June 11th is World Population Day.
Whenever I hear the words ‘population explosion’, I always think of the Philippines. When I used to live in Canada, this would always come up about the Philippines in my Southeast Asian Government classes. Now, I don’t need to study facts or statistics, I simply need to leave my home to see children everywhere — playing on dusty sidewalks by busy intersections, clutching their young mother’s hand while she begs for money, sleeping in wooden carts in empty lots.
I always wondered how one can live in this country and not even consider the idea of a reproductive health plan. I am against abortion, but am pro-birth control. Underprivileged women need the information and free birth control to help them gain control of their lives. As a nation, we seriously need to keep our population in check if we are to begin the long process of eradicating poverty.
The Philippine Star details the story of the UNFPA (United Naitons Population Fund)’s 20th World Population Day:
[The UNFPA released a statment that] calls on governments to promote women’s reproductive health and prevent maternal and child deaths through family planning programs and the use of contraceptives. Even the person in charge of direct aid for the poor in the Philippines, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral, is pushing for the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill as resources shrink in the recession and the population continues to boom.
The UNFPA points out that an investment in contraceptive services could be recouped four times over in terms of savings in public education, health care and other social services. The UN agency also says that family planning alone can reduce maternal deaths by up to 40 percent.
So “Happy World Population Day” and may everyone in government seriously think about giving the Reproductive Health Bill a shot. Just look out your windows, people! Look.
Political Cartoon from 1937 shows this is not an new issue
Fabella Hospital, Manila's "baby factory" as 20% of Manila's babies are born here to indigent moms.
Read more about Fabella Hospital HERE.
Katnip 