Family planning key to eradicating poverty by 2040

The state’s investment in reproductive health programs and family planning will be crucial in reducing extreme poverty incidence by 2040, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said.

“As such, we have rolled out various policies and programs which affirm our commitment to achieving the goals of the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action and Sustainable Development Goals,” he stated.

The blueprint Philippine Population Management Program (PPMP) for 2017 to 2022 is the cornerstone of the government’s implementation of population-related initiatives.

The program will help couples and parents achieve their desired family size and provide information about the proper spacing of children while reducing the incidence of teenage pregnancies.

Chua likewise stressed the integration of comprehensive sexuality education and adolescent reproductive health in educational institutions’ curriculum--which will provide critical guidance to the youth.

Other government programs that will help in this initiative include the National Safe Motherhood Program and the National Program on Population and Family Planning.

“All of these initiatives are geared towards our goal to ensure the health and safety of every Filipino family,” Chua said.

“As we collectively recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, let us continue working together to intensify our efforts in lowering maternal and child mortality, preventing unplanned pregnancies, and empowering more people to make informed choices on reproductive health and family planning,” he concluded.

As we collectively recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, let us continue working together to intensify our efforts in lowering maternal and child mortality, preventing unplanned pregnancies, and empowering more people to make informed choices on reproductive health and family planning.