Ifugao governor attends reproductive health conference in India

LAGAWE, Ifugao (Nov. 13) — Ifugao Governor, Teodoro Baguilat Jr. was among those who represented the country to 4th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund Association (UNFPA) at Hyderabad, India recently.

The conference provided a venue for various stakeholders to share best practices. Baguilat was among the facilitators of the said conference and was also tasked to report health updates specifically on reproductive health in the province.

Baguilat said the experience was fruitful as he was able to cull new ideas in the implementation of sexual and reproductive health programs for the province from other stakeholders who also reported their best practices in the said programs.

The province of Ifugao is one of the ten provinces receiving support from the UNFPAfs 6th Country Programme, 2005-2009. The three pilot sites for this in Ifugao are the municipalities of Asipulo, Tinoc and Lagawe.

The program aims to improve the reproductive health status of Filipinos through better population management and sustainable human development. Family planning trainings and other health programs in partnership with government agencies and other foreign partners are currently being implemented in the province increasing the health awareness of the general populace.

The first Asia Pacific Conference on reproductive health and sexual rights was held in Manila on February 2001 in which the UNFPA had been an active participant and sponsor. The succeeding conferences were subsequently held in Bangkok,Thailand in October 2003 and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in November, 2005. # Contributed by Brenda Grace Bakakew