BAGUIO CITY August 25 – The Cordillera office of the Population Commission (POPCOM-CAR) disclosed that 50% of Cordillerans do not accept modern family planning because of misconceptions on the side effects of contraceptives to the health of users.
Rose Fortaleza, POPCOM-CAR regional director, said pills are the most common form of artificial contraceptives being used by females in the region while the no-scalpel vasectomy among males is the most unpopular form of birth control method.
“We do not advocate for the use of any particular form of birth control method but we give the couples the choice on what to use,” Fortelza stressed.
Aside from pills, she claimed, among the commonly used contraceptives by women are the intrauterine device (IUD) and ligation.
The POPCOM-CAR official pointed out the agency continues to enhance its information and education campaign on adolescent reproductive health, sex education and family planning to increase the awareness of people on the need to practice various forms of family planning methods as part of establishing a healthy community.
According to her, there is a need to further increase the awareness of the youth on reproductive health and family planning to make them aware on their important role in establishing a modest and healthy community vital to the progress of their localities.
She added that family planning advocates are optimistic that more Cordillerans will embrace modern family planning methods for the health of mothers and children who will grow to become productive citizens of the community.
The POPCOM is currently partnering with barangays, schools and various civil society organizations to increase the acceptability of the various methods of family planning and ensure that the modern family planning methods are safe for the health of users.
Fortaleza claimed the major reason being cited by women using artificial contraceptives is the side effects of pills to their health.
She appealed to the people in the different parts of the region to visit their nearest health facilities and learn about the different family planning methods and select what is most applicable to them.**By Dexter A. See
