Commission on Population and Development Region VII

28/08/2026

𝐂𝐏𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐕𝐈𝐈, 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐁𝐓𝐋-𝐌𝐋𝐋𝐀 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒 𝐂𝐄𝐁𝐔
𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝐶𝑒𝑏𝑢 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑠 🩷🩵💜

𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 | For women seeking a permanent family planning option, access to specialized reproductive health services can make the difference between simply knowing their choices and being able to act on them, from August 4 to 7, 2026, the Commission on Population and Development Region VII, in close collaboration with the Department of Health Central Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-CVCHD), brought free Bilateral Tubal Ligation by Minilaparotomy under Local Anesthesia (BTL-MLLA) services closer to communities across Cebu, serving 71 clients who chose to avail themselves of the procedure.

The caravan covered key local government unit (LGU) partner facilities across four major locations:

📍 August 4: 𝐓𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥, 𝐓𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐂𝐞𝐛𝐮
📍 August 5: 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐢 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥, 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐢, 𝐂𝐞𝐛𝐮
📍 August 6: 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥, 𝐎𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐨 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐋𝐚𝐩𝐮-𝐋𝐚𝐩𝐮 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲
📍 August 7: 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 (𝐕𝐒𝐌𝐌𝐂) – 𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐬 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜

The successful ex*****on of the medical mission was made possible through the support of the Cebu Provincial Health Office headed by Dr. Sheila C. Faciol, Toledo City General Hospital Chief Dr. Clyde Vincent Bequilla, Santa Rosa Community Hospital OIC-Chief Dr. Eris Augusto, and key medical personnel, including performing doctors and clinical teams deployed from partner facilities. Trained medical staff—including Dr. Emerald Bolado and Ms. Grace Siwa from the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital, alongside Dr. Gladys Hojas, Ms. April Denisse Cabatingan, Dr. Mary Beth Nichelle Delos Santos, and the VSMMC Obstetrics and Gynecology Department Team—assisted in conducting surgeries, facilitating coordination, and participating in clinical knowledge exchange.

This joint effort was organized in partnership with the 𝐃𝐊𝐓 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐈𝐧𝐜. and the 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 (IMAP) to fulfill the mandates of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01, series of 2019.

"𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔," 𝐂𝐏𝐃 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐈𝐈 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐲. 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐍. 𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐬 expressed. "By bringing essential medical services directly to island communities like Olango and rural municipalities in Cebu, we empower families to achieve their desired size and long-term well-being."

The initiative underscores the partners’ continued pursuit of expanding access to specialized 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐞 who expressed a demand for permanent modern family planning methods. | 𝑣𝑖𝑎 𝐷𝑆𝑅

27/08/2026

𝟏𝟑𝟎 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐒, 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐒 𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈’𝐒 𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝟑𝟔𝟎° 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 | Around 130 healthcare personnel, medical fellows, and other stakeholders gathered as the Society of Adolescent Medicine of the Philippines, Inc. (SAMPI), co-presented by the Philippine Pediatric Society–Central Visayas Chapter, officially kicked off its 𝟏𝟑𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝟑𝟔𝟎°: 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, at a local hotel in Cebu City on Thursday, August 27.

In her message, Commission on Population and Development Executive Director, 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐒. 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 underscored the importance of investing in adolescents as the country moves toward a demographic opportunity where today’s investments in human capital can shape the country’s future.

“Though we are entering the demographic sweet spot, the need to constantly support our adolescents in this changing landscape must be a whole-of-government approach,” Bersales said.

The convention opened with discussions on defining adolescence, unpacking generational terms, and examining the distinct experiences of young people growing up in an increasingly digital age. These discussions set the tone for a broader exploration of the complex and interconnected concerns affecting adolescents today.

The convention runs from August 27 to 28, bringing together healthcare professionals, fellows, and partners to deepen their understanding of adolescent health and development and explore approaches to delivering comprehensive care in an increasingly complex world. | 𝑣𝑖𝑎 𝐿𝑆𝑃

27/08/2026

👀𝐊𝐔𝐍𝐆 '𝐃𝐈 𝐏𝐀 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘, 𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐖 𝐒𝐀'𝐆 𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐘!🤗

Having a child is one of life's biggest decisions—and it's okay to wait until you're 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲.

In the Philippines, the 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲 (𝐍𝐃𝐇𝐒) found that 7 in every 10 currently married women have a demand for family planning, while 𝟖𝟑% 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐭, showing that more Filipinos are making informed choices about when to have children. The same survey also found that 𝟏𝟐% 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 for family planning—meaning they want to delay or avoid pregnancy but are not using a contraceptive method.

Talk to your nearest health care provider to learn about safe and effective family planning methods.

Together, let's make 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓 choices, this time! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

SMC | Department of Health (Philippines)

27/08/2026

𝐏𝐑𝐄-𝐂𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝟑𝟔𝟎
𝐴 𝑃𝑟𝑒-𝑆𝐴𝑀𝑃𝐼 𝐵𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑆𝑦𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑓𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑔 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠

𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 | In pursuit of building a more responsive and adolescent-friendly health system for young parents and adolescents, the Society of Adolescent Medicine of the Philippines, Inc. (SAMPI) convened a pre-conference symposium highlighting the 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 (𝐏𝐘𝐏) as a service delivery approach for adolescent and young parents held at a local hotel in Cebu City on Wednesday, August 26 where the pre-conference session brought together general physicians, pediatricians, research fellows, healthcare personnel, representatives from public and private hospitals, and development partners and non-government organizations.

The activity was supported by the Department of Health Central Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-CVCHD), led by 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐫. 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐚 𝐆. 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬, in collaboration with the Commission on Population and Development (CPD), Cebu Province, ADAPTHealth, Inc., and Commission on Population and Development Region VII.

Representing 𝐶𝑃𝐷 𝑅𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑉𝐼𝐼 were 𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑅𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝐌𝐬. 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲𝐧𝐧 𝐒. 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐨, 𝐼𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑂𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑟 𝐼𝐼 𝐌𝐬. 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝐋. 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐼𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑂𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑟 𝐼 𝐌𝐫. 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐞 𝐒. 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐚.

The symposium opened with a macro-to-micro lens on the adolescent pregnancy situation in Central Visayas, presented by Ms. Caminade, providing participants with a regional perspective on the continuing challenges surrounding adolescent pregnancy and its implications for health service delivery.

The discussions then moved toward the current landscape of adolescent health services and an overview of the Program for Young Parents, followed by sessions on program monitoring and evaluation, implementation experiences from both public and private healthcare facilities—including St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital (SAMCH) and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC)—and strategies for establishing an adolescent-friendly continuum of care within the context of Universal Health Care.

The symposium also revisited the need to strengthen and sustain the Program for Young Parents amid the 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞. While recent data indicate a decline in adolescent childbearing among those aged 15–19, concerns persist among younger adolescents aged 10–14, underscoring the need for age-responsive interventions, stronger referral and support systems, and sustained services for young parents.

Participants emphasized the importance of institutionalizing and strengthening the program beyond individual facilities and extending its reach to the community level, where healthcare personnel and local partners play a crucial role in ensuring continuity of care. An open forum also provided participants an opportunity to share experiences, raise concerns, and express commitments toward strengthening services for young parents and adolescents.

“𝐴 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑, 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑏𝑖𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑓𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑’𝑠 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑, 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑜 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠,” 𝐌𝐬. 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐞 expressed.

Echoing the call for a stronger continuum of care, 𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝐼𝐼 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝑂𝐻-𝐶𝑉𝐶𝐻𝐷 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐴𝑑𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝐴𝑀𝐶𝐻 𝐃𝐫. 𝐂𝐲𝐫𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐫 𝐑. 𝐓𝐞𝐣𝐚𝐦 emphasized that adolescent-friendly services must extend beyond a single point of care. “𝐴𝑑𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑡ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑦. 𝐼𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑏𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒, 𝑑𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑒𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡.”

The pre-conference symposium served as a springboard for 𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈’𝐬 𝟏𝟑𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, “𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝟑𝟔𝟎: 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝,” scheduled on August 27–28 at Summit Galleria Cebu, bringing together stakeholders to further advance comprehensive, responsive, and adolescent-centered healthcare. | 𝑣𝑖𝑎 𝐿𝑆𝑃

26/08/2026

𝐂𝐏𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐕𝐈𝐈 𝐏𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐘 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐎𝐕. 𝐏𝐀𝐌
𝐶𝑃𝐷 𝑅𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑉𝐼𝐼 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶𝑒𝑏𝑢 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝐺𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑜𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐷𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐼𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠

𝐂𝐄𝐁𝐔 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘, 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 — The Commission on Population and Development Region VII and the Provincial Government of Cebu (Cebu Province) are strengthening their partnership to advance socio-economic and population development programs across the province following a courtesy meeting led by 𝐂𝐞𝐛𝐮 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐧. 𝐏𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐨, CPD Region VII 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐲. 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐍. 𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐬, and with 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐬. 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲𝐧𝐧 𝐒. 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐨 last week.

The meeting resulted in key structural and strategic agreements aimed at advancing coordinated and data-driven local population development initiatives, including:

𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. A proposal was discussed to amend the existing usufruct agreement, extending the property period from 25 to 50 years for the lot occupied by the new CPD Regional Office VII building.

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐎𝐏𝐃𝐄𝐕 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. CPD Region VII is preparing to present Cebu's Provincial Population and Development (POPDEV) Situation to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to provide a comprehensive picture of the province's population and development landscape.

𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐨-𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬. A Technical Working Group (TWG) will be formed to update the Socio-Economic Profile of Cebu Province, providing an updated evidence base for future planning and policy development.

𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬. A draft Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) has been submitted to formalize the local implementation of the Philippine Population and Development Plan of Action (PPD-POA) 2023–2028 in the province.

“We deeply appreciate the unwavering leadership and support of Governor Baricuatro and the provincial leadership,” Regional Director Atty. Bruce N. Ragas said. “This partnership ensures seamless alignment in executing sustainable, data-driven programs for the people of Cebu.”

The initiative involves close coordination with key provincial officials, including 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐫. 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐂. 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐥, 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐫. 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐫. 𝐀𝐥𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬.

The strengthened partnership marks another significant step toward expanding and localizing the population and development agenda in Cebu Province, with both institutions working together to translate population data and development strategies into responsive policies and programs for Cebuanos. | 𝑣𝑖𝑎 𝐷𝑆𝑅 🤝🩵

25/08/2026

𝐀 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐃𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒! 💗👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟔, we gather at the Sarrosa Hotel, Cebu City for the Program for Young Parents, a 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈 𝐁𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐮𝐦.

With the collaboration of the Department of Health (Philippines), Commission on Population and Development, Cebu Province, ADAPTHealth, Inc., and the Society of Adolescent Medicine of the Philippines, Inc., this symposium brings together partners committed to promoting healthier families and stronger communities.

📍 Sarrosa Hotel, Cebu City
📅 August 26, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Here’s to learning, sharing, and building a brighter future for our young parents and their children.

A day dedicated to supporting young parents! 💗👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Tomorrow, August 26, we gather at the Sarrosa Hotel, Cebu City for the Program for Young Parents, a Pre-SAMPI Biennial Convention Symposium.

With the collaboration of the Department of Health, Commission on Population and Development, Province of Cebu, AdaptHealth Inc., and the Society of Adolescent Medicine of the Philippines, this symposium brings together partners committed to promoting healthier families and stronger communities.

📍 Sarrosa Hotel, Cebu City
📅 August 26, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Here’s to learning, sharing, and building a brighter future for our young parents and their children. 💕

24/08/2026

𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐒, 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐒
𝑇𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑊𝑒𝑙𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑇𝑤𝑜 𝑁𝑒𝑤 𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑠

𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐒 | Commission on Population and Development Region VII warmly welcomes the appointment of 𝑴𝒔. 𝑺𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍 𝑨. 𝑰𝒃𝒐𝒏𝒂 as 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐈𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, and 𝑴𝒓. 𝑨𝒍𝒗𝒊𝒏 𝑪. 𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒏 as 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐈.

The two appointees officially join the Technical Services workforce, bringing their expertise and commitment toward advancing a more comprehensive, responsive, and progressive population and development agenda in Central Visayas.

Joining the welcome are Regional Director 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐲. 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐍. 𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐬, 𝐌𝐬. 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚 𝐋. 𝐉𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞, Administrative Officer V; 𝐌𝐬. 𝐋𝐲𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐁. 𝐀𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐳𝐚, Administrative Assistant II (HRMA); and 𝐌𝐬. 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝐋. 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐞, Information Officer II.

CPD Region VII looks forward to their valuable contributions as they take on their new roles in advancing population and development initiatives across the region.

Welcome to the team, 𝐌𝐬. 𝐈𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐫. 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧! 🤎💙🎩

20/08/2026

✂️𝐕𝐀-𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐊-𝐓𝐎-𝐌𝐄!✔️

𝑩𝒂𝒊, 𝒏𝒂𝒂 𝒑𝒖𝒅 𝒌𝒂𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒍 𝒔𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒐 𝒔𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚𝒂.

Kung kompleto na ang inyong pamilya, 𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐲 usa ka luwas, permanente, ug epektibong kapilian.

𝑭𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚.

For 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧, 𝑣𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑦 is a safe and permanent family planning option.

According to the 𝐔.𝐒. 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐂𝐃𝐂), vasectomy has a typical-use failure rate of only 0.15%, making it 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝟗𝟗% 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 in preventing pregnancy after the procedure is confirmed successful through a post-vasectomy semen analysis.

𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰:

✅ Vasectomy is a 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝 of contraception.
✅ It 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 masculinity, sexual desire, erections, or testosterone levels.
✅ It 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧—𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 until your healthcare provider confirms that no s***m remain in the semen, which usually takes about 12 weeks after the procedure.

Choosing a family planning method is 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 and a qualified healthcare provider.

Together, let's make 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓 choices, this time! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

SMC | Department of Health (Philippines)

17/08/2026

💯𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐀 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇𝐘 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆!🤞🏻

𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑡ℎ𝑦 𝑏𝑖𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is recommended 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟒 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬 (𝟐 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬) 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 before attempting the next pregnancy. This healthy spacing helps reduce the risk of complications for both the mother and the baby and supports better pregnancy outcomes.

Why is 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭?

✅ Gives the mother's body enough time to recover and replenish nutrients after childbirth.
✅ Reduces the risk of premature birth, low birth weight, and newborn health complications.
✅ Supports healthier growth and development for every child.
✅ Allows parents to prepare emotionally, physically, and financially for the next pregnancy.
✅ Gives families more time to provide quality care, attention, and resources for each child.

Every 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 has unique needs and goals.

𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 to learn about the different family planning options that can help you achieve healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies.

Together, let's make 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓 choices, this time! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

SMC | Department of Health (Philippines)

14/08/2026

🤔𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘? 𝐓𝐎 𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐘!☺️

Okay ra nga 𝐢-𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐛𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐬 kung dili pa kamo andam—emosyonal, pisikal, ug pinansyal.

Timan-i, ang pagplano sa pagbuntis 𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐤𝐭𝐢𝐛𝐨 𝐤𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐤𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐠𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠-𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐚 𝐮𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚 gikan sa imong partner.

Sumala sa Philippine Statistics Authority (𝐏𝐒𝐀), ang inflation rate sa Pilipinas miabot sa 𝟔.𝟒% 𝐬𝐚 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐲𝐨 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔. Bisan og adunay hinay nga pagkunhod kumpara sa miaging bulan, nagpabilin gihapon nga mahal ang daghang batakang palaliton ug serbisyo nga gikinahanglan sa matag panimalay.

Busa, 𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐰 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐢. 𝐏𝐚𝐠-𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐦 𝐮𝐧𝐚. 𝐏𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐠𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚 𝐬𝐚 𝐢𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐨𝐥 𝐧𝐠𝐚 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 aron mahibal-an ang angay nga family planning method alang kanimo ug sa imong partner.

Kay ang pagplano karon, mao ang pundasyon sa mas lig-on ug mas maayong kaugmaon—𝒅𝒂𝒐𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒅𝒐!

Together, let's make 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓 choices, this time! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

SMC | Department of Health (Philippines)