Education Starts at Home Essay Example For Students

Education Starts at Home Essay Some parents think that once their children are at school, they can relax and let the education system take control. But this is not the case at all. As research shows, parents have an even greater influence on their childrens academic results than the school does. Most of a childs ability to communicate, to relate to teachers and peers and their attitude to learning, is formed from home. Parents can help give their children a head start, by beginning their education at home. Parents dont realism how they can help their children at home. Things s simple as baking a cake With their children can help them With their education. Measuring out ingredients for a cake is a simple form of math. Another example of helping young children with their math is simply planning a birthday party. They have to decide how many people to invite, how many invitations they will need, how much the stamps will cost, how many prizes, lowly bags, cups, plates, and balloons need to be bought, and so on. Children often find that real life experiences help them to do their math more easily. Way that parents can help their children with their math, is to give hem pocket money. It does not have to be a large amount, and they may have to do chores to earn it. This not only teaches them about the value of money, but they may need to use basic math to work out how long they will have to save to buy the special toy that they want, This means that children are developing their money sense, as well as their math skills. To children at an early age can give them a head start when they start school. But parents should not stop reading to children when they do start going to school They still like to be read to, and it can help to increase their sight scapulars as well. Parents can also help their children with their reading skills by providing them with reading opportunities. Parents can read their children books, signs, magazines 0 or anything else that interests them. Teaching children the alphabet Whilst they are young, can also help them With their spelling and reading. Verb> children With the right equipment can help With their education. Giving them a quiet place where they can work. Read and do homework, with a good reading light and a correctable chair and desk, are just some of these things. Parents can also help their children by proving them with some reference books, and any other relevant learning material they might need. Are many ways that parents can help their children with their oral communication skills. Some of these include letting their child answer the phone and order food and participate in family conversation and informal conversation with neighbors so that they can experience all different situations where different types of speech are used. It is important to encourage good speech, and parents should do this by using correct speech themselves, and helping their hillier when they say something incorrectly. An help with Society and Environment in a number of different ways. For example, they can show their children how the scale and legends on a road map help you to determine your route. Parents can also help their children with finding information for assignments, but they have to make sure that they do not do the assignments for them. Is everywhere arou nd us, and helping children With this subject can be very easy for parents. Pointing out flora and fauna in the garden for example is giving children a head Start in their education. .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad , .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad .postImageUrl , .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad , .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad:hover , .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad:visited , .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad:active { border:0!important; } .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad:active , .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8bfd737fa5d6ed948777997826cf15ad:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Ted Bundy: The Biography of a Serial Killer EssayThe fridge, TV, air-conditioner, and computer are all related to science in one way or another, and teaching young children about these things and Of course many Others, can help to develop their scientific minds. Verb> starts from an early age, and teaching children basic things at home can help them when they start to go to school. Parents can teach their children about food, exercise, and rest and this will help them with health, as these things are related to it. Parents can also teach their children the importance of safety rules, hand washing, and caring for teeth, all of which are increasing their knowledge of the top ic. Arenas do need to take an active and interested role in the education of their children. As mentioned, there are a variety of different things that parents should do to help their children with their education, but of course there are many more things that parents can do, If parents dont do any of these things, you can easily see how far their children may fall behind when they go to school So if parents want their children to do well at school, they must be prepared to help educate their children at home.

Advantages Due to Hiring Maid free essay sample

The maid is a system that involve non-local who is not from our family members who work at our home. According to Zuhaila (2012) the article in NSTP dated March 11. â€Å"Some families say their household will just not be able to function well without a maid†. So with the existence of a maid, it not only brought many benefits for the community but it can ease the burden of parental in order to taking care the home, children and others, especially for careers parents. Although many people have negative perception of hiring maid, I believe that hiring maid is important due to several advantages. The first advantage is it will cut the cost of sending children to nursery. As we know that the cost of sending children to nursery is expensive nowadays. Not only the nursery, hired a babysitter just for a few hours will cost much higher than hiring a maid. We will write a custom essay sample on Advantages Due to Hiring Maid or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page According to Kwa on her speech â€Å"Now days, a fee for a monthly babysitter is around RM750 and above, and the cost will increase depend on how many children in the house† (Kwa, The Star, 2012). On the other hand, parents can reduce the times that wasted of sending and fetching children from the nursery. Because of that, hiring a maid can take care of children when parents go to work. Parents also do not worry about the payment every month because our government is standardizing the fee that parents need to pay the maid. The second advantage is it will reduce the burden of doing the house chores. As we know, as a parent their needs to taking care about their career and their duty of doing house chores. Because of that, many locals are waiting to hire maids again as to meet their needs (Raja Zulkeply Dahlan, 2012). In addition, the maid is also a savior for parents who are experiencing stress over the situation in the workplace and home. For a career parents, sometimes the stress at the workplace will be carried away to the house and if at home, the condition not very smooth it will give more pressure on the parents. Therefore, the extra time will help parents to relax which also increases their productivity at workplace. The third advantage is it will encourage parents to spend more time with their family members. As we know, maid can help doing house chores and allow parents to spend quality time with their families’ member. Because of that, parents will have a valuable period of time to spend their times with families’ member. According to Orlandoyts (2005) â€Å"maid rid you and your daily chores allowing you to spend quality time with your family†. For example, parents can have a picnic on a weekend or bring their children to shopping. In addition, parents can give love and paying more attention to their children. Parents who have time in a long weekend can pay more attention and giving a full of love to their children spend more time with them. Therefore, parents can secure the safety of their children every day. All in all, hiring maid can give parents much advantage to manage the children and parents also their career in workplace. Therefore, the government should play an important role in the entry of domestic workers to meet market demand of maid to the families who needed.

Ann Richards Quotes

Ann Richards Quotes Ann Richards was governor of Texas from 1991-1995. When Ann Richards was elected State Treasurer in 1982, she was the first woman elected to statewide office in Texas since Ma Ferguson. Richards was reelected in 1986, unopposed, and then ran for governor in 1990. She came to national prominence with a keynote speech at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. In her 1994 reelection campaign, she lost to George W. Bush, the son of the presidential candidate shed skewered in 1988. Selected Ann Richards Quotations Im not afraid to shake up the system, and the government needs more shaking up than any other system I know. I have very strong feelings about how you lead your life. You always look ahead, you never look back. The here and now is all we have, and if we play it right its all well need. I have always had the feeling I could do anything and my dad told me I could. I was in college before I found out he might be wrong. They blame the low income women for ruining the country because they are staying home with their children and not going out to work. They blame the middle income women for ruining the country because they go out to work and do not stay home to take care of their children. I feel very strongly that change is good because it stirs up the system. I did not want my tombstone to read, She kept a really clean house. I think Id like them to remember me by saying, She opened government to everyone. Ive always said that in politics, your enemies cant hurt you, but your friends will kill you. Teaching was the hardest work I had ever done, and it remains the hardest work I have done to date. Let me tell you, sisters, seeing dried egg on a plate in the morning is a lot dirtier than anything Ive had to deal with in politics. Power is what calls the shots, and power is a white male game. If you think taking care of yourself is selfish, change your mind. If you dont, youre simply ducking your responsibilities. Im really glad that our young people missed the Depression, and missed the great big war. But I do regret that they missed the leaders that I knew. Leaders who told us when things were tough, and that we would have to sacrifice, and these difficulties might last awhile. They didnt tell us things were hard for us because we were different, or isolated, or special interests. They brought us together and they gave us a sense of national purpose. [1988 keynote address, Democratic National Convention] I have a real soft spot in my heart for librarians and people who care about books. You can put lipstick and earrings on a hog and call it Monique, but its still a pig. Women elected Bill Clinton this time. He acknowledges it, the country acknowledges it, and the columnists acknowledge it, and when you have that kind of political clout, you can effect change and do it well. And Im real proud to have been a part of that. I get a lot of cracks about my hair, mostly from men who dont have any. Let me tell you that I am the only child of a very rough-talking father. So dont be embarrassed about your language. Ive either heard it or I can top it. The public does not like you to mislead or represent yourself to be something youre not. And the other thing that the public really does like is the self-examination to say, you know, Im not perfect. Im just like you. They dont ask their public officials to be perfect. They just ask them to be smart, truthful, honest, and show a modicum of good sense. I believe in recovery, and I believe that as a role model I have the responsibility to let young people know that you can make a mistake and come back from it. There is a lot more to life than just struggling to make money. I thought I knew Texas pretty well, but I had no notion of its size until I campaigned it. Women, it was painfully clear, werent going to be allowed to use their brains and I certainly wanted to use mine. [Ive] been tested by fire and the fire lost. I hope all the WASP present and past will fly high on wings of our pride in their service ... you have my profound gratitude for the legacy you have given to us and the legacy you pass on to young women today. [about the Women Airforce Service Pilots] I believe Mama would have liked to have had more children, but times were hard and I was the only one. Daddy had the fear maybe that fear is indigenous to the Depression generation that he wouldnt be able to afford all the things he wanted to give me, and he wanted to give me everything hed never had. So they never had another child. Poor George, he cant help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth. [1988 keynote address, Democratic National Convention] I am delighted to be here with you this evening because after listening to George Bush all these years, I figured you needed to know what a real Texas accent sounds like. [1988 keynote address, Democratic National Convention] On How to Be a Good Republican: [excerpts] You have to believe that those privileged from birth achieve success all on their own.You have to be against all government programs, but expect Social Security checks on time.You have to believe...everything Rush Limbaugh says.You have to believe society is color-blind and growing up black in America doesnt diminish your opportunities, but you still wont vote for Alan Keyes.You have to be against government interference in business until your oil company, corporation or Savings and Loan is about to go broke and you beg for a government bailout.You have to believe a poor, minority student with a disciplinary history and failing grades will be admitted into an elite private school with a $1,000 voucher. Most of all, I remember those children in the classrooms and those kids who grabbed me around the knees, and I think of the old people who really need a voice when theyre trapped in wheelchairs in dirty nursing homes. The person in this office really must have a conscience to know that how they direct this government dramatically affects the lives of those people. Jill Buckley on Ann Richards: Shes sort of the female good old boy. You paid the price to some degree. You lost the governorship of Texas because this country still is a little bit schizoid, isn’t it, about the role of women in American politics? [1996 question of newsman Tom Brokaw to Ann Richards] More Womens Quotes: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z Explore Womens Voices and Womens History Womens Voices - About Womens QuotesBiographies of WomenToday in Womens HistoryWomens History Home About These Quotes Quote collection assembled by Jone Johnson Lewis. Each quotation page in this collection and the entire collection  © Jone Johnson Lewis. This is an informal collection assembled over many years. I regret that I am not able to provide the original source if it is not listed with the quote. Citation information:Jone Johnson Lewis. Ann Richards Quotes. About Womens History. URL: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/quotes/a/ann_richards.htm . Date accessed: (today). (More on how to cite online sources including this page)

Biography of Joseph Conrad, Author of Heart of Darkness

Biography of Joseph Conrad, Author of Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad (born Jà ³zef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski; December 3, 1857 - August 3, 1924) was one of the greatest English-language novelists of all time, despite the fact he was born in the Russian Empire to a Polish-speaking family. After a long career in the merchant marine, he eventually settled in England and became one of the most prominent novelists of the early 20th century, writing classics such as Heart of Darkness (1899), Lord Jim (1900), and Nostromo (1904). Fast Facts: Joseph Conrad Full Name: Jà ³zef Teodor Konrad KorzeniowskiOccupation: WriterBorn: December 3, 1857, in Berdychiv, Russian EmpireDied: August 3, 1924, in Bishopsbourne, Kent, EnglandParents: Apollo NalÄ™cz Korzeniowski and Ewa BobrowskaSpouse: Jessie GeorgeChildren: Borys and JohnSelected Works: Heart of Darkness (1899), Lord Jim (1900), Nostromo (1904)Notable Quote: The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness. Early Life Joseph Conrads family was of Polish descent and lived in Berdychiv, a city now part of Ukraine and then part of the Russian empire. It is located in a region that the Polish sometimes refer to as the Stolen Lands, since it was taken from the Kingdom of Poland. Conrads father, Apollo Korzeniowski, a writer and political activist, took part in the Polish resistance to Russian rule. He was imprisoned in 1861 when the future author was a young child. The family endured exile to Vologda, three hundred miles north of Moscow, in 1862, and they were later moved to Chernihiv in northeast Ukraine. As a consequence of the familys struggles, Conrads mother, Ewa, died of tuberculosis in 1865. Apollo raised his son as a single father and introduced him to the works of French novelist Victor Hugo and the plays of William Shakespeare. They moved to the Austrian-held section of Poland in 1867 and enjoyed more freedom. Suffering from tuberculosis like his wife, Apollo died in 1869 leaving his son an orphan at age eleven. Conrad moved in with his maternal uncle. He was raised to pursue a career as a sailor. At age sixteen, fluent in French, he moved to Marseilles, France, to look for a career in the merchant marine. Merchant Marine Career Conrad sailed for four years on French ships before joining the British merchant marine. He served for fifteen more years under the British flag. He eventually rose to the rank of captain. The elevation to that rank came unexpectedly. He sailed on the ship Otago out of Bangkok, Thailand, and the captain died at sea. By the time the Otago arrived at its destination in Singapore, the entire crew except Conrad and the cook were suffering from fever. Photo circa 1960: A bust of Joseph Conrad as a figurehead on the prow of The Joseph Conrad, a training ship built in Copenhagen in 1882. Three Lions / Getty Images The characters in Joseph Conrads writing are mostly drawn from his experiences at sea. Three years of association with a Belgian trading company as captain of a ship on the Congo River led directly to the novella Heart of Darkness. Conrad completed his final long-distance voyage in 1893. One of the passengers on the ship Torrens was 25-year-old future novelist John Galsworthy. He became a good friend of Conrad shortly before the latter began his writing career. Success as a Novelist Joseph Conrad was 36 when he left the merchant marine in 1894. He was ready to seek a second career as a writer. He published his first novel Almayers Folly in 1895. Conrad was concerned that his English might not be strong enough for publication, but readers soon considered his approach to the language as a non-native writer an asset. Conrad set the first novel in Borneo, and his second, An Outcast of the Islands, takes place in and around the island of Makassar. The two books helped him develop a reputation as a teller of exotic tales. That depiction of his work frustrated Conrad, who looked to be taken seriously as a top writer of English literature. Handwritten and typed letter from Joseph Conrad to Ford Madox Ford. Culture Club / Getty Images During the next fifteen years, Conrad published what most consider the finest works of his career. His novella Heart of Darkness appeared in 1899. He followed it with the novel Lord Jim in 1900 and Nostromo in 1904. Literary Celebrity In 1913, Joseph Conrad experienced a commercial breakthrough with the publication of his novel Chance. Today it is not viewed as one of his best works, but it outsold all of his previous novels and left the author with financial security for the rest of his life. It was the first of his novels to focus on a woman as a central character. Conrads next novel, Victory, released in 1915, continued his commercial success. However, critics found the style melodramatic and expressed concern that the authors artistical skills were fading. Conrad celebrated his financial success by building the house he called Oswalds in Bishopsbourne, Canterbury, England. Personal Life Joseph Conrad suffered from a range of physical maladies, most of them due to exposure during his years in the merchant marine. He battled gout and recurrent attacks of malaria. He also struggled occasionally with depression. In 1896, while in the early years of his writing career, Conrad married Jessie George, an Englishwoman. She gave birth to two sons, Borys and John. Joseph Conrad and Family. Time Life Pictures / Getty Images Conrad counted many other prominent writers as friends. Among the closest were future Nobel laureate John Galsworthy, American Henry James, Rudyard Kipling, and collaborator on two novels, Ford Madox Ford. Later Years Joseph Conrad continued to write and publish novels through his final years. Many observers considered the five years after World War I ended in 1919 the most peaceful part of the authors life. Some of Conrads contemporaries pushed for recognition with a Nobel Prize for Literature, but it was not forthcoming. In April 1924, Joseph Conrad turned down the offer of a British knighthood due to his background in Polish nobility. He also turned down offers of honorary degrees from five prestigious universities. In August 1924, Conrad died at his home of an apparent heart attack. He is buried with his wife, Jessie, in Canterbury, England. Legacy Shortly after Joseph Conrads death, many critics focused on his ability to create stories that illuminated exotic locales and to humanize sordid events. Later analysis has focused on deeper elements in his fiction. He often examines the corruption that lies just beneath the surface of otherwise admirable characters. Conrad focuses on fidelity as a crucial theme. It can save the soul and wreak terrible destruction when it is breached. Conrads powerful narrative style and the use of anti-heroes as main characters have influenced a wide range of great writers of the 20th century, from William Faulkner to George Orwell and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He paved the way for the development of modernist fiction. Source Jasanoff, Maya. The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global World. Penguin Press, 2017.

The Swimming Race by Benjamin Tammuz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Swimming Race by Benjamin Tammuz - Essay Example Someone placed this evil seed in his head and now he cannot get rid of it. Revenge is blind, it sees no excuse no distraction, it just goes in for the kill. The Swimming Race (1951) by Benjamin Tammuz is a great story about war and revenge. It tells that the victorious have complete autonomy over the defeated and oppressed. They do whatever they want to do with them. Problems don’t necessarily lie outside the individual. It is the interpretation of mind that turns an incident into a problem. The talk of a man dominated world has been around. When I read the Hand of Wax I immediately agreed with the authors thinking. If someone suffers in this world, it is not because of the circumstances (the male dominant society) but because of the victim’s acceptance to suffering. When the narrator of The Swimming Race (1951) goes to check the dead body of Abdul Karim, he looked as if aware of the narrator’s win on swimming contest (Tammuz 84). It is a bitter truth but most of the times we are our own worst enemies. Sometimes we cannot control our emotions, sometimes you're just blinded by revenge. It is a man's nature, his evil nature that pushes him to commit the crime, to shed blood, to kill to seek revenge. We built prisons around ourselves and cry feeling trapped. But passively we derive comfort from such a place. Our minds get used to the dark pessimistic environment that freedom seems strange. An unknown dimension can be very daunting. It might also require taking care of responsibilities. Most of the times the ‘victims’ in the story let things happen. Many times it is only a look of contempt against a stubborn thick-skinned man. This approach of passive aggression only lets things accumulate. It is also an indication to ‘him’ (the stubborn male) that there won’t be any serious consequences for letting him be. Be it, drinking, gambling or the husband putting a shield between his wife and him in the case of Hand of Wax.

Transformation of Shell - 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Transformation of Shell - 4 - Essay Example From the results of a series of exercises conducted by several private management consultants, the company began to shift from their strict business attitude to social and environmental performance. As a result, the leadership attitude of the officials also changed; they geared up for taking more responsibilities. Similarly the Shell revised ‘General business Principles’ with regard to the results obtained from the integrity works. In addition to this, the company developed its own Web Site facilities in order to get timely feedback and suggestions from the public. Likewise, the shell international conducted ‘written and face to face’ conversations with stakeholders to remove their dissatisfaction. These changes were necessary for the Shell international since they had suffered a lot of internal as well as external problems such as Brent Spar issue, Nigerian human rights, and Shareholder campaigns. The resistance of Greenpeace to the disposal of Brent Spar at sea attained media coverage which reduced the company’s reputation among the public. The Shell also faced a consumer boycott which caused the decline of their sales volume to a large extent. Similarly â€Å"Shell’s return on average capital employed (ROACE), a common measure of performance in the petroleum industry, showed that the company lagged behind many of its competitors† (Lawrence, 2000, p.533). In addition to this the Shell executives had to compete with discount retailers at retail level which led them to reduce their efficiency in business operations. At the earlier stages the company had followed a matrix form of organization which resulted in red tapism and delayed decision making. The close analysis would make us think about the essential changes Shell required for taking advantage of maximum opportunities from the business. The Shell international had forgotten the basic principle that customers are the crucial part of a business without whom a business can

Media Role In Mitigating The Philippine Population Problem Politics Essay

Media Role In Mitigating The Philippine Population Problem Politics Essay In a country where the Catholic Churchs position is taken as a major factor in policy decision making, population control legislation has progressed ever so slowly. Progress that managed to be made, suffer from public acceptance and its proponents in government widely seen as practically committing political suicide. But there is a silent majority that sees the myriad of problems that this unabated rise in population brings: poverty, unemployment, lack of education, crime realities they are already experiencing in their daily lives, a reality that they hope the government would address through effective population control policies. If the Churchs position cannot be swayed, is media doing its role in educating and information dissemination? Is it being an agenda setter or acting as an effective check and balance, or is it also being caught in countrys intricate web of politics and power relations? In order for me to begin to analyze this problem, I found it necessary to acknowledge and establish that there is first and foremost, a population problem in the Philippines. I also need to establish that although there are possible solutions to this situation, the Catholic Churchs position on the use of artificial family planning methods is what makes the national government seemingly impotent in implementing an effective population control policy. To open my analysis, I refer to the studies made by Alejandro Herrin and Ernesto Pernia which states that the Philippines current levels of fertility and population growth stunts the countrys economy. I chose to rely on their findings and figures as their intensive study on this issue is fairly recent (being published in 2003), and from that period up to the present, no major change has occurred as far the countrys population control policies are concerned. In fact, the issue of population control is currently being deliberated in Philipp ine Congress, with the Philippine legislature currently trying to pass the Reproductive Health Care and Population Development Bill (Senate Bill 3122 and House Bill 5043), its proponents hoping that this would address the countrys population woes. As expected, the proposed bill is currently facing stiff opposition from the Catholic Church  [1]  as well as from various pro-life groups.  [2]   Alejandro Herrin and Ernesto Pernia in the aforementioned 2003 study concluded that feeble economic growth and transformation, exacerbated by rapid population growth, have been responsible for the Philippines poor performance in human resource development and employment over the past two to three decades.  [3]  The authors argue that the countrys slow economic growth has generated only meager resources for investment in health, nutrition and education, and that these are not enough to meet the demands brought about by high fertility.  [4]  The countrys slow economic growth for example, results in limited job opportunities, and this, coupled with a steadily growing labor force feeds into the countrys growing problem of unemployment and income inequality, which in turn, coupled with the rise in population density in urban areas, worsen problems of crime  [5]  as well as becoming a factor that contribute to the cultivation of a culture of corruption.  [6]  Corruption, in turn, worsens the already weighty problem of poverty  [7]  and inequality, completing the vicious cycle that seemingly keeps the country in a destitute trap. Herrin and Pernia further stress that not only is there a need to seriously address the population problem, but that there is also a need to address this problem while attending to the structural weakness in the economy at the same time. They recommend that in order to remedy this situation, a strong population policy must be made an integral part of the countrys development strategy,  [8]  and proposes a policy framework based on decomposition of future population growth in terms of its main sources namely unwanted fertility, the preference for a large family size and population momentum.  [9]   It should therefore be noted that although Herrin and Pernia acknowledges the population problem, the current rates of population growth and fertility are not the problems per se; it is seen more as a factor that compounds the current economic situation which, in turn, keeps the national government from taking advantage of the possible dividends that the maturation of this population could bring. This level of population growth and fertility might be advantageous for a country that is in a stage of development where it has the necessary resources to harness this demographic dividend, but in the Philippine setting, these growths are seen more as a liability than an asset. We do add to the labor force annually, but because of limited resources, there are not enough employment opportunities locally to accommodate most of these new entrants in the labor force, and this keeps unemployment and underemployment rates high.  [10]  The fact that a substantial percentage of employed workers in the country are laborers or unskilled workers is also a cause of concern.  [11]  Parts of the labor force that do manage to find employment outside the country on the other hand, settle for blue-collar work, or accept high-risk jobs.  [12]  One might argue that the country is in fact already reaping some form of demographic dividend through labor-migration, but looking at the countrys most recent population pyramids (1990-2005)  [13]  , one could also argue that the possible economic gains from labor-migration only went into the acquisition of resources for the care of the bigger population of children health care, daily needs (food etc.), education, chil d care (nannies). Cost of caring for the elderly and debt repayment incurred before going abroad,eats up into this supposed economic gain as well. Not much goes into investment or savings that can be translated into capital that could fuel much needed growth.  [14]   The Catholic Church Opposition Simply looking at one study alone (Herrin and Pernia), one can easily see that the Philippines indeed has a population problem, or at least a realization that unabated growth in population rate and fertility rates may be linked to various societal dilemmas the country is currently experiencing, such as: rising poverty, inequality, unemployment and slow economic growth. So why is it that there is this opposition by the Catholic Church to mitigate this problem, and concomitantly, why is it that the Catholic Churchs position on this issue is regarded with such weight? The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country, with around 80% of its population being Catholics. The Filipinos values, morals, much of the norms and beliefs in the Philippines have been shaped by more than 300 years of being subject to Christian indoctrination under Spanish rule. Just like any other religion in the world, the Catholic Church upholds particular values and mores that are not subject to change or even reconsideration values based on sex and marriage are one of those. Sex before marriage and living together before marriage are deemed morally wrong; sex within marriage on the other hand is considered a gift, that is meant to unite the couple and presupposes the creation of life.  [15]  The Church has always stood firm on their stand with regards to artificial methods of contraception for married couples, stressing that controlling ones sexual urges is a personal responsibility, and that the couple has the right to choose and decide their family size again gui ded by their responsibility, as parents, to provide for their children; abortion is especially frowned upon. Just how strong is religion in upholding these beliefs? If the study done by Evelyn Lehrer entitled Religious Affiliation and its Relation to the Economic and Demographic Decisions People Make, were to be our basis for analysis, we would infer that religion indeed have a huge influence on the people that practice them. Lehrer states that people tend to take into account religion in whatever interrelated decisions they make over their life cycle (emphasis added), further stressing that for behaviors that pertain to married couple households as opposed to individuals, religion matters because it is a complimentary trait within marriage, affecting many activities that husband and wife engage in together.  [16]   Herrin practically echoes Lehrers argument in his assessment of the Philippine setting by stating that perhaps the single most important factor influencing population policy making [in the Philippines] since its formulation in 1969, and may partly explain its ever shifting focus, is the persistent and consistent opposition of the Catholic Church hierarchy to the government population policy of reducing population growth as well as its promotion of artificial family planning methods.  [17]  Historically speaking, it is alleged that it was the Marcos administrations intention to promote family planning in the country that actually stimulated Philippine Catholicism to strengthen the commitment of the faithful to the Catholic hierarchys view on the subject.  [18]  From that period on, the Catholic Church in the Philippines has continued to adapt a hard stance on these issues, even if other predominantly Catholic countries around the world (and even some of the predominantly Musli m countries in Southeast Asia who tend to have stricter religious beliefs) have long accepted artificial contraception as well as their governments population control policies. The Catholic Church in fact was instrumental in deleting a provision on population control in the Philippine Constitution when it was amended in 1987, following the ouster of then President Ferdinand Marcos; I dont believe they will change their position any time soon and put back something in the Philippine Constitution that they fought hard to take out. If any institution wants to change the current accepted beliefs with regard to starting a family, deciding to have or not to have a child, and how many children to have, one should always take into consideration the Catholic Churchs position (in fact, Catholic values in general), and work through the Catholic way of thinking and belief systems. This is exactly what former Department of Health Secretary Juan Flavier did in the mid 90s. Flavier, being a devout Catholic himself (though he did advocate artificial birth control methods), did not go on record as claiming to be against the Churchs position, but just went on and did his job as Health Secretary and pushed for an effective family planning campaign,  [19]  which was having substantial results until his success as Department Secretary propelled him to the Philippine senate where he served two terms. This then leaves us with the second part of the question; why is it that the Catholic Churchs position on this issue is regarded with such weight? I believe McQuillan has given us an idea of why this is the situation in the Philippines, when he stated that religious values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are likely to play a critical role in shaping demographic behavior à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦when churches are able to build a network of religious institutions that play a formative role in the lives of members and to exercise influence over civil institutions in society as well (emphasis added).  [20]  Lehrer further adds that this is not only true on the issue of fertility as McQuillan argues, but that it also extends to other demographic and economic outcomes.  [21]  I believe both Lehrer and McQuillan are on spot, at least in the case of the Philippines, as history does back up this argument. Aside from the fact that the Catholic Chuch do play a huge role in shaping Filipino beliefs through educat ion (Catholic schools) and through regular sermons delivered during mass (weekly Church service), the Catholic Church also holds sway (at least morally as spiritual advisors) over the countrys leaders who happen to be predominantly Catholics  [22]  . The Catholic Church also plays an active role in politics as watchdog and critic the Catholic Church was at the forefront of the two People Power revolutions, the first toppled the Marcos dictatorship, and the second removed Erap Estrada in office on charges of corruption and for moral grounds.  [23]  Another political role of the Church is as kingmaker. Proof to this is the number of visitors the Cardinal gets during election period, all hoping to get the Catholic Churchs highly regarded endorsement. In fact, this vote-courting practice even extends to other Christian denominations in the country that have similar; if not more rigid; position on abortion, birth control and family planning. Any actor in Philippine politics woul d definitely think twice about advocating these population control measures and going against the strongly held beliefs of the Church,  [24]  as doing so would be tantamount to committing political suicide. Government Action and Inaction Aniceto Orbeta in an ADB discussion paper points out that the Philippines has been credited as one of the earliest adopters of a strong population program in Asia, [yet] today it still has not resolved the population problem, while her late adopting neighbors have successfully addressed the problem and [have since] turned to face other problems.  [25]  Given the above mentioned constraints presented by the Catholic Church, and a society that largely adheres to Catholic values, what has government managed to accomplish as regards family planning and population control? Then President Ferdinand Marcos was one of the 17 heads of states that signed the UN Declaration of Population on December 1967. The UN declaration in essence emphasized that the population problem must be recognized as a principal element in long-range national planning if governments are to achieve their economic goals and fulfill the aspirations of their people.  [26]  With this idea in mind, the government then embarked on studies in order to come up with policies and programs to address concerns about the negative implication of rapid population growth on the attainment of social and economic objectives.  [27]  Studies at that time point out that free exercise of fertility decisions of couples is not consistent with the common good, government therefore saw the need to intervene in fertility decisions as a matter of policy family planning was deemed the necessary intervention.  [28]   The Catholic Church would have been outraged at that time, but policy statements during that period reassured the Church that whatever population program would be adopted, government would see to it that the religious beliefs and values of individuals would be respected.  [29]  The Catholic Church was apparently lulled into a false sense of security, trusting government to keep its word only to find out that it has been working to legalize contraceptive sterilization, which the Church was strongly opposed to. In a 1973 pastoral letter, the Church allayed fears that the government is following the patterns of adoption of artificial contraceptive methods from less radical methods to more radical sterilization and even abortion.  [30]   Marcos, in the early years of his dictatorship embarked on massive infrastructure and development programs; that period also saw rapid industrialization and urbanization. Because of this and because of concerns that high population growth rate would undermine the governments economic development efforts; population control policies; as evidenced by various studies, policies, decrees and executive orders at that time; became a major area of concern. Testament to this was the fact that the role of the government in population would even be enshrined in the 1973 Constitution. It shall be the responsibility of the State to achieve and maintain population levels conducive to the national welfare. (Article XV, Section 10).  [31]   Looking at the list of population control and family planning policies of the Marcos regime in Herrins paper,  [32]  I cannot help but notice that at that period, the government was only looking at the negative aspects of population and fertility growths,  [33]  and consequently was only focused on curbing these unwanted growths to achieve their envisioned positive economic gains. Policies aimed at developing and harnessing positive consequence of population growth (demographic dividend), such as populations positive effect on production, technical progress and innovation  [34]  were apparently not taken into consideration (at least not in the policy documents highlighted in Herrins work). Had the government considered the positive aspects of population growth back then, who knows what programs and policies might have been instituted and pursued to take advantage of this demographic dividend. Again, I point to how government at that time approached the problem of growing unemployment after the late 70s oil crisis, where the government as a response to the problem decided to pursue overseas migration as a temporary stop-gap measure labor-migration have since become an institution in Philippine society, and is now viewed as probably one of the major sectors that is keeping Philippine economy afloat.  [35]   Whether population growth decline in the early 80s was due to the governments adoption and implementation of an effective family planning program; or if it was mainly an effect of progress, moving from an agricultural to industrialized modes of production; or of urbanization; or possibly because more women started to enter the workforce, translating into smaller and smaller family size;  [36]  or whether it is an effect of all these factors working in unison, I have yet to see a study on. But assuming that the decline did results from a conglomeration of these factors, it would be safe to say that the governments policy responses to the problem of growing population and fertility rates were effective and timely. But now, we can only speculate what the effects of those programs would have been to Philippine society and economy had those population control policies not been discontinued. In 1986, Ferdinand Marcos was ousted through the EDSA People Power Revolution (a movement which I pointed out earlier as having the backing of the Catholic Church), and since that time, the countrys population control program went to a screeching halt. A year after Marcos was ousted, the provision on governments role in population control in the 1973 Philippine Constitution was scrapped, and the Constitution (1987 Constitution) that replaced it now carries the Catholic Churchs pro-life, pro-choice position.  [37]  Herrin emphasized this fact when he stated that while there was a strong fertility reduction objective during the Marcos era, there was none during the Aquino administration (emphasis added).  [38]  Family planning, from being seen as an effective means to reduce fertility and population growth became a mere health intervention, one with possible fertility consequences. The administrations after that tried to come up with proposals to curb population growth and high fertility rates but they have always encountered stiff opposition from the Church and from pro-life organizations.  [39]  The Fidel Ramos administration tried to revive fertility reduction policies through the family planning program by incorporating it under the umbrella of Reproductive Health  [40]  under the Department of Health. Despite scrutiny by the Catholic Church, it was able to progress, until its main proponent, charismatic Health Secretary Juan Flavier, won a seat in the Philippine senate. Then President Joseph Estrada also called for an aggressive family planning program to reduce fertility in its PPMP Directional Plan 2001-2004  [41]  , but this program never saw fruition, as Estrada was ousted in another Catholic Church-backed People Power Revolution. Finally, we have the current administrations, policy statement (or non-statement) on family planning  [42]  and Herrin tells us that in essence it says that family planning is primarily a health intervention and as a means to help couples achieve their fertility preference, a statement that does not imply a goal of reducing fertility and population growth rates.  [43]  The current proposed bills from the Senate and the House of Representatives seem to show promise but these bills are currently being opposed by the Catholic Church and Church-backed pro-life and pro-choice groups.  [44]   Government if it has the will, can always implement population control or population management policies if it wanted to (even with Church opposition as evidenced with the Flavier program), but there is also this problem of the length of time leaders stay in office, and since the department heads are coterminous with the President that appointed them, family planning and population control policies tend to have short life spans as well there just doesnt seem to be any way to achieve a continuous program for population control in the Philippines. Currently, the countrys population growth rate  [45]  and fertility rate  [46]  are declining despite the lack of a solid government family planning or population control program.  [47]  This decline could primarily be a direct result of the factors outlined by Debraj Ray in his book:  [48]  urbanization  [49]  , the rise in share of womens share in the labor force  [50]  and information being more and more accessible to people even in the rural areas through media,  [51]  through formal education channels and through NGOs who are working to uplift the lives of people in the countryside. But policy makers in the country still insist on the adoption of a comprehensive population control and management program that would further reduce these rates to levels that are at least similar to those of the Philippines Asian neighbors; levels that they believe would be more conducive to the attainment of the countrys MDGs.  [52]   I argue that though legislation may indeed contribute a whole lot as far as institution of radical measures to meet the desired levels of fertility and population growth, the mechanism to institute such change even without legislation is already in existence and simply needs to be tapped. I believe that the key to this problem lies in making the necessary information  [53]  available to society in order to effect the necessary changes. Herrin and Pernia for example point us to problems that had to do with misconceptions about contraceptives that are available to the public. Such mis-information includes supposed side effects and other health-related issues that artificial contraceptives might have  [54]  . Sex education is also one aspect of family planning and population control that doesnt need to wait for passing of the current legislation on debate to be implemented and is one area where the Catholic Church is not opposed to.  [55]   The effective utilization of natural birth control methods only require information dissemination  [56]  in order to be practiced by the families that need them to abate unwanted fertility or to achieve their desired family size. A society that is more informed about current and future economic prospects; a society that is informed about the various choices and options they have as far as security in old age welfare, job opportunities and health care would intuitively make more rational decisions as far as fertility is concerned. But I also believe that people tend to be irrational as well, and a lot of that irrationality has something to do with culture, values and beliefs that are deeply ingrained in them again, to change that, information would be the key.  [57]   Medias Overlooked Role in Population Control I want to stress the need to take into consideration the role of information here, as I believe that this is an area that has not been given proper attention in all these debates regarding population control and family planning issues. It may be true that the Catholic Church have some moral sway as far as decisions in forming a family are concerned. The National government believes that to be able to effectively implement population control programs, it needs legislation that would effectively render Catholic Church opposition to contraception and population control moot and academic, but I believe that this not be the case. Through all these, the national government has failed to consider one institution that might be as powerful (or even more powerful) as the Catholic Church in shaping individual decisions that has to do with fertility and size of family mass media. This neglect could be because of the national governments limited perception of media and its possible roles in the implementation of population control programs. Yes, the media has been used before. The Marcos government has used print, radio and television to advance their population control campaign  [58]  , so did former Health Secretary Juan Flavier, all of whom claim to have had positive results.  [59]  But the thing is that these campaigns blatantly urged families to advocate not just the natural family planning methods but the artificial methods as well, which did not sit well with the Catholic Church. Advertising campaigns also require funding as they need to buy much needed airtime (in the