The Truth about Philippine "Overpopulation"

you know what? I got so engrossed and hyped up to the ideas here to the point that I almost changed a group research paper that they suddenly entrusted to me..... Our topic is "Family planning is the answer to over population crisis"....I really want to contradict it after I read the postings here and revise the whole title...but when I looked up the resources you have posted here...it wasn't updated....

I mean, the latest that I saw is August 2003...and that isn't enough....coz it was just edited.

You really do have a point here 'gentleman', but even my teacher says they have gone through squattered areas and wondered how the people there could procreate if their sleeping space is just but a few inches away from 5-6 kids that they have....some even just sits down sleeping coz of small house and yet they would have pregnant wives a month later.

Are those records posted up in the net even included to those people who lives on streets or under the bridges and railways? How about those people who only uses midwives to bring their child into the world?Do they even get registered even if they don't go to hospitals? This questions, I really don't know what the answers are....and after reflecting and frustratingly tried to find the latest demography that could cite even a controversial way that fertility rates is really going down, I thought about this things.

So, if what I can see in the net, doesn't add up to what we can see in the streets.....help me here....is Philippines still not overflowing of people? Coz the difference here is not media....it's of a sample mean on what I can see on the way home.

Though I totally agree, overpopulation is really not the answer to poverty.....

Just an inquiring student....
 

We at Prolife will always give you the most updated information around.
As we keep repeating and repeating on this web site:
The numbers have been counted.  The fanatics for population control think they are still living in the 1960s and 1970s when women had 7 children each, these people are called INTELLECTUAL MORONS.  Today in metro manila, rich, middle class, poor WOMEN only give birth to 2.0 children each.  Nationwide the estimate varies from 2.7 ~ 3.2 depending on which survey estimate you look at.  We plotted the estimates for you already, you just missed it.



You are confused because your eyes are stuck in metro manila where people from around the country migrate into.  But go check out the countryside, the provincial towns.  The people getting left behind are OLD PEOPLE and unemployable men. Go for a nationwide drive, go by boat, go by plane... empty spaces, empty spaces all around.  Land prices in the far flung areas untitiled, sold by the hectare.

The fact is: The world is in a Contraceptive Death Grip with population aging and decline dictating all the job opportunities worldwide.  

Think: Australia, Canada, the USA, Europe are all INVITING whole MIGRANT Families.  All these rich countries are INVITING / BEGGING for workers: nurses, teachers, maids, yayas, caregivers, engineers, managers, technical personnel, seamen, mechanics, etc.  Why do they do this?  Answer: They have no people to fill in those jobs.  They already contraceptivized themselves many generations earlier and we are following the same decline in births but this time at a much STEEPER DECLINE.  In those 1st world countries, the birth decline took them 100 or more years.  In our country, it has only taken 40 years.  In other ASEAN countries, the decline only took 20 years!

Baby bonuses, hard cash, BRIBING WOMEN to make babies are being given in Australia, Singapore, Europe.  These 1st world countries have to bribe their own women to make new people, while they want to brainwash our FILIPINA WOMEN to stop making Filipinos.  Racism at its finest.

It is the population control fanatics who DO THE HIDING of data from you.
You just missed the issue of NEWSWEEK last September 18, 2004
The title was BABY BUST.  See that edition of newseek with this link:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6040427/site/newsweek/

You can check back at the previous replies here that say:
-------------
http://www.adb.org/Documents/News/2002/nr2002127.asp
ADB document shows decline of Total Fertility Rate from 4.4 in 1990 to 3.4 in 2000. (but UN recomputed much lower later, variations are common)

http://www.unescobkk.org/ips/arh-web/demographics/philippines2.cfm
UNESCO has a case study too... (1996)

http://www.gfmer.ch/Books/bookmp/205.htm
Specific situation in the Philippines
by Florante P. Gonzaga
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines

Add year 2004 Population Growth Rate 1.88% (from the CIA World Fact Book)
This is the LOWEST POPULATION GROWTH RATE IN 100 YEARS!
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/rp.html
CIA World Fact Book (JULY 2004)
---------------------

Check our web site at http://www.prolife.org.ph

Hey im new here, just read this topic's forum since im doing a paper related to this. Anyway, overpopulated or not, with statistics/ proofs or not, i think it does not matter. What we see are the result, if we see a lot of children in the streets without home this may mean overpopulation on that certain place for example NCR. So one may say that NCR is overpopulated. Anyhow, i wanted to point out that being against overpopulation is not being against not having a lot of children in a family. i belive it is about proportinality between one's capability to support a child and the number of child they are, in reality, having or have. May point ba? anyway eto yon paper ko. I thought at first rin na we are overpopulated but i think we are in NCR right? pls help.. anybody.. gentlemen? pls.!! thanks... Do i make sense ba? I mean pag may pera ka and you can support a big family, no problem pero pag wala, i don't think you have the right to have a lot of children and leave them with kamaganak or sa street to beg! that is why we have unemployment because of incapability to have an educational attainment.. there... Aside from being my paper, this topic really interest me that is why topic nga ng paper ko so help me here.. thanks

If you have a paper to do, come over to the Pro-Life office and do your interviews.  You are welcome.  Call 422-8877.  We do not suppress nor doctor data.  Unlike the other side....

[What about the prospect of a “demographic winter”?]

What about the prospect of a “demographic winter”?

The prospect of a so-called “demographic winter” – birth dearth, aging, etc. – while occurring in varying degrees in highly advanced countries, is as distant as about 100 years from today for the Philippines. Projections indicate that, if TFR continues to decline by 0.2 children every five years, replacement fertility of 2.1 children per woman would be reached only by 2040. However, the effects of population momentum would persist for another 60 years before population ceases to grow, by which time the Philippines’ total population would be 240 million. For example, Thailand’s population, which has reached below-replacement fertility for some time, continues to grow owing to population momentum.

Therefore, much of the talk of a demographic winter is greatly exaggerated and can only be regarded as a plain and simple scare tactic to instill fear in people’s minds. It appears to be peddled by people who are simply unaware of population dynamics or, worse, who intend to mislead.

from Population and Poverty: The Real Score, a paper done by the professors of the University of the Philippines' School of Economics
http://www.econ.upd.edu.ph/respub/dp/htm/DP2004-15.htm

who shall i believe, you with your biases, or these doctors of economics?

I'll give you one clue for now, Bikoy:

Follow the money.

Who gets paid to make "research?" (not pro-life and not pro-family groups)
Who makes money out of population control programs? (not pro-life and not pro-family groups)
Who gives out billions of pesos in population control programs? (not pro-life and not pro-family groups)

Look at how prevalent contraception is in the Philippines:

1960 = 7 kids per woman  (not much contraception)
1970 = 6 kids per woman
1980 = 5.5 kids per woman
1990 = 4.4 kids per woman
2000 = 3.1 kids per woman (2 kids per woman in metro manila)
2005 = 2.7 kids per woman  (prevalent contraception)
2010 = 2.1 kids per woman (iwas buntis success, where 2.4 is replacement fertility for developing country)

Population Growth Rate:

1995 = 2.36% (US CIA says so)
2005 = 1.88% (US CIA says so, and you can compute it yourself easily)

Contraception and Family Planning programs have been SO SUCCESSFUL in the Philippines for 45 YEARS, and it has brought the Philippines nothing but POVERTY and MISERY. 

Let's see that UP Professor come on over at pro-life and I will debate him face to face.

I come from UP too.  Yet I never get paid to write or work for Pro-Life.  You can always come on over to the Pro-life office for an appointment and we can answer all your questions face to face.

I will read that so called paper and I will give you feedback on it.
--------------------

Truth is something that cannot be voted on.  1 + 1 = 2

Hm, but that is a very biased and unfair assumption against these 22 professors and doctors of economics, to say that they were paid by groups with hidden motives and that they wrote the paper in their interest. If indeed they were paid, they were funded by no less than the Filipino people with their tax money (UP state subsidy) so if we will follow your logic here, they should indebted to no one else but the people, their 'bias' as you assume belongs to the Filipinos' benefit and interest. They are professional academicians with purely academic studies.

In the first place, this is avoiding the points that were raised. The paper pointed out that Thailand has experienced below-replacement fertility rate for the past decade. But, their population has still been steadily growing. Their point is, once a country reaches below-replacement fertility rate, it doesn't mean the population will decrease and we will all face doom, as you claim. Population momentum will continue because not all generations die at the same time. If the Philippines reach the 2.1 fertility rate, it will still take a hundred years before population growth halts. And by that time, our population would already be 240 million.

Would you care to debunk this claim?

[First]

This is really interesting. I've been learning a whole lot in the past two pages of this thread on this classical population issue plaguing our country.

First:  I have to establish that it's not only a population problem, it's an inter-regional problem when it comes to the Philippines. The lack of simultaneous development in rural areas is exponentially lower in urban areas, that's why there's a bad displacement of the populace that makes urban regions, such as Metro Manila, oversaturated with people, conducing poverty. However,  in the event that interregional development seems a far dream, we still need to have a short term, strategic plan on controlling overpopulation.

Because I agree, that the TFR is declining, but relative to our Asian neighbors, the Philippines' rate is relatively slow, and it's contingent to the kind of economic development that the country experiences today (I'll expound more later). However, EVEN IF the TFR is down to 2.7, it is still desirable that the replacement rate be maintained (which is at 2.1, the rational behind that is well, two kids will eventually replace their two parents in the population). Because it is true that unemployment rates are climbing up, and of course, income generating job won't just spur at a time like this. I just don't see the link as how the number of people in the country will actually cause an offshoot of sales. This is a simple linear logic: If there are too many people, many people won't have job, they won't have the money to buy the goods the gentleman is planning to mass produce.

Second: The problem with collapsing the entire issue of overpopulation over one statistic on the declining TFR is simply unsound. I admit, I haven't been taking higher maths but I have a grasp of graphs and means. TFR is an AVERAGE, meaning that certain women will offset the number of children being born in an inter-class setting. IE,  most upper/middle-income class citizens who are EDUCATED will probably bear 1-2 children, that will offset the trends of the lower-income classes who will bear more children than they are capable of feeding. You can talk to your local cab driver, or the maglalako ng sigarilyo in any corner in Metro Manila and this reality is simply not cognizant to a mere statistic. That's why I feel that it's in the government's best interest to do something about it. I think, that Edcel Lagman's proposed House Bill 16 isn't exactly perfect, but it's tangible and workable.

Lastly, I just want to say that to merge liberal views, I think that Pro Life should also be Pro Choice, and in making choices, it's really contingent to information, and dissemination of general information is a State responsibility. The State should put a trust and thrust it's people in making sound choices. I agree with bikoy on this entire idea of having a bias, a State bias on the interest of the people. I have to shut up now before I say world peace. But no seriously. I'm usually value-neutral on issues, but I always have to address the issue of population growth.

Hm, but that is a very biased and unfair assumption against these 22 professors and doctors of economics, to say that they were paid by groups with hidden motives and that they wrote the paper in their interest. If indeed they were paid, they were funded by no less than the Filipino people with their tax money (UP state subsidy) so if we will follow your logic here, they should indebted to no one else but the people, their 'bias' as you assume belongs to the Filipinos' benefit and interest. They are professional academicians with purely academic studies.

Those 22 professors know nothing.  They are the same dorks touting globalization to the detriment of our country.  Reality doesn't live on sound bites.  Hell, my whole family and my wife's family graduated from UP.  So what?  You think those UP Professors are special.  I've debated and presented in the UP school of Economics once.  Yeah, some organization invited us.  Tell them to invite us again and we will give them another black eye.  The problem with those 22 economic professors is they hold their seminars and talks and want to keep the real pro-lifers out of the debates and invite some know nothing priests.

In the first place, this is avoiding the points that were raised. The paper pointed out that Thailand has experienced below-replacement fertility rate for the past decade. But, their population has still been steadily growing. Their point is, once a country reaches below-replacement fertility rate, it doesn't mean the population will decrease and we will all face doom, as you claim. Population momentum will continue because not all generations die at the same time. If the Philippines reach the 2.1 fertility rate, it will still take a hundred years before population growth halts. And by that time, our population would already be 240 million.

Would you care to debunk this claim?

Yada yada yada, as if you worshipping low fertility rate as a requirement for progress.  This is bunk false.
You worshipping absolute population numbers is again false.  Do not ever accuse me of avoiding points.  Because I handle them head on.  See, the point I debunk here is your worshipping of absolute population numbers and low fertility rates as a requirement for "progress".  That is plain bull.

You have been debunked and you are free to come to the pro-life office face to face with an open mind so you can see the other side.  Do make an appointment at 422-8877. 

Sorry, truth speech is offensive speech.

I just met Maria Ressa formerly of CNN and she is back working in the Philippines as she could not stomach the media lies of the American media. 

Think about things properly.  All sides of the equation.  I used to swallow that overpopulation crap and contraceptive crap almost 10 years ago.  Good thing the internet came and a whole wealth of data was available for free.  Time for you to use the internet and see for yourself.  I am not here to convince you in one fell swoop.  You will have to do some intense thinking yourself until you see it.

Now would you rather take the blue pill or the red pill?  (see the Matrix)

[First]

This is really interesting. I've been learning a whole lot in the past two pages of this thread on this classical population issue plaguing our country.

Thanks to you and all the other people writing for both camps.

First:  I have to establish that it's not only a population problem, it's an inter-regional problem when it comes to the Philippines. The lack of simultaneous development in rural areas is exponentially lower in urban areas, that's why there's a bad displacement of the populace that makes urban regions, such as Metro Manila, oversaturated with people, conducing poverty. However,  in the event that interregional development seems a far dream, we still need to have a short term, strategic plan on controlling overpopulation.

The fundamental thing that is WRONG with your statement is you SWALLOWING the DOGMA that there is an OVERPOPULATION problem when there is really NONE.  There is a POVERTY PROBLEM.  And the poor people will not go away by contraceptivizing them to oblivion.  You can volunteer your own family for elimination.

Because I agree, that the TFR is declining, but relative to our Asian neighbors, the Philippines' rate is relatively slow, and it's contingent to the kind of economic development that the country experiences today (I'll expound more later).

This Lower TFR is better DOGMA is again wrong.  The rest of our neighbors are LAMENTING their rapid Fertility decline and have changed course to correct their admitted MISTAKE.

However, EVEN IF the TFR is down to 2.7, it is still desirable that the replacement rate be maintained (which is at 2.1, the rational behind that is well, two kids will eventually replace their two parents in the population). Because it is true that unemployment rates are climbing up, and of course, income generating job won't just spur at a time like this. I just don't see the link as how the number of people in the country will actually cause an offshoot of sales. This is a simple linear logic: If there are too many people, many people won't have job, they won't have the money to buy the goods the gentleman is planning to mass produce.

You are again swallowing the DOGMA of TFR should be lower.  That is complete bunk.  The USA achieved its highest growth decades during the rapid increase in population.  Cities achieve greatness by sucking in people.  A town with lessening people is a dying down.  Witness our rural areas.  They are poor because people are migrating out.

Second: The problem with collapsing the entire issue of overpopulation over one statistic on the declining TFR is simply unsound. I admit, I haven't been taking higher maths but I have a grasp of graphs and means. TFR is an AVERAGE, meaning that certain women will offset the number of children being born in an inter-class setting. IE,  most upper/middle-income class citizens who are EDUCATED will probably bear 1-2 children, that will offset the trends of the lower-income classes who will bear more children than they are capable of feeding. You can talk to your local cab driver, or the maglalako ng sigarilyo in any corner in Metro Manila and this reality is simply not cognizant to a mere statistic. That's why I feel that it's in the government's best interest to do something about it. I think, that Edcel Lagman's proposed House Bill 16 isn't exactly perfect, but it's tangible and workable.

This again is bunk.  Have you ever read the bill?  Geez, sweet talking NAZI persecuting Filipinos for reproducing.  Next time when we see this bill enacted, we will see WOMEN BEING LIGATED AGAINST THEIR WILL.  We will also be seeing schools and parents being JAILED for refusing to teach the government law that teaching contraception bull sh*t.   This is already happening in India, China, Peru, etc, etc, etc.  They did this in Taiwan and Singapore -- they called it DISINCENTIVES for giving birth.  See them now turn around 180 degrees and bribe their women to give birth.  Update yourself!

Lastly, I just want to say that to merge liberal views, I think that Pro Life should also be Pro Choice, and in making choices, it's really contingent to information, and dissemination of general information is a State responsibility.

Pro-Choice is Pro-Abortion, Pro-Killing your own children.  We will never compromise with killers.

The State should put a trust and thrust it's people in making sound choices. I agree with bikoy on this entire idea of having a bias, a State bias on the interest of the people.

And you are saying that the STATE should control people like sheep.  Just like the communists wanted.  Families have NO FREEDOM to teach what they think is correct.  Religions have NO FREEDOM to teach what they think is correct.  People have NO FREEDOM to choose to want to have more children than the state dictates... este... recommends.  Go to China and see how you like it.  In the interest of the State, women are aborted at gunpoint.  Yeah.  Worship the STATE.

I have to shut up now before I say world peace. But no seriously. I'm usually value-neutral on issues, but I always have to address the issue of population growth.

The issue you were brainwashed is that ANY POPULATION GROWTH IS BAD.  If it were so bad, then how come the USA sends all the money to suppress propulation growth on other countries while back home they do the COMPLETE OPPOSITE and aspire to 500,000,000 population in 2050?  Same thing with Australia, the bosom buddy gives P 250,000 in CASH to Australian women to give birth!

As the imperialists say:  Do as we say.  But we will do the opposite ourselves.

Huwag maging UTO-UTO.

* Truth speech is offensive speech.  Sorry if I hurt your feelings.

You worshipping absolute population numbers is again false... See, the point I debunk here is your worshipping of absolute population numbers and low fertility rates as a requirement for "progress".  That is plain bull.

I'm sorry but you still avoided the point. You still haven't disproven population momentum, why Thailand and many other countires around the world, having had experienced below-replacement fertility rates for decade/s, have populations that continue growing. You are the one who's using absolute statistics, saying that our TFR is decreasing thereby our population will decrease also. The point is, your saying that once we reach 2.1 TFR, we will all face population doom, is wrong.

Also, you talk about us being fed with "foreign media" while you're the one who's using foreign/US statistics. I was even quoting from a local study using our own NSO statistics.

And please, mind our username. You are not making logical and rational points by just calling us and our sources as imperialist-serving intellectual closed-minded dogma-eating morons. Without proof at that.

...Time and again, Filipino women across all socioeconomic classes have expressed their desire for fewer children. But many, particularly the poor and the less educated among them, have more children than they want and are unable to achieve their desired number of children.

http://www.econ.upd.edu.ph/respub/dp/htm/DP2004-15.htm

  Why are you so against informing people what reproduction is and what their choices are. The bill DOES NOT propose STATE CONTROL over their lives, it just gives them choices. Still, couples CAN CHOOSE to have as many children as they want. Your proposal to remain in status quo seems to be the more authoritarian. So what if couples want to use contraceptives?! It's not the government or the Church's business. You want to keep many of our people ignorant on what reproduction is, they end up not knowing their actual choices and they end up bearing more children than they can support.

we will see WOMEN BEING LIGATED AGAINST THEIR WILL.  We will also be seeing schools and parents being JAILED for refusing to teach the government law that teaching contraception

Oh, and this is just plain exaggeration. That is not found anywhere in the bill.

we will see WOMEN BEING LIGATED AGAINST THEIR WILL.  We will also be seeing schools and parents being JAILED for refusing to teach the government law that teaching contraception

Oh, and this is just plain exaggeration. That is not found anywhere in the bill.

You are naive and young.  I just mentioned the abuses in Latin America, India, China.  There are many abuses that are being made and will be made because of that bill. 

This is no exaggeration.  Read up on the Position Paper against HB 3773 and it is stated there in plain view for all to see.  The mention of P 20,000 fine and or Jail.  Read first before believing Lagman and his lies.

For the critique against HB 3773
http://www.prolife.org.ph/article/articleview/477

For the House Bill 3773 in full
http://www.prolife.org.ph/article/articleview/475

[Until we at pro-life have been heard and read, they cannot say they truly have a CHOICE.]

You worshipping absolute population numbers is again false... See, the point I debunk here is your worshipping of absolute population numbers and low fertility rates as a requirement for "progress".  That is plain bull.

I'm sorry but you still avoided the point. You still haven't disproven population momentum, why Thailand and many other countires around the world, having had experienced below-replacement fertility rates for decade/s, have populations that continue growing. You are the one who's using absolute statistics, saying that our TFR is decreasing thereby our population will decrease also. The point is, your saying that once we reach 2.1 TFR, we will all face population doom, is wrong.

Man,  I just told you that your worship of population momentum and absolute population numbers is FALSE.  FALSE. FALSE.  O ayan ha, I repeated it 3 times.  I am not beholden to TFR numbers as YOU ARE.  YOU are the ONE concluding the DOOM, not me.  That is YOUR IMAGINATION running wild, not my writings. 

I show TFR and Population growth rate numbers to DISPELL some FANATICAL stupids who still think there is a runaway growth rate.  It is good that you have understood this. 

Momentum is NOT A PROBLEM. Momentum is NOT A PROBLEM. Momentum is NOT A PROBLEM. 
Ayan, I repeat it again 3x to answer you and you should never accuse me again of avoiding points.
Good grief.  Basahin mo naman.  Don't skim.

Puhhhlleeeze,  the population controllers have already won.  All we pro-lifers can do is damage control against you extremists backed up by foreign funds and hood winked by foreign ideology that is detrimental to fellow Filipinos.

Also, you talk about us being fed with "foreign media" while you're the one who's using foreign/US statistics. I was even quoting from a local study using our own NSO statistics.

And please, mind our username. You are not making logical and rational points by just calling us and our sources as imperialist-serving intellectual closed-minded dogma-eating morons. Without proof at that.

Me? Not make rational points.  Geez... I am the atheist writer here.  Not one shred of Dogma here.  Go find some religious dogmatic dork to talk to.

...Time and again, Filipino women across all socioeconomic classes have expressed their desire for fewer children. But many, particularly the poor and the less educated among them, have more children than they want and are unable to achieve their desired number of children.

http://www.econ.upd.edu.ph/respub/dp/htm/DP2004-15.htm

Ha ha ha, media conditioning and surveyor's bias.  Now that filipinas on average have 2.x children each, your next survey will show that Filipinas only want 1 child each.  Yeah.  This is happening in Japan and Hongkong.

Why are you so against informing people what reproduction is and what their choices are. The bill DOES NOT propose STATE CONTROL over their lives, it just gives them choices. Still, couples CAN CHOOSE to have as many children as they want. Your proposal to remain in status quo seems to be the more authoritarian. So what if couples want to use contraceptives?! It's not the government or the Church's business. You want to keep many of our people ignorant on what reproduction is, they end up not knowing their actual choices and they end up bearing more children than they can support.

I AM AGAINST WRONG INFORMATION.
I AM AGAINST FALSE INFORMATION.
I AM AGAINST STATE CONTROL as obviously written in the bill you have not read.
I AM AGAINST ALL THE CRAP THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE IN THE NAME OF POPULATION REDUCTION here in our country and around the world. 

I AM FOR TEACHING CORRECT, ACCURATE, VALUES, LIFE STRATEGIES, INFORMATION.

We are the people who know how to keep families intact.
We are the ones who know how marriages work.
We are the ones who save people from suicide.
We are the ones who save people from abortion.

This is the teaching we would like to propagate.  Strategies that WORK for the Family.

Perhaps you think Lagman and his cohorts are the altruistic ones eh? 
Ha! Big fat ha ha ha with MILLIONS OF FUNDING in their hands.

They will not save your marriage.
They will not save your children from abortion.
They will not save you from suicide.
They will not teach you winning formulas for Family Formation and success.

You should be reading Jose Rizal and his Noli me Tanghere where he exposes the ignorant Filipinos under the mind control of its Spanish conquerors.  There are many ignorant and corrupt Filipinas just the same today as 100+ years ago.

There is a big picture for you to read up on in this web site.  There are many sections in this message board.  Thank you for posting and reading some posts.  There is more.  The more you know the better.

As always we do not withold information.  In fact.  We are the ones who are not being heard.

Tell the contraceptive worshippers about our web site at http://www.prolife.org.ph

We are the other side of the debate.  We have not been heard or read by most people.

Until we at pro-life have been heard and read, they cannot say they truly have a CHOICE.

[We are the other side of the debate. We have not been heard or read by most people.]

We are the other side of the debate.  We have not been heard or read by most people.

Oh, and with your kind of attitude, I'm not wondering why. You will never convince anyone by calling them names (dork, jerk, intellectual dogma-eating morons, anti-life, anti-children abortionists), making them look stupid, accusing them of being ignorant and of being funded by foreign interest groups. And don't repeat that truth hurts crap, because obviously, your truth is different from mine and other people's truth. This debate on our (both of us) interpretations and predictions on population growth has become senseless, bahala ka nang maniwala sa gusto mo.

As far as I know, the bill does NOT DICTATE to people how many children they want to have. As far as I'm concerned, I have nothing against informing young adults on what sex is, I have nothing against informing people that they have the choice to use contraception the same way they have the choice not to. I have nothing against people being informed that as a citizen of a democratic country, they can exercise their sexual rights, whether for reproduction or pleasure without government or Church intervention.

By the way, before you call me an anti-lifer, pro-abortion advocate, just as you've prematurely called the others who have gone to this forum before me to debate with you, I am against abortion but I am not against contraceptions. Contraceptions should be available to people who CHOOSE to use them.