Campaign for male participation in family planning breaks ground in Dumaguete

by Rachelle M. Nessia

Dumaguete City (13 August) — The campaign for active male involvement in reproductive health and family planning is now underway in the city with the recent formation of Male in Action for Responsible Parenthood (MARPA).

This was disclosed by Provincial Population Officer Jeanette Villarubia in a recent Kapihan forum held to mark Family Planning Month this August.

Organized by the city government, MARPA was inducted on August 7 by Mayor Agustin Perdices, said Villarubia.

The group is an offshoot of Ayungon town’s Male Advocates and Champion for Reproductive Health Options (MACHO), a pioneering group of fathers organized on the idea that “men talking to men” is a more effective way of increasing advocacy and awareness levels among males in reproductive health and family planning.

MACHO is composed of local legislators as well as vasectomized clients and they hold forums for other males in said town discussing about the benefits and importance of family planning whether modern or natural, reproductive health and responsible parenthood.

Villarubia disclosed that there are now 368 males vasectomized in Ayungon and 450 in La Libertad town.

With a similar group now working in Dumaguete City, Villarubia said she expects more male involvement in family planning activities in the city.

City Agriculturist and former vice mayor and religious group leader William Ablong stressed that men should not only be involved but should lead in family planning. “I am against male involvement and participation in family planning because the role of the male is that of leading in family planning, not just participation,” stressed Ablong.

Planning the number and spacing of children is an act of responsible parenthood and should be undertaken by the father, said Ablong.

He disclosed that Catholic Church here is planning to set up a natural family planning clinic.

The family and life apostolate recently held a meeting wherein modules for the proposed natural family planning clinic were developed.

The Catholic Church only accepts natural family planning methods such as abstention. “Natural family planning has been proven effective without side effects,” stressed Ablong, who said that that it is wrong to use contraceptives in family planning as contraceptive drugs and devices lead to abortion.

He however stressed that the Catholic Church does not seek to impose its teachings on other religious denominations. “We just propose this for non-Catholics, but for Catholics, this (natural family planning) is what is being taught,” said Ablong.

Laume Quijote of the City Social Welfare and Development Office in the same forum revealed that the national government, like the Catholic Church, is also advocating the adoption of natural family planning.

Quijote revealed that the government has dished out P96,000 to fund the first batch of barangay classes on natural family planning in the city.

Another funding support in the same amount from the national government for the next batch of classes is also expected, said Quijoted.

Villarubia added that the provincial government likewise received a budget of P112,00 per town here for the same set of activities. (PIA/RMN)