Today, most third world countries face the problem of overpopulation, a factor usually tied to poverty. One example is the Philippines where approximately 80 million people are fighting for survival every day.
According to the 2000 Census of Population and Housing by the National Statistics Office, our population is expected to reach 100 million by 2014. This is too much already. I can imagine the staggering increase in numbers of street beggars, children living on the streets and infants left in orphanages.
I can’t seem to find a way to fix this problem because Filipinos find it difficult to follow control measures. How did it come to this? Is there any hope left?
Looking at this problem, I believe that our government isn’t really focusing on more immediate problems that must be dealt with. Seeing the political tensions and its cutthroat state, I can’t help but feel disgraced and discouraged.
Politicians are blinded by endless power struggle and greed, thus they cannot see what the people really need. However, not all politicians are selfish or negligent. Some are simply trapped by political pressure and this makes it hard for them to see what must be tended to.
On the other hand, even the citizens themselves do not fully understand the aggravating effects of overpopulation either because they lack education or they are just plain indifferent. Even if our government imposes strict measures to solve the problem, the uneducated will only feel that the government is taking away something from them that makes them happy.
When will this large gap between our government and its citizens end? When will camaraderie between the leaders and the followers manifest? Is it when Filipinos finally understand their place and obligation in our society? Who knows? Maybe there is still hope left.
Nicole, 17, is a sophomore Business Management student at the Ateneo de Manila University.