The Pasig City local government met with representatives from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), and the PATH Foundation Philippines Inc. (PFPI) to discuss the possible implementation of Project BUILD.
Project BUILD (Building Capacity for Integrated Family Planning and Reproductive Health and Population, Environment and Development Action) is a global USAID initiative, spearheaded by the AFIDEP.
BUILD focuses on the role of family planning “as a vital development investment,” said the AFIDEP in a press release in April 2021.
According to USAID, the project aims to help decision makers and stakeholders "understand the cross-sectoral benefits of voluntary family planning and implement policies and programs to help meet demand for family planning," as well as "increase gender equality and promote youth empowerment."
AFIDEP is collaborating with PFPI, the Leadership for Environment and Development Southern and Eastern Africa (LEAD SEA), the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), and Family Health International 360 (FHI360) on the project.
Pasig City Councilors Corazon Raymundo, Kiko Rustia, and Pao Santiago led the meeting on Friday, Feb. 3, which was attended also by other officials of affiliated offices and departments.
The local government and the guest organizations exchanged ideas and examined possible programs in line with BUILD's objectives that can be implemented and beneficial to Pasigueños.
After the meeting, the officials from AFIDEP, PFPI, and USAID also shared their proposed BUILD project with Mayor Vico Sotto.
The partnerships that are established for BUILD hope to attain two objectives, as per USAID – "strengthen individual and institutional capacity in advocacy, and policy communications and negotiations; and increase commitment for cross-sectoral approaches to integrated population, health, environment, climate change, resilience, food security, livelihoods and security programs."
The five-year BUILD project is expected to run from April 13, 2021 to April 12, 2026.