EDITORIAL - Overpopulation: A slow-burning problem

There are problems many Filipinos are aware of when it comes to national concerns. We know our economy is in trouble, we know we are still in a health crisis because of the pandemic, and we also know we are in poor standing compared to most other countries when it comes to education.

However, one problem that seems to sail over the heads of most of us, including the people in the government and those tasked with formulating national policies, is our problem with overpopulation.

As of the last count, the Philippine population is already at 109 million. It might be a million less than the usual estimates we have mentioned several times in our editorials, but still a substantial amount for a country that is fast becoming not being able to handle such a huge number of citizens.

If it weren’t for the pandemic, which is keeping our kids indoors, we would have noticed how our schools can barely cope with the ever-increasing number of student who need education. Or how our infrastructure, our roads, and our facilities are barely keeping with the number of people who need transportation, basic services, evacuation during disasters, and the like.

It’s not just about infrastructure. Resources may soon become a concern. We consume them faster than nature can replenish them. To be fair, it’s not limited here; this is also a worldwide phenomenon.

Overpopulation, especially in our urban areas, leads to other problems.

When too many people compete for the scarce space, resources, and jobs in a particular area you can be sure there will be squalor, crime, social injustice and other maladies that arise when there isn’t enough of anything for everyone to go around.

Of course, those who disagree will quickly say more people is actually good for the country, because people are a resource that can be tapped, even sent abroad as labor, which is our prime commodity.

There is a point in this, but more people doesn’t necessarily translate to a stronger nation, most especially if those people are getting less than standard education, grow up in a less than ideal environment, and are not as skilled as workers from other countries.

Overpopulation is a problem that might not be visible immediately, it’s like a bomb with a slow-burning fuse.

Today being World Population Day, our officials should look into how to address this particular issue before it’s too late.