is there a need to manage population growth?

The debate on whether to control population growth or not stems not just from the conflict between the church and the state but more on whether rapid population growth is a hindrance to sustainable economic development or a factor promoting such. Sustainable economic development implies new concept of development jumping from mere figures to a wider concept of fairness and opportunity for all the people with regard to world’s finite natural resources and carrying capacity. One of the values of sustainability is life sustenance- the ability to provide needs. In this regard, several literatures about population management point to negative macro and micro implications of rapid population growth.

Macro Level Implications

Although population growth could be beneficial for developed countries with a population age structure which is almost rectangular (e.g. Sweden), rapid population growth negatively affects development of developing countries (NEDA, 1993). Rapid population growth has effects on natural resources, environment, capital- both physical and human, and income inequality.

On Natural Resources. Natural resources are viewed as inputs to production. More inputs will be needed to produce goods and services needed by the rapidly growing population. Although it might not be a problem if addressed adequately and timely, more labor applied to fixed land, for example, might lead to diminishing returns. According to some studies, if population grows rapidly and responses are not adapted on time, the population might not be able to avert declining labor productivity as a result of rapid growth (NEDA, 1993).

On environment. It has been viewed by many studies that rapid population growth worsens the degradation of the environment- destruction of forests, pollution, and exhaustion of resources among others. A slower population growth not only slows down environmental degradation but also gives more time to lay out mitigating measures (NEDA, 1993).

On capital. Population growth increases the dependency burden, that is, the age/sex structure of the population changes such that a larger population of the total population now belongs to the younger age group, implying that the greater the number of dependents, the greater the consumption out of a given income (NEDA, 1993). This leads to lesser savings, which are main sources of domestic investments, affecting the capacity of the population for investing in productive activities, thus resulting in a slower growth.

The negative effects of rapid population growth on physical capital formation are not so much as compared to the development of human capital. Less savings leads to lesser expenditures for health, education, and nutrition of the populace among others. For instance, countries with high population growth rate, such as the Philippines, have lower school expenditures per child (NEDA, 1993). In the supply side, the supply of educational services is determined by the capacity of the government to save and invest in educational services (Herrin, 1996).

On income inequality. Effects of population growth are apparent on wages and employment. Very rapid population growth rate leads to increase in the labor force. This could be a problem if the country’s economy could not absorb the rapid increase in the labor force. The more rapid increase in potential labor supply relative to increase in demand for labor would tend to depress the wage rates (Herrin, 1996).

Micro Level Implications

At the level of households, effects of population growth are felt on financial resource dilution. The dilution effect affects expenditures on education, employment of family members, and on savings.

On education. Pertinent to the investments to human capital, the capacity of households to support educational needs of their children is impeded as their size increases. Findings in the Philippines show that the presence of additional young children in the household reduces the probability that older siblings will be enrolled in school. These adverse effects might arise either because of financial resource dilution or increased demand for time spent in household production (Bauer, et al., 1992). The dilution effect explains that the decline in per capita income is a result among others of additional child (of either sex) in the family (Mason, 1989).

Estimates suggest that the impact of younger children on the enrolment status of older siblings operates mainly through resource dilution in the case of older brothers and through increased household duties in the case of older sisters (Bauer, et al., 1992). Probably due to rigid gender roles in the Philippines, “siblings nudge young men out of school and into the labor force and into the market and draw young women into the home” (Bauer, et al., 1992). In a comparative study conducted in Thailand and Korea, households with fewer children use the increased availability of resources to invest more in the schooling of their children (Mason, 1989).

On employment. The more common effect of additional children in the household is to inhibit women from entering the labor market. According to a study, on the average, female participation declines by 60% in household with no income to 52% in those with one. This analysis suggested that an important cost of children is the earnings women forego because of childrearing responsibilities (Bauer, 1992). The presence of children were found to significantly reduce the chances that women will be an earner. This would lead to lesser income for the family to support the needs of its members. A slack in the supply of employment is also created when the labor force grows rapidly.

On savings. Childrearing also depresses the rate household savings as is the case in the Philippines. A study shows that at the peak of the childrearing years, parents with only 2 children are, on the average, saving 7.4% of their disposable income, nearly 30% more than parents with more than 4 children” (Bauer, 1992). The calculated decline in average household size from 5.5 members in 1990 to 3.6 members in 2025 is calculated to produce an 18% increase in aggregate saving over the same period (Bauer, 1992).

Epilogue

Population growth, according to Herrin (1996), has positive effects on promotion of economies of scale and on technological change. As population grows, the market increase in size to a point where economies of scale are possible and more efficient in provision of goods and services. As is the case with economies of scale, population growth also enhances technological change in the light of the need to adopt a more intensive system which increase outputs in order to address the need to growing requirements of the population.

However, in spite of the fact that population growth could be of advantage to developed countries, it might have adverse effects on developing countries especially to those whose resources and production could not adapt to the rapid population growth as shown in the discussions above on macro and micro-level implications of rapid population growth. Population size and structure have effects both on human and natural resources- the main components of sustainable economic development. In the Philippine setting where development is constrained by the inability of the government to finance development and serve even the minimum basic needs of the populace, rapid population growth would mean slower development.

The government is constrained by its resources to serve goods and services to the people such as education, health, and nutrition. The present fiscal situation of the Philippines is not in favor of serving a larger population. The government at present cannot focus on development financing because the bulk of resources are targeted towards provision of basic social services. Unless the government could adequately support the growing population, economic development will be relatively difficult to attain more so, sustain. At present, the Philippine population is growing faster than the rate the economy is growing. If only production and resources are adequate to support the population, population growth would not be a problem.

At the level of households, the inability of the family to meet basic needs as the number of children increases poses a major problem in human development. More often than not, larger family hampers the investment of family on education and nutrition due to dispersion of income to more members. These sacrifice the quality of future generation’s quality would not be favorable for the economy.

Population growth per se is not a problem. It would even be advantageous if the same level of resources and production growth accompanies it. The problem is the ability to support the needs of the growing population. Only when the government could support adequately the needs of the population and households could meet their basic needs that economic development could be sustained. In this light, it is of necessity that population be managed and planned. After all, the subject and object of planning and of development are the people.

(15 August 2003) 

References: 

Bauer, J., Canlas, D., Fernandez, M.T. and A. Mason. "Family Size and Family Welfare in the Philippines." Honolulu: East-West Center, Working Papers Population Series No. 87. 

Herrin, A.N. and M.P. Costello, 1996. "Sources of Future Population Growth and Implications for Public Policy." 

Mason, A.W. (1989). "Demographic Change, Household Resources and Schooling Decisions." Paper presented at the International Symposium for Sources of Economic Dynamism in the Asia and Pacific Region: A Human Resource Approach, November 20-23, Nihondaigaku, Kaikan, Tokyo, Japan. 

NEDA (1993). Training Module on Integrated Population and Development Planning. Pasig: NEDA-Integrated Population and Development Project and Raya Media Services, Inc. 

others over self

"Walang sinuman ang nabubuhay

Para sa sarili lamang

Walang sinuman ang namamatay

Para sa sarili lamang.

Tayong lahat ay may pananagutan sa isa’t isa

Tayong lahat ay tinipon ng Diyos na kapiling nya…"

-          by Eduardo P. Hontiveros, S.J.

The warm smiles- that’s what Filipinos are known for all around the globe. Hospitality is innate among this race. The Filipino people are fond of taking things lightly. It is seldom that they give in to problems. Taking things lightly has helped them to pass through a series of crisis without being adversely affected- at least emotionally. For another, the Filipinos have always been known for being a believer of a Supreme Being. But beyond the mysticism of the Filipinos, what compose them?

However good being a believer of a Supreme Being is, the tendency to exaggerate things and let the Supreme Being do the things that people are supposed to do have always been the problem among Filipinos. The Filipinos are fond of uttering the phrase "bahala na" which is actually an abridged of "Bathala na". Things are meant what they are supposed to be. Fate, sometimes, decides for most of the Filipinos. The assurance that Someone above would help them go through things has made Filipinos complacent with what happens to them. Belief in a Supreme Being has helped Filipinos go through problems. But over-dependency to the Supreme Being has brought several problems and taken opportunities away from them.

Filipinos are also known for being a disciplined person- that is, when they are in a foreign land. When it comes to their own country, they tend to neglect laws, rules and other regulations. Abroad, they use the pedestrian overpass. They throw litter at the right places. They follow traffic rules. But wait until they come back to their own country. Filipinos in the Philippines seem not to know how to properly dispose even a candy wrapper or a cigarette butt. Some also are more afraid of sweating due to climbing the pedestrian overpasses rather than risking their bodies being hit by rushing vehicles driven by careless drivers. This is the Philippines. These are the Filipinos. Only in the Philippines where Filipinos are disobedient. Abroad, they are among those who follow rules and regulations. 

What virtue is then lacking among the Filipinos? It is the sense of duty and responsibility for the society they belong. This is not to generalize that Filipinos have no sense of duty and responsibility. There are some who are very much considerate and aware that they have responsibilities and duties to perform not just for their own good but for the good of the society as a whole. Inculcating sense of duty and responsibility among the Filipino people is very much needed nowadays where the country is plagued by various problems.

If only the Filipinos have been aware that each of them has a duty to perform, the country could have been more progressive and with lesser problems. The problems that plague the country are, in one way or another, a result of lack of sense of duty to the country. The problem of rapid population growth could have been reduced if the families have been more aware that in bearing a child, they have the responsibility of ensuring that this child’s needs could be well provided for. Likewise, development problems such as waste, pollution, urban blight and environmental degradation could be mitigated if only the people are very much willing to do their part. However, most of the Filipinos are not concerned with what the society can reap from them. They are fascinated more on what he/she can get from the society where he/she belongs. Only few would bother, for instance, to throw garbage at the right place if everybody is throwing garbage everywhere.

If only the Filipinos have been aware that each of them has a responsibility for others, it is certain that the problems in governance, such as corruption, would be lessened. The corrupt leaders and the bureaucrats have little sense of responsibility which makes it easy for them to loot the monies of the people. The people who take corrupt officials for granted and think that nothing can be done to change the system are as corrupt as these leaders and politicians.

Sense of duty and responsibility is more of being aware that each and every Filipino has his/her own part or role to perform in the progress of the country as a whole. This as a virtue which encompasses all other significant virtues necessary from the individual level up to the societal level. Awareness of the role to perform means a more considerate individual. In this sense, self-discipline is achieved where the individual is cognizant of the situations of others and not just think of themselves. The very popular "Filipino time" concept in the country is due to lack of consideration to what negative effects such being late could have to others. Self-discipline in this sense is part of having sense of duty and responsibility to attend to things on time.

In sense of duty and responsibility, other virtues sprout. Each one of us has duty to perform for our Creator. Each one of us has a duty and responsibility to take care of our families. But sense of duty and responsibility should not stop there. It should lead further to a more general level where we have duties and responsibilities for people we don’t even know. If that level is achieved where we are openly willing to perform tasks for people we are not affiliated with or would not accrue us direct benefits, the society where we belong would be a society which is not dysfunctional. Having sense of duty and responsibility leads to love of fellowmen and country because such virtue emphasizes being considerate for the needs of others.

Most of the Filipinos live their lives as if these are not part of a larger whole where other people are participating in. Private interests occupy most of the thinking of the people. But this should not be the case. As what the lines of the song "Pananagutan", as quoted above, we live not for ourselves. We are part of a society which needs us to perform our respective role. The old adage "no man is an island" aptly describes what the song would want us to realize. Another line from a famous American President also provides a very definitive explanation of what a sense of duty and responsibility is- "ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country".

Only when others over self is inculcated to the minds of the Filipinos that a true development of the country can be attained. Only when the Filipinos ask what they can do for their country and not what their country can do for them that the country’s economic development would be sustained. Only when the Filipinos become aware that they have a "pananagutan" to their fellowmen and to their country that  the country could have a just and compassionate society. Only when a sense of duty and responsibility is inculcated among the Filipinos.

Making the City a Home

The Great Manila Dream

The roads are painted with gold. High rise buildings are left and right signaling development. Employment opportunities are everywhere. Life seems so much comfortable and convenient because of the advanced technologies available. Public transport provides easy access to anywhere in the city. Public utilities, such as water, electricity and telecommunications, are at their best. Health services being provided are among, if not the best, in the country. The best education can be accessed in our major cities where the premiere colleges and universities are found. The seat of power is also located in the heart of one of the major cities in the country- the imperial Manila.

This is how most of the promdis (colloquial term for people coming from the provinces) who had never set foot on the "gold painted" roads of Metro Manila or in any other cities of the country look at the life in the city. Until you live and experience life in the city by yourself and have the taste of the life being offered by it, your ivory coated image of the life in cities would be shattered.

The City as Seen by its Dwellers

…a place where dying river ends

no birds there fly over Paraiso

no space allows them to endure.

the smoke that screens the air

the grass that’s never there…

- Ryan Cayabyab (Paraiso)

Once you have immersed yourself in the life the city has to offer, gradually you would realize that the life in the city could not even approximate the tip of your utopic image of it.

The environment is not conducive for healthy living. It seems that the city has invented every possible kind of pollution- from the very common air and water pollution to land and noise pollution. Air is not conducive to having healthy lungs for almost every toxic substance is already present in the air. The water is not fit for drinking. Try to drink water coming directly from the faucet and there is a high probability of you getting amoebiasis or other intestinal infections. The state of our "potable" water led to a boom in a new industry- that of purified drinking water. In almost every block, there is at least one purified drinking water station bragging the number of stages of water purification that they offer.

The state of our rivers flowing along the metropolis has worsened. They can not even reflect the colors of the blue sky because they have turned black due to water pollution. Fish kills are more often. Every year, the rivers in the metropolis are becoming worse and worse. They are on the verge of becoming lifeless- actually some have already lost its capacity to support freshwater life for so many years now. Life in these bodies of water is virtually non-existent.

Waste management is also a problem in the city. Solid and liquid wastes are not properly disposed. Tons of garbage are being produced by the cities everyday. Some cities even have to look for dumpsite outside their locality because of the problem in space. Liquid effluents are directly dumped into the bodies of water mainly because it is the most convenient and the cheapest in terms of costs that the industries have to bear.

The cities in the Philippines, specifically in Metropolitan Manila, have been overcrowded. People are migrating to the cities because of the misconceptions that life is easier in the city. The cities are congested not just by people but also by automobiles. Traffic has been a perennial problem. So much time and energy are wasted due to traffic. Low income families and the rest of the urban poor amass the slums and squatter areas. Increase in population results to stiff competition in employment opportunities and even in the availability of social services. The yawning gap between the rich and the poor is evident in the cities. The right to privacy due to lack of personal space has been gradually lost. Safety and security are less insured in the cities rather than in the countryside. The cities are becoming more and more overcrowded.

City life has turned into a nightmare for some of its dwellers. Everybody lives in a fast-paced life where people are busy making a living. It results to a very stressful life, which aggravates the health conditions of the city dwellers. The city has turned the life of its dwellers into a mechanical one where each is busy making a living and forgetting to live. What would then make a livable city?

Making the City a Home

My own concept of a livable city is anchored on the principle that man does not live by bread alone. By bread, I refer to it both literally and figuratively. However, this would not mean that the physical needs of the residents of the city would be ignored. It is only through the attainment of these physical and security needs that the higher levels of needs be satisfied. It is therefore then of high importance that the city is able to provide these basic needs. A livable city therefore should be able to provide employment and livelihood opportunities, public utilities, and social services among others.

A livable city is a city without so much congestion. There are spaces for recreations and the form is well planned. That is, there would be lesser need to commute through automobiles. Majority of the activities of the residents is accessed on foot. The concept of pedestrianization of the city would be of great help to make it livable. In terms of its physical appearance, eyesores are at a minimum and urban blight and decay are easily prevented. Slums and squatters are not present because the city’s capacity to support the needs of its residents is still within reach.

But there is so much beyond city being able to provide for effective, efficient, and accessible social services and public utilities. It is more than just securing the lives and properties of the residents of the city. I believe that a livable city must provide more than the physical and security needs of the people. More important is the ability of the city to provide and promote the well-being of its residents.

After the city could provide for the physical and security needs, the livable city should also be able to provide for the needs of the residents, which are social in nature. These needs concern more on the social well-being of an individual, which are usually conceived as intangible needs but are more important than the physical and security needs. A livable city is a city which could be considered as a home of the residents, not just a place where a part of their life is being spent such as work. It should be at least playing a major role in the lives of the city dwellers. A livable city should not just be considered as a mere structure. It should not be devoid of the "social aspects" of the lives of men. The livable city put the social lives of its residents as the core or the foci of the city’s existence.

In stepping into a higher level of human needs, a livable city provides for the cultural concerns of the people. The historical aspect of the lives of the people should not be taken for granted. It would serve as a strong foundation for the further social development of the city residents. Knowing one’s roots provides for self-esteem and dignity. Historical landmarks and other proofs of the change in the lives of the people should not be taken for granted. Philippine cities are quite eager to embrace development and neglect historical and even environmental aspects of the city. The need to address the future generation should not be ignored. Respecting history does not mean being stuck in a space and time where everything seems constant.  A livable city also has respect for posterity where future generations are not taken for granted. There is respect for the natural resources of the city. Pollution is minimized. Health is being nourished.

Self-actualization, the highest level of human needs, although very difficult to attain, should also be addressed by a city to make it livable. Economic growth and infrastructure developments are not enough to be self-actualized. It is more than that. And the city to be able to just even try to attain such need would make a lot of difference than just those cities dying to provide physical and security needs alone. Self-actualization provides contentment among its residents.

A livable city addresses the happiness and comfort of its dwellers- happiness not just in material things but more on emotional, intellectual and even spiritual needs. More than food, clothing, employment and public utilities, the city to be livable must address the social needs of its residents.

…that if I could see a single bird, what a joy

 this tired and hungry land could expect

some truth and hope and respect from the rest

of the world…

-R. Cayabyab

Considering the idea of a livable city as discussed above, the cities in the Philippines still have so many things to do to attain livability. For instance, cities in Metro Manila can not even provide enough services for its residents. This hinders the ability of the city to focus more on non-material things. This leads to the neglect of the culture and emotional aspects of the dwellers. Considering the idea presented above on the city’s livability, the cities in Metro Manila are just scratching the tip of being livable. A livable city is a city where there is respect for both physical and social aspects of the city.

Of loosing a home…

I know a fellow who lost his home.

Many years ago, he painstakingly looked for a perfect home. And he was blessed to have one. The place actually made him feel that he found the right one. People came in and out of his home. He’s just thankful to have them. These people were actually so close to his heart that he could not let them feel unwelcome.

Suddenly, just out of nowhere, he just felt that his home had left him. Although the same structure was there, the same people were there, the same smiles were there, and even the same tears were there, the warmth was lost. Suddenly, he felt that the house that actually welcomed him with open arms had then become his adversary. It made him feel like he’s being forced to abandon the place. He just found out that the place, which had been his sanctuary for so long, had become his own place of insecurity. He could not relax and unwind anymore. The place had become so filled with angst and hypocrisy. It had become a witness to indifference, ambivalence, and selfishness.

The place, which used to be his home, had left him with no choice. He did not know how it happened. He just felt that he had to go. He did go.

And he has found a new home…

Too Late…

Last Monday, we witnessed the former speaker who had his "ten long minutes" to voice out his anger. On the verge of being ousted from his post, the poor fellow from Pangasinan gave a speech that, I believe, only his fanatics could stomach.

The former Mr. Speaker appeared to be a ‘kid’ whose lollipop was taken. He gave a litany of what he has done for Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. It appeared to me that the former Mr. Speaker would want to show to the public that he was the ‘king maker’- that, if not for him, Gloria would not be in Malacanang right now. He said that he did this and that. His speech was actually teeming with fallacious arguments. Instead of rantings, the former Mr. Speaker should just have focused on the issue on why he should not be removed from the Speakership.

I believe that what he did last Monday was just a ploy to defer his impending ouster. And of course, the question of why only now lingers.