We have a very high poverty incidence. Almost one fourth of our population is poor.

Children in every corner is a common sight in most Metro Manila communities. AFP

Population control in the Philippines entails a mindset change, according to National Population Commission (POPCOM) regional director Lydio Español as he is bent on making more Filipinos aware of the benefits of having a smaller family size as key to enjoying better economic freedom.

“Culturally, Filipinos think that in their old age, they would have their children to support them. That will become something like their pension. But I would like to change that culture,” said Español during his guesting in last Tuesday’s “Straight Talk with Daily Tribune.”

He noted that the current population estimate is pegged at 1.8 million Filipinos, with a growth of two million births (net minus mortality) per year for a 1.5 percent annual population growth rate — which is well over the global average of 1.1 percent only.

While population stands high, poverty continues to plague the population with about 23 percent of Filipinos considered among the “poorest of the poor.”

“We have a very high poverty incidence. Almost one fourth of our population is poor. It is sort of bad in a sense that our economy is not able to cope up with the need, ranging from the social aspect to economic aspect. So far, our country is not able to meet the requirements,” he admitted.

Español broached the concept of achieving the demographic dividend by 2022, wherein it ensures growth in an economy which would be the result of a change in the age structure of a country’s population — in the Philippines’ case, to be brought about by a decline in fertility rates.

“We cannot do anything about the generation now than to convince them to stop giving birth — either they be ligated or be on IUD (intrauterine device), not to add another child. But the investment will be on the new generation — by 2022, by the end of the (President Rodrigo Duterte’s) administration, each family will have two children. That’s a challenge because now we have three children in the family,” Español said.

The government currently has a program to promote a lower child headcount wherein health workers go from one house to another, explaining the advantages of having a smaller family size in adherence to Executive Order 12 or the Zero Unmet Need for Modern Family Planning.

According to the official, there are four conditions for a woman or a man to be considered to have an unmet need for modern family planning: first is that the person has to be sexually active and has a partner; second, despite being sexually active, there is no modern and scientific family planning method that is being used to prevent pregnancies; third, in case there is a method being used, that method is traditional; and fourth, despite the need for family planning, either the male or female is not agreeable to its use.

Hence, the government steps in by having barangay health workers, trained by the POPCOM, to go from house to house educating all females 15 to 49 years old, whether married or unmarried, on the different options in family planning and birth spacing methods for childbirths paced by three to five years.

He also emphasized the high population growth rate and its positive correlation to poverty, with President Duterte’s mandate to the POPCOM in addressing this issue.