- - -

Philippines

Articles by Philippines

a photo of the RAJAH community centre outreach team
30 November 2023

Championing Change: A Community-Led Approach to HIV Services in the Philippines

Located in the bustling heart of Iloilo City is the RAJAH Community Centre, a dynamic hub with a meaningful mission. RAJAH stands for "Raising Awareness for Junior Advocates on HIV." Established in 2019 by the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP), this centre provides a safe space for HIV testing and support services, free from stigma.  The centre provides counselling and a range of supportive initiatives tailored to its diverse community. What sets this centre apart from other HIV diagnostic and treatment facilities is its unique operational model, primarily driven by volunteers. Many of these volunteers are part of the LGBTIQ+ communities they serve.  Mona Liza S. Diones, the Chapter Program Manager of FPOP Iloilo, noted that a significant number of potential clients still hesitate due to fears associated with visiting a treatment facility. “At RAJAH, we're working to change this perception by providing essential services that promote comfort and eliminate prejudice.”  The centre is a crucial service point that complements existing facilities run by local government units. In partnership with the Department of Health, it provides continuous HIV services, including telemedicine, mobile clinics, and the distribution of essential items such as PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) and condoms. PrEP is an oral pill that reduces the risk of contracting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken correctly. Onsite HIV testing is available for individuals aged 15 and above, following the guidelines of the HIV and AIDS Policy Act in the Philippines, which allows those between 15 to 18 to access testing without parental or guardian consent.  As of January 2023, the Philippines recorded 110,736 cases of HIV. The number of people with HIV is projected to rise by 200%, from 158,400 in 2022 to 364,000 by 2030. 

Overprotected and Underserved: Philippine report
03 August 2017

Overprotected and Underserved: The influence of Law on Young People's Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health in Philippines

This report presents findings of a study exploring the influence of law on young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health in the Philippines. Whilst there is a wealth of global research on the social, cultural and economic dimensions of sexual and reproductive health, much less is known about the influence of law on access to rights and services. This is despite the fact that every state around the world, without exception, has developed legislation that is in some manner designed to regulate, enable, restrict and control sexual and reproductive health, for different groups of people, and in different situations and circumstances. In recent years there has been a growing interest amongst advocates for sexual and reproductive rights in the interplay between legal frameworks and access to protections and services. This research project contributes to efforts to build evidence and knowledge in this area, to guide future advocacy and programming work, with the ultimate aim of promoting and protecting young people’s sexual and reproductive rights.

Philippines - SPRINT
31 March 2017

SPRINT: Sexual and reproductive health in crisis and post-crisis situations

  The SPRINT Initiative provides one of the most important aspects of humanitarian assistance that is often forgotten when disaster and conflicts strike: access to essential life-saving sexual and reproductive health services. We build capacity of humanitarian workers to deliver essential life-saving sexual and reproductive health services in crisis and post-crisis situations through the delivery of the Minimum Initial Service Package (SRH) for reproductive health in emergencies.   Through funding from the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) our SPRINT Initiative has brought sexual and reproductive health to the humanitarian agenda, increased capacity and responded to a number of humanitarian emergencies. Australia has funded the SPRINT initiative since 2007 and has supported reaching 1,138,175 people to date and continues to respond to ongoing emergencies. In each priority country, we work with an IPPF Member Association to coordinate and implement SPRINT activities. Through these partnerships, SPRINT helps strengthen the enabling environment, improve national capacity and provide lifesaving services during times of crisis. You can read more about the SPRINT Initiative and IPPF Humanitarian’s Programme here. Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)  Australia's location in the Indo-Pacific provides us with a unique perspective on humanitarian action. Australia is committed to helping partner governments manage crisis response themselves. This is done through building the capacity of the national government and civil society to be able to respond to disaster. DFAT also works with experienced international partners to prepare for and respond to disasters, including other donors, United Nations agencies, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and non-government organisations.  

Family Planning Organization of the Philippines

The Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP) is the largest and most prominent non-governmental family planning organization in the Philippines. It seeks to secure universal access to quality family planning information education and services, with a view to enabling people to make active personal decisions about their sexual and reproductive health (SRH).

FPOP aims to mobilize public support for the individual’s right to practise family planning and as a result, a major target is young people. Additionally, there is a real need in the Philippines for men to take a more active role in family planning and parenting, and FPOP is at the forefront of developing and implementing strategies to achieve this objective.

It operates more than 1,100 services points, including 29 permanent and 27 mobile clinics and has a network of over 1,000 community-based distributors/community-based services (CBDs/CBSs). Clinics provide voluntary surgical contraception, reversible contraception, medical and laboratory services, and fertility awareness advice. The delivery models which FPOP has developed have been adopted and replicated by public health authorities, and FPOP has significant advisory input to the national SRH policy agenda.

 

a photo of the RAJAH community centre outreach team
30 November 2023

Championing Change: A Community-Led Approach to HIV Services in the Philippines

Located in the bustling heart of Iloilo City is the RAJAH Community Centre, a dynamic hub with a meaningful mission. RAJAH stands for "Raising Awareness for Junior Advocates on HIV." Established in 2019 by the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP), this centre provides a safe space for HIV testing and support services, free from stigma.  The centre provides counselling and a range of supportive initiatives tailored to its diverse community. What sets this centre apart from other HIV diagnostic and treatment facilities is its unique operational model, primarily driven by volunteers. Many of these volunteers are part of the LGBTIQ+ communities they serve.  Mona Liza S. Diones, the Chapter Program Manager of FPOP Iloilo, noted that a significant number of potential clients still hesitate due to fears associated with visiting a treatment facility. “At RAJAH, we're working to change this perception by providing essential services that promote comfort and eliminate prejudice.”  The centre is a crucial service point that complements existing facilities run by local government units. In partnership with the Department of Health, it provides continuous HIV services, including telemedicine, mobile clinics, and the distribution of essential items such as PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) and condoms. PrEP is an oral pill that reduces the risk of contracting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken correctly. Onsite HIV testing is available for individuals aged 15 and above, following the guidelines of the HIV and AIDS Policy Act in the Philippines, which allows those between 15 to 18 to access testing without parental or guardian consent.  As of January 2023, the Philippines recorded 110,736 cases of HIV. The number of people with HIV is projected to rise by 200%, from 158,400 in 2022 to 364,000 by 2030. 

Overprotected and Underserved: Philippine report
03 August 2017

Overprotected and Underserved: The influence of Law on Young People's Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health in Philippines

This report presents findings of a study exploring the influence of law on young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health in the Philippines. Whilst there is a wealth of global research on the social, cultural and economic dimensions of sexual and reproductive health, much less is known about the influence of law on access to rights and services. This is despite the fact that every state around the world, without exception, has developed legislation that is in some manner designed to regulate, enable, restrict and control sexual and reproductive health, for different groups of people, and in different situations and circumstances. In recent years there has been a growing interest amongst advocates for sexual and reproductive rights in the interplay between legal frameworks and access to protections and services. This research project contributes to efforts to build evidence and knowledge in this area, to guide future advocacy and programming work, with the ultimate aim of promoting and protecting young people’s sexual and reproductive rights.

Philippines - SPRINT
31 March 2017

SPRINT: Sexual and reproductive health in crisis and post-crisis situations

  The SPRINT Initiative provides one of the most important aspects of humanitarian assistance that is often forgotten when disaster and conflicts strike: access to essential life-saving sexual and reproductive health services. We build capacity of humanitarian workers to deliver essential life-saving sexual and reproductive health services in crisis and post-crisis situations through the delivery of the Minimum Initial Service Package (SRH) for reproductive health in emergencies.   Through funding from the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) our SPRINT Initiative has brought sexual and reproductive health to the humanitarian agenda, increased capacity and responded to a number of humanitarian emergencies. Australia has funded the SPRINT initiative since 2007 and has supported reaching 1,138,175 people to date and continues to respond to ongoing emergencies. In each priority country, we work with an IPPF Member Association to coordinate and implement SPRINT activities. Through these partnerships, SPRINT helps strengthen the enabling environment, improve national capacity and provide lifesaving services during times of crisis. You can read more about the SPRINT Initiative and IPPF Humanitarian’s Programme here. Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)  Australia's location in the Indo-Pacific provides us with a unique perspective on humanitarian action. Australia is committed to helping partner governments manage crisis response themselves. This is done through building the capacity of the national government and civil society to be able to respond to disaster. DFAT also works with experienced international partners to prepare for and respond to disasters, including other donors, United Nations agencies, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and non-government organisations.  

Family Planning Organization of the Philippines

The Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP) is the largest and most prominent non-governmental family planning organization in the Philippines. It seeks to secure universal access to quality family planning information education and services, with a view to enabling people to make active personal decisions about their sexual and reproductive health (SRH).

FPOP aims to mobilize public support for the individual’s right to practise family planning and as a result, a major target is young people. Additionally, there is a real need in the Philippines for men to take a more active role in family planning and parenting, and FPOP is at the forefront of developing and implementing strategies to achieve this objective.

It operates more than 1,100 services points, including 29 permanent and 27 mobile clinics and has a network of over 1,000 community-based distributors/community-based services (CBDs/CBSs). Clinics provide voluntary surgical contraception, reversible contraception, medical and laboratory services, and fertility awareness advice. The delivery models which FPOP has developed have been adopted and replicated by public health authorities, and FPOP has significant advisory input to the national SRH policy agenda.