Why are people poor? Because Filipinos, especially the poor, keep making babies. Ang mga mahihirap, anak pa nang anak kaya hindi umaasenso.
Umiinit ang ulo ko pag naririnig ko ‘yan. Such a condescending and illogical sentiment seems to be rampant among many in the middle class, and is willingly reinforced by an inept government. Tuwing nakakakita ng mga pulubi sa kalsada o tuwing dumadaan sa mga “squatters’ area” madalas ‘yang sabihin ng ilan. Kailan pa naging dahilan ng kahirapan ang pagkakaroon ng mga anak? ‘Pag wala bang anak ang isang mahirap na mag-asawa giginhawa ang buhay nila nang ganun-ganon lang?
Some people condemn the Catholic Church’s meddling in the government’s policy on reproductive health but they don’t have a problem when they impose their own judgment on family planning selectively on “the poor,” as if socio-economic conditions dictate one’s right to have sex and reproduce.
I concede that the number of children and dependents has an effect on the economic condition of a family unit, but it is merely incidental. The way the government and some reproductive health advocates invoke family size and overpopulation as a problem, it’s as if giginhawa ang buhay sa Pilipinas ‘pag may population control. It is a favorite scapegoat for the government. A convenient excuse not to address the root causes of poverty in the Philippines.
Lest I be misinterpreted, I am for the idea that the government should support reproductive health programs and provide adequate support to families with regard to family planning. I am in favor of the efforts of some congressmen to pass a comprehensive Reproductive Health (RH) law. What I am riling against is the the tendency of some of its advocates, and the government itself, in pinning the blame on “overpopulation” as to why majority of Filipinos are poor. Some people support the RH bill because they think it’s a population control program. Do you really think these perfumed advocates are liberal ideologues who would like to give citizens the right to choose? No. They simply want to stop the poor from proliferating because the sight of poverty, of squatters’ areas, slums and beggars disgust them. For the government, on the other hand, it is their way of dispensing their responsibility over poverty and placing it on those who suffer the very conditions of poverty itself. How convenient.
Looking at it in another way, did developed countries become rich because they controlled the growth of their population? NO. They became rich because they industrialized and their governments developed a national economy, and ironically at a point in time when their population growth was high.
I believe that with all the natural resources in the country, the Philippines can accommodate and support a population many times its current size. Granted, there is a limit to everything. But why are we singling out the poor? Lahat naman tayo pare-parehas kumakain, humihinga, nagdudumi. In fact, the middle class and the rich produce a larger carbon footprint than those who can’t afford excesses in life. Kung limited natural resources ang usapin, eh di dapat lahat maliit ang pamilya! Do you get the hypocrisy of some people?
Ang mamamayan, kahit pigilan mong magkaroon ng anak, hindi giginhawa ang buhay hanggat walang oportunidad at trabaho. Ang manggagawa hindi giginhawa ang buhay kahit pigilan mo siyang magka-anak hanggat hindi itinataas ang sahod. Ang magsasaka hindi giginhawa ang buhay kahit pigilan mo siyang magka-anak hanggat hindi binibigyan ng sariling lupang sasakahin. The reason why the Philippines continues to be mired in poverty is not because we are “overpopulated”. The Philippines continues to be poor because socio-economic and political injustices prevail over our national life. Unless such root causes of poverty is eliminated, we shall continue to be poor and exploited, no matter how many contraceptives the government distribute to the masses, no matter how you stop them from making babies.
law student, leftist, national democratic, film school graduate, photography hobbyist
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9 comments to “A favorite scapegoat for poverty in the Philippines”
great article bikoy. will repost this one, with your permission of course
Heresy! Prepare for a flogging, excommunication and a return to the garrote!
Isa kang mamamayan ng isang bansang walang kakayanan na itaas ang sahod o magbigay ng akmang tulong sa mga nangangailangan, talagang paghihirap ang aabutin mo kung ikaw ay mag-aanak ng sangkatutak. Kung hihintayin mo ang bansa mo na tulungan ka, ma-mumuti lang ang iyong mga mata.
The main reason why salaries are low in this country is precisely because of overpopulation. When there are overwhelmingly more people than jobs, the result is low wages as people are willing to accept a token pay in order to be able eat. It is supply and demand.
pacific, flawed ang reasoning mo sa mababang pa-sweldo sa manggagawa sa pilipinas. the fact na mataas at nakakabahala ang unemployment sa pilipinas at wala pa sa kalahati ang minimum wage para mapakain ang isang pamilya sa loob ng isang araw, hindi over-population ang dahilan. ang mga polisiyang neoliberal at patuloy na privatization ng mga batayang serbisyo ang maaari pang dahilan kaya mababa ang pasahod sa mga manggagawang pilipino. mga panginoong maylupa at malalaking burgesyang kumprador ang may dikta ng takbo ng pamahalaan, kaya mababa ang pasuweldo. hindi overpopulation. produkto na lamang ito ng kapabayaan ng pamahalaan at mas pagkiling sa interes ng iilan.
The thing is, industrialization came first before those rich countries became overpopulated. But in our setting, we are already overpopulated while we aren’t even an industrialized nation. We are still ‘developing’.
We look so much to foreign countries, not seeing that the same things may not always apply in the Philippine context. We are overpopulated, and as much as our numbers explode, so do government spending on public health, education, and social services (considering that a big chunk of our population is poor).
Overpopulation is a hindrance to development. As it is, it remains a cause of poverty.
you’re right. overpopulation is often made an excuse by the government of our country as the reason why we are poor. it definitely is not the root cause. we are poor because of a lot of factors, but overpopulation did not cause it and maybe if we did have a better economic condition, it would not matter how many children our citizens would have because they would be able to afford it anyway.
but being a new parent and having had my child from an unplanned pregnancy, I must say, we should really start educating people on family planning, not as a snobbish “i dont want more squatters populating the Philippines” perspective but from a perspective of a parent who hopes only the best for every child that comes out into the world. In a world like what we live in, bringing a child in without the resources to raise it is like setting them up for death. I remember when I first found out I was having a child, i nearly broke down in tears thinking of mine and my partner’s financial capability and how we were going to make ends meet. I worried about how we would pay for everything and to this day, i still worry about how we will pay for immunization shots, schooling and other needs our child might have. Having all these worries, I could not help but think how much worse people in a lesser fortunate situation would feel. They cant provide the best for their children, or maybe they cant provide anything at all. They brought a child to life but cant bring enough to let it live life.
So although the economic situation should not dictate the right of anyone to have sex, as adults, these people having sex should also be aware that what they are doing could possibly bring in a new life that they will be responsible for –that they should provide for. if the current situation they are in obviously shows that they cant possibly do so, then maybe they should think twice. just my two cents.
I do agree that overpopulation is not the reason why most of us are poor. Greed is the reason why many of us are poor.
It maybe unfortunate that many of us become parents before we become financially independent. We have 4 children and we still have 2 who are still in college. And we also worry about tuition and stuff.
But maybe we do need to revisit that basic church doctrine that sex is really there as part of marriage and for procreation alone. I do not know how and why sex became such a big deal over excelling in class or sharing my allowance with the poor. Had I listened to that pompous priest, I most probably would not have had gotten married just because I got my wife pregnant.
I also believe that the government is not being honest about the RH Bill. It is a bill which comes with a promise of aid by wealthy countries, because it will now again benefit their multinational companies. So its going to be “happy days are here again”. Let the poor have their sex with condoms and contraceptives, low tax liquor and cigarettes … and the rich enjoy their perks, profits and tax exemptions from their congressmen.
my 2 cents worth