Thursday, December 16, 2004
6 RP cities face grave problems due to overpopulation (11:34 a.m.)
By Marie S. Neri
MANILA -- The Commission on Population (Popcom) has warned that six cities in the country face the danger of draining their resources with the huge growth in their respective population.
The 3rd States of Population Report released by the Popcom identified Zamboanga City, Lipa Cty in Batangas, Tagbilaran City in Bohol, Tagum in Davao City and Cebu City as having rapid population growth due to migration.
"However, as urban populations grow rapidly, local governments must also face the growing challenges of public sanitation, pollution, transportation, peace and order, and poverty in their constituent areas. Urbanization creates both opportunities as well as the heavier burden of providing basic services," the report said.
PopCom executive director Tomas Osias said Metro Manila remains as the country's most populated highly urbanized area and is one of the top 20 mega-cities in the world.
"Based on current trends and projections, demographers said the country's primary urban center (referring to Metro Manila) would be the 12th largest city by 2010," Osias said.
With the country's swift population rate, which is considered the highest in Southeast Asia, Osias said it would put various resources under pressure.
"With the current population now reaching an estimated 84 million, which increases yearly by 1.8 million and at the rate that cities expand, we cannot afford further distress on our surroundings," he added.
Mario Lamberte of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (Pids) said urbanization is growing faster in surrounding areas of Metro Manila, Metro Davao and Cebu than the original city.
"It suggests that a strong policy for decongesting Metro Manila will soon give rise to several metropolitan centers in the country," says Lamberte.
The study also showed that rapid population growth in Lipa, Cebu, Tagum, and Zamboanga has resulted in the lack of housing, poor waste disposal and management, traffic congestion, decrease of water quality and levels, air and water pollution, and lack of health and education facilities and personnel.
The report added that population increase in urbanized areas is rising faster than the national growth rate.
Urban population in the Philippines in 2001 was estimated at 48 percent while surveys projected that the country will be more or less 65 percent urbanized by 2020.
The proportion of urban dwellers, the report added, was estimated to increase from 48 percent in 2003 to 60 percent 26 years after, said the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).
(December 16, 2004 issue)
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