[candiodari]

And what will happen to the country and the economy that sustains them if they "stop digging" ?

[jackvalentine]

We'll have to figure that out, won't we? The Philippines birth rate is somewhere in the vicinity of 3 children per woman. What's a more sustainable number?

[candiodari]

Economically, to take care of those ?

4

[jackvalentine]

How did you come to that number and why do you think a double the replacement birth-rate can be sustained forever?

[candiodari]

I would come to the number by calculating how people will support themselves and others, and yet have a reasonable load on them.

That number seems to be at least greater than 3. So 4. Probably it's more like 3.1 or so.

How did you get to the conclusion that the island of the Philippines can't support (from now, and for a VERY long time in the future, even if perhaps not indefinitely) 3 children per woman ?