Private partners back government's new family planning

PRIVATE PARTNERS BACK GOVERNMENT'S NEW FAMILY PLANNING ::

Private partners back government’s new family planning strategy

'MAASIM, Sarangani (October 19, 2010) – The local government and
private sector here have supported the national government’s renewed
advocacy for family planning.

United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID)
HealthPRO, the provincial government and partners Conrado and
Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Incorporated (CLAFI), RD Foundation,
Conal Holdings Corporation and Dharmendra Khumar Tiagi (DKT) have
identified their model couples in family planning.

The ceremonial distribution and launching of family planning
communication package by HealthPRO in Kabatiol village Tuesday,
October 19, was followed by interactive lecture among poor couples who
are also beneficiaries of Pantawid Pampamilyang Pilipino Program
(4Ps).

In June 21, 2010, Department of Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral
endorsed a new family planning communication strategy through
distribution of a new set of communication materials “that aims to
address the apparent dearth of information in communities and health
facilities”.

“The new strategy repositions family planning as a means to achieve a
better quality of life,” the HealthPRPO briefer said.

“Just think of the future of your children and you can do it,” Leonila
Pelipas, mother of three, said.

Pelipas admitted she had used intrauterine device (IUD) as a method of
contraception but found the natural or calendar method better. “We
just need a little discipline to get used to it, though sometimes it’s
hard especially if your husband is a fisherman,” she said.

Two other parents, Reynaldo Peras, father of eight, and Flordeliz
Makitid, mother of four kids, participated in the talk show during the
program.

For his part, Governor Migs Dominguez called on the residents to
invest on their future and their children’s future through family
planning and responsible parenthood as a means of spending their low
income wisely by having less number of children.

“We will teach you the better way of life and we are always here to
give you assistance and to guide you,” Dominguez said.

Municipal Health Officer Dr. Jaileen Milar stressed on the four
pillars of family planning - the right to life, informed choice, birth
spacing and responsible parenthood - for the couples.

“If they only know what to do, they would always choose not to have
more children in the family. They know how hard it is to raise them,”
Milar said. “So our first task is actually to inform and educate
them.”

Cornelia Baldelovar, provincial health education and promotion
officer, said the Provincial Health Office selected only five couples
from Maasim’s 16 barangays to attend the activity who will share and
endorse family planning methods back to their own communities.

Conal Holdings Corporation and Mahintana Foundation, HealthPRO’s local
replicating agency, have been conducting health classes, trainings and
counseling among health care workers in the province. (Russtum G.
Pelima/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)