Sunday, August 27, 2006
Population growth in N. Oriental rate down
By Victor L. Camion
THE population growth rate in Negros Oriental has gone down in the last five years of the campaign to promote family planning amid strong opposition of the Catholic Church against birth control.
Provincial Population Officer Janette Villarubia said the campaign has gained the support of marginalized sectors, local government units, non-government organizations, and the media.
Villarubia said population growth in the province went down by five percent as of the 2005 population survey.
She did not give details, figures, and comparison on population growth from 2000 to 2005 to support her claim.
The population officer said the series of seminars involving males helped in the success of the program.
In a media and partners' meeting held at Bethel Guest House recently, Villarubia said almost all towns and cities in the province have allotted funds for the family planning program in order to attain that Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
But she clarified that of the province's 20 towns and five cities, only a few allotted funds for the contraceptive methods for couples who need help from the local government unit (LGU).
"The supply from USAID (United State Assistance International Development) is lacking," Villarubia said.
The towns that allotted money for modern contraceptive methods include Ayungon, La Libertad, Bindoy, Manjuyod, Dauin, Zamboanguita, and Siaton.
Villarubia though said she is not sure what cities allotted budget for modern contraceptives for fear of being attacked by the church.
Majority of the LGUs allotted for the information campaign on natural and modern methods of family planning, she said.
"The campaign is also important so that people will not be mislead on the use of modern methods," added Villarubia.
Villarubia said this year's family planning theme, "Sa tamang agwat ng panganganak, pamilya ay aangat" covers the heightened campaign of the Commission on Population in Central Visayas to decrease the unmet needs of women and to answer other reproductive health issues.
August is family planning month.
Gina Salvador, Regional Planning Officer, during her visit in Dumaguete City recently, stressed that out of 511,811 married women of reproductive age in Central Visayas region, approximately 84,960 married women desire to space the births of their children or limit their number of children.
But, she said, they don't have access to correct family planning information and services to meet their needs.
The family planning situationer report in Central Visayas points out that the number of married women of reproductive age in Central Visayas is high and has increased from 411,700 in 1990 to 511,811 in 2003.
Salvador said the survey indicates that poor women were more likely to start sexual activity, get married, and have children the earliest.
The median age for first birth among poor women is 21 years old and median age at first marriage is 19.7 years old.
She, however, said that fertility in Central Visayas is declining but it is high at the rate of 3.7 children per women.
"Most women of reproductive age in the region want three children but actually having around four or one more child than what they want," said Salvador.
She said the contraceptives prevalence in Central Visayas remains low at 52.1 percent with 35.6 percent using modern methods of family planning while 16.5 percent are relying on ineffective traditional methods such as withdrawal and calendar/rhythm.
"Health concerns and fear of side effects are the main reasons for non-use of modern family planning methods," said Salvador.
(August 27, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
