By Donna Rempillo
City of San Fernando, Pampanga – A series of self- paced online seminars and sessions on Adolescent Health and Development (AHD) and Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning (RPFP) has been developed by the Commission on Population and Development (Popcom) for Central Luzon.
“We should familiarize ourselves with the new normal and try to optimize the use of social media and other online learning platforms to advocate the programs we have under the Philippine Population Management Program,” Popcom Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Regional Director Vicky Barbea De La Torre said.
The online platforms are conducive learning materials which can be an alternative activity during home stay. These digital series of seminars can also be used throughout the year even the new norm starts.
“The goal for the Online Self-Paced Seminars on AHD is to provide adolescents with accurate and relevant information on puberty and growing-up, human sexuality, positive and responsible sexual behavior, healthy lifestyle and effective parent-teen communication among others,” De La Torre said.
The seminars will also “tackle undesirable impacts of early sexual involvement, teenage pregnancies, early marriages, and sexually transmitted infections”.
“RPFP sessions will also offer couples and individuals adequate and reliable information on nurturing marriage and relationship, responsible parenthood, fertility awareness and family planning. These sessions mainly aim to help achieve fertility intentions specifically on the number, timing, and spacing of children within the context of responsible parenthood and informed choice,” she added.