A Final Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II

This may very well be the last time I would get to write a Harry Potter film review, for the highly successful franchise has cast its last spell and will be closing its curtains forever. There will be no casting choices left to  scrutinize, no deleted scenes to be angry about, no trailers to look forward to and no more movie date release to anticipate with bated breath.

It all ends with this.

And what a magical swan song it was. From the moment the WB logo floated onscreen up to the rolling of the credits, it was a thrilling spectacle ride for readers and non-fans alike. Having worshiped the books from the start, I am the kind of anal retentive movie-goer who frowns upon changed scenes and plot cuts. Fortunately, neither was rampant in this David Yates' masterpiece.

Part 2 of the Deathly Hallows was packed with action, spells and rubble from start 'till finish. One need not know what the bloody hell is happening just as long as one is aware that Harry's the protagonist and the bald guy with the non-existent nose is the evil one and it will still be enjoyable to watch. Even my Muggle  movie companion was mesmerized by the sheer brilliance of almost every scene. It was a breathtaking experience to witness the Wizarding World in shambles. One can really tell that this is the final hurrah and Harry is determined to go with a final bang.


THE BATTLE OF HOGWARTS

The film wasted no time in trying to explain the complicated aspects of Wandlore nor Dumbledore's shady past, and for that I am grateful. There is no way you could explain that much information to an illiterate audience who did not even care to crack open a single Harry Potter book. Instead, the screenwriters decided to tone down the plot details and hyped up the chaos and pandemonium, which translated better on the big screen. It was a wise decision indeed.

And as our heroic Trio found themselves back in Hogwarts, the plot and my heart took flight. This was it. This was the moment we've all been waiting for. The Great Battle. The ultimate war between the power of love and love of power. And I think every reader could attest that there was distinct feeling of thrill, exhilaration and awe upon watching the scene unfold right before our very eyes.

As with the book, the moment Professor McGonagall animated the once lifeless suits of armors and exclaimed, "Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries. Protect us!"  and the remaining faculty started to take matters in their own hands and use their highly developed skills in magic, chills ran down my spine. 

There is something astounding about finally seeing rather than just imagining. The impressive protective sphere, the spells, the fire, the rubble, the smoke and the thundering music set the perfect atmosphere for the raging battle that has yet to come. I could not have asked for a better set design. This was the battle of all battles, the final duel between good and evil, and it sure felt like it.

The scenes were reasonably paced, with the hunt of Ravenclaw's lost diadem, the Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement, the duels and the overall pandemonium inside the once peaceful halls of Hogwarts. It all blended together in this wonderful adrenaline-induced cacophony that could make Lord of the Rings proud.

THE PRINCE'S TALE

A review of Deathly Hallows Part II would not be complete without the mention of the unbelievably accurate portrayal of Alan Rickman to the endlessly complex and brilliant character that is Severus Snape. I will admit, the chapter entitled "The Prince's Tale" of the 7th book is my most read chapter in the entire series. I prefer my characters complicated, dark and with a secret that could shatter thousands of hearts, and that is exactly what JK Rowling did with our once hated Potions Master. 

Before the release of Deathly Hallows the novel, I remember all the talks behind the power of Harry's green eyes, because in countless of interviews, our queen creator has mentioned that it will play a big role in the final book. Nobody could understand it and probably very few speculations got it right. The shock that it was not some supernatural power never before witnessed by the Wizarding world but just, yet again, the uncontainable force of love, blew me away. And reduced me to a blubbering goopy mess the moment Harry stepped out of the Pensieve.

It is for this reason that I fell in love with this character who was often described as greasy and bat-like. Because it shows that everybody hurts, yet everybody loves. And no matter how despicable a certain person looks from the outside, if you just care to look a bit further, there would be always something there that could surprise you.

Okay, then. Now back to the movie.

THE FLAW IN THE PLAN

I think the only criticism I could give is that the closing battle at Hogwarts (the one which transpired after Harry came back to life) was underwhelming at best. Where were the centaurs, who upon seeing Harry's lifeless body decided to take a stand and fight against Voldemort? Where were the House Elves who have valiantly left the kitchens to stab Death Eaters in the ankles with paring knives? Where were the ordinary village people of Hogsmeade who overcame their fear of the Dark Lord, left their barrels of butterbear and came to fight alongside the wounded students of Hogwarts?

I know no single feature film could meet the millions of wild imaginations, all of which have created their own version of the epic final battle in their heads, but I just feel like these details shouldn't have been left out. It was the turning point in the book, showing how united the Wizarding World was in defeating a powerful tyrant. I regret to say that it was the only part of the film that felt sloppy and hastily made. 

However, I do understand why the producers felt there has to be an intense one-on-one battle slash chase scene between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, with both running around the castle physically trying to destroy each other ala Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader's final Lightsaber match. It's a cinematic staple, a sort of movie template every great archenemies are expected to have.

However, in this case, I can't help but feel how out of character those scenes were. First of all, never could I remember imagining Voldemort run, much less chase Harry around Hogwarts. A little longer and I would have expected both to be pulling each other's hair, if Voldemort had hair.

But still, epicness prevailed. The ultimate end of Voldemort was much more silent than I anticipated, with just the wands doing all the talking, but the concluding image of the once feared sorcerer slowly dissolving to ashes was a satisfying image. 

NINETEEN YEARS LATER

And it all came to a full circle.

Platform 9 3/4: In the middle of the busy bustling train station filled with families and cages of various kinds of pets, we see them.


Ginny sporting Mom Hair, Harry looking basically the same, some random kids who are supposed to be James and Lily (both of whom nobody really cares about) and then there he was... Albus Severus Justin Potter Bieber.

Then there was Ron with his beer belly, Hermione who also looked quite the same and Draco Malfoy who just looked... weird.

The next generation of talented mischief managing wizards were on their way to Hogwarts. And we were left with the image of our beloved trio, Harry, Ron and Hermione looking wistfully on.

As a fan, I expected a lot and quite honestly, those expectations were mostly met. The film is a perfect mix of action, suspense, horror, comedy and a little bit of romance. It has a heart as big as Harry's, wit as sharp as Hermione's and loyalty to the novel that could make Ron proud. 


Thank you for giving the end of my childhood justice.


Orchestr-o-meter: Thousand points to David Yates & Co. !

Edward Cullen in Manila: A Plea for Local YA (Young Adult) Novels

I probably am the perpetual teenager when it comes to reading choices. Since elementary days up to post-college years, I still enjoy reading novels targeted at hormonally imbalanced pre-adults. When it comes to YA Novels, I think I've read them all, at least the ones people are talking about. Yes, I've endured even the phenomenal Twilight series with its neuron-killing plot and a heroine you'd want to beat with Thor's hammer.

Stephanie Meyer's books aside, I just love the genre. There's this light and free-flowing feeling I get when I read books in the YA category. I especially like those which are infused with supernatural / dystopian alternate universe element to them. Think The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins and The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare.

And yes, it gets formulaic sometimes, when the Ordinary Girl meets Tortured Mysterious New Student Guy Who May Or May Not Be Human in Science class. Then there's the sexy and heart-palpitating Forbidden Love arc after we find out that the protagonist is actually a Vampire / Werewolf / Fallen Angel / Witch. Reading novels like these is simple and entertaining and I pursue it even though it may not give a 20-something young professional like me bragging points when asked what kind of books have I perused.

The problem is this: There may be a myriad of books to choose from in this category with international books, so much that sometimes their world and themes overlap, however, there is a lot of catching up to do with regards to our local literature. All I see are children's books, chick lits and award-winning deep novels about poverty, corruption and drugs that are way too depressing for a teenager to spend time on. There is simply not much to choose from in the YA arena, if at all.

Having read countless of these kind of novels set in New York, or some other city in the United States, I do wish to be able to read one set here locally in our country just so it can be much more relatable to our teens. Imagine Good vs. Evil battling it out in Tondo or a Shopaholic desperately haggling in Divisoria. Our country, our places, our customs, mannerisms are so rich with potential I'm disappointed that, with all the talented writers we have, not a lot have attempted to flourish in such a popular category. 

I believe in the power of reading and how it helps form the mind of an individual, especially when they start at a young age. Young Adult fiction books have their own special power because the characters in the books are especially formulated so that readers can relate to them. It puts a person into other worlds and situations that would be dangerous otherwise if done in real life but gives off the same lessons that could be learned from such scenarios. 

I do hope that with the rise of the international YA scene, our country follows. There is so much untapped power in the genre that I think, if written brilliantly, could upset the long standing bestseller's list dominated by international titles. Now that is a novel I would be proud to read.

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare: Harry Potter, Buffy / Angel, LoTR and Draco Trilogy rolled into one

Draco Malfoy, there you are.

A little background: I spent my pre-adolescent years reading (and writing) Harry Potter fanfiction. There was this certain fanfiction trilogy that was so superb, it garnered a legion of fans, its own fan art and even 2nd degree fanfictions. Fans would wait for the next chaper with bated breath the way canon-loving readers would wait for the next Harry Potter book by Queen JK Rowling. I am talking about Draco Trilogy, and for years, I idolized the Joss-Whedon-quoting, slash-loving and HP fanfiction legend, Cassandra Clare. 

It took me some time to read her books even though I knew (and saw in bookstores) of her published YA novels. Having reread the thousands of pages of her fanfiction Draco Trilogy, I never realized how much I missed the good 'ol days of geekily roaming around the cyberhalls of Fanfiction.net or Fictionalley.org talking about what would happen next. I also missed Draco Malfoy's complicated character in the trilogy, much better than JK Rowling's characterization of Slytherin's little prince, I dare say.

Imagine my awe and amusement as I began reading Cassandra Clare's very own world and her own set of quirky characters. They were so familiar I would be able to tell that they were CC's work even without the title and author info on the book. There were also tons of little inside jokes and other uncanny similarities like the mention of "Still Not King" button (from her Lord of the Rings humor fic The Very Secret Diaries) and even the bedtime story about a little boy trying to train a raven to please his Father (yes, with a capital "F") is synonymous to that from Draco Veritas.

If one have followed CC's fanfiction writing years as I have, one would know that she is also a fan of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel having used numerous quotes from both the series and her characters having adopted the same witty and peculiar Whedonverse tongue. It is from these inspiration, that I guess, she picked up some of the traits of the altered urban city from her own books.

There are also other things I've noticed like having a pub / restaurant catering to demons is reminiscent of Angel the Series' demon-scattered Los Angeles. Usage of birds and fireplaces for sending letters and mails, lifted from Harry Potter, as Valentine reminds me of Voldemort, the Circle a toned down version of the Death Eaters and Muggles into Mundanes.

The same way Jace is a spitting image of Draco Malfoy from CC's Draco Trilogy, Simon reminds me of Ron Weasley and Xander from Buffy the Vampire Slayer combined and Isabelle has the persona of Draco Veritas' version of Fleur Delacour.

Believe me when I say that all of these are rather well-meant compliments. These are precisely the things that I love most about the series. Amidst the undertone of lack of originality (which is totally not the purpose of the paragraphs above), I relish the Mortal Instruments' world because it precisely took most of the things that I loved about stories and characters that I was addicted to before and meshed it up into this epic tale that hooked me right from the very beginning. Coupled with Cassandra Clare's graphic and intelligent writing style, there is little that I could complain about.

That said, Cassandra Clare's own personal story is in itself inspiring. From writing fanfiction just for fun of it to being a worldwide best selling author of a YA series with probably a movie in the works, one can really say that, the fate that brought her into such avenue (of course with hard work, determination and a little bit of luck) is nothing short of... magical.

Thou Shalt Not Pleasure Thyself

House Bill 4509: “An act penalizing the distribution, possession with intent to distribute and production of any device for the physical stimulation of human genitals for anything of pecuniary value and providing penalties for violations thereof.”

After reading this statement, a few questions popped into mind: What about electric toothbrushes? Back massagers? Bathroom bidets? Cellphones on vibrate? What about vegetables? Are eggplants going to be banned?? I'm going to miss my tortang talong! What about *gasp* hands?

 Ban sex toys in PH, bill urges 

MANILA, Philippines - Two party-list lawmakers are proposing a bill that would prohibit the ownership and distribution of sex toys in the country. 

House Bill 4509, authored by Buhay party-list Reps. Irwin Tieng and Mariano Michael Velarde, aims to "protect the morals of the society," they said in a statement. 

If passed, violators would be penalized with one-year imprisonment and a P30,000 fine. 

"The influence of obscene devices primarily for the physical stimulation of human genitals may seem unnoticed. The proliferation of these obscene devices which are insensitively and openly displayed in shops or stalls is very alarming," Tieng said. 

"This is also in keeping with the policy of the state to value the dignity of every human person and to promote and safeguard its integrity and the moral, spiritual and social being of its citizenry from the pernicious effects of obscene devices," Velarde added. 

Tieng and Velarde defined sex toys as any device that "can be used to stimulate human genitals," "could trigger sexually impure ideas" or "can give room to sex-related offenses." 

HB 4509 came on the heels of a debate among lawmakers on the Reproductive Health Bill, which would see the state give condoms to the poor. 

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/06/07/11/ban-sex-toys-ph-bill-urges

Let me get this straight, if this is just for the regulation of the sale and display of said adult toys then I can support this bill. That shops should have adult sections in their stores and that the bangketa display of these kinds of materials in populated areas be prohibited is not at all that bad. However, from the generalization of the terms and the reason presented for this kind of law to-be, I think these politicians are trying to bite off more than it should chew.

Fine, we can rationalize this as a measure for maintaining the innocence of the minds of our Filipino youth (because, God forbid, they should have zero knowledge about sexuality and even on how their own bodies work), but saying that these kind of gadgets can "trigger sexually impure ideas" and "can give room to sex related offenses" is just plain rash.

A piece of advice, if they want to ban sexually impure ideas, then ban brains instead. Thoughts are one thing that one cannot control but acting upon an idea/fantasy is another. Objects are just inanimate things that solely rely on the person using them. These rubber-made / battery operated devices have no intention nor motive to stain the world with lust and violence. And if these respectable gentlemen worry about proliferation of sex related crimes, instead of banning sex toys, maybe they should ban PRIESTS instead. But seriously, I think having a working and updated sex offenders' database is better than banning everything that vibrates and is shaped like a penis from the market.

Why is it that these holier-than-thou religious folks treat any thing related to sex and pleasure without the main intention of creating a child as automatically evil and immoral? I quote Stephen Fry on this when he said,

It’s the strange thing about this church, it is obsessed with sex, absolutely obsessed. Now, they will say we with our permissive society and our rude jokes, we are obsessed. No, we have a healthy attitude, we like it, it’s fun, it’s jolly, because it’s a primary impulse it can be dangerous and dark and difficult, it’s a bit like food in that respect only even more exciting. The only people who are obsessed with food are anorexics and the morbidly obese, and that in erotic terms is the Catholic Church in a nutshell.

Source: BBC's Intelligence Squared Debate: Is Catholicism Force of Good in the World?

Look who's copying who, now?

A world of freedom of expression, of informed choice and accessibility to that choice is upon us. A society free from religious jurisdictions and twisted dogmas. I believe these nuisance bills are just to further delay the widely contested RH Bill which actually values the intellect of the Filipino people.  They may dilly dally all they want, but the reality that women are dying everyday, because some people are too blind to see the facts that are staring at them in face, is still here to stay. Unless we do something about it.

Reality or dogma. You choose.

The word of the cleric is not the word of God. It is the word of a man who has studied the word of God.  

- Sen. Miriam Santiago

Something Borrowed (Book vs. Movie Review) & Something Blue by Emily Giffin

It is a rare and momentous occasion for someone like me to have watched a movie adaptation of a novel before actually reading the book. It may be no big deal for some but it has been an unwritten rule for myself and the tradition has never been altered since Day 1. Except for this.

Something Borrowed, a best-selling novel penned by Emily Giffin, is a story about a 30-year-old type A plain-Jane lawyer who happens to have an affair with her best friend's fiancé. Being the Maid of Honor in the ceremony and a life-long friend of the bride, conflicts arise as she works out her feelings about what she wants and what she is tasked to do. The movie adaptation was released early this May starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, Colin Egglesfield and John Krasinski.

Having watched the movie first before reading the novel, it was surprising for me to find out that the film adaptation strayed farther than expected from the original plot, and it worked. The added plot ornamentations and character replacements worked quite brilliantly, as a matter of fact. Normally, these circumstances would have been a source of irritation when I watch the characters who have played in my head in different light, but this time, I thought the plot moved at a better pace and the characters were more likable on screen compared to their written form.

It is commendable how the screenwriter added a history between Rachel and Dex, making the affair much more reasonable. I think Ginnifer Goodwin did a terrific job portraying Rachel and made the choices she had more understandable to the viewing public. However, let it be said that John Krasinski absolutely stole the show, delivered all the best lines and almost single-handedly made the movie enjoyable to watch. The interesting thing about this is that his role isn't even that prominent in the book. Rachel's primary confidante about her forbidden relationship with Dex is actually female colleague. Which is unfortunate because it's Ethan's character that drove me to read the actual novel.

Speaking of novels, part two of this heartfelt and easy to read chic lit is Something Blue. We follow Darcy as she goes through her life with (spoiler!) the discovery of her best friend's treachery with her very own fiance and Marcus' baby in her womb. Told entirely in Darcy's shallow but endearing POV, we get a glimpse of the self-absorbed socialite Rachel has been ranting about during the previous book. Here we find out that there is more to the New York queen bee that meets the eye. 

The only criticism I have about the novel is that it felt like the plot just started to take off halfway through the book when Darcy decides to head on to England and crash in her childhood friend Ethan's pad. The plot was fairly predictable, but that did not lessen the enjoyment one should get while reading the novel. As a slow and easily distracted reader nowadays, I finished my e-book copoy in less than 48 hours and loved every minute of it.

Something Borrowed and Something Blue. Two novels about romance gained and lost and the two ultimate forces that drives us all, love and friendship. Read 'em and weep.

Orchestr-o-meter:

Something Borrowed (Film Adaptation) : A-

Something Borrowed (Novel): B

Something Blue (Novel): A

A Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Review): Based on a True Story of Everyone

High School. Sort of.

Dark skinned, with glasses and braces = the complete cliche package of an ugly girl falls in love with unbelievably handsome and charming upperclassman. Of course he has to be perfect in every way possible, all sensitive and artistic (but athletic and hot at the same time) while she is the clumsy nerd in the shadows.

The movie opens up with Nam's quirky group of friends and a teacher who is too straightforward for her own good. A few juvenile scenes of picking out crushes, passing notes during class and stolen glimpses and suddenly, the story becomes all too familiar.

All those enchantment-believing, book-reading and daydreaming moments could might as well be anybody else's story and it was that gravitation to something so recognizable to all, I think, that made this movie so popular and endearing to people who have a heart and once used it for something no matter how one-sided and futile the experience was.

But of course the lead character must shed off her veil of ugliness and become this pretty swan in a matter of a few months. Any story set on screen could definitely not end with the Prince Charming falling in love with the still visually despicable commoner! The transformation was so dramatic I had to Google if two different actresses played her part. 

I found it bothersome how society (apparently even in Thailand) entails that for a character to be noticed and loved, she has to be physically beautiful. Yes it's nice that after a lot of name-callings and schoolyard torture, the caterpillar that we have grown accustomed to has wreathed out of her cocoon and transformed into a beautiful butterfly. But still, wouldn't it be more interesting, and inspiring even, if the Prince Charming and the ordinary girl had their happily ever after without some cliche make-over / metamorphosis in the middle to make everything easier on the eyes?

For me, it was a rocky road from the moment Nam became painfully beautiful. She suddenly lost her adorable awkward charm and it was not as interesting seeing her being fawned upon by random schoolmates. Fortunately, the story picked up near the ending with humiliating confessions, predictable heartbreak and some flipping through a black book.

Overall, it is a must-see for everyone who have gone through high school and/or puberty. I guaranty you will relieve those tiled school halls with such clarity it's disconcerting. The trailer got it right when it said that it is based on a true story of everyone. And I find myself agreeing with that claim. At least for the first 30 minutes. ;)

Orchestr-o-meter: A

Glee 2x22: New York (Finale Review)

New York. Concrete jungle where dreams are made of. The Glee kids have battled various adversities such as slushy facials, homophobe jocks and playing for the Football team in Michael Jackson’s Thriller make-up but the moment everybody has been dreaming of has finally come. Nationals.

Unfortunately, all the hype surrounding the much awaited episode has proved to be too much for the writers of the hit TV show. The season 2 finale was a let-down to what we had hoped they would deliver. The first few musical numbers were childish and cheesy, reminiscent of those 90’s Pinoy movies where people would go out of town and burst into ahyper sing-and-dance routine. For a moment there, I thought I was watching Dolphy and his Home Along the Riles clan.

Second, how realistic was it that the New Directions fly to the city of Broadway dreams without a polished routine in their pockets? And not only that, the songs they were supposed to perform were not even written yet. I know it is a TV series and not real life, but a little more logic and a dash of reason would have been helpful.

Sunshine Corazon was back. Superb performance overall but honestly, somebody should fire her stylist. Seriously. I couldn’t concentrate half the time I was watching her belt out those high notesbecause I was genuinely disturbed on how the foundation on her face was darker than the colour of her body. Also, the dress didn’t fit properly and looked like a cheap rental for a Santa Cruzan parade. Did they make her look bad on purpose? Was it too much to ask to have a few strands of hair framing her face?

Plus, Vocal Adrenaline was clearly losing their touch. Comparing their performance with Jesse St. James killing Bohemian Rhapsody back in Season One Regionals with their current Nationals routine, it’s a mystery how they managed to get to the Top 10 in the first place.

New York obviously changes people. Rachel and Kurt have stepped into the Big Apple for less than 24 hours yet they act like Upper East Side’s Blair and Serena already.

Admittedly, the one redeeming part of the episode was the duo singing Wicked’sbreathtaking finale song “For Good” on top of the musical’s Broadway stage itself. It was such a heartfelt rendition baring the utmost passion and talent of the two most ambitious and talented characters on the show, I thought it was quite moving. I saw an interview asking creator Ryan Murphy of what would happen if the show choir members graduate from high school and I think it set the background for a Glee future after McKinley High.

I think the Achilles’ Heel of the series is its lack of compelling romantic pairs. So many shows have flourished just because of the chemistry between its lead characters. Who could forget Joey and Dawson, or Buffy and Angel or even Maulder and Scully? The whole Rachel and Finn love arc failed to elicit some sort of emotion from me. I couldn’t care less if they ended up together or went on separate paths. The on-stage kiss was not the climactic moment the show hoped it would be.

Bad writing, mediocre original songs and loopy predictable plot. This is basically what the Glee finale brought its salivating fans. I hope that in the future, the creators would concentrate more on story and character development rather than the Celebrity Guest of the Month. With just two seasons under its belt, Glee is still a neophyte show and for it to achieve longevity in the industry, it would take more than the Popular Song Cover of the Week to survive.

5 Disturbing REALITIES Concerning the RH Bill

5. 11 women die daily in the Philippines due to childbirth. And to think these are due to preventable circumstances that could be aided with adequate skilled professionals and proper instrumentation.

4. Some mothers do not have the education / intelligence nor time to grasp the complexities of Natural Family Planning Method. My class in nursing school had to have hours of lecture, practice and review before we mastered the calculations that is necessary to perform (and teach) the Calendar method and other NFP procedures. And what if, say, the mother has extremely irregular cycles? The "safe" days left would be greatly limited to just a few days. Could the couple have the willpower to abstain, say, 20 days a month if that's what it takes?

3. Teens get their sex education nowadays through the internet by watching porn, reading online materials etc. Yes, you anti-RH supporters may rally all you want against reproductive health lessons in the classroom saying it is inappropriate and takes away children's innocence or whatnot. However, these kids will still find a way to learn about sexuality with just a click of the mouse. Unfortunately, the material in the world wide web is NOT age appropriate nor customized by an expert with a degree in education or other related fields. Most will probably just learn from friends' hearsay or watch pornographic videos and some will try it out just out of curiosity without knowing the responsibilities that comes with it.

2. No matter how hard you scoff at it, teens as early as age 13 and even younger are already having premarital sex regardless of the teachings of the church. If there is a way around this that does not involve reproductive health education and contraceptives, I'd like to find out. Because the church has been teaching abstinence since the beginning of time, and look where it got us.

1. There are thousands of mothers (I've encountered some of them personally) who have no money to pay for government hospital fees (2,000 php and below, seriously) and yet have a newborn in her arms plus 5 more children at home to feed, clothe and provide education. You do the math.

Photo taken from: I Oppose the RH Bill Facebook Page

This is only the peak of a whole Mt. Everest of truths and realities concerned with the heavily debated RH Bill that the opposing side has been seemingly ignoring. Instead, they, for some reason, insist on spreading half truths and skewed reasoning to "defend" morality and babies who don't exist in the first place.

I repeat, this is only some of the many inconvenient truths that I believe the bill could help with. It would be greatly appreciated if you could share your own. And if you happen to be against the Reproductive Health Bill, I would like to find out what you think would be the best way to address these problems.

Valid arguments are most welcome. Personal attacks/insults will only make you look like a fool. Thank you and God bless our country.