said...

"And as for those who sent criticism regarding this matter, I ask, "Where are you?" I am actually surprised that I received zero criticism so far about giving away pills and condoms." - carlos

I think it has to do with an outright refusal for discussion. To them it's, "Ah basta! Contraceptives are evil, our priest said so!" End of story.

No reason, no discussion, and nothing could ever sway them.

Oh and about those priests; of course they'd feel strongly against anything that could possibly turn sex into anything but an act of procreation. That would totally suck to have to see someone else enjoying sex and not you. Ay dios mio! People are having sex with a lesser chance of a pregnancy! I did not give up sex and it's pleasures! I only gave up it's consequences! Without the consequences, I'm on the crappy end of the deal! Hmmn..what to do... I know! Forbid everyone else from enjoying the act!

3:23 PM  

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