BY: ROI ANTHONI B. LOMOTAN
DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug. 21 (PIA) – Men are encouraged to be more involved in family planning programs of the government to deepen their understanding of responsible parenting.
This came after Barangay Kagawad Alfredo Omoyon of Barangay Banilad in Dumaguete City raised this concern during a recent Kapihan sa PIA on why men are hardly participating in family planning lectures set by the barangay officials.
Omoyon is also a member of Men in Action for Responsible Parenthood (MARPA), a male organization that advocates “man to man” talk on family planning and responsible parenting.
“Family planning can’t be done by one person alone, there should be a husband and a wife,” Omoyon said.
Omoyon asked some representatives from the Integrated Provincial Office (IPHO) and the Commission on Population (POPCOM) who are the panelists in the Kapihan whether there are government family planning programs that directly focused on men.
In response, IPHO family Planning Coordinator Cristina Dagle said the IPHO conducts ‘Usapang Maginoo’ which is part of the ‘Usapan Series’ or lecture forum on family planning programs exclusively for men.
‘Usapan Series’ is IPHO’s new strategy to step up its campaign on the importance of family planning to married couples in Negros Oriental with the help of (POPCOM) and Department of Health (DOH).
Dagle noted that men today are now becoming interested and are greatly involved in topics related to family planning.
Dagle cited a recent ‘Usapang Maginoo’ forum held in Dauin town which drew positive response from its male audience. Dagle said participants were very active during the discussions and men were eager to raise questions regarding pregnancy concerns of their spouses.
Aside from ‘Usapang Maginoo’ there are also different modules in ‘Usapan Series’ which are for pregnant women, couples who are still able to bear a child and couples who are contented with the number of children they already have.
Dagle extends invitation to males to participate in these discussions to learn more on the importance of family planning.
“Hopefully, this information (campaign) for fathers and other men will continue to push through. We also invite single men who are interested with our lecture to join (our discussions),” Dagle said in the local dialect.
Meanwhile, the IPHO and the POPCOM stressed that they promote natural and artificial family planning in these forums. Dagle explained they only want to lead couples to informed choices.
“All methods in family planning are included in the trainings especially natural family planning. It is up to the client which method they will use,” Dagle told the audience.
She also clarified that IPHO does not force couples into using artificial family planning methods.
On the other hand, Josephine Dela Cerna of POPCOM-7 said they always discuss the advantages and disadvantages of every family planning method and let the couple decide what is best for them.
“Our stand in POPCOM is that what we do is legal, safe and is for the benefit of all,” Dela Cerna concluded.
August is declared as Family Planning month where the DOH and the POPCOM work together to intensify information dissemination on the importance of family planning.
This year's theme for the celebration of the Family Planning Month is "Ang Planadong Buhay ay Maayos na Buhay" which emphasized the benefits of family planning in the health, economic, and relational aspects of each family members. (mbcn/ral/PIA7-NegOr)