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Teenage pregnancy, abortion, birth control, and HIV/AIDs testing are topics considered taboo by Filipino society. For the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP), providing better access to sexual and reproductive services is an uphill battle because the country is predominantly Catholic.
“The stigma and discrimination is still there. But advocacies like ours are getting louder,” said Mona S. Diones, FPOP Iloilo Chapter manager.
In this B-Side episode, Ms. Diones tells BusinessWorld reporter Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson what’s at stake, in terms of reproductive health policies, with the change in administration.
TAKEAWAYS
Sex education should be taught in schools.
“There are really challenges brought about by opposing views on sex and reproductive health (SRH). Our conservatives, they bend towards pro-life policies, which are, most of the time, at odds with pro-choice advocacies. The pursuit of women’s health and well-being—we are all promoting the right [of] being empowered women. Being in this health system, I would always educate women that they should be empowered,” Ms. Diones said.
“It’s a big challenge for us to talk about contraceptives, especially young people accessing such services. In our minds, what’s most important is sex education, which is still not yet in curriculums,” she added.
Ms. Diones said that FPOP wants the youth to be sexually responsible and learn how to protect themselves. To make otherwise awkward discussions more palatable to young people, they employ teen-friendly strategies.
“We train peer educators [because] we do believe we should have a peer-to-peer interaction. A young person listens to his or her peers, that’s how we have our strategy: these peers are the ones educating our young people,” she said.
Silence is death.
When it comes to HIV/AIDS testing, Ms. Diones said the strategy to persuade testing without force is to utilize effective communication This includes mass campaigns and promoting more “responsive and innovative” ways of prevention, such as commodities like condoms, lube, and medication.
“We always promote that HIV testing is free, available, and accessible. We have a lot of counselors and case managers, mental health workers, media practitioners working with us,” Ms. Diones said.
In coordination with the Department of Health, FPOP is now introducing self-testing as well.
‘Government has been so lax with the implementation of the law.’
On sex and gender-based violence, Ms. Diones said that the country desperately needs stricter enforcement of the law and more financial support from the government.
“Our government has been so lax with the implementation of the law. Although we have these laws, they are not fully exercised. Even just in the barangay level, it should be activated. There are so many lapses and gaps,” she said.
“The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act is not fully implemented or fully exercised … we still lack a lot of funds in order to have a full implementation of these projects,” she added.
With the upcoming elections, there is a lot at stake with the reproductive health policies with the change in administration.
“We want to ensure, that regardless of who wins in the elections, [there will be] uninterrupted progress,” Ms. Diones said.
She said she hopes to see candidates’ platforms place more attention on promoting reproductive health laws, strengthening public and private support, and giving equal opportunities to highlight their advocacies.
“For now, we must ensure women’s health and rights are not compromised, so we work hard on protection and prevention,” she said.
Recorded remotely on Feb. 11, 2022. Produced by Jino D. Nicolas and Sam L. Marcelo.
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