Inakup! Arekup!

The Stakeholders’ Consultation Among the Business Sector on the implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law was held at the Asian Institute of Management on July 3, 2014.

The program included the topline report of the 2013 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) presented by Monina Collado, the Deputy Administrator of the Philippine Statistical Authority; the highlights of the 2013 Young Adult and Fertility Survey (YAFS) expounded by Dr Grace Cruz of the UP Population Institute; the Government Implementation Plans shared by DOH ASec Eric Tayag and the Challenges to the business sector from Health Secretary Enrique Ona.

Some of the findings shared from the two studies were not new but their implications were disquieting. The NDHS covered 14,893 households with 16,000 women in the sample. It noted that fertility has declined in the last 40 years from 4 children per woman in 1991 to 3 in 2011 – still the highest in the ASEAN. Fertility in urban areas averaged at 2.6 children per woman compared to 3.5 children in rural areas. The poor and less educated are the ones with more mouths to feed.

The contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) has improved from 49% in 2003 to 55% in 2013, with modern methods gaining ground from 33% to 38%; the women in youngest age group 15-24 years are least likely to use any method.

This age group is the subject of YAFS, a series of nationally representative cross-sectional surveys. For 2013, 19,178 males and females, single and married, and Muslim youth were interviewed. The findings are alarming. (READ: Young, tech-savvy Filipinos more sexually active than you think)

• Two out of 5 have sexual experience
• Sexual debut is getting younger. The mean age for first sex declined for males from 18.3 in 1994 to 17.4 in 2013; for females from 18.5 to17.9
• Increased percentage of males and females who had sex before age 15
• Youth who had sex before age 18 increased significantly from 13.5% in 1994 to 25% in 2013 for males, and 11% to 23.5% for females
• One in 3 engaged in pre-marital sex before – almost twice the level at 17.8% from 1994 to 2013
• 78% of first and 76% of last premarital sex were unprotected
• 13.5% of males and 1.4% of females engaged in casual sex with low level protection
• 4% mostly males engage in FUBU (fuck buddies); only 20% wore condoms for last encounter 
• 15% of males have more than one sexual partner; 5% have had sex with another man.
• Females 15-19 who have begun childbearing years increased from 6.3% in 2002 to 13.6% in 2013.
• 1 in 100 has recorded himself/herself having sex
• 1 in 4 sent or received sex videos through cellphone or internet
• 4 in 100 had sex with someone they met through text or online

What is even more appalling is that with the intensified, bolder sexual behavior is an abysmal dearth of sex education. (READ: Young, pregnant and poor)

• 41.5% of youth have no access to information
• 16.2% rely on the internet; 20.3% from TV
• 75% of youth in ARMM have no access to information

ASec Tayag’s good news is that DOH seems ready to implement R.A. 10354, both in service and infrastructure. (READ: Health advocates rejoice over upheld RH law)

A television ad “Inakup, Arekup” has been getting rave reviews with tens of thousands views, likes and shares on Youtube and the DOH FB page. 

It tells the true story of a 12-year-old girl forced to drop out of school to help feed her family of twelve.

Some of the posted comments:

Kris-ann Solito gusto gusto ko tong campaign ninyo.. lagi ko na nga nakakanta e. so true po talaga.. sa panahon po talaga ngayon kailangan magplano para sa ikakabuti ng pamilya.. isa ako dyan..

(I really like your campaign. I always sing it. It’s so true. At these times, you really have to plan for the good of your family. I’m one with that.)

Arrianne-Mae Andres Sa dinami dami ng T.V commercial ngayon, ito lang ang may sense. Galing ng gumawa nito. Very very like! (Of all the TV commercials now, this is the only one that makes sense. Kudos to those who made it.) 

Dijon Mendez LOVE THIS INFOMERCIAL.. . THE CRY OF REALITY….

Zyx Dollente Dapat ganto ang commercial kahit saan. Bangon pinas. Kung gusto ng ginhawa konting plano naman. (We should have commercials like this everywhere. Rise up, Philippines. If you want progress, plan a little.)

Clarisa Labay pano ung walang mga tv sa bahay? computer? Internet? maganda ipakita/patugtugin paulit-ulit sa mga hospital(OB ward, out patient department, delivery room,) healthcenter, Lying-in, munisipyo, baranggay hall, school, sa mga Lugar kung saan may malalaking population ng mga bata.

(What about those without TVs at home? Computer? Internet? It would be good to show/play this over and over at hospitals, health centers, lying-in [clinics], municipal halls, schools, and in places with big population of children.)

Arden Glenn Bauzon sana dumami pa ang RH-related commercials ang maipalabas sa TV. (I hope there would be more RH-related commercials on TV.)  KUDOS! This is a great example of Communication Campaign on RH. Very Developmental. a great example for Development Communication students and practitioners alike to create exemplary and catchy commercial. 

Xainier Xeverino Xuilala Dear Filipinos, which RH would you rather support?… Reproductive Health or Religious Hypocrisy??… The CHOICE is clear! 

Mina Tenorio For the sake of our women’s health and lives as well as that of their families’, we support the STRICT and SERIOUS IMPLEMENTATION of the#RHLAW NOW!

The pro-life are not taking this sitting down. Two letters of complaint have been sent to the Advertising Standards Council to pull the plug from the powerful campaign. They have also been posting comments.

Lyn Danao ang mga bata ay hindi “pabigat”. sila ay “pagpapala” ng Diyos. Bakit isisi sa mga bata ang “mismanagement” ng mga local officials? unfair yun sa mga batang ito na maaring magbigay ng pag-asa sa kanilang pamilya at ating bansa. hindi overpopulated ang mundo, over crowded lang sa ibang lugar. at kaya hindi mabigyan ng sapat na pangangailanagn ang mga batang ito at ang mga mamamayan ay dahil ilang tao ang nagbubulsa ng yaman ng ating bansa na dapat sana ay napupunta sa kapakanan ng mga tao.

(Children are not “burdens.” They are “graces” from God. Why should we blame children for the “mismanagement” of local officials. That is unfair for children who can give hope to their families and country. The world is not overpopulated, some places are just overcrowded. The reason why the needs of these children are not fully met is because of some people who pocket public funds that should go to public welfare.)

The argument gets more arsy-varsy.

The chasm between pro-choice and pro-life is wider and deeper than ever. (READ: Lagman: Anti-RH law forces will never stop)

Inakup! Arekup! (OMG! What a pain!) – Rappler.com