Problem not overpopulation, but wrong priorities
The Philippine Star Editorial of 16 June 2010, points out the old perennial problems of lack of classrooms, books and school supplies, why our youth can neither write nor read, and know the four fundamentals of arithmetic.
But it is not due to overpopulation but due to wrong priorities --- why could we build malls and megamalls; huge, expensive guest houses, bungalows, palaces, etc., and not enough classrooms? Many years ago, during one of my "Balikbayan visits", I went to the Elementary school ground of a town in Quezon province. The "Gabaldon type of school house was gone destroyed by typhoon. The school ground was dotted with three or four classrooms infrastructures of the RP-US school house type donated then by the US Military bases in the Philippines. I noted the Office of the school principal occupies one of the school house structures which could accommodate one or two classrooms. I wonder why the elementary school principal could not hold his/her office in a smaller room or cubicle and let the pupils use the remaining space as classroom.
By the way, the Metro Infanta Foundation, Inc.,Arvada, Colorado, U.S.A., is currently spearheading a fund-raising campaign to raise money for the reconstruction of the Gabaldon type of school house in Infanta, Quezon, my hometown in Quezon province. Infantahins abroad have signified their voluntary will to cooperate in said fundraising campaign. They have waited in vain for the government to provide the necessary funds in the rebuilding of such schoolhouse. They have waited in vain for so long a time already. So, they decided to act out of love for their hometown and to provide the upcoming young generation additional classrooms.
Meanwhile, please click here on an Editorial -- Festering Problems of the Philippine Star which points out adequate classrooms as a national problem aside from lack of school books and supplies. And yet we wonder why our young children - Rizal's "fair home of the Fatherland", could not read "Pepe and Pilar."
Folks, in my humble opinion, we have the wrong sense of priority where and how to spend the money derived from taxes and remittances of of OFW's. The solution is not abortion under the guise of "family planning". Let us note the theme of the World Cup (football -soccer) now going on in South Africa - "ONE GOAL, EDUCATION FOR ALL!" The South Africans would dedicate the earnings of the World Cup for the education of the youth of that country. Their priority is proper education for all. And this is what says also singer Shakira while she dances the "Waka-Waka" at the inaugural opening of the World Cup in South Africa.