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Thursday, June 22, 2006
Do more for family planning: Ermita bry. head
By Jujemay G. Awit
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
A barangay chief who campaigns for family planning among his constituents is disappointed that majority of the 80 barangays in Cebu City are not doing the same thing.
Ermita Barangay Captain Felicisimo Rupinta said that only about 20 barangays are promoting family planning programs.
“It is unfair that those barangays (that have family planning programs) get affected by other barangays that are not talking about it (family planning),” said Rupinta, during a recent multi-sectoral forum on community-based family planning advocates.
Encroach
What happens when the populations of other barangays balloon?
Rupinta said people tend to encroach and cause congestion in the other barangays.
“Kitang nagpakabana wala gihapo’y mahimo kon mas daghan ang wala nagpakabana (Those of us who are concerned cannot do much, while we are outnumbered by those who are unconcerned),” he said in dismay.
Agence France Presse has reported that the Philippines is the world’s 12th most populous state.
Although the country’s annual population growth slowed down to a rate of 1.95 percent last year, sustaining this growth rate would mean the Philippines would have over 94 million people by 2010, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board.
Not priority
Rupinta also noted that the biggest problem for family planning advocates is that the program is not a priority of the government.
Population Commission (PopCom) 7 Director Leo Rama noted the same thing. In the same forum, he said politics is meddling in family planning advocacy.
“I don’t believe the LGUs (local government units) do not have funds for family planning,” said Rama, adding that most LGUs are prioritizing wrong projects.
Family planning and population control have always been sticky issues, especially with the Catholic Church hierarchy and other critics denouncing what they call anti-life measures.
The House bill on Responsible Parenthood and Population Management Act, which seeks to provide “free and full access to adequate and relevant information on reproductive health and a full range of family methods and devices,” remains pending.
Ernesto Pernia, a professor of economics at the University of the Philippines, was quoted as saying the government’s effort in family planning advocacy is “practically nil,” without enough programs to promote birth control.
But Romulo Neri, director general of the National Economic and Development Authority, said the Arroyo administration has entrusted population control programs to the LGUs.
This is why the Metro Cebu Community Advocacy Network (MetroCan) is hoping to increase its membership to come up with more community-based advocates, as the backbone of the program.
MetroCan is an organization that aims to broaden the base of support for family planning and reproductive health advocacy in Cebu.
Ermita is one of eight barangays in Cebu City actively campaigning for family planning programs, such as the family planning chat sessions.
A chat session or a chat group is an intimate conversation among 10 women on the advantages and disadvantages of family planning. A barangay health worker or a midwife facilitates the discussion.
Other barangays involved in the program are Barrio Luz, Labangon, Mambaling, Calamba, Carreta, Tisa and Day-as. (JGA)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 22, 2006 issue)
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