PROGRAMS OF CPD

1. RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD AND FAMILY PLANNING (RPFP)

BACK GROUND:
Specifically, POPCOM would like to help couples / parents exercise
responsible parenting to achieve their desired number, timing and
spacing of their children, and to contribute in improving the
maternal, neonatal and child health, and nutrition (MNCHN).
POPCOM does these through the following:
Fund releases for the conduct of Responsible Parenting Classes in
the barangays
Partnership with MSWD in the conduct of Family Development
(FDS) Sessions in 4Ps areas in the region
Partnership with DOH in the Kalusugang Pangkalahatan (KP)
through tracking of couples with unmet need in family planning
during FDS sessions
Establishment and maintenance of an online web-based reporting
system of couples reached
Conduct of capability building activities on Pre-Marriage Counseling
for LGUs, and other related competencies
Development, production and dissemination of advocacy/ IEC
materials
Observance of special population events (e.g. Natural Family
Planning Week, Family Planning Month)
DESCRIPTION:

RPFP priority strategies are geared towards assisting couples to

achieve their desired number and spacing of children within the
demand of responsible parenthood through effective family
planning. It specifically aims to attain zero unmet need for modern
family planning through increase access to FP information and
services. For this program component, the following priority
strategies will be pursued with relevant implementing partners:

1. Fully promote and implement the Responsible Parenthood and

Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law particularly at the local level
through increased appreciation and accountability of local
chief executives and program managers of the implementation
of the said Law;
2. Intensify demand generation activities especially among poor
women and families at the community level through the
conduct of RPFP sessions and other interpersonal
 communication strategies that are linked with FP service
provision;
3. Strengthen the Pre-Marriage Counseling (PMC) Program at the
local level to prepare would-be-couples for responsible
parenthood including family planning;
4. Conduct a nationwide communication campaign to promote
responsible parenthood and family planning for both modern
artificial and natural family planning methods using
multimedia platforms;
5. Improve access to and delivery of FP services especially in
public health facilities through sustainable availability of
contraceptive commodities and quality service provision at the
local level;
6. Promote contraceptive self-reliance among LGUs to fill-in the
gaps on nationally procured contraceptives and to ensure
universal access to FP services in their localities;
7. Continuously build the capacities of service providers for the
delivery of quality FP services;
8. Engage civil society organizations and the private sector in
demand generation and service delivery for modern family
planning;
9. Promote movement for increased men’s involvement in
responsible parenthood and family planning through male-
participated communication and advocacy initiatives;
10. Improve health facilities and service delivery mechanisms
to enhance access of persons with disabilities to FP
information and services;
11. Establish and operationalize the integrated Service
Delivery Network for maternal health and family planning;
12. Improve service delivery mechanisms for modern FP
through efficient and accessible database on unmet need for
modern FP (RPFP Online Reporting System);
13. Capacitate and mobilize local population structures to
coordinate demand generation strategies that are linked to
service delivery;
14. Capacitate community volunteers for demand generation
and referral services;
15. Ensure continuing improvement of public health facilities
for efficient delivery of quality FP information and services;
16. Institute the provision of RPFP information and services
in the workplace both in the public and private sectors; and
17. Establish efficient logistic management and distribution
system for FP commodities.
ADOLESCENT HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT (AHD)
BACKGROUND

The Adolescent Health and Development Program (AHD) is one of

the key component programs of the Philippine Population
Management Program (PPMP). The overall goal of the AHD Program
is to contribute to the prevention of early and repeat pregnancies:

 Reduce by half the proportion of adolescents who have begun

childbearing
 Reduce by half the proportion of repeat pregnancies.

As the government agency tasked to manage the AHD Program, the

Commission on Population and Development (CPD) has the
following strategies outlined in its Directional Plan:

 Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in schools and in

alternative learning systems or communities using interactive
and peer-to-peer communication strategies.
 Setting-up of an effective information and service delivery
network or ISDN among institutions.
 Setting-up of functional and sustainable teen centers in every
city and municipality.
 Enabling parents, youth leaders, and other adult groups to
effectively guide adolescents in developing responsible
sexuality.
 Optimizing new information and communication technologies
to reach out to adolescents in online and digital media (e.g.
social networking sites).
 Enabling local government units, civil society organizations,
and members of the private sector to improve access of
adolescents to appropriate reproductive health information
and services.
 Developing and implementing local policies and programs to
prevent adolescents’ exposures to risky behaviors (e.g.
drinking, smoking, and drug use).
Moreover, CPD works hand-in-hand with other stakeholders in
linking demand generation and service delivery. With concerted
efforts, necessary services and information deemed crucial to the
development of the total well-being of young people will be made
available wherever they go: at home, school, church and the
community.
Population and Development (POPDEV) Integration
BACKGROUND

The need to integrate population concerns in development has long

been recognized internationally and nationally. The 1967 UN
Declaration of Population stated that the population problem is a
principal element in long-range national planning. This was
seconded by the World Population Conference in Bucharest in1974
which stated in its World Population Plan of Action that “the
essential aim of the population program is the social, economic and
cultural development of countries; it recognizes that population
variables and development are interdependent; and that population
policies and objectives are an integral part (constituent elements) of
socioeconomic development policies.”

During the ICPD in 1994, the indisputable interrelationship of

population and development (POPDEV) was given emphasis in its
Programme of Action. The ICPD articulated the need to meet the
needs of individuals within the framework of universally recognized
human rights standards instead of merely meeting demographic
goals. The adoption of this Programme of Action marks a new phase
of commitment and determination to effectively integrate population
issues into socioeconomic development proposals and to achieve a
better quality of life for all individuals, including those of future
generations. Essentially, it promoted the integration of population
factors in sustainable development initiatives. Recognizing the
interrelationships between population, sustained economic growth,
and sustainable development is a key element of the integrated
strategy.

Recognizing the importance and necessity of integrating population

dimensions in development initiatives and processes, the PPMP will
continue to adopt POPDEV integration as its key strategy. This key
program component and strategy essentially seeks to put people –
their needs and aspirations – as the main consideration in
developing policy and program interventions. It promotes a mindset
that explicitly recognizes people as the subject and object of
development.

As a population management strategy, POPDEV integration is

defined as the explicit consideration and integration of population
dynamics and dimensions in the critical steps of any development
initiative, such as plan and program development, policy
formulation, database management and utilization, and other
efforts that aim to improve, in a sustainable manner, the
development conditions of the people and the locality in which they
live.
The strategy seeks, in the long term, to enable institutions to create
an enabling environment for people to achieve their development
goals through a well-managed population. Having a well-managed
population means the achievement of population processes and
outcomes that are consistent with, complementary to, and
facilitative of socioeconomic and human development. It is about
making a connection between population factors and development
initiatives to ensure integrated and sustainable development.
Explicitly integrating population into economic and development
strategies will both speed up the pace of sustainable development
and poverty alleviation and contribute to the achievement of
population objectives and an improved quality of life of the
population.

DESCRIPTION

POPDEV integration strategies will be pursued towards realizing

population outcomes that are facilitative of sustainable socio-
economic and human development. It aims to integrate population
dynamics and variables in development initiatives such as policy,
plan, and program formulation. The following priority strategies will
be pursued with relevant implementing partners:

1. Establish, analyze, and disseminate demographic and socio-

economic data at the national, regional, and local levels as input to
development planning and policy development;

2. Pursue strategic inter-agency and inter-sectoral initiatives to take

advantage of the opportunity of demographic dividend especially in
highly urbanized areas;

3. Build awareness, appreciation, and skills of key decision-makers,

planners, and the public on considering population factors in
development initiatives;

4. Integrate population variables and dynamics in sectoral

development strategies particularly in health and nutrition,
education, employment, agriculture, environment, climate change,
food security, and other sectors in which population is a critical
factor;

5. Promote initiatives on Population, Health, Employment, and

Environment (PHEE) and other inter-sectoral and integrative
strategies at the regional and local levels that promote collaboration
among key stakeholders in addressing population and development
issues;

6. Promote Population and Development Education (POPDEVED) in

the school curriculum;
7. Build leadership and management capacities particularly at the
local level for developing and implementing POPDEV-related
initiatives;

8. Establish and integrate database on internal migration as critical

input in
interlinked urban-rural development and provision of technical
assistance to urban and urbanizing areas in efficiently managing
urbanization; and

9. Continuously improve the data and knowledge base on the inter-

linkages of population and development through research and
studies.

GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT (GAD)

BACKGROUND

The Gender and Development Program of the Commission on

Population and Development (CPD, formerly POPCOM) is anchored
both on the international commitments and local laws. The
Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination
Against Women (CEDAW) is an international treaty adopted in
1979 by the United Nations General Assembly. Described as an
international bill of rights for women, it was instituted on
September 3, 1981, and has been ratified by 189 states.

CEDAW defines discrimination against women as “…any

distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which
has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition,
enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital
status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights
and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social,
cultural, civil or any other field.”

The 1994 International Conference on Population and

Development (ICPD) articulated a bold new vision about the
relationships between population, development and individual well-
being. At the ICPD in Cairo, 179 countries adopted a forward-
looking, 20-year Programme of Action (PoA) that continues to serve
as a comprehensive guide to people-centred development progress.
The Philippines was among the 179 signatory countries that
supported the ICPD PoA.

The ICPD PoA was remarkable in its recognition that reproductive

health and rights, as well as women’s empowerment and gender
equality, are cornerstones of population and development programs
(www.unfpa.org).

For the Philippines, one major accomplishment was the passage of

the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Bill
into law in 2012. CPD, then known as POPCOM, serves as the
secretariat and co-chair of the National/Regional Implementation
Team, or N/RIT.

Meanwhile, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action that was
approved in September 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on
Women, is a global pledge to attaining equality, development and
peace for women worldwide. It requires all governments to develop
policies and national plans of action to implement the Platform
locally. As part of the accomplishment of the Government of the
Philippines was the mandatory provision of at least 5% of the total
budget be allotted to the Gender and Development (GAD) initiatives.

The Magna Carta of Women. The enactment of the Magna Carta of

Women (R.A. 9710) has been regarded nationally and
internationally as a significant milestone in the empowerment of
Filipino women. The law provides and entrenched women’s rights
particularly among those who are marginalized, underserved, and
discriminated.

As of today, the law is being implemented through the leadership of

the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) with the institutional
support and collaboration with the Department of the Interior and
Local Government (DILG), particularly for the localization and
monitoring of the provisions of the Magna Carta. Capacity building
and appropriate institutional mechanisms have been set in place for
the mobilization of DILG and LGUs in the implementation of the
Magna Carta, specifically at the local level.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000 address

extreme poverty in its many dimensions: income poverty, hunger,
disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion while promoting
gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability.

DESCRIPTION

As the policy making and coordinating body in the implementation

of the population program, CPD has developed the six-year
Philippine Population Development Plan (PPDP) wherein GAD—as a
cross cutting issue—is included in all its three major program
components, namely: Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning
(RPFP), Adolescent Health and Development (AHD), and Population
and Development (PopDev) Integration. Furthermore, CPD is the
monitoring arm in tracking down the progress of the MDGs,
specifically target #5 (Maternal Health), as well as of the
accomplishments of the RPRH Law.

Based on the above-cited premises, these gender issues and other

relevant concepts are likewise explicitly integrated in the PPDP’s
training and communication tools and materials. The agency
continuously attends capacity building for its officials and
employees as well as conducting programs, projects and activities.
To date, initiatives like Men’s Responsibilities in Gender and
Development (MR. GAD) and the “Kalalakihang Tapat sa
Responsibilidad at Obligasyon sa Pamilya” or “KATROPA”) are
CPD’s banner programs in advocating GAD.

The MR. GAD is an initiative that took-off as a research with

intervention initiatives on “Filipino Men and Domestic Violence” by
the Health Management and Research Group Foundation, Inc. or
HMRG in Davao City. The project evolved into a good practice which
intended to transform pilot communities to become more responsive
to gender and RH concerns of men and boys. The engagement
involved the conduct of focus group discussions among married
men from urban and rural areas. Its management and
implementation are being made by male champions and advocates
who believe in gender equality, and that promoting gender equality
should start among men and boys at the barangay (village) level.
The project employs various strategies such as men-talking-to men,
counseling, medico-legal assistance, as well as the passage and
support of gender-related policies and ordinances among others. All
these would result to rational attitudinal and behavioural change
among men.

The objectives are: (1) to harness the influence and respectability of

men in key positions in communities to advocate reforms in gender
and RH, then become gender and RH champions; (2) to improve the
handling and processing of victims and doers of violence by
community-based service providers; and (3) to improve the gender
and RH knowledge and skills of the different NGOs.

On the other hand, KATROPA is an aspiration or movement which

aims to shape and change men as responsible individuals, parents,
and partners for the development of their family and
the community. It advances innovative views on the
roles and responsibilities of men in society, with emphasis on their
ability to be responsible for their decisions, while being advocates
of health for themselves and their families; encouraging family
planning, healthy and safe pregnancies of their respective wives or
partners, and active participation in the development of the
society. Every man forged innovative insight into
the real man; he would be expected to be an advocate of change in
his own family, peers, and the entire community.

For the past years, the agency has conducted its first knowledge,
attitude and practices (KAPs) survey among all its employees
nationwide. The results were the bases for the continuing effort of
GAD mainstreaming initiatives within the agency through the
development of advocacy materials, projects, activities and
programs that are gender-sensitive.

In 2015, the agency conducted GAD-sensitive activities for the

furtherance of the knowledge and capacity of its personnel and
providing technical assistance to our partners, both national and
local, to help them understand and conduct their own GAD PPAs,
such as:

1. Orientation on MR. GAD and KATROPA initiatives to local

partners
2. Initiatives related to MR. GAD or KATROPA that were localized:
MENTAKO of Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR); JR. GAD
in region XI; ITAY (“Itaguyod mo Tatay ang Yaman ng buhay”)
in Region IV
3. GAD Assembly: Discussions and activities serve as orientation
for new employees or refresher course for the old ones
4. Knowledge Sharing on areas with GAD best practices
5. Gender Sensitivity Training or GST for beginners
6. Pilot tested the GAD KAP Survey Questionnaire

Likewise, CPD has produced its draft of the tool kit to mainstream
GAD concerns in the PPMP, particularly for Gender Responsive
Population Strategies or “GR PopS.” Series of content validation
activities were conducted in four areas: Luzon-CAR and Baler,
Aurora; Visayas-Cebu; and Mindanao-Cagayan de Oro. The tool kit
will serve as the standardized reference for the agency’s trainers to
advocate GAD within the context of the PPDP.

LAWS:

RA 11313 – Safe Spaces Act

Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 11313 – Safe Spaces Act

RA 7877 – Anti Sexual Harassment Act

RA 9710 – Magna Carta of Women