TACLOBAN
CITY, Sept. 2 -- The
Commission on Population (PopCom) lauded Eastern Visayas region for achieving
48 percent of contraceptives prevalence rate, surpassing the national average
by three percent.
PopCom
Executive Director Juan Antonio Perez told reporters Friday that the region is
on track of hitting the 65 percent prevalence rate goal by the end of President
Rodrigo Duterte’s term.
“We still
have a gap to fill and I’m happy that Region 8 is doing well, but we need to
improve every year,” said Perez, a day after the Family Planning Summit here.
Contraceptive
prevalence is the percentage of women currently using, or whose sexual partner
is currently using, at least one method of contraception, regardless of the
method used. It is usually reported for married or in-union women aged 15 to
49, according to the World Health Organization.
Perez explained
that among the major factors that raised contraceptive prevalence rate is the
passage of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law (RPRH).
“The fact
that circulars from the Department of the Interior and Local Government,
Department of Health, and from the President asking local government to
implement RPRH law, that is a plus factor,” Perez said.
However,
the law’s implementation was hampered by the issuance of temporary restraining
order (TRO).
“Even the
President is conscious of the problem that's why he has called on the Supreme
Court, in his State of the Nation Address or even a few days ago, informing
them that some of the implants PHP250 million are about to expire,” the
official added.
Perez
pointed out that the only way to lift the TRO, according to the Supreme Court,
is for the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to determine that the implants,
intrauterine devices and pills are not abortifacient.
He is
upbeat that FDA will generate support to complete the process within the year. (LAAA/PNA)
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