Popcom eyes to maintain PH population growth at 1%

Commision on Population and Development | FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – An official of the Commission on Population and Development (Popcom) said Wednesday the agency aims to maintain the population growth in the Philippines at one percent.

Usec. Juan Antonio Perez III said that Popcom will continue their programs in family planning, which covers eight to nine million Filipinos, to maintain a low population growth rate.

“Hindi na masyadong lumalaki ang rate of growth ng population. We want to maintain it at 1 one percent,” Perez said during the Laging Handa briefing.

(Our population growth rate is not rising that much. We want to maintain it at 1 one percent.)

“So, medyo malaking programa ito at kailangan – lalo na itong darating na taon – ang collaboration with local governments because sila mismo ang nagdedeliver mainly ng mga services [sa tao],” he added.

(So, this program is a little bigger and it needs – especially these coming years – the collaboration with local governments because they mainly deliver the services to the people.)

Perez added that Popcom will also continue the programs on adolescent health and development, specifically targeting the issue of adolescent or teenage pregnancy which, he said, reaches over 150,000 a year.

“Gagawin naming pambansang programa ito, lalo na yung social protection nung adolescent mother and their children starting next year, katulong ang [Department of Social Welfare and Development] DSWD,” he said.

(We are going to make this a national program, especially the social protection of adolescent mother and their children starting next year, with the help of DSWD.)

Population poverty below 10%

Meanwhile, Perez said that Popcom also wants to start a program that will reduce the population poverty rate to a single-digit percentage.

“To do that, we need to address yung developmental issue – yung [pagbibigay ng] trabaho para sa kabataan, trabaho para sa kababaihan, at isang malaking bagay yung pag shift sana natin from minimum wage to living wage,” he said.

(To do that, we need to address the developmental issue – providing jobs for adolescents, jobs for women, and one important thing is hopefully shifting from minimum wage to living wage.)

Perez added that Popcom wants to focus on the poverty levels in the country’s different regions.

Popcom plans to present these programs during the first meeting of the Board of Commissioners on August 30, in hopes for its endorsement to the President. – Christine Annie Asistio, INQUIRER.net intern

READ: Perez reappointed as Popcom undersecretary for population, development integration

JPV