Popcom: Family planning urged as pandemic powers baby boom

CITY

( PNA)

OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) urges family planning among couples as the quarantine restrictions imposed in Central Luzon powered the boom of lockdown babies.

POPCOM Regional Di r ect or Lour des Nacionales stressed that the subsequent quarantine classifications have disrupted the public’s access to family planning services and led to tales of unwanted pregnanci es.

“We somewhat struggled, especially our major partners in the local government units as their priorities are now focused on Covid19 mitigation efforts, and the roll out of the vaccines,” she said.

A study conducted in July by the University of the Philippines Population Institute and United Nations Population Fund expects that about 1.8 million babies are to be born this year, and unintended pregnancies might bring this up by 751,000 to as many as 2.56 million.

Despite the restrictions, POPCOM ensures that couples can avail any natural, modern, or artificial family planning method for free in the rural health units in their respective localit i es.

“All children born in this world should be planned and wanted by their parents, so that their parents can give them a promising future ahead,” Nacionales st r essed .

The director ensured that demand generation activities are conducted to provide the right information to couples, individuals, and even to the youth towards the prevention of unintended pregnancies.

In addition, Nacionales pressed that investing in the quality of the population equates to development as most unexpected pregnancies are from low-income families who are dependent on the government for their social needs.

“If we invest as early as now in couples, provide them information, or give them their family planning needs… we will have in the near future a quality population from couples who have the number of children they desire, and who have the ability to supply for their necessities,” she said.