Philippine Population Management Program

Executive Orders and Administrative Orders

• Executive Order (EO) No. 12 S. 2017 was signed on January 9, 2017, to attain and sustain "Zero Unmet Need for Modern Family Planning" through the strict implementation of the RPRH Act.
• Administrative Order (AO) No. 2017-0005, "Guidelines in Achieving Desired Family Size through Accelerated and Sustained Reduction in Unmet Need for Modern Family Planning Methods," was issued on March 30, 2017, to support EO No. 12.

Principles and Objectives

• AO No. 2017-0005 is anchored on four principles: Respect for life, Respect for human rights, Informed choice and voluntarism, and Respect for the rights of clients to determine their desired family size.
• The goal is to attain and sustain zero unmet need for modern family planning.

Key Stakeholders and Roles

• The Department of Education (DepEd) was tasked to create a policy on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and provide necessary provisions for its implementation in the school curriculum for both public and private schools.
• PhilHealth was tasked to review and expand existing benefit packages for Family Planning services.

Historical Background

• Executive Order No. 123 (January 30, 1987) reorganized the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and made POPCOM one of its attached agencies.
• Executive Order No. 408 (June 18, 1990) transferred POPCOM from DSWD to the Office of the President.
• Executive Order No. 476 (August 14, 1991) attached POPCOM to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
• Executive Order No. 188 (March 24, 2003) attached POPCOM to the Department of Health (DOH).

Philippine Population Management Program

• In 1999, President Joseph Ejercito Estrada reformulated the Philippine Population Management Program with Responsible Parenthood as its lynchpin.
• Presidential Decree No. 166 S. 1973, by Ferdinand E. Marcos, amended Section 6 of Presidential Decree No. 79, requiring the participation of private organizations and individuals in the formulation and implementation of population programs and policies.

The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM)

• POPCOM is a Philippine government agency and the lead policy-making and coordinating organization of the country's population management programs.
• POPCOM is an attached agency to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
• As of January 13, 2023, Lisa Grace S. Bersales, Ph.D. is the concurrent Philippine undersecretary for population and development and POPCOM's executive director.

Other Relevant Information

• Presidential Decree 79, signed in 1972, directed the public and private sectors to undertake a National Family Planning Program which respects the religious beliefs and values of individuals.
• On October 10, 2006, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued guidelines and directives for the DOH, POPCOM, and local government units to take full charge of the implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning Program.
• Republic Act No. 6365, also known as the Population Act of the Philippines, was signed in 1971.
• Presidential Decree No. 79 S. 1972, Section 2, declares the policy on population management.

Test your knowledge on the Philippine Population Management Program, including the involvement of public and private sectors, the reorganization of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the transfer of POPCOM to the Office of the President.