The goal of the Philippine Population Management Program is to help the country achieve a sustainable population level, structure, distribution and quality in order to empower Filipinos to acquire a better quality of life both within the family and the society at large.

     The program is guided by certain principles about human life, marriage, family, and environment, as provided for in the Philippine Constitution and embedded in our religious and cultural beliefs.

 

Values and Principles of the PPMP

1. Respect for the sanctity of human life and the rejection of abortion

Human life is a gift from God. Our respect for the sanctity of human life is paramount and non-negotiable. We are clearly against abortion as a method of family planning. Our Constitution and laws rule out abortion. The Philippine government will stand by this.

2. The family as the center of all development efforts of the government

The Filipino family remains the foundation of all our strivings for development. While the family is a valuable resource by which we can achieve our development goals, beyond and above all that, the family is the primary reason for government initiatives in human development. Socio-economic development efforts are directed toward human development.

3. Marriage as the foundation of the family

Marriage between man and woman is and will remain an inviolable social institution in Philippine society as provided for in our Constitution. Marriage shall be protected by the State and shall be the foundation of the family.

4. Respect for freedom of conscience, religious convictions, and the right to choose

The freedom of conscience does not flow only in our Constitution. It also rings loud and clear in the Holy Book and the Koran. The government policy to provide information to the family as the basis in planning how to live and grow springs from our respect for the freedom of conscience and human life. As mandated by the Constitution, the State shall defend the right of the spouses to found a family in accordance with their religious convictions and the demands of responsible parenthood.

5. Respect for the environment

In consonance with the Philippine Environmental Policy (PD 1151) and with Philippine Agenda 21, the PPMP recognizes the need for a harmonious relationship between man and nature, so that the present and coming generations of Filipinos can be assured of environmental quality conducive to a life of dignity and well-being.

 

Paths to Action

To achieve the goal of attaining a sustainable population level, structure, distribution, quality and the improvement of the quality of life, the PPMP is pursuing the following strategies based on these interventions:

• Helping couples and individuals achieve their own reproductive goals
  Studies have shown that majority of our couples would like to have no more children, or would like to space the births of their children, consistent with their religious beliefs. However, they are not able to do this due to lack of services.
  
• Improving the status of women through equal access to education and employment opportunities
  A woman who is educated and gainfully employed commands more respect, particularly from her spouse.
  
• Promoting men's increased participation in childcare and housework
  While women have largely increased their participation in the productive sphere and now contribute to the family income, there is a commensurate need to increase male participation in the domestic sphere.
  
• Addressing the needs of the youth related to adolescent sexuality
  With the youth comprising almost 50 percent of our current population, the program needs to be sensitive to their needs, particularly ensuring the promotion of responsible sexuality and later marriages.
  
• Promotion of population and development planning,
  particularly ensuring that demographic factors are considered in all development plans, particularly in land use and physical framework plans.

 

Focus Areas of the Program

A. Policy and Research

POPCOM undertakes researches in support of policy, program, and project development. It has MIS units in all its regional population offices tasked with gathering and analyzing information that can be fed into its planning system. Policy initiatives are supported by advocacy activities of its Information Management and Research Division.

B. PopDev Planning

To ensure the inclusion of population concerns at the macro- and micro-policy and planning levels, capability-building efforts have been undertaken by POPCOM, directed at national and local executives, legislators, and development planners.

With the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), POPCOM is currently undertaking the project "PopDev Planning at the Local Level" to strengthen the operationalization of PopDev planning among local government units (LGUs). POPCOM Central Office and the regional technical staff will perform an important part in the land use planning process with the integration of PopDev planning into the procedure.

C. Communications for Population Management

Developing functional P-R-E awareness is crucial in ensuring the position of population management in both national and local development programs. POPCOM's emphasis is on the population-resources and population-environment aspects of the framework. Advocacy is undertaken through various POPCOM activities such as discussion fora, publications, and networking actiivities.

D. Family Planning/Reproductive Health

The Department of Health (DOH) has reoriented its Family Planning program using the Reproductive Health approach. Women's health issues are addressed in its entirety, e.g., maternal and child health, adolescent health, infertility, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, etc. POPCOM, through its regional offices, in coordination with the DOH, Depatment of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), local population offices and health offices, will ensure that information on FP and RH are readily available.

E. Gender Equity and Women Empowerment

"Development, if not engendered, is endangered." POPCOM goes by the dictum and strives to promote awareness on gender issues by providing technical assistance to all sectors through its policy studies and advocacy campaigns.

The Commission believes that genuine development can only be attained by empowering women -- recognizing the important role they play in the nation's development efforts.

F. Adolescent Health and Youth Development

Adolescence is such an awkward stage in a person's transition that parents find it difficult to deal with their children, and vice-versa, regarding the physiological, mental and emotional changes teenagers go through. The resulting communication gap poses a plethora of juvenile anxieties that are so complex that no sector can address these concerns alone.

Through its Adolescent and Youth Development program, POPCOM is bringing together people from all sectors -- service organizations in the social development sector, legislators and local executives, church-based groups, business, parents, media, and the youth -- to develop and implement a national program for the youth.

An IEC campaign is being carried out to address youth-oriented issues and related concerns such as gender equity and women empowerment, population and sustainable development, maturity, environment, reproductive health rights, and productivity.

 

The Institutional Machinery Behind the Program

The PPMP, while under the coordination of the Commission on Population, is a multi-agency, multi-sectoral effort. As the lead coordinator, POPCOM monitors the performance of participating agencies in relation to fulfilling their commitment to the program. While partner agencies may have direct services, the key links to the general public are through local government units, non-governmental and people's organizations. As a necesary part of the program's strategies, building up the capabilities of their partners in the field are to be undertaken. These include PopDev Planning at the Local Level, Advocacy Skills Development Training, Gender Sensitivity, and Information Management.

Through all these plans, actions, and coordination efforts, the PPMP hopes to achieve an ideal balance among population, resources, and environment that will help sustain the country's development through time, for the generations to come.