Population Explosion in the Philippines

The Philippines is the world’s 12th most populous country, with a population of over 90 million as of 2008. This is according to this article.

This is not surprising, given the stance of the Catholic Church on birth control method. Click here for the official Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines statement on Contraceptive Mentality.

The way the government seem to agree with the church regarding the issue is also a factor which contributed to the fact that the population boom is escalating and there are really clear actions how to stop the numbers from escalating.

The USAID has been supporting The Philippine Family Program for years and the objectives that they have outlined are agreeable with me. Click here to read the Factsheet.

The WQ#11 was inspired by the answer of Lovelyn to WQ#10 regarding the Little Girl and I want to know your opinion on this very important and controversial topic of Family Planning Issues and the ballooning population of the country:

Should people heed the call of the Catholic Church to not use artificial means of contraception/reproductive health products and services OR should they go ahead, talk to their doctors and plan for how they want to practice family planning?

My answer:

I believe in the stance of the church that people should not contradict the “fruitfulness of human reproductive capacities given by the Creator and hence are morally wrong”. But on second thought, the church should not pass judgment on people regarding their stance on the use of artificial contraception as morally wrong.

The numbers alone are astounding and although I am in no position to say or predict what will truly happen a few years from now if population will not be controlled is still a dreadful thought to me.

Don’t we even ask why we have a scarcity of food?

Don’t people feel uncomfortable about living in a cramped house and with their children getting hungry but there is not enough food to eat.

Don’t we ever ask why schools are overflowing with children and that there is not enough budget to get all the resources needed to improve the learning conditions?

Don’t we ever ask why there are lesser and lesser lands to farm because people are making these lands their homes?

Don’t we ever ask why, the church, who do not promote the artificial means of contraception not helping these people?

Does the church provide for free education to the masses not accommodated in the over-populated public schools? No, it doesn’t, instead it’s schools offer sky-high tuition fees for the moneyed people.

I am afraid a stirred a hornet’s nest with my questions and have not answered the question I should have answered first. But one thing for sure, my husband and I have three children and we stopped at that number.

Three is fine with both of us and we believe that in doing so, we would be able to provide a good future for our children.

WQ round-up:

• Faery Rowan
• Zriz
• Arlene
• Maiylah
• Lurchie
• Lovelyn