Watch GMA News TV’s airing of the RH Bill: The Grand Debate this May 22, 2011.

One big issue. One station. One great debate.

This May, one of the most divisive issues in society today will be discussed and dissected in a grand debate — and the country’s first all-news and documentary channel on VHF free TV is going to make it happen.

In line with its continuing advocacy to present the most pressing issues of the day, GMA News TV is mounting “Reproductive Health (RH) Bill: The Grand Debate”.

Representatives from the government, religious groups and the women’s sector gather for an impassioned debate on the controversial House Bill Number 4244 or the “Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2011″, otherwise known as the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill.

Pitting lawmakers versus lawmakers, women versus women and church versus church, the debate will present and tackle the pros and cons of the RH Bill with representatives from opposing camps defending their side on every motion. The special aims to educate the general public and satisfy their need for information about this issue.

Aside from the debate happening on the program, the public can also participate in an online debate on Twitter by sharing their opinions using the hash tags #proRH or #antiRH and by visiting www.gmanews.tv.

“RH Bill: The Grand Debate” is hosted by respected broadcast journalist Mel Tiangco and assisted by GMA News TV personalities, Pia Arcangel and RJ Ledesma, the two being former debaters in their college days.

The special airs this May on GMA News TV.

While Pro-Lifers and Pro-RH Bill supporters are scrambling for the people’s support, everyone now will have the opportunity to listen intellectually to each camp. Weighing the advantages and disadvantages, checking logic per logic, and ultimately understanding the whole point of this legislative bill and its real impact to our people.

Don’t miss this chance of making a stand about the current most pressing issue in Philippine society.

Mothers weeping are a common scene nowadays as dengue fever is taking the lives of children living in Philippine provinces. These are infants, toddlers – kids mostly below the age of 10.

While a bullet-and-blood-filled-hostage-drama is taking place in Manila, a record high of 40,000 cases of Dengue (48% higher in 2009) continues to rise killing children in ill-equipped hospitals and health centers in both urban and rural areas.

When will we start saving lives?

Reducing child mortality globally is one among the Millenium Development Goals. Accessible and efficient healthcare services are keys to the solution. The World Health Organization needs international support in order for them to provide what is necessary to start saving lives. And so we need to act now.

Arms Down to end War. Hands up to give Healthcare.

To give chance to lives, instead of losing them in war and nuclear destruction, the Arms Down Philippines campaign is set to raise 1 million signatures (50 million worldwide) to petition the UN to cut military spending and hand it over to development projects here in the Philippines – healthcare included.

Internationally, Arms Down.net brings together the religions for peace to work out a signature campaign project. Signatures from people of different races and places all over the globe are meant to ask all governments to make an official pledge to cut their military budgets by 10%. This will then be re-allocated to funds toward the millennium development goals.

If we do not want to see another baby dying of Dengue, if we do not want another helpless mother losing her child to a deadly mosquito bite, then take your stand to save lives!

Join Arms Down Philippines signature campaign!

Efren, or “Kuya Ef” is the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year. In his character, the whole world has seen that even the poor can make a huge difference in society. Efren is one of the many Filipino youths who belonged to a family with difficult economic circumstances. Who would have thought that he would become one of the founders of the Dynamic Teen Company (DTC), the creator of the “Kariton Klasrum”

Kariton Klasrum by the Dynamic Teen Company

The “Kariton Klasrum” is an alternative means to educate poor children in slums about basic hygiene and values formation. The ‘Kariton’ is literally a wooden push cart that strolls around the slums to cater to children of the poor. It is loaded with books, pens and paper, and other school materials that aid in teaching unschooled and labor-exploited youths. The project has also reached out to give first-aid treatments and feeding programs to these children to complete its core mission of: K4 – Kariton, Klasrum, Klinik at Kantin. Because of the “Kariton Klasrum”, both younger and teen-aged youths from the slum recognized their dignity as any child with human rights.

Anyone of us can turn a hopeless child into a promising youth of the future.
Here’s how you can help push the Kariton Klasrum.

DTC was founded in August 1997 with just one push cart launched in Cavite by four teen-agers of Cavite National High School. Currently, President Gloria Arroyo has ordered the Department of Education to look into the “Kariton Klasrum” model as an alternative to conventional teaching.

SEOsocialcontent brings more opportunities for social change agents to harness the power of the web in order to bring forth development and progressive change in the society.

The Black Pencil Project is supporting Step Juan: A Walk for Children with Cancer. Step Juan believes in the dream of one man, Tomas Leonor to raise funds for cancer-inflicted children of the Cancer Warriors Foundation. The walking journey will send participants to travel without vehicle from North to South – Pagudpod (North Luzon) to Sorsogon (South Luzon). Ample stops will be given for food and rest only.

Edwin Karganilla, the co-founder of the Black Pencil Project promises to donate ten (10) pencils for every kilometre covered by the walk. These will in turn, be given to the preferred beneficiary of Leonor.

The walk for a cause has begun since January 11, 2010. The Black Pencil Project is looking at a figure of 12, 940 pencils to give away by the end of Step Juan.  The mission is not just to provide pencils, but to heal the wounds of a child with cancer by giving him a chance to live a normal childhood.

How is this possible? It starts with “step one” – support the cause.

Here’s how you can help