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It’s not only important to feed a hungry population, but also to know why people are going hungry, visiting British legislators said Thursday. One example, according to MP Mark Pritchard, is the relationship between hunger and an ever growing population.
“Let’s not just feed hungry families but also tackle the sources of this hunger. Social reforms need to take on the same urgency as economic reforms,” he said at a lecture at the University of the Philippines.
Pritchard said while he agreed with the Catholic Church’s stand that small families do not necessarily mean less poor families, he took issue with the Church’s treatment of politicians supporting reproductive health policies.
“I disagree with the Church when it attacks politicians pushing for sex education in schools, for access to contraceptives and encouraging responsible family planning,” he said.
Pritchard said he understands the Catholic Church’s stand on procreation and that he is not espousing abortion.
But he pointed out that people must still be made to choose on their own what methods they want to use in planning their families.
“More important is the issue of free will and free choice,” he said, adding that he was speaking from a personal point of view.
The visiting British lawmaker explained that there is “a world of difference between the imposition of family planning and encouraging family planning,” warning about the negative implication of a huge population.
“The Philippine population in the future will potentially reduce the living standards (of its citizens),” he said, adding that it would also increase dependence on food importation.
Pritchard is with a delegation from the British parliament visiting the country to meet government officials on issues affecting both countries.
MP Graham Stewart stressed the importance of education as one of the social reforms government should address.
“We should be giving them skills to young people for them to contribute to society in the future. I hope teaching will be seen as the highest possible calling,” said Stewart, who is a former teacher.
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(Source: INQ)