Another strategy is market segmentation, which will employ various activities to convince couples belonging to the upper D and C class availing of Reproductive Health and Family Planning services from the public sector, to access these services from the private sector. This means that those who are able to pay for RH/FP services will be encouraged to pay for these commodities from the private sector instead of accessing these free from government run hospitals and clinics. If this is achieved then more services and commodities can be made available to those most in need. At present, around 77 per cent of current FP users are availing of FP services from the public sector.

Meanwhile, the poor, as typified by Mang Pampilo, struggles on to feed his seven children with his meager income as a part time plumber. �Nakakaraos din naman kami kahit papano,� Mang Pampilo replied in between puffs of his cigarette. Mang Pampilo said that aside from his wife who works as a seamstress in a garment factory, some of his children also contribute to the family�s income. His eldest son works as a painter in one construction site in Mandaluyong. He said his son plans to be a seaman someday. But like him, he wasn�t able to finish high school so both father and son have to make do with menial jobs.

Mang Pampilo admits to the difficulty in providing for his family�s needs but does not attribute as a cause the large size of his family. Asked if he�d prefer a smaller family from a larger one, his answer was a simple �Siguro�.

�Kahit naman anong pamilya, maliit man o malaki, eh nakakaranas ng hirap. Lalo na sa panahon ngayong ang mga pangangailangan tumaas na ang presyo,� he reasoned.

Does he plan to have more children? �Sa katunayan may kasunod na eh,� he said referring to his wife who is currently 5 months pregnant with their eight child. Their seventh child is only 1� years old.

As if to summarize his life�s philosophy, he added, �kung ano ang ipagkaloob ng panginoon ay siyang ipagpapasalamat,� he said.

About the Author

Tanya Hisanan is currently the Program Specialist for the Population and Development Strategies (PDS) Sub-programme of the Commission on Population (POPCOM) under the UNFPA 5th Country Programme of Assistance. She was Information Officer and head of the Public Affairs Unit of POPCOM before she resigned to join the UNFPA-assisted project.