UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

We used to talk about the Philippines hitting a demographic sweet spot, with a majority of the population made up of young productive persons that will propel the country into a developed and prosperous nation. But recently, fertility rates have been dropping from 4.1 children per woman in 1993 to 1.9 children per woman in 2022.

Now, there is talk of a demographic winter where seven percent or more of the population are elderly, sickly, and unproductive, and with fewer younger people working to support the economy. How did we come to this? 

A Commission on Population and Development qualitative study found that the situation has been reinforced by rising prices and anxiety over economic prospects. The Covid-19 pandemic added to people’s anxieties about their economic prospects.

Not only are young people not having children but they also tend not to get married, preferring  to  cohabit or live together. For some, instead of having children, they would rather have a “fur baby,” meaning getting a dog or cat as a pet. Surely, you’ve seen many young couples parading their fur babies around in shopping centers, malls, and parks.
It speaks of a lack of commitment to raising a family in an uncertain future. Unfortunately, it is the more affluent sectors of society that eschew having children when they are more likely to be able to provide children with proper nutrition and educational advancements. 

Those better off think of the costs of bringing up children not just in terms of food and shelter but also quality education. As to whether they will have children later on, a woman’s fertility declines progressively with age. Getting pregnant at an older age, say, at 36 years old, when she is considered an “elderly primigravida,” carries with it higher health risks for both mother and child.
For women, getting a good education and finding higher-paying jobs become their priority. Having children is seen as a hindrance since raising a child requires devoting time that they can otherwise devote to their jobs. It does sound selfish, but there are more factors that weigh on their minds, like their mental health.

Another issue is the Filipino culture that views children as an investment wherein they are expected to support their parents in their old age, so-called “retirement plans.” Gen Z and Millennials no longer subscribe to this notion and prefer to prioritize their personal growth. Thus, being childless is a choice.

Others cite the environmental situation, saying it is unconscionable to bring more children into a world already strained by a human population that degrades the environment at an increasingly faster rate. It is likewise unfair to the children who have to cope with increasingly severe climate disasters and an uninhabitable world in the near future. Perhaps, if enough people subscribe to this philosophy, the severe pressure that is brought to bear on the environment by overpopulation will be lessened.

On the other hand, the more economically disadvantaged are still procreating more without regard for the children’s futures. Herein lies the problem. 

Without proper nutrition, the children end up being physically and mentally stunted. The stunting negatively impacts on the children’s learning capacity. Fewer and fewer students get to go to college, dropping out in grade or high school since they cannot cope with the pace of learning. This sets up a vicious cycle of poverty, since these individuals can only get menial jobs or those that rely on physical labor paying only minimum wages or lower. This segment of our population comprise the majority that is susceptible to the blandishments of  politicians/dynasts giving “ayuda” which are sourced from the taxes we pay.

In terms of national economic development, an aging population with fewer children who are not well-educated presents more problems. Increasingly, more highly technical and intellectually challenging jobs will not be filled, leaving a big gap in an increasingly tech-driven world. We will be falling behind more and more countries that can address the many problems that we are grappling with.

Ultimately, having children is a personal choice, but which carries huge implications one way or the other, both for the individual, the family, the country and the world itself.