Family Planning

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Brief Description of Program

A national mandated priority public health program to attain the country's national health development: a health intervention program
and an important tool for the improvement of the health and welfare of mothers, children and other members of the family. It also
provides information and services for the couples of reproductive age to plan their family according to their beliefs and circumstances
through legally and medically acceptable family planning methods.
The program is anchored on the following basic principles.

Responsible Parenthood which means that each family has the right and duty to determine the desired number of children they
might have and when they might have them. And beyond responsible parenthood is Responsible Parenting which is the proper
ubringing and education of chidren so that they grow up to be upright, productive and civic-minded citizens.

Respect for Life. The 1987 Constitution states that the government protects the sanctity of life. Abortion is NOT a FP method:

Birth Spacing refers to interval between pregnancies (which is ideally 3 years). It enables women to recover their health improves
women's potential to be more productive and to realize their personal aspirations and allows more time to care for children and
spouse/husband, and;

Informed Choice that is upholding and ensuring the rights of couples to determin the number and spacing of their children
according to their life's aspirations and reminding couples that planning size of their families have a direct bearing on the quality of
their children's and their own lives.

Intended Audience:
Men and women of reproductive age (15-49) years old) including adolescents

Area of Coverage:
Nationwide

Mandate:
EO 119 and EO 102

Vision:
Empowered men and women living healthy, productive and fulfilling lives and exercising the right to regulate their own fertility through
legally and acceptable family planning services.

Mission
The DOH in partnership with LGUs, NGOs, the private sectors and communities ensures the availability of FP information and services to
men and women who need them.

Program Goals:

Objectives
General
To help couples, individuals achieve their desired family size within the context of responsible parenthood and improve their reproductive
health. Specifically, by the end of 2004:

Reduce

MMR from 172 deaths 100,000 LB in 1998 to less than 100 deaths/100,000 LB

IMR from 35.3 deaths/1000 livebirths in 1998 to less than 30 deaths/1000 live births

TFR from 3.7 children per woman in 1998 to 2.7 chidren per woman

Increase
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate from 45.6% in 1998 to 57%
Proportion of modern FP methods use from 28>2% to 50.5%

Key Result Areas

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Policy, guidelines and plans formulation

Standard setting
Technical assistance to CHDs/LGUs and other partner agencies
Advocacy, social mobilization
Information, education and counselling
Capability building for trainers of CHDs/LGUs
Logistics management

8.

Monitoring and evaluation

9.

Research and development

Strategies
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Frontline participation of DOH-retained hospitals

Family Planning for the urban and rural poor
Demand Generation through Community-Based Management Information System
Mainstreaming Natural Family Planning in the public and NGO health facilities
Strengthening FP in the regions with high unmet need for FP: CAR, CHD 5, 8, NCR, ARMM
Contraceptive Interdependence Initiative

Major Activities

I. Frontline participation of DOH-retained hospitals

Establishment of FP Itinerant team by each hospital to respond to the unmet needs for permanent FP methods and to
bring the FP services nearer to our urban and rural poor communities
FP services as part of medical and surgical missions of the hospital
Provide budget to support operations of the itenerant teams inclduing the drugs and medical supplies needed for
voluntary surgical sterilization (VS) services

Partnership with LGU hospitals which serve as the VS site

II. Family Planning for the urban and rural poor

Expanded role of Volunteer Health Workers (VHWs) in FP provision

Partnership of itenerant team and LGU hospitals

Identification and masterlisting of potential FP clients and users in need of PF services (permanent or temporary
methods)
Segmentation of potential clients and users as to what method is preferred or used by clients

Provision of FP services
III. Demand Generation through Community-Based Management Information System

IV. Mainstreaming Natural Family Planning in the public and NGO health facilities
Orientation of CHD staff and creation of Regional NFP Management Committee

VIII. Development /Updating of FP CLinical Standards

IX. Formulation of FP related policies/guidelines. E.g. Creation of VS Outreach team by retained hospitals and its operationalization,
GUidelines on the Provision of VS services, etc.
X. Production and reproduction of FP advocacy and IEC materials
XI. Provision of logistics support such as FP commodities and VS drugs and medical supplies

Other Partners
1. Funding Agencies
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

United Nations Funds for Population Activities (UNFPA)

The Futures Group

Management Sciences for Health (MSH)

Engender Health

2. NGOs
Reachout foundation
DKT

Philippine Federation for Natual Family Planning (PFNFP)

John Snow Inc. - Well Family Clinic

Phlippine Legislators Committee on Population Development (PLPCD)
Remedios Foundation
Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP)
Institute of Maternal and Child Health (IMCH)
Integrated Maternal and Child Care Services and Development, Inc.
Friendly Care Foundation, Inc.
Institute of Reproductive Health

3. Other GOs
Commission on Population
DILG
DOLE
LGUs