When we talk about population, we don�t just refer to numbers, we talk about people � women, men and children and how their individual decisions make rapid population growth possible. This column seeks to present reasons why this is so with the hope that people, including leaders, begin to care more about their decisions on their reproductive health the way they care about their future.

President Gloria Arroyo�s recent pronouncement about her population policy came as a pleasant surprise especially for those in the population community.

During the Fourth World Meeting of Families, President Arroyo announced that her administration�s population and family planning policy is founded on four basic principles namely respect for life, responsible parenthood, birth spacing and informed choice.

At first, it would appear that the President has changed her mind and is now batting for the promotion of contraceptives, aside from her preferred natural family planning method. Free from the shackles of political and religious influence (ever since her declaration that she will not run for President in 2004) many are expecting that the President will take a more aggressive stance on her population policy. But sources from concerned government agencies revealed that the President has not changed her mind at all and has even �encouraged� the Department of Health and the Commission on Population to launch an information campaign on Responsible Parenthood promoting scientific Natural Family Planning.

I have nothing against natural family planning, in fact when properly practiced; the method fosters better communication between couples. The method requires commitment by partners to regulate fertility and demonstrate marital cooperation.

But if the President is really bent on implementing her policy of informed choice, then she has to allow the promotion of contraceptive methods. Informed choice necessitates freedom of choice, including the right to be informed and to access all medically safe, legal and socially acceptable Reproductive Health and Family Planning methods and services. By this I mean all methods, including, but not limited to, scientific natural family planning.

The President should then allow the purchase and distribution of contraceptive commodities using national government funds.

Concrete action on the country�s population problem is indeed crucial especially when 40% of our 80 million citizens are below the poverty line. I hope that the President will take a definite move to eradicate poverty through a population program that adheres to people�s rights to informed choice and realize that choice by making reproductive health services available to all Filipinos who want to plan their families.

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 United Nations Population Fund (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.