JUAN SUMULONG HIGH SCHOOL18TH AVENUE, CUBAO, QUEZON CITY PHILIPPINES

A PROJECT OF

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 GatheredCountry 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

0102030405060708090

Phil Mal Viet Myan Lao-PDR

Population (Millions)

POPULATION (2004)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Phil Mal Viet Myan Lao-PDR

Land Area (Sq km)

LAND AREA (SQUARE KILOMETER)

Responses to the Focus Question:

Country YES NO

Malaysia /

Philippines /

Myanmar /

Vietnam /

Lao /

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 .