DAVAO CITY — The City Health Office (CHO) said the proposed three-child policy of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte to trim down the family size “will be a good policy that will curb overpopulation”.
Jeff Y. Fuentes, CHO City population officer said that it is a good policy for the country’s problem on overpopulation and “the policy is still above the replacement level compared to China that has a one-child policy, that is below the replacement level”.
He said that the replacement level of the country is two children per family.
“We are above the replacement level but we will be lower compared to the present condition,” Fuentes said.
Fuentes said a smaller family size can help parents address the needs of the young people.
“They can provide better education, better health care, and as family, you can focus easily to your family by giving more time to them,
” he said.
Fuentes said government may even suggest that if the family exceeds the limit and has four children “then they will pay taxes.”
“If you have three children then you’ll be tax-free and if you have four and above then you have to pay extra taxes for that,” he said.
Fuentes clarified that “if you are rich and you want four and more, then that is your choice.”
Meanwhile, Duterte said he would not yield to the position of the Catholic Church. He said he is a Christian “but also a realist” adding that he has to do something to address the problem of overpopulation in the country.
The United Nations estimate of the Philippine population is 102,090,775. (davaotoday.com)
