Mayors urge men: Be more involved in responsible parenting, family planning

MANILA, Philippines – Local chief executives nationwide have called on men to be more involved in responsible parenting and family planning.

The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) said in a statement that mayors have voiced their support for its program, Kalalakihang Tapat sa Responsibilidad at Obligasyon sa Pamilya or “KATROPA” in line with the celebration of Father’s Day last Sunday, June 21.

These local government chiefs include Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez, who vowed to support the movement through video messages posted in POPCOM’s Facebook page.

Sotto, in his video message, believed in the importance of revisiting the roles of male family heads in protecting their loved ones, especially their partners, specifically in the area of family planning.

Gomez, on the other hand, vouched for the effectiveness of KATROPA in realigning the “macho” standpoint of Filipino men to a more conscientious and dynamic participant in the development of their families.

POPCOM’s program for male involvement in family planning desires to help men become “more responsible and proactive participants as marital partners, fathers, and even as father-figures to their communities.”

“Men are slowly realizing the importance of their positions in molding the future and total wellbeing of their families,” POPCOM’s executive director Juan Antonio Perez III said.

To date, 88,576 Filipino males nationwide have enlisted for KATROPA.

Meanwhile, POPCOM’s regional offices are still accepting applications and can help organize orientations through different online platforms. (Jim Mendoza, Trainee)