RH LAW IS PRO-LIFE, PRO-POOR AND PRO-PROGRESS: FAMILY PLANNING IS A MUST FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION

Why do the poorest have some of the largest families? Perhaps because they didn't know any better. Implementing the RH LAW of 2012 will result to informed choices and will greatly benefit this sector of Philippine society.

Over-population or high fertility rate is a common factor in underdeveloped or “developing” countries. In fact, all developed nations have low fertility rate that some have zero or negative population growth.

But in developed nations, too, there are significantly less practicing or devout Catholics. This is probably why the Philippines's Roman Catholic Church is holding us back – it wouldn’t allow government to implement an effective population control program and no president has been able to do this for fear of losing their flock’s vote. According to statistics, devoutness is prevalent
among the poorer countries - it seems that people in rich nations don’t have the time or the need for it. This is what scares the bejesus out of the clergy.

President Rodrigo Duterte has voiced out the need to stem our alarmingly growing population and I’m glad that he is determined to do this. Family planning will benefit those that suffer most from the lack of it – the poorest families tend to be those who have 5 to 14 members (believe it or not).

SHAME ON YOU, Sen. Tito Sotto, Sen. Loren Legarda and other senators who’ve applied pressure on the past administration and those who intend to pressure the current administration to back down from implementing the RH Law of 2012. You already know the facts but you’re willing to look the other way because you’re too eager for the blessing of the Roman Catholic Church.

As early as decades ago, Pres. Duterte has already seen too many Davaoeños who were suffering from poverty that is compounded by their oversized families (because they did not know any better) – that’s why Davao has the best family planning program in the country today.

I hope that Pres. Duterte becomes successful in implementing the same for the entire country within the next few years and it will be an enduring legacy whose beneficiaries will be the next generations of Filipinos.