TONY'S TAKE: PERSPECTIVE AND PERCEPTION

GLIMPSES ON SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES-Series 7

By Tony A. San Juan, OCT-Retired
Toronto-Canada
January 6, 2021
 


POPULATION COUNT: The Philippine Commission on Population and Development(PopCom), said on December30, 2020, that the country’s population is estimated to balloon to 110,881,756 in 2021, Comparatively, this is 1.45 percent more to the previous 109,480,590 at the onset of 2020. PopCom noted that the population outlook "might still swell at 111.1 million due to unintended pregnancies caused by the nationwide lockdowns during the pandemic."

The Commission said that “Women of reproductive age, 15 to 49 years old, are estimated to have the greatest potential growth in numbers — an increase of about 337,193. Citing a report in June 2020, PopCom revealed that around two million babies are expected to be born next year due to the current pandemic. Based on the commission’s data, adolescents aged 10 to 19 years old will only increase to 38,224 next year.

This age group, however, will contribute to a 21.04 percent or 102,000 increase in unintended pregnancies in 2021. The estimated figures for 2021 are based on geometric-method projections using the 2015 population census by the Philippine Statistics Authority. Based on this PopCom's estimate the Philippines still has one of the highest population growth rates in ASEAN. "Talagang wala ng katapusan ang pag-lobo ng mga Filipino, dahil kaya sa relihiyon natin, sa kaalukuyang pandemya, sa paniniala nating mas maraming anak, mas masaya, o dumarami talaga ang mga "lover boys" sa Pilipinas?"

HIGH HOPES:   A Pulse Asia "Holiday Season" survey showed on December 23, 2020, that "nearly all Filipinos or 9 out of 10 have a positive attitude toward the upcoming 2021" despite the Covid-19 pandemic.  According to Pulse Asia’s survey, 91% of Filipino respondents said they would face the new year with hope. Only 1% are facing the coming year without hope, while 8% are “ambivalent” or undecided on the matter. In the same survey, Pulse Asia also reported that 55% of Filipinos claimed that this year’s Christmas season would be the same for their families as they had a year ago; 38% of Filipinos said this year’s holiday season would be less prosperous for their families, while only 8% are looking forward to a more prosperous celebration this year.

The survey, conducted from Nov. 23 to Dec. 2, is based on a sample of 2,400 representative Filipinos 18 years old and above with a ± 2% error margin at the 95% confidence level. "Kahit na paano, ay laging nagdarasal at inaasam-asam pa rin ng ating mga kababayan na may pag-asa at pag-babago na darating sa kanilang  buhay ."

QUALITY OF LIFE: On December 22, 2020, the Social Weather Stations(SWS) survey revealed that six in 10 Filipinos or "62% of adult Filipinos, called by SWS as  "losers", believed that the "quality of their lives got worse in the past 12 months while 24% said it remained the same and only 14% or "gainers" said it got better." Though the numbers were an improvement compared to the September poll data where 82% were losers and 6% were gainers.

The net gainers' score improved across all regions but remained "catastrophic" in Metro Manila and the Visayas. Further, the survey said "it eased in all educational levels but remained "catastrophic" for individuals who have only graduated elementary and junior high school." "Hunger is said to be among losers" with 19% under this category. The face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults were conducted from November 21 to 25, 2020 with a sampling error of plus or minus 2.5%. "Kailan pa kaya giginhawa at mag-kakaroon ang mga kababayan natin ng magandang buhay? Sa pag-puti ba ng uwak?"

NAIA CLOSURE?: In a newspaper report on December 17, 2020, Philippine tycoon Ramon S. Ang, president of San Miguel Corporation (SMC), and whose SMC is planning to build an even larger P735 billion “aerocity airport ” 35-km. northwest of Manila in Bulacan province, said that "he sees the closure of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after 10 years and the land on which it sits being sold to raise trillions of pesos to pay off government debts." Ang said that SMC was seeking a 10-year concession to operate and maintain NAIA.

But he added it would "be best to eventually wind down NAIA’s operations and sell or redevelop the 646 hectares airport complex", which is roughly 2.5 times the size of Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.“Sell the land and pay for government debts,”. However, SMC, whose interest in NAIA was first reported by another paper, is not alone in its bid to control the crown jewel of Philippine gateways. Ang also acknowledged that "any decision on NAIA would be up to a future administration."  SMC was to start construction of the proposed 2,500- hectare international gateway in Bulacan in a revised schedule in 2021. Malayo yata ang "Bulacan International Airport" at kung isasara pa ang NAIA, paano na ang mga pasaherong  taga Metro Manila, lalo na sa mga  papuntang ng katimogang Rizal, Laguna, Cavite at Batangas?  Puede pa rin naman gamitin ang NAIA, hindi ba? Kailangan lang ang  pag-papaganda at  pag-sasaayos nito!

HUNGER RATE: According to the latest Social Weather Stations report published on December 16, 2020, some 16% or some 4 million Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger. "Hunger is defined as due to lack of food to eat, at least once in the past 3 months." Comparatively, although it is good for a new record in terms of average hunger rate at 21.1% from figures in 2011 and 2012( 19.9%), 2019(19.6%), and 2020( 30.7%), and that the "hunger situation improves" the new survey results suggested that some 4 million Filipino families prove to be "still without food". Assuming an average of 4 members per family,( 4 members x 4 million families), that is roughly 16 million Filipino individuals experienced involuntary hunger in the Philippines. "Matagal na at marami na talaga ang nagugutom sa Pilipinas,dahil sa kahirapan ng buhay, maraming walang hanapbuhay, at kulang sa tulong ng gobyerno, ano!" ( Tony A. San Juan, OCT-Retired)