Interview with Arroyo: Extended Transcript — page 6

TIME: Do you pray every day?
Arroyo: Every day, yes. All the time.

TIME: In the morning and in the evening?
Arroyo: All the time. All day long I'm talking to God. I'm asking God, "What are You trying to tell me with this situation? What do You want me to do at this point in time? What do You want me to do with this problem?" Or, "Here's a blessing; what do You want me to do with this blessing?"

TIME: And how has God let you know what to do?
Arroyo: It's an idea that comes while I'm praying. And many times the idea is confirmed by confidence.

TIME: It's a feeling sometimes.
Arroyo: Yes. Others would call it intuition; it's really prayerful analysis.

TIME: Is this something you've always done, or do you find you do it more as President?
Arroyo: I've done it since I was a young married woman.

TIME: Are you ever frightened?
Arroyo: I do get frightened, but I don't entertain my fear. I immediately say, "Why am I frightened, what is the challenge? What must I do to face the challenge?"

TIME: Can you always be that analytical?
Arroyo: I'd say it's second nature to me.

TIME: What about the challenge of the Philippines' high birth rate?
Arroyo: You know, I look at other countries that worked very hard to reduce their birth rate a generation ago. Now, they are suffering from old-age health care crises. And they're turning to countries like the Philippines, where the bulk of the population is of productive age.

Having said that, I do believe in family planning. In our country, only 30% of the people practice family planning because the rest have always thought that there is a conflict between their faith and the idea of planning a family. But I'm saying that there is no conflict, because there is such a thing as natural family planning.

TIME: You're talking about non-intrusive, or non-prophylactic family planning?
Arroyo: That's right. And that requires education. That's what we're working on now.

TIME: It has never been successfully implemented in any society.
Arroyo: Well, there are the 30% who are already using birth control. The other 70% have to know that there is a way to keep their faith as they understand it and still be responsible parents. The theme of our population program is responsible parenthood, which is what's in the constitution. In any case, concentrating only on the artificial methods has not been successful either.

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