CLARK FREEPORT – Despite reports of decrease in fertility rate in the country, the Commission on Population and Development (PopCom) said there is still a need to lower it in the region particularly with the marginalized and youth sectors.
PopCom assistant regional director Vicky Barbea Dela Torre said “If the fertility goes down, we will be able to save resources. Even in the family and household levels, the economic activity of the family will improve.”
She said there is “a need to change our population structure because we are a perfect pyramid in the Philippines.”
“This means there are a lot of children in the base of the pyramid which are the 0 to 4 and 5 to 9 years old which represents the base of our population,” she added. “We need to lower this so that our working population will rise from 15 to 64 years old and this will increase our aging population. If we have a productive consumer which means that our working sector is working well, they earn and use that money within our country, our dependency ration will lower and improve our economy.”
Dela Torre made the statements during the “Talk Widus” media forum organized by the Pampanga Press Club in cooperation with the Widus Hotel and Casino here last Wednesday.
It was noted that despite the declining rate, the fertility level in Philippines still remains among the highest in Southeast and Central Asia.
Dela Torre said there is a connection between fertility and our economic activities.
Based on the 2010 census, Central Luzon’s population is at 10.13 million and the last census in 2015 showed an 11.2 million population in the region. “We are growing at a rate of 200,000 per year which is big. Our population growth rate (PGR) is at 1.95 in the last 2010 to 2015 so even if our growth is decreased, it is till big because of the population momentum,” she noted.
“Even if couples will only bear one or two children, we will still increase in population because of population momentum,” she said.
“There is also the possibility that we are growing in population because of migration,” she added.
This is credited on “pull factors” in the region like availability of jobs, the easy life and lots of opportunities.
“Even our universities and schools are also pull factors for people to come in to Central Luzon,” she added.
She said our local government units should be prepared in cases like internal migration because if there is an increase in population, are should be ready to give them their basic needs.
