The Department of Health (DOH), in collaboration with the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) and The Forum for Family Planning and Development, Inc. (The Forum), forged strategic directions to strengthen reproductive health during the 2024 National Conference on Family Planning (NCFP).
This initiative aligns with data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which indicates that the number of girls under 15 giving birth has been rising since 2016. The highest recorded number was 3,135 in 2022, making childhood pregnancy an urgent concern.
In the same year, PSA data revealed that an average of 425 babies are born daily to young mothers aged 15-19 in the country. This situation often leads to rapid repeat pregnancies, defined as a subsequent pregnancy occurring less than two years after the previous one.
According to the DOH, the collaboration with CPD and The Forum provides an avenue to discuss recommendations for strengthening sexual and reproductive education through innovative approaches aimed at preventing unwanted pregnancies and childhood pregnancies.
“Ensuring universal access to family planning and reproductive health services is vital for the health and well-being of our people, especially our women and youth, regardless of their situation or location. By working collaboratively across sectors, we can bring life-changing advancements closer to communities and empower every Filipino to make informed choices for a healthier and more sustainable future,” stated Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa.
The discussions also emphasized optimizing modern Family Planning (FP) methods to avert maternal deaths that can result from unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions.
Focusing on making FP services accessible and convenient for Filipinos, particularly mothers and youth, the conference presented innovations and science-based interventions designed to achieve national and international targets related to FP, gender equality, and sustainable development.
Based on the Philippines FP2030 Progress Report, approximately 8.7 million women aged 10 to 49 were using modern FP methods in 2023.
This figure represents a 4% increase compared to 2022, equating to an additional 311,037 women utilizing these methods.
Due to the increased demand for modern FP services, more than 3 million unintended pregnancies and 800,000 unsafe abortions have been avoided.
Additionally, this has prevented nearly 970 maternal deaths due to complications arising from risky pregnancies.
The 2024 NCFP marks the third iteration of the conference, attended by 600 key stakeholders from both public and private sectors.
The first conference was held in 2016, followed by the second in 2017. This year’s conference centers on the theme “Family Planning and Population Development: Innovate, Collaborate, and Accelerate NOW!”
