GMA admits population control not her priority

President Arroyo admitted yesterday population explosion is not her foremost concern as she called on Congress to first tackle priority bills she had itemized in her State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The President, however, expressed readiness to defend her staunch pro-life policy on the issue of controlling the population which is seen to double in 25 to 30 years time from the present 84 million.

With a population growth rate of 2.36 percent annually, estimates from the Population Commission (PopCom) show 1.7 million babies will be born in the country by the end of this year.

"My priority now is not to deal with overpopulation to overcome the challenges we face in social justice and economic development, but to go directly to the social and macro-economic issues that strike at the root of these challenges," Mrs. Arroyo said.

The President said she "is open to debates" on the issue that has been met with clashing views in this predominantly Catholic nation.

"But I appeal for an agenda of priorities that will deal with foremost issues first as contained in my SONA," Mrs. Arroyo said.

The President has asked Congress during her SONA last Monday to support her five-point legislative package.

The five-point proposals are job creation and economic growth, anti-corruption and good governance, social justice and basic needs (pro-poor program), education improvement and youth opportunity, and energy independence and savings.

In a statement, the President declared she was hands-off from the debate on the proposed two-child per family bill filed by Speaker Jose de Venecia and supported in the Senate by Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

"We stand by responsible parenthood, enlightened birth spacing and free choice," reaffirmed the President, a devout Catholic.

"We have a moral stake in this but we respect the wisdom of Congress and the views of our local leaders," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo maintained her pro-life stance even as she conceded earlier in a television interview that the problems caused by overpopulation was among her priority concerns under the 10-point "legacy" program she laid down during her June 30 inaugural address.

This program aims to meet the shortages in basic public services in education, health, jobs, housing, among other priorities.

To the President, the number of children per family is a decision to be made by the couples themselves based on "responsible parenthood," where they follow their own religious and other beliefs as guaranteed by the country’s Constitution.

An advocacy group urged the President to open her eyes to the effects of a growing population on the country.

"There is an inter-relationship between poverty and population," said Roberto Ador, executive director of the Philippine Legislator’s Committee on Population and Development Foundation Inc. "The President should realize this and change her position about population."

On the other hand, Zahidul Huque, United Nations Population Fund country representative, said he is concerned about the government’s "lack of political commitment" to pursue population management.