Just want to know what is your opinion of the newest population management bill??? Its House Bill 3773 authored by Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, and its basically encouraging only 2 children per family. It is not like China's policy of limiting the number of children. But rather, it gives incentives to those who comply. Do you think this will be effective? What do you think about the church's opposition? Do you think is a viable solution to our economic problems?

Please answer because I need this for an article and a forum...

For my opinions as of the moment, pls check out http://politics.alleba.com

I believe limiting the number of children a family should have, either by threat or incentive, is a good first step given the present condition of our country. We have little or no health care, functioning utilities, sanitation especially in the country. In short our present resources are barely, if at all, keeping up with our burgeoning population. At over 84 million strong as of the last NSO numbers, and with barely enough opportunities and options available in terms of long-term and adequate employment, entrepreneurship and quality education, we really should seriously legislating limiting the number of children a family should have.

I have a janitor here where I work who has all of six children aged 14 years to barely 3 years, and he's making roughly P10,000 a month with overtimes. Yet barly 24 hours after every payday he's already broke. And how many more of his kind are out there, or in an even worse off situation? And yet these same folks keep breeding like rabbits and geese on Viagra! I believe this latest proposed legislation makes sense right now. We cannot merely sit on our hands while we have a population explosion going on all around us. It simply has to either decelerate by at least 75% or stop altogether at least over the next 10 years. Then maybe we can start working on more long-term economic and other policy solutions.

Two things could be done:

1. Encourage couples who have already at least two kids to undergo ligation or vasectomy. The government should offer Php 5,000 per couple. The huge savings later on in health, education and social services would far outweigh these initial costs.

2. Make available non-aboritafacient (did I spell this right?) contraceptives. Much of the argument by those opposed is based on old biology. Modern biology says that the state of nature is not perfect. I even tend to think that God purposely made it that way so we could improve on it. I understand that Pope Paul VI was mainly concerned about the abuse of contraceptives like condoms in his encyclical Humanae Vitae rather than the morality of it. But abuse is cultural and social and could be overcome through education.

Gee,
Jimmy Galvez-Tan and USAid has, for the past 5 years put together a polyclinic known as Friendly Care which caters specifically for population control. They offer non-scalpel vasectomy and tubal ligation all for under 5000 pesos. They also offer medical advice on family planning as well as making family planning methods (natural or otherwise) available to the public at very reasonable prices. Unfortunately, the funding for this clinic has been terminated by USAid and they are on the lookout for new sources of funding. The government is beholden to the caprices of the Catholic Church (the loud, conservative anyway) and they will not provide funds for this. What a shame because these clinics are strategically located in the high density areas (Shaw, Lagro, Cainta) where they could be of most impact.

Ria, I think giving incentives is fine but the government should be more proactive like the suggestions I mentioned to achieve better results. I am glad that Gloria is supporting Ligtas Buntis even though the bishops are opposed to it. Hope Dayrit does not get the axe for this. Many have already explained (mainly from UP) that managing population will contribute to reduction of poverty just what happened in Indonesia where economic development is the same as in the Philippines or worse.

Actually, if my information is correct those who wish to avail of the incentives for having only two children should first undergo vasectomy (for the male) and/or tubal ligation (for the female).