Family Planning Month: POPCOM XII convenes partners on RPRH and AHD Program Implementation

The month of August is commemorated as Family Planning Month in the Philippines.

With the theme for this month’s celebration “Mag-FP para sa ligtas, malusog at wais na pamilya”, the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) XII hosted a Virtual Regional Implementation Team (RIT) Quarterly Meeting last August 19, 2020 via Zoom to address concerns on Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) and Adolescent Health and Development (AHD) program implementation.

In close collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH) XII, the meeting was attended by its program partners from various regional line agencies, partners from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the different Population structures in the region.

With the current pandemic bearing heavily on everyone’s lives and state of health, and with a few months left before the year 2020 ends, POPCOM XII convened with its program partners and discussed the region’s current status in the implementation of RPRH. The highlights of the meeting included the discussion on the cases of teen pregnancy in the region, the availability of family planning supplies, and the issue on gender-based violence during health crisis.

Recognizing teen pregnancy as a ‘national social emergency concern’ which needs a multi-stakeholder response from line government agencies, academe, CSOs , faith-based, development partners, parents and youth themselves, the team agreed for the creation of Technical Working Group (TWG) which will be part of the sub-committee of RIT on RPRH. The TWG will be spearheaded by the Department of Health, being the lead agency for AHD program.

With the presence of TWG, everyone is hopeful that various agencies’ efforts on AHD will be harmonized, and that the team will come up with feasible strategies to prevent incidence of teen pregnancies, including repeat teen pregnancies and other AHD issues and concerns in the region.

On August 20, a day after the RIT meeting, POPCOM XII convened the regional line agencies and CSO partners with programs for adolescent and youth health to level off on AHD program and initially discussed steps to advance the implementation of AHD program in SOCCSKSARGEN.

Family Planning services ‘sustained’ despite pandemic

Despite the challenges the country is facing due to the pandemic, the region thru the efforts of health and population offices, civil society organizations, and local government units, still continues to provide Family Planning (FP) services to couples and individuals in SOCCSKSARGEN region, as well as conduct demand generation activities to encourage more clients in availing FP services.

For the entire month of August, POPCOM XII have been distributing Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials to line agencies and LGUs to better promote family planning.

POPCOM XII also distributed and repositioned FP Commodities in the areas of Sultan Kudarat and General Santos City as well as distributed Progestin Subdermal Implants (PSI) to FPOP General Santos City - POPCOM XII’s CSO partner in the region.

The agency is also active in its social media campaign posting testimonials from various family planning users to encourage the public to use Family Planning method of their choice in planning their families, thereby helping them achieve better quality of life.

Furthermore, POPCOM XII Regional Director Edwin Mateo P. Quijano encouraged the different implementing agencies to help in promoting FP during related activities and in their establishments.

He further emphasized the importance of the work at the LGU level. He encouraged the City Population and Provincial Population Officers to seek support from their local chief executives to strengthen initiatives on RPRH implementation.

POPCOM XII is committed to continuously provide FP services in SOCCSKSARGEN Families, as well as provide technical assistance to LGUs and partner implementing agencies to intensify the implementation of RPRH in the region. #AngPamilyangPlanadoProtektado