Azkals and Basketball

I hope this recent interest in football or as known by the Americans, as soccer is not just a fad or uso lamang with the kilig factor.

I'm saying this because we are not very good at basketball. Despite a huge following and being the seemingly "national sport" and add to that, that every Tom, Dick and Harry could play it, adds to its popularity (sometimes traffic too with some basketball courts in the middle of the road.) But if anything, we are only mediocre in this game. Maybe its the height, who knows. The last time we made it big in basketball must have been about 50 years ago with Caloy Loyzaga. We may have dominated South East Asia and the Sea Games but compare that to the other sports that we truly have excelled in. 

Let me qualify my statement by comparing our gains in other sports were Filipinos do excel. We all know boxing- from Elorde, of course Pacquiao and now Donaire. Then we have bowling, with Paeng Nepomuceno and billiards in which we have several champions like Bata Reyes, Bustamante, recently Orcollo etc. 

Compare this with our gains in basketball (I know this may upset several people since Filipinos are passionate about this sport) but we have to consider other sports that is more in line with I guess, our physique and were we have made considerable gains. I hope besides the UAAP and the NCAA, that a football team for these league will develop. As mentioned by others, football will fit the average or typical Filipino physique. 

Wait, theres also golf were we may also excel but we have to keep out our politicians, generals and other government officials from playing internationally. For obvious reasons. 

Reproductive Health RH Bill and the Catholic Church

I believe a proper RH bill should be passed the sooner the better due to the following scenes which we may have encountered  on a daily basis.

Suffer the little children

These are children that I happen to pass by after coming from work. The walkway or pedestrian pass is located and connects to 2 big and major malls. As can be seen in the photos, hardship and deprivation started early for these young  children.

As we pass them by in our busy daily existence, it's either we feel pity or apathy towards them. Probably oblivious to their plight having our own problems.

Being reputedly the only Christian  country in Asia in terms of adherence and population, we are given a tremendous amount of  opportunity to practice such through Christian charity.

Do we feel compassion or are we immune to these kind of scenes that we see probably almost daily. Hence. if a parent or a person cannot support a child, one should not have them.

This is why I support the Reproductive Health Bill because of such and I believe it would help in proper spacing of the children and may pave the way for responsible parenting with fewer kids to look after.

This is why I am opposed to the Catholic church's stand with regards to family planning and on the use of contraception. If they are adamant in blocking the RH bill and campaign against it, they should do something about the plight of these kids (or are the member of the clergy oblivious to them too.) They should be pro-active and make concrete steps if they want to truly help the poor like children like these.

The way I see it, the clergy in this country lives a comfortable life. For those of us who are Catholics, you probably know what I mean.

I greatly admired what Carlos Celdran did and it was good timing that Cardinal Rosales and the Papal Nuncio were there to get the message across. If they understood it or acknowledge it, is another matter.

So maybe the clergy should take care and adopt these kids and hundreds like them and practice what they preach.

Please note that I myself am a Catholic and this is not meant to attack the Catholic church. I just do not agree with the Catholic church's policy on population and frustrated that most politicians are so scared (and helpless) to contradict the Catholic church as well as other church sects.