Claiming the world's 8 billionth living person

Sometime last November 15, the world's 8-billionth person was born. As there was no way of being absolutely certain at what time of the day and in what part of the world the historic birth was to occur, the United Nations made sure to give the event the widest latitude when it made the projection weeks ago. It limited itself to just the date, November 15, based on its best demographic calculations.

Apparently, the early projection gave the Philippines time to consider the idea of claiming the 8 billionth baby as a Filipino. And while great care was made to emphasize the claim was merely symbolic, the Philippines nevertheless, and true to its nature, went to town with Baby Vinice Mabansag, born 1:29 a.m. November 15 at Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila, as the world's 8 billionth person.

This early, however, there could already be a problem with that claim. As of this writing, there is at least one other country that has laid a similar claim, albeit also symbolically. The Dominican Republic has come out with its own baby, identified only as Damian, born at the Nuestra Senora de la AltaGracia Maternity Hospital, as also the world's 8 billionth baby. As there can be no official determination, there could be more to come.

I do not know about the Dominican Baby Damian but at least the Filipino Baby Vinice has been assured of lifetime free checkups at the Fabella Hospital, according to an ABS-CBN News report. She was also welcomed by Philippine Population Commission officials with a cake. But before we go overboard in our jubilation, as Filipinos are notoriously wont to do, let us stop with the cake and lifetime hospital perks.

There is a need to nip in the bud any incipient overboard celebration because our claim to the 8 billionth baby is merely symbolic. Let us not lose sight of that fact, as well as the other fact that at least one other country has also laid claim to the distinction. I am afraid that in going overboard, the Philippine government might commit additional perks, at taxpayers' expense, on something that, by admission, is just symbolic.

Given the mentality of our politicians, I am afraid some of them might try to outdo one another in filing resolutions or other measures declaring this or awarding that in favor of something that is just the product of frivolous choice, not studied determination based on facts. Again, based on its best demographic calculations, the United Nations did not dare put a finger on a precise subject and location, just a broad 24-hour window.

I am afraid our politicians might be sufficiently provoked into doing something ridiculous because in the discourse surrounding the birth of Baby Vinice, Philippine population and health official have begun urging government to assure the well-being of this and coming generations in terms of their health, housing, and education. Since, by experience, they cannot do all that, they might settle to showcase one in particular.

There is nothing wrong with the private sector taking up the cudgels for Baby Vinice. Whatever it is they might do for her, and however they might do it, it is all up to their own private and personal decisions, to be taken up between them and the baby's mother. As to public or government decisions and actions, they must be for the benefit and welfare of all and not for something or anything that just happens to be in the moment.

We all have had sad experiences with our government with regard to actions born at the spur of the moment. If we have not had much success with promises sprung from real studies and careful plans, let us not make any based on frivolity. Let us just wish Baby Vinice all the best as our share in the symbolic claim to which she has been unknowingly thrust, had no part in making, and will forever be marked with, for good or bad.