One major reason for the high unmet need of FP in the Philippines is the lack of education tot he general populace regarding family planning and available services. Because of this, family planning methods are not well known and must be sourced from other friends or family members, some of whom may have mistaken or incorrect information. The lack of available family planning methods and services also play a role in this but is due to traditional sociocultural perspectives that continue to permeate the Philippines. There is stigma against family planning and the strong catholic belief strongly opposes movements for family planning. These are the two major reasons that delay and limit advancement in family planning methods and services in the Philippines.
To resolve or somewhat address this, proper sex education would help reduce early pregnancies and inform the people of available family planning methods and services. A study found that intensive sex education significantly reduces the rate of teenage pregnancies and has been shown to be true across various countries having less early pregnancies the more education they receive. Hence, the push for better education for the general populace can also greatly address the unmet FP needs. To address the traditional sociocultural beliefs that continue to remain, continued raising of awareness will also help. Teenagers and young adults of the current generation are more aware thanks to the internet and the ability to access information from all across the globe. With the continued trend of awareness being raised for various issues, there will come a point where the majority of the population will be in suppport and are aware of family planning methods and are more willing to address the needs. With that, the sociocultural perspective against FP will then change, over time, to a more progressive one. In short, continued education and raising awareness are effective long term solutions that will also affect other aspects of the populace positively.
References:
SmartParenting (2020, August 14). Unwanted pregnancies is expected to reach 2.56 million in the philippines. Retrieved from https://www.smartparenting.com.ph/life/news/unwanted-pregnancy-2-million-a00264-20200814
Bright, M. (2008, March 28). Study finds that comprehensive sex education reduces teen pregnancy. Retrieved from https://www.aclu.org/blog/reproductive-freedom/study-finds-comprehensive-sex-education-reduces-teen-pregnancy