A PROJECT OF
JUAN SUMULONG HIGH SCHOOL
18TH AVENUE, CUBAO, QUEZON CITY
PHILIPPINES
FOCUS QUESTION:
IS BIRTH CONTROL THE BEST
SOLUTION TO OVERPOPULATION?
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the activity the students should be able to:
Describe the population of each country in relation with its
land area.
Express the population of each country and its land area in
scientific notation.
Use the laws of exponents to simplify expression in solving
the density of each country.
Construct graphs to show the population and the land area
of each country.
Decide which population control method is best solution to
overpopulation.
State some ways or measures to help the country’s
problem on overpopulation.
Introduction:
In this learning activity, the students will be aware
of their country’s population, its effect to the the
economic status, educational, social, and medical
services of the government for its people. With this
awareness, the students in their own simple and little
ways may help the country’s problem on overpopulation.
Population is a term referring to the total number of
human inhabitants of a specified area, such as a city,
country, or continent, at a given time.
Population study as an academic study is known as
demography. It is concerned with the size, composition,
and distribution of populations; their patterns of change
over the time through births, deaths, migration and the
determinants and consequences of such changes.
Population studies yield knowledge important for short
and long term planning for governments projects and
programs in the different fields such as education, health,
housing, social security, employment and even in
environmental preservation.
Such studies may also provide the information needed
to formulate government population policies, which seek to
modify demographic trends in order to achieve certain
economic and social objectives.
(Reference: Microsoft Encarta)
Birth Control
Birth control has been a social concern for
thousands of years; since the 19th century BC the oldest
medical text contains information on contraception.
In 1798, a British economist, Thomas Robert
Malthus predicted that the human species would one
day unable to feed itself. Few years after, as medical
care improves the death rate began to drop thus more
attention was given to birth control.
(Reference: Microsoft Encarta)
Data Gathered
Country
Population
(2004)
Land Area
(sq km)
Density
(people per
sq km)
Birth Rate
(per 1000
population)
Death Rate
(per 1000
population)
Philippines
86,241,697
300,000
287
25.31
5.47
Malaysia
23,522,482
328,550
72
23.07
5.06
Vietnam
82,689,518
331,690
249
17.07
6.2
Myanmar
52,425,872
676,552
77
19.15
12.17
Lao-PDR
5,768,117
236,800
24
37.84
13.02
Graphical Presentation of Data
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
POPULATION (2004)
Population
(Millions)
Phil
Mal
Viet
Myan
LaoPDR
LAND AREA (SQUARE KILOMETER)
700
600
500
400
300
Land Area (Sq km)
200
100
0
Phil
Mal
Viet Myan LaoPDR
Responses to the Focus Question:
Country
YES
Malaysia
/
Philippines
/
Myanmar
/
Vietnam
/
Lao
/
NO
Discussion of the Focus Question:
All the respondents agree that birth control is
the best solution to overpopulation. Malaysia, Vietnam,
Lao-PDR, Myanmar, and the Philippines gave their
reasons why they think it is the best in spite of some of
its controversies and the bad effects of using
contraceptives.
At present, Malaysia has no problem with their
population. In their country, they are forbidden to
have a child out of wedlock for they will be punished
for that. Sexual abstinence is also another way to
control overpopulation and they consider it as most
humane but still they agree that birth control is the
best solution to control the population of one’s country.
In Lao-PDR, they got no government programs for
population control although it is also their policy that
everyone is forbidden to have a child out of wedlock. They
also agree that birth control is the best solution to control
population for they believe that the other methods are
inhuman and less effective.
In Vietnam, people are advised to bear one to two
children. They carry out propaganda to remote areas,
helping every one escape from the backward ideology,
custom and habit which influence badly on developing
population. Factors that influence on its implementation:
awareness, ideology of people, the development of economy
and the social policies
In Myanmar, there is no government programs or
polices implemented to control its population.
But, they think birth control is the best solution because the
other methods of birth control are less effective.
In the Philippines, we are really facing a great
problem on overpopulation. The government is very serious
in the implementation of its population programs and
policies specially in the rural areas but despite of the
different programs on family planning we still got a long way
to go for the success of these programs. Our country’s
population is fast increasing each year and it’s quite
alarming for the government and its people.
We agree that birth control is the best solution to our
population problem. Our government together with health
officials went out their way to educate parents through their
programs on how to plan a family. But to some extent the
religious beliefs of the people affect its implementation
especially in the rural areas.
In effect, our government implemented a new 2-child
policy known as the “Responsible Parenting and Population
Control Act 2005 proposes financial incentives for families
with no more that two children, the free distribution of
contraceptives such as pills and condoms, and inclusion of
sexual education in the elementary curriculum starting Grade
IV. Imprisonment for doctors who refuses sterilization if
patients requested for it. Thus, the government is looking
forward to the success of the new policy.
Conclusion:
Based on the data gathered from the different countries
Malaysia, Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Lao PDR consider
birth control as the best solution to overpopulation.
In this learning activity, the students were able to
describe the population of each country in relation with its land
area, express the population of each country and its land area in
scientific notation, use the laws of exponents to simplify
expression in solving the density of each country, construct
graphs to show the population and the land area of each country
and decide which population control method is best solution to
overpopulation and state some ways or measures to help the
country’s problem on overpopulation.
Reflections: “ How can I help?”
As a student, I can help my country’ population problem by:
 Joining actively in class, school and community activities
to develop self-discipline.
 Exchanging ideas and knowledge with classmates about
planning a family and health care.
 Talking to friends and neighbors about some government
programs and policies on how to control population.
 Communicating with parents and relatives about building
strong family relationships.
 Learning how to be a responsible parent in the future
through further studies and shared experiences .