If I Were in Charge

Recently, the great President of our Nation signed a law that would criminalize CYBERSEX in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, the RH Bill, an act which will grant access to safer means of reproduction to the people who need it the most but couldn't afford to, is still being filibustered mercilessly in the august halls of our senate.

I find this ridiculous. First, not only are we telling people that the government will not provide for them access to birth control methods, we're also telling them it's illegal for them to engage in A VIRTUAL SEXUAL ACT.

Is there a breeding program in place where our economic game plan is to reproduce as much as we can so we can export more laborers out of the country? Are we capitalizing on a diaspora so systematic that it will improve our economic rating? If so, then we are a nation run by geniuses. Otherwise, let me slap you with a bit of reality: We have too many mouths to feed, and too little money going around to buy enough food. The problem is as simple as that.

Population density is not the issue here. Some people argue that overpopulation is not the problem, but that too many people are crowding in too small a space to support them. The problem is that there's too little opportunity outside of Manila for families to make a living, YET THEY CONTINUE TO BUILD FAMILIES.

For argument's sake, the best solution to this is to EXPAND THE CENTER. Create a STRONG AND WILLFUL Metro Manila Development BOARD-- a body not just with police powers, but the responsibility to develop the center through strategic governance (a blueprint that Mayors will adhere to; i.e. a law that criminalizes taking PERSONAL CREDIT for GOVERNMENT FUNDED PROJECTS) is the first step. With a strong EXECUTIVE OFFICE in charge of running Metro Manila, we then develop nearby municipalities to create a MUCH LARGER CENTER OF COMMERCE, AND INDUSTRY. We need a CENTER big enough to sustain the population we already have, AND TO ACCOMMODATE THE POPULATION GROWTH FOR THE UPCOMING YEARS.

Crucial to this 'expanded center' is an EFFICIENT TRANSPORT SYSTEM. Without an efficient transport system, the expanded center will only rot from the fringes. Slowly, those at the edge will get cut off. We need more trains, and a BUS SYSTEM THAT WORKS. We need to make the very hard decision of letting the Jeepneys go. It's time we free the major thorough fares from these outdated, slow-moving tin cans. Clean up the bus system so that they don't race along the highways, so that the safety of pedestrians is assured. We need to have an efficient transport system that would help a CREATIVE DIRECTOR FROM RIZAL commute to work in MAKATI in less than an hour, for a SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN PARANAQUE to make a delivery of cupcakes in TONDO, for a UNIVERSITY STUDENT IN MALABON to reach school in DILIMAN without the travel taking too much of his energy.

Whatever law our statesmen will promulgate to enact these changes is welcome. The first step they're taking is the RH BILL. It's good, it's much needed, but sadly, its critics are correct in one thing (and ONLY IN THIS ONE THING) that the RH BILL IS NOT A SOLUTION. It's a remedy to one of the issues, but it's no miracle cure.

Totally unnecessary is this law that our great President has just wasted our time on. Criminalizing CYBERSEX? Really?

1.) What business is it of the STATE if its citizen engages in virtual sex? Should we really SPEND OUR RESOURCES on the prevention of its commission?

2.) How can we define CYBERSEX? Let's say, I went online, and engaged in publicly broadcasting myself. One of my viewers started masturbating while I talk to the camera about how my day went. Will I be RESPONSIBLE for the act then? What if I like masturbating to cartoon dinosaurs on Youtube? What if TWO LAWFULLY WEDDED INDIVIDUALS engage in cybersex as a HEALTHY WAY to create a time of intimacy while one of them works in Dubai while the other stays in the Philippines to take care of their children? What if we are talking about TWO MALES IN A HEALTHY, MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS LASTED FOR 20 YEARS? What then, do we criminalize them too?

More SINISTER is the "cyberlibel" clause. IT IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF THE STATE OPPRESSING THE PEOPLE'S FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. This couldn't have come at a much shadier time than RIGHT AFTER SENATOR SOTTO'S CLAIM OF BEING CYBERBULLIED.

Basically, THE STATE IS TELLING US "You can't criticize the government unless you have THE COURT TO PROVE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO." The STATE doesn't want you to call Senator Sotto "stupid" unless you can drag experts in court to testify in support of your claim: psychologists who have tested him, his former teachers, etc. The very definition of "stupid" will be questioned, it will be contextualized.

THE STATE is telling us "You cannot accuse US of enacting legislation that grant favors to foreign investors over local ventures" unless you can prove in court that it is granting concessions to Malaysian mining companies to rape our natural resources and displace indigenous people "in co-operation with Filipinos".

THE STATE wants you to STOP FROWNING ON BLAIR CARABUENA'S BEHAVIOR, STOP RALLYING FOR SM TO STOP PAVING OUR RAINFORESTS, STOP DEMANDING FOR YOUR RIGHTS ONLINE, STOP SPREADING INFORMATION THAT OTHERS NEED.

With ONE SINGLE SIGNATURE, President Aquino has UNDONE ALL THE GREAT THINGS WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA.