As if to remind the Philippine government, the International Theological and Pastoral Congress (ITPC) of the recent 4th World Meeting of Families held in Manila issued a resolution asserting: "Poverty is not solved by preventing procreation... We firmly reject the practice of population control by international, government or private agencies."
The Philippine population had already surpassed 80 million last year, and the 2.36 percent annual growth rate is one of Asia’s highest. An estimated 40 percent of Filipinos live in abject poverty, and scarce government resources cannot cope with exponential increase in demand for public education and basic services. Theo Arnold, economist and ambassador of the Netherlands in Manila, said: "The population of the Philippines grows at a rate of 2.36 percent per year or about 1.7million people in 2002 and this number grows annually. At this rate the population will double to 160 million in 30 years... In 30 years time, 80 million additional people will have to be fed, clothed, educated, housed, transported and employed... It is felt by many observers that the war against poverty will be lost if population growth is not reduced."
The United Nations estimates that without family planning, the population will jump to 89.89 million by year 2007 and will further aggravate socio-economic conditions. According to research, a total of 15.6 million Filipino children are malnourished and this number is increasing by 2.6 percent yearly. The Philippine Survey on Children in year 2000 estimated that the country had 2.7 million working children from the ages of five to 17 years old.
In a forum late last year on population management hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Philippines, Inc., Philexport, Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) and the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII), Senator Rodolfo Biazon said that 65 percent of people in Western Europe use contraceptives, while only 35 percent of Eastern Europeans use contraceptives, bringing the number of abortions in Eastern Europe 10 times higher. In that forum attended by the country’s top business leaders, Thai Senator Mechai Viravaidya of the Population & Community Development Association spoke about his country’s successful family planning program and its great positive impact on economic progress, poverty reduction and the quality of life of the Thais.
There is growing consensus among almost all leading business organizations in the Philippines that a true test to the political courage of GMA and to the strength of her so-called "Strong Republic" is whether she dares champion the just cause of family planning in a nation that is 86 percent Roman Catholic. Now that she has announced she will no longer run for President in the 2004 election and thus made herself immune from political blackmail by Catholic bishops, can she now promote family planning and help alleviate mass poverty? Only the blind and the deaf refuse to acknowledge the strong correlation between mass poverty and high population growth. Will GMA rise to the occasion and secure her place in Philippine history as a fearless heroine who sacrifices self for the common good, for the national welfare and for economic development by championing family planning?
The critically-acclaimed film is directed by world-famous Zhang Yimou, starring martial arts legend Jet Li, Hong Kong megastars Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung, and Crouching Tiger actress Zhang Ziyi. It is an action drama, with romance and suspense about the ruthless first emperor of China on the brink of unifying the land. The film deals with three legendary assassins and the emperor’s fearless defender.
Who is the hero who will sacrifice self for national welfare? On that night, Anvil Executive Club will announce its national search for nominees for its first annual Anvil Prize for Courage in Public Service.
Among the leading business, civic and cultural groups of the Filipino Chinese community supporting the Anvil Feb. 1 movie premiere of Hero are the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. headed by John K. C. Ng, the Grand Family Association of the Philippines led by executive director William Chenglay, Jr., the Philippine Jinjiang General Association led by president Manny Dy, the Chinese Filipino Business Club led by president Aw Peng Lam, Filipino-Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation led by president Johnny Yap, and many others.