MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles®)  – Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay who, according to the latest polls, has slipped to third place among the three declared presidential candidates — behind the Aquino Administration’s bet Mar Roxas and Senator Grace Poe who remains in first place — has proposed a major shift in Philippine policy.

Diverting his campaign strategy away from personal attacks and more on issues important to the Filipino people, Binay today unveiled his bold proposal to address the problem of overpopulation and poverty in this nation of 100 Million people.

Speaking to reporters at an impromptu press conference at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City, Binay said that if elected president, he will propose and implement a one-child policy for the Philippines, similar to that put in place by China in 1978.

China’s policy is aimed at alleviating social, economic and environmental problems in this country of over a billion people.

Binay, a devout Catholic, is confident that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) will support his plan, as long as it doesn’t involve any means of artificial birth control.

In  justifying his proposal, Binay cited the fact the U.S. State of California is bigger in land size than the entire Philippines, and yet the Filipino population is  almost three times that of California (see illustration).

The vice president is proposing a fine of one hundred thousand pesos or a prison term of one year for both parents who would violate the one-child policy. Unmarried parents would pay double the fine  or would suffer a two-year prison term.

“It’s about time we solved the problem of overpopulation in our country once and for all,” Binay said.