The Philippines welcomes symbolic the 7 billionth human
12th most populous country
According to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
State of the World Population Report, the
Philippines is the 12th most populous country in
the world with 94.9 million people.
China continues to have the biggest share of the
population at 1.35 billion, followed by India at
1.24 billion.
The report noted that in many parts of the
developing world, where population growth
outpaces economic growth, reproductive health
care remains a crucial issue.
UNFPA representative Ugochi Daniels said that
while the Philippine population remains young,
with people under 25 making up 54 percent of the
total, they needed to be taught proper "life
skills" and about sexual issues.
She said that while women were having fewer
children globally, the overall population
continued to go up.
"While our world of seven billion represents a
complex picture of trends and paradoxes, there
are some essential global truths we observe,"
she said.
"Conversely, there is no one global population
outlook."
The UNFPA said 10 percent of Filipino girls aged
15 to 19 have started child bearing, with many
of the young also increasingly vulnerable to
HIV.
The Philippines welcomes symbolic 7 billionth baby
 The
Philippines welcomed shortly after midnight
Sunday 10/31/2011 what could be the world’s
seven billionth person: a healthy 5.5-pound girl
born in a government hospital in Manila.
Health officials and a representative from the
United Nations went to the Jose Fabella Memorial
Medical Center in Manila after learning of the
birth of Danica Camacho.
Danica was born to live-in partners Camille and
Florante Camacho of Antipolo City at about 11:55
p.m. Sunday, according to a report by radio
dzBB’s Rodil Vegas.
"She looks so lovely," the mother, Camille
Dalura, whispered softly as she cradled her tiny
baby.
"I can't believe she is the world's seventh
billion," Camille was quoted as saying in an
Agence France-Presse report.
But Health Secretary Enrique Ona said they will
still submit the baby’s name and time of birth
to the World Health Organization to see if
Danica is indeed the world’s seventh billionth
baby.
For now, Danica is considered as one of several
symbolic seven billionth humans worldwide.
With Ona at the hospital was Population
Commission head Tomas Osias and a UN
representative. The report quoted Ona as saying
that Danica’s birth will raise awareness on the
population issue.
Second child
The baby is the second child for Dalura and
her partner, Florante Camacho, who quietly stood
in a corner wearing a white hospital gown as
television crews and photographers crowded to
get a shot of his daughter.
The parents and the baby were met by top United
Nations officials in the Philippines, who
presented the child with a small cake.
There were also gifts from local benefactors
including a scholarship grant for the child's
study, and a livelihood package to enable the
parents to start a general store.
Also on hand to witness the landmark event was
12-year-old Lorrize Mae Guevarra, who was
declared the world's symbolic six billionth baby
in 1999 and is now in the sixth grade.
"I am very happy to see this cute baby. I hope
like me she will grow up to become healthy and
well loved by everyone," Guevarra said.
The child is one of several in countries around
the world being declared a symbolic seven
billionth human.
It was hoped she would arrive at exactly
midnight, but she was delivered two minutes
early.
(Source)
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