LINGAYEN-DAGUPAN Archbishop Oscar Cruz yesterday said corruption and mismanagement by government, not population growth, should be blamed for poverty.

The population stands at 88.57 million based on results of the August 2007 census of the National Statistics Office. The growth rate was 2.04 percent from 2000 when the population stood at 76.5 million.

The figure has alarmed government officials, with Planning Secretary Augusto Santos saying there might be a need to review and strengthen the population policy, especially in the midst of increasing prices of basic commodities.

At least one-third of the people are poor and the number of poor is growing faster than the population.

The Catholic Church is against the use of artificial forms of contraception like condoms.

Cruz, former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said: "Hanggang ngayon, imposible na ang populasyon ang may kasalanan ng kakulangan natin sa pagkain. Ang may kasalanan ay korapsyon na hindi lang nagmula nung martial law kundi nagpapatuloy pa hanggang ngayon at palala ng palala."

Government, instead of blaming the population, should focus on its job of managing the people which he said is a natural resource of the country.

"Mahirap naman sabihin na komo wala kayo makain e patayin ninyo yung kumakain. Mali. Kung wala kayo makain, magparami kayo ng pagkain. Hindi sagot yung walang bigas, e di iligpit yung kumakain ng bigas para dumami ang bigas," Cruz said.

He said without the people, the economy would have already sunk.

"Kung wala tayo population, e di wala tayong OFWs (overseas Filipino workers). Kung wala tayong OFW, e di matagal na lumubog ang Pilipinas sa yamang bayan. Sila ang nagpapalutang financially sa ating bansa," Cruz said.

Cruz also stressed that while the Church is not in favor of limiting the population through artificial methods, he said natural methods favored by the church do not promote "irresponsible" baby production.

"Ang Simbahan naman hindi sinasabi sa tao na mag-anak kayo ng mag-anak. Ang sabi ng Simbahan ang mag-asawa dapat lang magkaroon ng supling na kaya niyang buhayin at kaya niyang suportahan at hubugin. Hindi sinasabi na magparami kayo na parang mga kuneho," he said.

Cruz scored government attempts to industrialize.