 |
 |
| Reference Material |
| RP population hits 80M; 32M are poor July 5, 2002, Philippine Daily Inquirer THERE are now 80 million Filipinos, and 32 million of them are considered poor. According to the Commission on Population (Popcom), the country�s population has reached �an estimated 80 million (and) the number of poor Filipinos has also expanded to nearly half of it � 40% are now (living) below (the) poverty line.� A government census completed in May 2000 showed that 76.49 million people lived in the country and that the population was increasing by around 1.7 million annually���. It quoted the National Statistical Coordination Board as saying last year that four in 10 Filipinos lived on less than P38 a day, the poverty threshold set by the government�� (Popcom Executive Director Tomas M.) Osias said the government was committed to making couples become responsible parents by keeping them informed and helping them choose a family planning method they want. Around two million Filipino couples have expressed in the 1998 National Demographic and Health Survey of the National Statistics Office their desire to have a family consisting of not more than three children to nurture, educate and bring up as responsible adults. But at present, couples have an average of four children. The harsh effects on poverty and increased population may complicate the already difficult social conditions if families cannot afford even the most basic needs such as food. If this situation persists, there will be little or no resources at all for health, education and housing, Popcom said. |