The Philippines vs Singapore: Jeepney vs Formula 1

The Philippines with its population of 96 million registered a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $117 billion in 2006. Singapore for its part, with its relatively paltry population of 4.6 million delivered a GDP of $132 billion on the same year.


For less than half a tenth of the humanity Filipinos apply to the job of adding value to the economy, Singapore delivers more in absolute terms.

The starkness of the difference between the economic value of every new Singaporean baby born compared to every new Filipino baby born is hard to ignore. Even harder to ignore is the stupidity of continuing to multiply at the rate we are multiplying given the anemic economic output of the average Filipino schmoe.

At an annual population growth rate of 2 percent, Filipinos are increasing their numbers at twice the rate Singaporeans are increasing theirs. Filipino women bear, on the average more than three children compared to just one for the average Singaporean woman.

Where is the sense in continuing to encourage people to "go forth and multiply" while at the same time hindering any efforts to implement a reasonable population control policy?

Figures from NationMaster.com.

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