The Philippines is a land rich in culture and folklore.  Our myths and legends, such as the Legend of Maria Makiling, enrich us as a people and impart lessons to be learned.  However, many dangerous myths now abound, specifically myths about the population explosion in the Philippines.  We have all heard them.  We may even be convinced they are true.  Some of these population myths are : “The Philippines is overpopulated.  Our current population stands at 85 million, and will balloon to 160 million within 30 years unless our population growth rate is checked. We have so many poor people because there are too many of us.  Our development is stunted since our population rate outstrips our rate of economic growth.  Our resources are not enough to support our countrymen.  A larger population means more hungry and malnourished people.  A larger population means less funds for education.  Larger families are poor families.” 

In fact, these population myths can be found not only in the Philippines, but in the rest of the world.  People worry about the supposed burgeoning world population and our earth’s capability to sustain us all. 

But are these assertions true?  Are we really on the brink of disaster as a nation, or worse, as an entire world, because of overpopulation? 

These myths are all the more dangerous since they influence the laws of countries and public policy in favor of population control, translating to the widespread use and dissemination of methods of birth control and contraception, including abortion.

Those who blame the number of children for the ills of society -- can't they see that the problem is not population, but distribution of wealth?  That the rich have more than enough resources to last them a thousand lifetimes, while the poor cannot even get through the day. That those who clamor most for population control, saying that it is the cause of so much poverty, do not even open their hearts nor their wallets to alleviate the plight of the poor.

Read these excellent articles and studies and be enlightened!