MANILA — With more Filipinos trying their luck abroad to get out of poverty, President Rodrigo R. Duterte has appealed to married couples to limit the number of their children.
Duterte made this appeal as he welcomed 116 Filipino workers who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 from Kuwait Tuesday night.
He said the Philippines is having a difficult time managing its resources for its 110 million population.
“We have 110 million. That is why life is difficult. If we only have 50 million, we can manage our food, enough for all, then there are jobs,” the President told the Filipino workers, many of whom had no legal documents.
He encouraged Filipinos to use contraceptives to limit the size of their family.
“Magpa-injection lang kayo… or the pills. ‘Wag kayong manganak. ‘Wag kayong magpalabas masyado ng tao kasi ako, ako naaawa ako sa tao. (Just use injectable contraceptives or the pills. Do not give birth too much because I pity our people),” Duterte said.
The President said big families could become dysfunctional, especially if one or both parents work abroad.
“If both of you leave, the family tree will flounder. It is not only socially unstable. You will leave your children to your sisters or relatives. Children are pitiful. You have no idea if they are being beaten because you are out there,” Duterte said.
“So limit (your children). Don’t believe too much in your religion because that is also a hindrance,” he added.
Duterte said his administration would do its best to help overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who opted to return home following his order to ban their deployment to Kuwait.
He said the repatriated OFWs would be provided livelihood with the help of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
“DOLE and DTI have what they call micro, small (businesses). You will be trained, you will get loan. They’ll give you about PHP200,000 each. So don’t go back there anymore,” the President said.
Duterte noted that he will seek the help of other countries, including China, to provide employment for more Filipinos.
“I will find – China is opening up. They are hiring teachers. Billions of Chinese wanted to learn English. So what I will do, I will tell them not to get from other countries, you get our OFW. They are very kind,” he said.
The President assured that he will continue his fight against illegal drugs to prevent their children from falling prey to drug syndicates.
He also promised to pursue his campaign against graft and corruption so that more taxpayers’ money would go to government projects that would provide employment. (PNA)
