(Video) How RH Bill Can Help the Poor

TheABSCBNNews

Published on Dec 21, 2012
MANILA Philippines — The reproductive health (RH) bill is a landmark measure passed by the Congress. Ryan Chua tells us the challenges facing government in implementing the law and how it can help the poor.

RH Bill: Key to Attaining Inclusive Growth

FULL DISCLOSURE By Fidel O. Abalos (The Freeman) Updated June 25, 2012 12:00 AM

The past several years, the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew significantly. In fact, spurred by consumer demand, the resurgence of exports and investments as well as election-related spending, it grew considerably by 7.3% in 2010. Truth to tell, despite a very much maligned Arroyo administration, our economy parlayed the 2008-2009 recession better than our other Asian neighbors. Moreover, the boom in the outsourcing industry and the steadily increasing remittances from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) that is now nearing US$2 billion per month have added impetus to a once sagging economy. Consequently, our economy grew at a yearly average of 4.5% the past decade.

Despite this rosy picture, however, poverty has worsened. Thus, our countrymen are wondering, why in heaven’s name we claim to have grown significantly and yet majority of our brethrens are languishing in poverty. Is it possible? Yes, it is. For one, economic growth is generally measured in terms of GDP. Increase in GDP does not necessarily trickle down to the grassroots. It simply means that the pace of growth is there but the path or pattern of growth does not cut through the working class or the masses. To put it bluntly, we certainly have “economic growth” but, absolutely, there is no “inclusive growth”.

(Video) Food for 9 Billion: Turning the Population Tide in the Philippines

Uploaded by PBSNewsHour on Jan 23, 2012

While Philippine leaders debate, poor fishing families embrace birth control to ease pressure on over-fished reefs. Part of a new project called Food for 9 Billion that looks at the challenges of feeding the world in a time of social and environmental change, Sam Eaton of Homelands Productions reports.

PH Economic Growth Won’t Benefit Poor in Absence of Birth Control – UN Study

By Ronnel Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 19:41:00 05/05/2011

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is seen to sustain post-crisis economic growth but this will be without development and (one) that increases poverty partly due to a large and expanding population, according to a new study from the United Nations.

Data from the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2011 show that growth of the domestic economy will ease from 7.3 percent in 2010 to a moderate 5.2 percent in 2011.

This is attributed to an expected dampening of remittances from overseas Filipinos which drive consumption in the country due to recent events in the Middle East and in Japan.

Renaud Meyer, director of the UN Development Program in the Philippines, noted that the fairly stable growth of the Philippine economy in the past 10 years has not made a significant dent in poverty.