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What do you think are the reasons of high unmet need of FP in the Philippines?
There are various reasons contributing to the high unmet need of FP in the Philippines. First is the lack of accessibility of Family Planning Services in remote-areas. We have to consider that some areas in the country do not have health care workers in their community health centers. As such, the lack of workers in these areas contribute to the high unmet need of FP since the couples either do not have any knowledge about Family planning methods (due to lack of health teaching) or they simply do not have any access to the contraceptive materials and supplies.
Another reason is mentioned by Casterline, Perez, & Biddlecom (1997) which is women with unmet need lack the necessary knowledge of contraception. Although this study might be outdated given that RH law is being implemented, it is still very apparent that knowledge about contraception is still not very widely distributed in the country. This idea is backed up by the study of Marquez, Kabamalan, & Laguna (2017) wherein they found out that withdrawal rather than modern contraceptive methods were preferred more by women in 2013 than in 2003. It has been pointed out in our lecture that withdrawal is not a contraceptive method and that its use should be discouraged to clients, and yet women prefer it more in 2013 than in 2003. Moreover, although natural family planning is deemed effective, it has to be properly and correctly practiced to achieve such effectiveness. As such, it requires extensive training and periods of abstinence which might actually contribute to unmet needs of Family planning in the country, considering that 17% of the married women in the country use traditional methods and in need more of effective, modern contraceptives to have the best possible chance of preventing unwanted pregnancies.
Another reason to consider is the cost of modern contraceptive methods. Although the RH law provides a more accessible, reasonably-priced, and more affordable than before modern contraceptives, we cannot generalize that all couples will now be able to afford such contraceptives. Other couples consider the purchase of modern contraceptives as an additional financial burden, which leaves them with no choice but to rely on traditional family planning methods (if there’s contraception methods used at all), rather than spending extra money on more effective modern contraceptives.
Furthermore, the opposition of the religion and subsequent spread of contraception myths also contributed to the high unmet needs of Filipinos for Family planning. Before the RH law was passed, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference was very vocal in opposing it, urging politicians to drop the bill. With more than 80% of our population being Catholic, the Church’s opposition could be very influential. Moreover, we’ve also seen the spread of myths about the use of contraceptives at the time. One of the myths was that condoms eat away at sperm which result in babies being born with disabilities. This myth along with the others cause fear among couples which makes the practice of health teaching the more important.
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What are ways you can suggest to increase the practice of FP in the country? Give least 1-2 suggestions.
Invest heavily on the health sector. It has been mentioned in number 1 that although the RH law is now being implemented, several areas in the country still do not have health care workers in their community centers. This might be one of the effects of a phenomenon known as brain drain wherein our health care professionals go abroad to find better opportunities. As such, by investing in our health sector, we are not only improving the health infrastructures and increasing the accessibility of health services, but we are also encouraging our health professionals to stay in the country and serve the Filipino people. With healthcare workers becoming more motivated, our local citizens will be able to receive better health care services, which can include more accessible family planning services. With better accessibility, it may result in the practice of Family planning becoming a norm in the country. The increase in investment in the health sector will yield better returns because it has been shown by more progressive countries that a healthy nation is a more productive nation.
Promotion of sex education in schools to address the social stigma that comes with the use of contraception and the practice of Family planning. By promoting sex education in schools, we do not intend to promote the act of premarital sex among students. Rather, we are aiding their curiosity that they have with sex so that they no longer have to explore such curiosity being uninformed and unprotected. We are promoting sex education in schools so that teenagers will already be familiarized with the benefits of Family planning once they finally decided to settle. We promote sex education because we want our people and our teenagers to have informed choices about their sexual health, which is a critical factor in addressing the unintended pregnancies and in increasing the practice of Family planning in the country.
References:
Casterline, J., Perez, A., & Biddlecom, A. (1997). Factors underlying unmet need for family planning in the Philippines. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9322334/
Philippines: where Catholics, condoms and conservatism collide over health. (2013). The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2013/may/30/philippines-catholics-condoms-conservatism
Marquez, M., Kabamalan, M., & Laguna, E. (2017). Ten Years of Traditional Contraceptive Method Use in the Philippines: Continuity and Change. United States Agency International Development. Retrieved from: https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/WP130/WP130.pdf