2023-11-10 22:44:44
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has received nearly 3.7 million pesos ($66,500) in technical assistance and funding from government of the United States to develop digital platforms for family planning .
Second the US embassy four IT developers received support from Villgro Philippines and Duke University Global Health Innovation for help to prepare their apps for release on the market.
These four developers were hired by:
CareGo EMR, which has developed an SMS communication system to inform the public about free and accessible family planning, reproductive and maternal health services. Edukasyon.ph, which has developed a one-stop shop called “Turn You On 2.0” for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education for youth Filipinos of the generation Z. FriendlyCare Foundation, which developed an app called “E-Plano” that provides a easy access to family planning through booking, training and digital consultancy. Yaka.ph, a digital children’s book and online community for mothers and families seeking more information about pregnancy and postpartum family planning.
“We are excited to see the innovation ecosystem in the Philippines begin to address family planning e reproductive health of adolescents,” the director of the U.S. Agency for International Development said in a statement Tuesday ( USAID ), Michelle Lang-Alley.
The American embassy said the four developers received six months of “intensive support” to prepare their respective apps for the release on the market .
Once these platforms are officially launched, local governments and healthcare institutions will be able to use the apps for to promote family planning services.
“We’re talking about approx il 60 % of the 110 million Filipinos who cannot pay for services on their own, so we must find the way to work on this,” said Dr. Beverly Ho, deputy secretary of the Department of Health (DOH). said in the same statement.
“That’s why it’s important for us to come together and make connections so we can know who is doing what and support each other,” he added.
Digital platforms do parte del programma USAID ReachHealth and at the same time align with priorities of the Department of Health , of the Commission on Population and Development and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation in providing family planning services low cost, accessible and reliable to Filipinos. —Vance Chan.
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In 2012, the Philippine Parliament passed the Responsible Parenting and Reproductive Health Act, which introduced a series of measures to improve access to contraception and family planning services. However, abortion remains prohibited in the Philippines and considered crime. There are some exceptions where abortion is allowed, such as when the mother’s life is in danger, but these exceptions are limited and it is commonly illegal.
Obviously, responsible planning education also includes gender equality education, carried out by the National Coalition of Rural Women (PKKK) .
Reducing the number of newborns can lead to economic growth
MANILA. The decline in total fertility or the number of newborns in the Philippines is seen by the Commission on Population and Development ( POPCOM ) as a “demographic opportunity” to boost the economy.
Lolito Tacardon, deputy executive director of POPCOM, said the low birth rate will eventually change the age structure of the population and increase the number of people of working age.
“If more people can work, there will be less dependent children ( The more workers, the fewer employees there will be ). So if the working population is employed, I think we have a so-called demographic dividend that can be realized (which will be realized),” Tacardon said during the Laging Handa public briefing on Monday.
The National Demographic and Health Survey conducted last year by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that most teen pregnancies occurred among 19-year-olds, at 13.3 percent, compared to 22.4 % of 2017.
Eighteen year olds follow with 5.9%, compared to 12,8% five years earlier.
On the other hand, the 2021 Population University of the Philippines Youth Fertility Survey showed that the birth rate among people aged 15 to 24 dropped to 7.2 percent in 2021 from 14.4 % In the 2013 .
POPCOM is implementing Executive Order 141 signed by former President Rodrigo Duterte, which aims to activate all government agencies and treat teen pregnancy as a national priority.
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Considerations
Undoubtedly, the progress of modernization in health services represents a notable step forward for the Philippines. This translates into a significant improvement in health services in rural areas and a notable reduction in the infant mortality rate. As a result, mothers are now less worried about the survival of their children, thus contributing to the significant decline in the total fertility rate, i.e. the average number of children per woman.
Although we recognize the importance of this development, as Catholics, we cannot avoid expressing some criticisms regarding the approach to “family planning” that we have observed in the United States. We hope that the family planning model adopted in the Philippines maintains its identity and does not indiscriminately conform to the approaches of US NGOs such as Planned Parenthood and C.
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