kaban galing - front cover - galing pook

15 CONCEPCION, ILOILO
Of Mothers and Mother Earth
Harnessing Synergy in Integrated Population,
Health and Environment Programming
AS in many developing countries, the rapid increase in population has
been accompanied by environmental degradation affecting soil, water,
forest and marine resources. Too many people are dependent on
dwindling resources and diminishing incomes against a rapidly
degrading environment. The combination is an invitation to disaster.
Integrating Integral Issues
Concepcion had a population growth rate of 2.79%, which was higher
than the national average of 2.36%. Almost all of the municipal fisherfolk
had monthly incomes of less than P2,500, which was way below the
poverty threshold of P6,911.
Realizing the gravity of their situation, the municipality came up with
an all-encompassing program that aimed to address the inter-related
issues of population, health and environment. In 2002 it launched a
program dubbed Harnessing Synergy in Integrated Population, Health
and Environment Programming.
The program bannered a slogan, “With family planning, your health
is ensured and your environment is saved!” The health service providers
and volunteers went around convincing married couples of reproductive
age to practice family planning and participate in environmental
conservation activities.
The intended effect of this program on reproductive health and
coastal resource management was to empower communities by
teaching them skills and knowledge on how to plan their families, improve
their health care services, and work on community projects that sought
to preserve mangrove areas and fishing grounds.
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