The government's chief economic manager offers a simple yet important reminder when considering having more children: "Assess your financial resources first."

Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno had this to say in response to Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa's recent remarks, wherein the lawmaker suggested that increasing the population could serve as a means to alleviate the government's substantial debt burden.

Diokno, 75 and a father himself, said there is nothing wrong with having more children as long as parents are capable of ensuring a quality of life for them.

“If you have the means to support and educate them, why not, right?” the finance chief said.

On Monday, Dela Rosa already clarified his previous remarks regarding using increased childbirth as a means to address government debt. 

Dela Rosa asserted that he was "taken out of context" and was simply quoting other people's perceptions. 

Nonetheless, Diokno acknowledged that he understood Dela Rosa's statement as a lighthearted joke, rather than a serious proposal for addressing the debt.

But looking back, Diokno noted that there was a time when it was common for families to have nine children. 

However, he noticed that the population growth rate in the Philippines has significantly slowed down. 

Nowadays, Diokno says that some parents choose to have only one child. 

But Diokno also pointed out that some countries such as Singapore are actively encouraging their citizens to have more children, aiming to boost birth rates.

In Singapore, the government has implemented the Baby Bonus Scheme to assist parents in their decision to have more children by alleviating the financial burden associated with raising them.

Ultimately, Diokno stressed that the decision to have more kids is a personal choice, stating, "It depends on your choice." 

He further emphasized that Dela Rosa’s remarks were meant in jest, clarifying that they were not to be taken seriously.