INVESTING in lifelong learning and job creation, among others, are necessary to maximize the country’s demographic dividend, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
In a statement on Wednesday, Neda reported that during a high-level meeting on July 11 for this year’s World Population Day (WPD), Neda Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon discussed how stakeholders can contribute to maximizing the Philippines’s demographic dividend.
To align national and local development plans with the ongoing demographic transition, Edillon said the Neda has “outlined various plans, programs, and policies in the [Philippine Development Plan] PDP that will ensure that all Filipinos have access to social services, opportunities to improve their employability, and social protection.”
Edillon stressed that this framework has been cascaded to the regional level. Neda added it is “crucial” to address various challenges arising from the demographic transition at the municipality and city levels.
Meanwhile, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan in his keynote speech which was read by Edillon, emphasized that the government places “great importance” on eradicating poverty, promoting lifelong learning and transformative education, providing accessible health care, ensuring gender equality, and fostering sustainable economic growth.
Neda said the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released its annual report, the State of the World Population, to highlight the milestone of global population surpassing the 8-billion mark.
In a statement on Wednesday, UNFPA Philippines Country representative Leila Saiji Joudane called on the Philippine government to make the “right investment and policy decisions” in order to reap the benefits of the declining fertility rate in the country.
Joudane said that the Philippines is currently at a “unique crossroads” with its changing demographics.
“As the country is undergoing a demographic transition, the country will need to work towards demographic resilience: the quality or state of being able to adapt and thrive amid demographic changes,” Joudane said.
According to UNFPA, demographic dividend refers to economic growth resulting from changes in a population’s structure and characteristics.
Currently, it explained, the declining fertility rate of the Philippines would result in a window of opportunity where the country has a productive population that is larger than its dependent population.
However, it said the demographic dividend is not automatic. Therefore, “the country will have to make the right investments and policy decisions in order for it to reap its benefits by investing in people throughout their life course.”
Joudane said the demographic dividend could be a “powerful force.”
In order to reap its benefits; however, she said, “We need to ensure the rights of people—especially those most left behind—and provide access to quality education, health care, and employment opportunities. We need to also address gender inequality and other injustices that limit people from reaching their full potential.” (Full story here: businessmirror.com.ph/2023/07/12/making-the-right-decisions-unfpa-citesbenefits-of-declining-phl-fertility-rate/)