Are They Serious? The Discourses of Family Planning, Bio-Citizenship and Nationalism in the Philippines

By Paul Mathews

This book explores the discourses of bio-medicine (ie. Family Planning), nationalism and citizenship specifically in the Philippines. Little has been researched into how the biomedical discourse has helped constitute the nature of citizenship of the Filipino for the purpose of building a nation-State; that is, who is a “medically” proper and fit person to be a citizen of and to reproduce the nation-State. Prior analyses of FPPs have often focused on their failure in terms of either blind peasant resistance or, at best, fertility as culturally inspired and functional. Little attention has been given to basic antagonistic class relations at the national and transnational levels and how these may be linked with Family Planning (FP), bio-medicine generally, bio-citizenship and nationalism. I argue that the Philippines State attempts to intrude into the lives of Filipinos and construct them as national subjects at various levels of competence on the basis of their “medical” status. Their level of such competence reflects their relative willingness and ability to subscribe to a nationalist narrative, and leads to a denigration—in terms of (bio)citizenship status—of those who do not support this narrative.
This nationalist narrative is constructed in terms of neo-eugenics and neo-Malthusianism, with the objectives and consequences of maintaining a high level of population growth, and to do so in such a way as to appear benign in addressing “the population problem”. But the delivery of and access to FPPs, stratified as these processes are, contradict the intent to reach populations assumed to be most in need of FP, while in fact simultaneously reinforcing stigma against them. This public health effort gives rise to a new problematique and to a perceived, new “risky” population: unrepentant bodies.
Given this “risky” population, and the problematic nature of FPPs, the over-riding question of this paper is: why would the State implement a FPP for the lower classes when it was clearly thought by policy makers that the former were incapable if being uplifted?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Warrior Publishers
• Release date: Nov 12, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370152902

Paul Mathews

Dr. Paul Mathews is an anthropologist and sociologist who has worked on Philippine issues for 25 years, and also spent 2 years in Taiwan. He has written extensively about Philippine society and culture in such areas as health, gender relations and sexuality, values, and economic development. He is currently freelancing, following a Research Fellowship at the Australian National University. He is Secretary of the Philippine Studies Association of Australasia, and former Managing Editor of Pilipinas, A Journal of Philippine Studies.

Book preview

ARE THEY SERIOUS ?

THE DISCOURSES OF

FAMILY PLANNING, BIO-CITIZENSHIP AND NATIONALISM

IN THE PHILIPPINES

Copyright 2016 Paul W. Mathews

Published in Australia by Warrior Publishers at Smashwords

[e-mail]

ePub ISBN 9781370152902

The moral right of the author and publisher has been asserted.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher or author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

NON-FICTION

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Cover design by Dr. Paul Mathews. Picture shows a young Pinay, in her early 20s, pregnant with her second child, nursing her first child of about 2 years of age. Makati, Philippines, 2016. This girl, among others, generally walks particular streets begging for food and money. Clearly Plan A didn’t work, and she became a victim of Plan B.

Thanks to Wenico Luarez Jr. at Café Cubana for helping me in this and for his encouragement.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Plan B

1. Introduction

2. Background

3. A Thesis

4. Capital, State, and Surplus Labour

5. State and Citizen

6. Women, Motherhood, the State, and Citizenship

7. Summary

8. Medicalization as Politics Writ Large

9. The Bio-citizen as Proper Citizen

10. The Nationalist Narrative and Bio-Citizenship

11. Conclusion

Notes

References

Other works by Dr. Paul Mathews

Connect with Warrior Publishers

Prologue

It was a warm Friday evening, in the latter part of October, 1971. The delegates had just finished the third and final day of conferencing at the 1st International Philippines Family Planning Meeting in Manila. It was a well-populated conference, sponsored jointly by the UN, USAID, WHO, the IMF, the World Bank, and the current Marcos regime, initiated by the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP, an affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation—IPPF). In attendance were over 120 delegates from around the world, including representatives from POPCOM (the recently established Philippine Population Commission inaugurated by Marcos to oversee the Family Planning (FP) program), the Catholic Church, various NGOs, and several medical men who specialized in women’s reproduction and fertility.

Many of the delegates had, by this time, 6pm on the Friday, arrived at their Shangri-La accommodation, one of the most luxurious and expensive hotels in Makati. Several of them drifted into a large lounge that could comfortably accommodate 15-20 guests, replete with soft lounging chairs and settees, heavy curtains and large double-glazed windows, a few quiet ceiling fans on low speed, and mahogany tables littered with cigarette and cigar boxes, ice-buckets and enticing hors d'oeuvre available before dinner at 7pm. Two attractive young Filipina waitresses, no more than 22 years of age, stood with eternal smiles by a small bar to serve an array of imported and local drinks to the guests. Everything was perfect picturesque, and mostly Western in style and comfort.

Mr. Horatio Goodly, representing USAID, the primary financier for FP, was the first to enter, accompanied by Mr. Jim Underhannde from the UN.

Both were tall, broad Americans, dressed in casual light suits with open-neck shirts. Horatio had graduated from The School of Economics at Harvard, and Jim was a NYU State graduate in Political Science. Whereas they were of about the same age, in their early 50s, Horatio Goodly had the expansive manner of a game show host, a cherubic Hardy to Jim’s deferential Laurel, with the looks of a spoilt and overfed infant. People often mistook him for a life insurance or car salesman in his 40s. He was ever most affable, with a smooth and avuncular manner that belied an ideological agenda that he could no more have disowned than he could have admitted a predilection for sado-masochism.

Jim Underhannde, on the other hand, was more lean, having charming good looks and the dress sense of a TV FBI man, marred only by ears that were reminiscent of jug handles on a Chimu urn. He was relatively shy and taciturn for an American.

Each had climbed rapidly through their respective bureaucratic structures to achieve representational status of their organizations, shaping and moulding current politico-economic policies worldwide with the avidity of children let loose in a playpen.

They had been discussing animatedly the day’s presentations and the conference overall, and continued this line of discourse as they each ordered two large Scotch whiskies with ice and a wee dash of soda. They lounged themselves confidently in two of the luxurious armchairs, facing several other vacant seats around a largish table, and lit up cigars especially imported from Cuba by the Marcoses.

It was only a minute later that Mr. Thomas Malthus from the IMF, and a direct descendant of his famous namesake, also entered, and all three men, being already familiar, greeted one another warmly but emptily.

Thomas was slim if not gaunt, with the wizened visage of a confident rooster, capped with graying hair that was once blondish, but still retaining its curls of earlier years, with bushy sideburns that extended down his cheeks. He had a narrow, long nose that divided blue penetrating eyes, and a pointed chin that seemed almost a continuation of his sharp nose. He, too, was tall, accentuated by his slim build wrapped in a black quarter-waist coat.

Mr. Goodly, in his quick and confident American accent, beckoned Mr. Malthus to join them (for three was hardly a crowd), who was duly served with a similar drink by the forever-affable smiling little brown waitress.

I was just saying to Jim, here, said Horatio, gesturing to Mr. Underhannde, that the conference was quite illuminating and successful all round, don’t you think?

"Yes, indeed, very fruitful, useful indeed, replied Thomas, not disingenuously. I think the general agreement is that the population of this small country, barely the size of Texas, is set to grow exponentially amongst the poorer classes in the next 20 or 30 years, unless something is done now."

Indeed. Predictions are set to double the number by 2001, enjoined Jim. That would make it about 76 million, with the current fertility rate, I think was mentioned, at five or six live births.

And a projected 100 million by 2015, Horatio added.

"Absolutely, unless something is done, and done now. But the little brown buggars just keep breeding, like rabbits, responded Thomas with repetitive emphasis on the immediate now, and with scant regard for the two little brown Pinay-rabbits who, in the midst of their childbearing age, stood by within ear shot. They all smiled and nodded knowingly. What’s more, that fertility rate is only the official rate, and you know how inefficient these little brown brothers are in getting accurate information. Anecdotal evidence clearly suggests it’s more like eight !"

I could certainly believe that. Why, on our tour of the slums, that place, err…., Tondo, we encountered a family of seventeen children ! Horatio exclaimed.

Only seventeen ! Jim gave a chuckle. I once met one of these Filipinas, barely 30 years old, who had six kids, and when it came about I asked her how many she would like to have—she said an even twenty-four ! Fortunately her husband was dead !

I’m not surprised, probably died of exhaustion… added Horatio wryly.

They all chuckled, oblivious to the effect of their innuendos.

But say, seriously now, Horatio continued, this constant fucking problem is a real threat, not only to the Filipino regime, but to the regional stability and even the USA’s economic prosperity. We certainly don’t want a lot of poor buggers sucking up to this New People’s Army and their communist propaganda shit, as happened in China and Vietnam.

"Absolutely, that’s why we must do something about it, and do it now," Jim acceded.

"No… No, what we must do is appear to be doing something…," corrected Thomas.

The other two glanced at each other, then turned to Thomas with inquisitive looks.

Do tell…. Go on, what’s your plan, if it’s not family planning? Jim asked, intending to make a pun.

At that moment voices of several other delegates could be heard approaching the lounge. Thomas stood up and turned to face the door, through which a number of other conference attendees casually strolled, engrossed in small talk. In all, seven delegates arrived, to be greeted warmly by the three men, whose conversation had been cut short. They seated themselves comfortably in the remaining armchairs and on the settee, where Horatio, Jim and Thomas had already made themselves at home. The waitresses quickly attended to their needs and deposited several large bottles of alcohol on the nearby tables, ensuring also that appetizers were replenished and plentiful.

Horatio, a rather forward man in character, consistent with his wide frame and height of six feet two inches, took the initiative to convene this small group.

Let me introduce you all, as perhaps you all don’t know one another. I think you all know myself, and Jim here, from the UN, and Thomas from the IMF. This is Mr. Steven Watt, from W.H.O., he went on, stretching out and waving his long arm to indicate a European man seated opposite. He was a smallish man, in his 60s, dressed in English tawny tweed, a white shirt and black tie, thin, with manicured short black hair greying at the sides. He betrayed the look of a frightened animal behind thick lenses, in what were obviously very expensive frames. His weathered ashen face often appeared contorted by a suppressed gasp.

And this, continued Horatio, further indicating a man in a blue suit and equal in size to himself, is Donald Cretinbank, from the World Bank. Don nodded, appreciatingly. Mr. Cretinbank was, again, an equally tall American, with a ruddy complexion, showing a day’s stubble below a short nose and above pursed lips and a firm chin. His hair was silver but still mostly full, with some signs of receding where it was parted on the right. He wore, somewhat typically, a dark-blue pin-stripe suit, a white business shirt with a tight collar, and a blue tie intermeshed with small white squares. Donald had the polished looks of a career banker, and resembled nothing so much as an immaculately manicured corpse ready for viewing.

And Dr. Samuel Leech, said Horatio, gesturing to the right to a rather smaller, bespectacled gentleman in a grey cotton shirt and black trousers, from IPPF—the International Planned Parenthood Federation. And Harold Doodirtie…

Harry, is ok with me, the short, bull-nosed Filipino loudly asserted.

Harry it is then. From POPCOM.

Whereas Dr. Samuel Leech, another American, was a frail, conservative elderly gentleman with rapidly receding hair of a sandy hue, who no doubt had attended many a medical emergency, Harry, as he was inclined to be known, was a young and at times brash Filipino from the southern parts of the archipelago. Dressed in the local barong and somewhat faded jeans, he was short and square-shouldered with a stub-like nose, beady, cold close-set eyes, a wavery upper lip and short-cropped hair. Harry was the son of a moderately wealthy landed family. At such a young age he no doubt acquired his leadership role of POPCOM through family connections, as he had no medical or demographic training. Rather, he was a lawyer of sorts, working mostly on public prosecutions which he sometimes felt could be readily circumvented without due process. No doubt with his connections, bullish attitude and worldly ignorance he would one day rise to the top of Philippine politics, and we could envisage his aging features as those of a belligerent gorilla.

Horatio Goodly continued by introducing the Catholic Bishop, Padre Aquino, on his left. A very squat man, even by Filipino standards, he was almost as wide as he was tall. Plump and clearly well-fed, he wore his evangelical garbs of white flowing smock and broad red belt, a large golden chain with shining crucifix attached, and a small red cap perched at the back of his well-rounded head. At age 60-plus he still retained much of his hair, which was closely cropped and gelled.

Horatio finished the introductions by gesturing toward Juan Naku, a young man with a handsome face marked by a profound and unnervingly arresting gaze. He erroneously pronounced the name as ‘June’, adding that Juan was from—an unnamed, and perhaps forgotten—NGO.

And also, last but not least, Miss. Angelica Gabriella, from a women’s NGO, said Horatio rather condescendingly, indicating with a