ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug 6 (PIA) – Commission on Population (POPCOM)-9 reported a total of 256,604 couples with 9,282 couples recorded for current year who availed the family planning program.

POPCOM-9 Regional Director Jeff Fuentes said “we really want to create a stronger traction to our family planning program and demand creation service delivery to the community, especially this time of pandemic".

He added that people are already receptive and accessing the program with the visible access to information and delivery of commodities in different Local Government Units (LGU). Although the program is doing well in Zamboanga Peninsula, there have been challenges in reaching the community during the pandemic, he said.

Amidst the pandemic, POPCOM-9 and the Department of Health (DOH)-9 continue to intensify information dissemination. “We also ensure that the demands are being addressed through service delivery of family planning commodities in LGU health centers,” Dir. Fuentes said.

One of their strategies is to ensure the availability of the family planning commodity supplies or contraceptives. Couples are given three month’s worth of supply of said commodity. This is in compliance with the current minimum health protocols that limits the movement of the people outside their residence.

Dr. Joshua Brillantes, regional director of DOH-9 emphasized that educating the people, especially the couples is important because this aims to enable them to have informed decisions. “We have to plan pregnancies to consider the reproductive health of mothers as well as the health of the children,” he added.

Dr. Brillantes advised parents to guide teenagers in the household on the importance of family planning and safe sex education. LGUs are also encouraged to continue the implementation of family planning program in their communities. “We have to observe and practice family planning every day,” Dr. Brillantes said. (RVC/EDT/MLE/PIA9-Zamboanga City)