The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) will hold a public webinar on May 19, 2022 [originally scheduled on April 28], from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM via Cisco Webex.
This virtual event will feature three PIDS studies on the implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law in the Philippines. The first study, “An Assessment of National-Level Governance of the Philippines’ Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law: Trends and Ways Forward”, was authored by PIDS Senior Research Fellow Valerie Gilbert T. Ulep, Supervising Research Specialist Jhanna Uy, and Consultants Vanessa T. Siy Van and Joy Bagas. This paper analyzed the governance role played by national government agencies to facilitate the implementation of the RPRH Law. It focused on nine governance components, namely, organizational presence, policy infrastructure, financing, human resources, stewardship, coordination, monitoring & evaluation, and accountability. The study’s findings showed that the performance of NGAs was siloed within implementing units of agencies and with little interagency coordination. Moreover, national-level governance for RPRH implementation focused on specific programs and their operational concerns. These fragmented governance activities resulted from a lack of integrated plans and coordination mechanisms in the nine governance components to bridge NGAs’ efforts across sectors. Given these findings, the study recommended the horizontal integration of NGA’s RPRH activities and streamlining these into a comprehensive set of basic RH services for easy uptake by local government units (LGUs). It also urged the NGAs to educate LGUs in providing these RH services and make specific policies and programs based on the needs of local communities.
The second study, “Process Evaluation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act (RA 10354): Local Service Delivery Component”, was authored by PIDS Senior Research Fellow Michael M. Abrigo, Consultant Jerome Patrick D. Cruz, and Research Analyst Zhandra C. Tam. This paper presented the results of a process evaluation on the delivery of mandated services in communities by LGUs under the RPRH Law. It found significant disparities in various aspects of local service delivery, which may be linked to differences in the resources available to and provided by local governments, such as in fiscal resources, local information systems, human resources, infrastructure and supply, and governance. To improve service delivery in the communities, the study recommended measures to build support systems for RPRH and monitor progress at the local government level.
The third study, “A Process Evaluation of Selected Programs of the Department of Health (DOH): RPRH Education and Communication”, was authored by PIDS Consultants Mary Pauline V. Saquing and Norliza M. Nordan. This paper assessed the extent of the RPRH Law’s implementation in terms of its education mandate. The findings showed that the key agencies involved in the implementation of the RPRH education and communication manifest compliance with some of the provisions of the law’s implementing rules and regulations. The paper also provided recommendations to improve the government’s education and communication efforts for the RPRH Law.
The studies may be downloaded from these links:
- https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps2109.pdf
- https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps2110.pdf
- https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps2112.pdf
DOWNLOAD PRESENTATIONS:
An Assessment of National Level Governance for the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law from 2014 to 2019 presented by Ms. Jhanna Uy, Supervising Research Specialist, Philippine Institute for Development Studies
Implementation Review of the RPRH Law: Local Service Delivery Component presented by Dr. Michael Abrigo, Senior Research Fellow, Philippine Institute for Development Studies
The recording of this webinar may be viewed at https://fb.watch/d5SXcFr5Tj/.
