菲律宾人口破亿

The population of the Philippines has officially hit the 100 million mark. Although the milestone was celebrated, as CCTV correspondent Barnaby Lo reports, it also highlighted the social and economic challenges the country is facing.

The Philippines’ population reached a hundred million as baby Chonalyn Sentino was born half past midnight on July 27th, 2014. Apart from having to undergo phototherapy treatment due to her slightly yellow skin, Chonalyn is healthy and her welfare will be closely monitored by the government.

“Next year, has this baby Chonalyn gotten her immunizations? Did she get the health services she needed? Five years from now, is she in school? And is she staying in school until she completes… So she would be the indicator for progress,” Dr. Juan Antonio Perez with Commission on Population said.

Progress that the Philippines has been having in recent years as indicated by the numbers. Last year the country’s economy grew by 7.2 percent; one of the best-performing in the region, just behind China. But it’s progress that majority of Filipinos say they don’t feel.

At almost 2 percent, the Philippines has one of the highest population growth rates in the world. In this government hospital alone, as many as a hundred babies are born everyday. While this is expected to slow down, the country’s population is still projected to hit more than 140 million by 2045.

The question is: are these babies going to be assets or liabilities? The answer may be both.

“In the long run, it’s going to be a good thing because the young population of today will eventually become workers. The short term problem here is that right now, the dependency ratio is almost one worker for about one dependent. What we’re aiming for is to reduce dependency to about two workers will be supporting one dependent. There’s more savings, more money in the household that gives more money to the economy,” Dr. Juan Antonio Perez said.

And in the most ideal of scenarios, these families will also be counting on the government. But despite all the attention Chonalyn is getting, her mother Dailyn says she’s taking full responsibility.

“If Chonalyn does get all the benefits and services the government promised, then thank you. But I think it’s better that we don’t expect and wait for them to come,” Dailyn Cabigayan said.

Better also, she says, to not have any more children. A choice made more accessible now by the enactment of a law that provides for free contraceptives and family planning methods.