PART I: RESPONDING TO THE BASIC NEEDS

     Chapter 3. Family Planning

I. Summary

 

   The government provided overall direction in managing population level that was conducive to national development in recognition of the implications of rapid population growth.  The strategy was the promotion of Responsible Parenthood Program highlighted by the implementation of Responsible Parenting Movement and Natural Family Planning (RPM-NFP).  The project was based on Article XV Section 3.1 of the Constitution which provides that “The State shall defend the right of the spouses to found a family in accordance with their religious convictions and the demands for responsible parenthood.”  With this provision, the population policy of the government was based on the four pillars of: (1) responsible parenthood;     (2) birth spacing; (3) respect for life; and (4) total informed choice. 

 

   The concerned agencies formulated and carried out aggressive and systematic strategies that promoted birth spacing of 3-5 years, breastfeeding and natural family planning.  They undertook responsible parenthood campaign in every barangay mobilizing critical mass of parents.  Responsible parenting became a component of the Accelerated Hunger Mitigation Program (AHMP). 

II. Assessment 

The MTPDP 2004-2010 targets a population growth rate of 1.9 percent by 2010 to contribute to sustained economic growth and poverty alleviation goals.   The Updated Regional Development Plan 2008-2010 contains the following development objectives on family planning:

1. To improve access to family planning services.

2. To disseminate responsible parenting concepts including basic responsibilities of parents.

3. To contribute to the reduction of maternal, infant and early child mortality.

4. To address the issues on reproductive health in men and women and youth and adolescents.

   For 2008, a total of 32 local government units (LGUs) implemented RPM-NFP through a memorandum of agreement with the Commission on Population (PopCom).  The Commission provided financial and technical assistance to LGUs. 

 

   The RPM-NFP reached only 65 percent of the target number of couples and classes conducted due to the delayed release of funds.  The 2008 budget only covered the 958 classes conducted in 646 barangays with 9,587 couple beneficiaries out of the annual target of 2,143 classes in 1,450 barangays with 21,533 couple beneficiaries (Table 3.1).

 

   The Social Services Office and the Population Office of LGUs, likewise, conducted pre-marriage counseling and other family and community related programs as follows:

• Legazpi City conducted Empowerment and Reaffirmation of Paternal Abilities Training (ERPAT), Parent Effectiveness Service (PES), Family Therapy Sessions, and other programs supportive to the Responsible Parenthood Movement and Family Welfare Program of the government.

• Sorsogon City established a Reproductive Tract and Health Clinic catered for entertainment establishment’s workers, commercial sex workers and the general public.

• Camarines Sur conducted 21 capability building activities on Maternal and Child Health Care and Family Planning (MCHC/FP) in 35 municipalities and 1 city. There were 19,793 maternal care beneficiaries, 25,004 children beneficiaries, 2,595 couples as new acceptors to practice family planning, and 10,656 pregnant women injected with Tetanus Toxoid.

   Development, reproduction and dissemination of advocacy, and information, education and communication (IEC) materials generally exceeded the targets (Table 3.1).

 

   PopCom Region 5 promoted the Adolescent Health and Youth Development Program (AHYDP) and Population and Development (PopDev) Integration.  Orientations on AHYDP were conducted to selected high schools. The LGUs and PopCom jointly conducted three batches of peer counseling trainings (Table 3.1).

Table 3.1 RPM-NFP Accomplishment, Bicol Region, 2007-2008

                         Sources: :PopCom 5

   The region’s contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) was estimated to have increased from 43.52 percent in 2007 to 43.68 percent in 2008 (FP Survey). There were 58,217 new acceptors of family planning concepts, both modern and traditional methods with less than 50 percent using modern methods. 

 

   The Department of Health (DOH) conducted information and education campaign and trainings on family planning.  Four batches of Informed Choice Training, 2 batches Contraceptive Self-Reliance Orientation and 6 batches Clinical Standard Manual Training were conducted.  The DOH also facilitated trainings on Family Planning Core Parenting Group in Masbate and Catanduanes.  About PhP9.083 million was released in five provinces and one city for the Maternal Nutrition and Child Health Nutrition (MNCHN) activities (Table 3.2).

 

Table 3.2 Grant Release for MNCHN Activity, Bicol Region, CY 2008

Province/City	Maximum Allocation (Pesos)	Initial Release based on Performance Rating (Pesos)
Albay	2,419,320	1,790,297
Cam. Norte	1,051,425	862,168
Cam. Sur	3,264,987	2,105,917
Catanduanes	431,690	237,439
Sorsogon	1,539,028	1,415,906
Naga City	377,064	360,670

             Source: DOH 5

 

III. Prospects and Trends for 2009

 

   Responsible Parenting Movement and Natural Family Planning (RPM-NFP), being the core program of the government to aggressively mainstream the four pillars of NFP, shall continue to advocate methods of family planning within the bounds of law, religious belief, and cultural values, including natural family planning method and three-year birth spacing.  The following are the priority projects and activities of the program:

• Support LGUs in providing improved services for mothers and women at home, in the community and in the workplace through partnerships.

• Strengthen labor-management cooperation in the workplace through implementation of family welfare programs promoting family health and nutrition, maternal health, responsible parenthood, balancing family and work life, and others (Family Welfare Program-DOLE).

• Support the passage of the Responsible Parenthood Through Education Bill.

• Provide responsible parenthood counseling, family planning services and breastfeeding counseling to include the mother-baby friendly hospital initiative.