OVERPOPULATION

I just attended a talk late this afternoon given by Mr. Manny Arejola, former Director of the Population Committee in the 1970s.. Not sure about the exact date though. He gave a very interesting eyeopener for all of us who were present on the politics behind any "decrease population"-related bills. Let me just give you some highlights his talk. (These information are based on Philippine experience.)

1. The National Statistics Office of the Philippines post that there are 84 Million Filipinos. This includes filipinos living in the Philippines, outside it (which amounts to 7.2 Million all over the world), and IMAGINARY filipinos. The latter were "born" thru the "conception" of some town mayors who "doctor" their population count to increase their "PORK BARREL" or government budget for the town.

2. In reality, if Filipinos were to gather in one place and to be counted exactly, there are only about 62 Million.

3. Population growth rate, the basis of the World Bank and the UN to proclaim that there is a "population explosion", is not exact enough. The PGR includes Filipinos who are outside the country. A better gauge for population growth is the TOTAL FERTILITY RATE (TFR). The TFR measures the number of children per woman. Naturally, only women are capable of giving births. The supposed proposed 2-Child Policy, pushed by Mr. Lagman and cohorts, actually push for a 2% TFR rate (though the bill uses the PGR). The CIA World factbook publishes that the Philippines has a 3.2% TFR rate. This means, an average of 3 children per woman. The Philippines does not need anymore 2-Child policy for this matter if the TFR already is approaching the ideal 2% which they propose.

4. Countries who have promoted population control are definitely very developed countries, but they are slowly becoming extinct. These are Singapore, Netherlands, Ireland, Spain, and others. Their TFR rate is already below the ideal replacement rate of 2%. Soon, there will be no more Irish, Singaporean, Spanish, and perhaps even Americans and British in this world! Now, don't we want that to happen? And only Filipinos will survive and rule the whole world!

5. The US, in 1974, wrote the National Security Study Memorandum 200, crafted by Henry Kissinger. It says, "The President has directed a study of the impact of world population growth on U.S. security and overseas interests." How selfish sounding, huh? At the end, it rectifies though saying that it's really a sincere concern for humanity. Part of this study is America's conditions for funding in the Philippines:
a. Restructure the family - postpone or avoid marriage, and alter image of the ideal family.
b. compulsory (sex) education of all children ages 5 and above.
c. Increase percentage of homosexual unions

6. Manny Arejola also tackeld the issue of contraception since the bill will eventually lead to this. There are no contraceptive pills in the Philippines. There are only abortifacients. And these have grave side-effects on the woman: nausea, itching, vomiting, constant headaches, and deformed children. Oh, by the way, these also tend to increase the estrogen level in the woman so if she ever does give birth, there is a HIGH tendency for a homosexual man. Go figure.

7. There are scientific studies that show a homosexual has a mother who took a contraceptive pill. Most likely.

8. The bill, the media and what-have-you try to convince the population that you are poor because you have a lot of children. WRONG! FALLACIOUS! I know many rich families who have 8 and 12 children. They are rich. There is no logic in this. They try to convince us that having children is a burden. That children means parents have to work really hard so they earn more for the education of their children... how not comfortable for the parents... tsk tsk tsk. Children, what do you think? Are your parents start to think that you are a burden?

9. There is a lot of PROPAGANDA on the population rate, but no propaganda on mortality rate and migration rate. No one tells us, "Hey, there are a lot of people dying, have more children." Or, "Hey, many people are migrating, have more children." There is a focus only on the population increase.

10. Population and poverty are two independent issues which have no correlation whatsoever.

11. The objective of the bill: To improve quality of life of the Filipino family." I wonder how the government will try to quantify quality...