The people are
the greatest asset of every Nation. They cannot be replaced, in most cases,
with the latest technologies we have around. That is why; investing in our
people, in terms of education and skills development, should very much be in
the focus of our Government. After all, the more educated and skilled our populace
is, the more economic gains we will have and the more we can uplift the
condition of our poor countrymen.
There is a
common notion that “our country is poor because we are too many” and that one
way to realize progress is through population control. On the contrary, I do
not subscribe to that idea. We are poor, not because we are many, but because
our Government Leaders kept on imposing abuses on our money which are meant for
Social Services and Development. The President, Benigno Aquino III, sums it
all: “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.”
Therefore,
trying to control our population in the name of progress is quite ironic. Look
at countries like Singapore, Germany and others who have successful population
control programs, they are now regretting what they have done. They are coming
to realize that the best resource they can have is its people.
