ARMM uses radio in effort to slow down 5.5 percent population rate

COTABATO CITY, Philippines—The Department of Health of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is maximizing the use of radio for a family planning campaign to help slow down the region’s exploding population.

The campaign, called “May Plano Ako, Kaya Mo Ring Magplano,” was launched here Tuesday with the aim of reaching people in far-flung villages in the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan, according to regional Health Secretary Kadil Sinolinding Jr.

“We can’t wait for the enactment of the controversial Reproductive Health Bill while people in the ARMM continue to multiply,” Sinolinding said as he explained the radio campaign.

The National Statistics Office in its seven-year periodic survey (2000- 2007) showed that ARMM posted a population growth rate of 5.46 percent, nearly triple the national average of 2.04 percent.

“ARMM’s rapid population growth to 4.1 million from 2.8 million in 2000 is alarming,” Sinolinding said.

But Sinolinding said that while they were urging parents to be responsible by limiting the size of their families, the radio campaign was not aimed at coercing them into family planning.

“This is not government coercion for parents to avail of. They can freely choose from natural or artificial family planning method that suits cultural practices and religious belief. But the bottom line is to be able to build strong and healthy family,” he said.

Sinolinding said they thought of using radio for the information campaign because it has a wider reach.

“It’s easily accessible to the poor. Radio will be the most convenient medium of communication for the program,” he said.

He said print and visual media such as television could also be tapped later, depending on the availability of funds.

Sinolinding did not say how much the ARMM government was planning to spend for the program, which is being funded by the national and the ARMM governments, and aid from foreign donors.

He said the ARMM’s health department  will be starting with “motivational radio plugs” and other materials on responsible parenthood.

“Our role is to give comprehensive and accurate information that would help couples voluntarily plan and prepare onward to a woman’s pregnant stage,” Sinolinding said.