Friday, April 04, 2008 LGUs urged to use family planning budget By Rimaliza Opiña
REPRODUCTIVE health and population control advocates urged all local governments units (LGUs) in the country to mobilize and request fund allocations from regional health (RH) units, to jumpstart or continue with their family planning (FP) efforts in the localities.
Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) executive director Ramon San Pascual said if the P2 billion is not expended before the 2008 budget is used this June, funds for the purpose will be realigned to other projects of the government.
In the 2007 General Appropriations Act (GAA), P150 million was allotted for the procurement of contraceptives.
Under the 2008 GAA, another P2 billion was allotted for the purpose, but remain unused up to this time because of the delay in the formulation of the implementing rules and guidelines by the Department of Health (DOH).
"Move it or lose it. The budget insertion for family planning is money allocated for the people and LGUs must take the initiative to access and use it where it is really targeted. It is a huge opportunity that LGUs must immediately grab," San Pascual said.
He said if the amount is left unused, this sends a wrong message especially among pro-life advocates that funds on family planning is not needed after all.
PLCPD advocacy officer Chris Estallo said LGUs must not allow this to happen while the amount appears to be big. If distributed in all municipalities, only a meager amount would actually go to local governments.
"LGUs must and can do their part. There are various means available for local executives to start and sustain RH and sustain FP initiatives in their own localities," Estallo said.
In Ifugao, Provincial Population Officer Miriam Baguidudol said their recently passed RH ordinance contributed to poverty reduction.
To buttress implementation of the ordinance, Governor Teodoro Baguilat Jr. issued several executive orders for municipalities to observe self-reliance in terms of contraception.
Under the ordinance, the Provincial Government would subsidize the family planning and RH intervention programs of Ifugao's municipalities.
For 2006, sharing scheme will be 50 percent for the Provincial Government and 50 percent for the municipalities.
For 2007, 40 percent will come from the provinces and 60 percent from the municipalities.
"For this year, subsidy from the province would be 30 percent and 70 percent for the municipalities," Baguidudol said.
Ifugao is one of the provinces in the Cordillera, which passed its RH ordinance.
