AQUINO, Xander B.

BS Accountancy 3

ECOLOGY 1A MWF 3:30-4:30

October 29, 2014
COMMENTARY PAPER
Earth, Population, Development: Irreversible Unity
-Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos

Various driving forces, both internationally and locally, have been shaping the
implementation of environmental management and population control in the Philippines over the
years for development sustainability. But todays challengesand those approaching on the
distanceare complicated by many variables that interact in complex and often misunderstood
ways, making successful solutions more difficult. Does it imply that balancing such components
of a nation is an irreversible one? So, what will it take to protect our biological heritage, avoid the
devastation that climate change could bring, sustain the resources that give us life, protect
human health, and reduce the threat of poverty and hunger brought by overpopulation?
Philippines have been one of the hotspot of many challenges and problems imposed in
environment and economic development. There is growing awareness that our country is being
hit by natural calamities especially typhoons. In effect, Filipinos faces scourge of life difficulties
such as loss of shelter and properties. This high level of public concern about environmental
issues provides a political foundation. Governments, international finance institutions, and the
private sector all have critical and mutually underlying roles to play. Governments have the
ultimate responsibility and should make the policy reforms. But as what Dr. Rajendra Pachauri,
U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Chairperson and Nobel Peace Laureate winner,
have said; Humans are the most destructive to the environment because of their will to violate,
abuse and neglect. Denotes, concerns should not solely in the hands of the government but
with the entire country because if we are destructive, we also have the positive side of the
iceberg. Be a participative voter during elections, think willfully, act differently, and lead the way.
It is simply committing yourself and be a responsible citizen.
Another thing tackled is the ballooning of population. Our countrys population reached the
100-million mark on July 27, 2014, from the 98,909,981 recorded on January 2, 2014 based on
the published report by Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). This imposes threats of
overpopulation considering the countrys land area and available resources. I believe that one of
the causes of our present dilemma is the lack of a holistic population management program. I
don't expect for our country to go into the extreme of legalizing abortion. Responsible
parenthood, total understanding of having a family that can be sustained in a decent living
condition is all that matters. If our population growing at such percent per year is not basically
addressed, all the problems on education, environment, hunger and poverty, and so many others
will not be solved. Thus, in line with Health Undersecretary Janet Garin statement, I confidently
agree that use of contraceptives and other scope of RH Law is a big solution to population
control. This is why I am very disappointed why implementation takes too long. Yes, it may be
against the churchs view and morality, but in the context of economic development, it is an
addressed solution to high population growth rate and government will be able to tailor fit
interventions and ensures that development reaches the poor.
As we look ahead, Kofi Annan, U.N. Secretary General, once said: The human community
faces an array of choices about the quality of our lives and the state of the global environment.

Each of those choices will help to determine what kind of world we will live in. The legacy is
largely ours to shape. Therefore, the actions we take and investments we make in the decades
must be in our will and ingenuity to all internalize the lessons learned and replicates our
successes.