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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider POPCOM to 'pantry' organizers: Consider giving away condoms, pills

POPCOM to 'pantry' organizers: Consider giving away condoms, pills

Published May 3, 2021 12:01 pm

The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) is encouraging organizers of community pantries to include contraceptives such as condoms and pills in their list of essential pantry goods, if only to help promote family planning among poor Filipino families.

(File photo / MANILA BULLETIN)

"POPCOM is very much supportive of community pantries as a form of collective action in alleviating the need for sustenance of our less privileged. We believe that they will welcome the addition of condoms and pills among the goods they will source—with the help of their local healthcare personnel,” Population and Development (POPDEV) Undersecretary Juan Antonio Perez III said.

Perez described the dispensation of family planning services and commodities as essential during the ongoing public health emergency, saying it can help prevent unplanned and teenage pregnancies.

According to Perez, the availability of these modern methods of contraception in community pantries should also be seen as "filling a void in the rollout of family planning activities, which are greatly disrupted by the pandemic".

The POPCOM executive director said organizers of community pantries should first seek support from local health workers as they know the individuals in their areas who need pills and condoms.

“As the most popular family planning method, pills need a prescription or enrollment in the family planning program. Our BHWs (barangay health workers) and BPVs (barangay population volunteers) can be invited to assist in dispensing such,” Perez said.

“On the other hand, condoms may be freely given to those who are sexually active and want to avoid HIV infections and other sexually transmitted infections or STIs, as well as those who are mindful of preventing unplanned pregnancies," he added.

Regional offices of POPCOM were also directed to actively participate in the organization of community pantries and in the distribution of family planning materials.

Citing a recent study from the University of the Philippines-Population Institute and the United Nations Population Fund, the POPCOM chief stressed the need to attend to women ages 15 to 49 as there are over three million of them with unmet needs for family planning. This was only exacerbated by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

With family planning services impeded by the nationwide implementation of community quarantines, Perez said that an additional 67 percent or 2,070,000 women might be added to the figure, bringing the total to 5,168,000.

Related Tags

Popcom PILLS contraceptives Community Pantry Condoms
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