The Philippines’ population has grown by more than two per cent each year since 2000, but experts say Asia’s biggest Catholic nation is unlikely to change birth control policies to slow the increase.

The Philippines has one of the highest population growth rates in the region, with at least three babies born every minute. Its population last year reached 88.57 million, up from 76.5 million in 2000.

The figures come as the government grapples with soaring prices of rice, due at least partly to the inability of the country to grow enough of the staple to feed its rapidly growing population, reported myph.com.

As a measure of the seriousness of the shortage, Manila has temporarily halted conversion of agricultural land for property development, hoping to ring-fence paddy fields to meet the food needs of the country. Soldiers armed with M-16 automatic rifles guard the sale of subsidized rice and hoarders are being prosecuted.

The country’s top economic planner says population control policies need to be reviewed, but promoting artificial birth control, anathema to the church, is not a likely option. "The population is increasing and it means that government has to more vigorously implement its population policy, which is responsible parenthood and the advocacy for natural family planning," said Economic Planning Secretary Augusto Santos. "I think the population commission will have to review its policies," he added. "It means we have to work harder to make the economy function more properly and more smoothly."

Solita Monsod, professor of economics at the University of The Philippines, believes the problem does not lie with the church. She said most Filipinos want to regulate their families and providing access to information and funding for civil service groups involved in family planning is key. "Survey after survey has shown that when it comes to family planning, the church does not make a difference," Monsod said. "The people don’t have access. Give them what they want and then the population problem will take care of itself."

At least one-third of the country’s population are poor and the number of poor is growing faster than the population. Last month, government data showed that 28 million people were subsisting on less than $1 per day in 2006, up 16 per cent from 2003.