POPCOM 50th Anniversary Celebration
ERNESTO M. PERNIA, PhD
Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning
February 19, 2019 | University of the Philippines Bonifacio Global City
DOH Secretary Francisco T. Duque,
POPCOM Undersecretary and Executive Director Juan Antonio Perez,
Officials and members of POPCOM,
Co-workers in the lord’s vineyard for population and development,
Ladies and gentlemen,
A very pleasant morning to all of you, and happy 50th anniversary!
Our theme this year— “Naglilingkod Tungo sa Planado at Maginhawang Pamilyang Pilipino”—resonates very well with our long-term collective vision of a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay para sa lahat. Our theme is also forward looking considering the gains we have achieved in recent years.
I cannot think of a better time to celebrate your golden year, as I believe 2019 marks the start of the golden age of population and development in the Philippines.
I am very happy and proud, as you all are, of the many recent triumphs the government has had in the realm of population and development.
First of which is the administration’s 0-10 Socioeconomic Agenda introduced in 2016, which includes the full and vigorous implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (or RPRH) Law. This shows President Duterte’s full and unwavering support for population and family planning. POPCOM, of course, was a crucial player in the successful enactment and implementation of the law. We hope implementation of the RPRH law will move to a significantly higher trajectory in terms of output and outcomes from here on.
The Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022, which was launched in June 2017, is anchored on the 0-10 Socioeconomic Agenda and devotes a whole chapter on “Reaching the Demographic Dividend,” a key and among the core goals of the administration.
Furthermore, in January 2017, the President signed Executive Order 12 that directs the strict implementation of the RPRH Law to attain zero unmet need for modern family planning.
The President also signed in December 2018 Executive Order 71, reverting the POPCOM’s attachment to NEDA. This comes with the appointment of Dr. Jeepy Perez as Undersecretary and Executive Director of the now Commission on Population and Development. With this EO, we should be able to strengthen and fast-track programs on population and family planning bringing about results that will more than match by 2022 what has been achieved over the last 50 years.
I am also very happy to say that we will be discussing with the Cabinet en banc very soon our proposed Implementation Plan for the National Population and Family Program. With this Plan, we hope for strengthened coordination among government agencies to fully and vigorously implement the RPRH Law, backed by increased budgets for Family Planning commodities and demand generation activities.
We also look forward to more community-based and volunteer-led campaigns, the creation of a Reproductive Health Bureau under the DOH, and strengthened capacity for the POPCOM to support the program’s implementation.
All these recent developments should be able to facilitate the start and eventual fruition of this golden age of population and development.
It is my hope and prayer that we do not lose this momentum, so we can take advantage of this demographic window of opportunity and eventually reap the demographic dividend more easily, and a lot sooner. I am confident of POPCOM’s strong leadership and capable staff in serving the country and pursuing most especially the RPRH goals of the Philippines.
When Filipinos are able to plan their families through easy access to sexual and reproductive health services, we will have healthier children, empowered women, prosperous families who are able to save and invest in their children more, a robust and young workforce, and a productive society—thus boosting economic output and employment generation.
Reaping the demographic dividend will not only contribute to poverty reduction, but also help, build, and then strengthen our science and technology innovation ecosystem as we work towards being a globally competitive knowledge economy.
As I end, I would like to congratulate again POPCOM on its Golden Anniversary, and to thank the organization for its work over the last 50 years, which we will match in 3 years. We look forward to working more closely with you, for the next 50 years and more, towards our common goal of inclusive development through promoting family planning and reproductive health.
Thank you, and I wish everyone a great day ahead.
