#mandanas

Dear Hon. Mandanas I am Bel Santos, a 3rd year college student. I have emailed your office the other day, but I am not sure if you received it or if you have read it. If not, That email intended to ask what your stand was regarding the issue and what your reason was. Yesterday, through Ma’am Beth Angsioco, I found out that you were positioned anti-RH bill. Regarding this issue, I would want to talk about two things. One, I am aware that on the 7th, the representatives in the congress will cast their votes, if they will continue with the debates regarding the bill or stop the debates and start the amendments. This means that those who are pro-RH bill will vote for the debates to stop so the amendments could proceed, and for those who are anti-RH bill, they will vote for the continuation of the debates, meaning it will take more time before the bill reaches the amendment stage, delaying the whole thing. The bill has been debated upon for a long time already and I do think that those debates are enough. The bill has been edited a lot of times and I do think that the current version is the best that it can be. For me, the next best thing to do is to pass it already.  Regarding this first point, I am requesting you, dear sir, to please do attend the session on that day and please do vote. Your attendance is very crucial, and, more crucial is your vote. You are our representative to the congress, and so your vote reflects our decision as you constituents. I hope you consider the view of the whole 2nd district, all of the people who live here, and not just one religion, especially not what the leaders of this religion say their followers believe. I know that our district is made up of mostly Catholics, and our community has close relations to the Church. However, I would want to say that not all of the Catholics are anti the bill. I have talked to a lot of the people including some the most pious Catholics I know, and these people are pro-RH bill. I do not understand why the Church speaks for every Catholics because clearly, the people do not have a homogenous opinion regarding the matter. The view of those who have positions in the Church are different from the views of the members of this Christian community. And so sir, I ask of you, to please consider the view of everyone regarding this matter. Please do not be influenced by a major group in our community who say they speak for everyone. Please be the representative of everyone here. Please be OUR representative. Second point sir, I would want to express why I am pro-RH bill. I am not sure if I could convince you and change your personal view on this, but I will express my point nonetheless. My reason for being pro-RH bill is simple: I fight for providing better life choices to other people and giving them a chance to live better lives. Most especially I fight for those who can't fight the battle themselves.  I care for the women who get sick and develop complications because they don't have access to the healthcare they need. I care for those children who lose their mothers because they weren't given enough attention and health services. Mothers and infants die everyday because the health system does not promote for the betterment of these mothers and infants. We need to change this system, and for me the RH bill is the best solution. I care for their families who suffer as these women and infants suffer. I care for the teens who get pregnant and make the wrong decisions because they don’t know any better. They need to be educated and the Rh bill addresses this. I care for our country’s future. I also dream of productive employment and sustainable human development. RH bill works for this. Hon. Mandanas, I am sure that I cannot change your views and decisions just like that. but I am still hoping. In the end sir, I would want you to know that I am hoping you'll make the right decisions. I have known you since I was a kid, because you were one of the few good people who supported the Swim Team of Batangas in which I am part of. Since then, I have utmost respect for you and I supported your endeavors. You have supported us in our goal, no matter how small our group was. And because of you and those few other people who supported us, we have succeeded and the team now has representatives to different varsity teams and national competitions. Our team is no different from those mothers and infants who the RH bill supports. Our team is no different from the poor people who are fighting for their right to access the healthcare they need. We needed your support and you supported us. These mothers, infants and poor need your support, too. That is all Hon. Mandanas. Thank you!