The nation admires Pasig City for its progressive governance. However, it faces a complex problem: while the adolescent birth rate (ABR) is declining overall, the age of pregnant girls is getting younger.

Mayor Vico Sotto acknowledges this gap. “We commend the efforts of the city officials, barangays, and partner NGOs—the programs and projects look good and promising. But we go back to the reality and recognize that there is a chink in the armor. Even if Pasig is wealthy, we still fall short.”

Related article:

• Nine Cities Recognized as Global Self-Reliant Cities in Reproductive Health

Urban Flux and Hidden Inequities

Pasig’s location attracts migrants, which complicates healthcare delivery. Many young people live in precarious arrangements, missing school and health services.

Mayor Sotto calls for unity to solve this: “The Philippines is a ‘third-world country’—our resources will not be enough. But what’s great about us Filipinos is that what we lack in arms, we compensate with strength in unity.”

At the program launch in September 2023, City Health Officer Dr. Joseph Panaligan highlighted the value of partnership. “The city government will be providing its full support to this powerful and worthy endeavor… Ang pangarap mo ay pangarap ko rin (Your dream is also the dream I carry).”

The Information and Service Delivery Network (ISDN) as a Rights- and Needs-Based Response

Pasig’s priority response is the Information and Service Delivery Network (ISDN). It breaks down silos among departments to create a coordinated safety net for adolescents, ensuring no young person falls through the cracks.

The city designed the ISDN to be both needs-based and rights-based. The City Leadership Team (CLT), established through Pasig’s engagement with the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) through The Challenge Initiative (TCI)-Philippines, identified four priority issues:

• Violence against Women and Children (VAWC)
• Mental Health
• Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
• Substance Abuse

Violence against Women and Children

The ISDN is guided by the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (Republic Act [RA] 10354) and a 2021 law, RA 11648, which raised the minimum age of sexual consent from 12 to 16. When screening identifies an adolescent in a relationship with an adult, the City Social Welfare Office provides protection and manages the case.

Mental Health

Following the Mental Health Act of 2018 (RA 11036), the city empowers non-specialist providers to identify and manage mental health issues at the community level. It uses the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG) to scale up services.

STI and HIV

Anchored on the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act of 2018 (RA 11166), the city’s social hygiene clinics ensure universal access to services. These facilities are adolescent-friendly, uphold strict confidentiality, and are sensitive about parental consent for minors.

Substance Abuse

Guided by the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (RA 9165) and the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (RA 9344), the city emphasizes community-based rehabilitation over punitive measures for minors. The Substance Abuse Treatment and Outreach Program provides services for persons who use drugs (PWUDs), including adolescents.

From Policy to Practice

Young people helped map out the issues and streamline office roles. This ensures continuity of care and prevents 

adolescents from retelling their trauma to multiple agencies. The team applied bridging leadership: owning the problem, co-owning the solution, and co-creating across boundaries.

To earn young people’s trust, the team worked with the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) to ensure peers delivered the information. To tackle conservative beliefs, they push for open, age-appropriate conversations.

Mark Ernest Ferrer, Adolescent Health and Development Program Nurse Coordinator, shared: “We believe that adolescents have self-determination to make responsible choices, when given accurate information, but parents also need support to guide them to have conversations about these confidently.”

Complementing Services and Messaging

Pasig trains frontline providers to deliver adolescent-friendly services. Barangay youth leaders co-develop communication plans. Assistant City Health Officer Dr. Stuart Santos noted: “We were introduced to the concept of Bridging Leadership [by ZFF and TCI]… This has resulted in the implementation of a more responsive health program, one that is truly aimed at advancing social equity.”

For Pasig, the ISDN is a litmus test. It asks whether the city’s reputation for good governance can translate into equity and care for its most vulnerable young people.

Banner photo: Communications Planning Workshop with SK Officers 

Quezon City is one of the Philippines’ most progressive cities in social development. It has consistently won awards for good governance, transparency, innovation, and climate action. Quezon City has become a national model for inclusive and environmentally conscious leadership. These achievements are significant, especially given the challenges the city faces.

In the past, departments often worked in isolation, with little awareness of each other’s programs. A teenager seeking reproductive health assistance might start at one facility only to be referred elsewhere, often without a clear handover. Many adolescents got lost in this process, falling through the gaps of an uncoordinated system. This fragmentation highlighted a key challenge: even as Quezon City kept its adolescent birth rate below target, many young people still missed out on timely care.

Then City Health Officer Dr. Verdades Linga explained their vision: “I dream of an effective and efficient system that gives our adolescents the care they need, when and where they need it—a system they can trust and rely on.”

Related article:

• Nine Cities Recognized as Global Self-Reliant Cities in Reproductive Health

Building Bridges: Creation of the QUSI Teen Network

Recognizing that no single office could meet all the health needs of adolescents, Quezon City took a top-down approach. The city first passed City Ordinance No. SP-3128, s. 2021. This law, titled “An Ordinance Providing for the Prevention Programs to Address the Increasing Adolescent Pregnancy,” created the legal basis for coordinated action.

Through its Implementing Rules and Regulations, the city formally adopted the Information and Service Delivery Network for Adolescent Health and Development (ISDN4AHD). The ISDN4AHD is a network of facilities and providers across different levels that work together to offer information, training, and a core package of health and social services for adolescents. It acts as a way for various groups to collaborate and ensure their efforts are aligned.

In Quezon City, this network is called the Quezon City Unified Services and Information Teen Network (QUSI Teen Network). It includes member institutions, referral pathways, and tools to strengthen coordination, making adolescent health services more seamless and responsive.

Building the network required a full map of available services across all departments that support adolescents, from social and financial help to mental and physical health care. After identifying these services, the city streamlined them to reduce duplication and unnecessary referrals, especially for sensitive cases. To ensure clarity, they created flowcharts showing which department handles each service, what it offers, and where to refer adolescents. These pathways went through many reviews with service providers before being finalized.

Maria Cecilia Magtalas, the Population Program Supervisor, described the shift: “Before, we worked in our own bubbles. Now, through the ISDN, we know exactly who to call, where to refer, and how to follow up. It feels like we’re finally working as one team for the young people.”

Enforcing Foundations: Training Frontliners of the ISDN

To make the referral network work, The Challenge Initiative (TCI)-Philippines, together with Quezon City’s Population Program Supervisors, created a structured training program for ISDN frontliners. Frontliners are the staff who directly assist adolescents seeking help, such as health center coordinators, social workers, and guidance counselors. The training aimed to introduce the Adolescent Health and Development (AHD) Program framework, increase awareness of adolescent issues, and build skills for managing the referral system.

The training covered several key areas. It started with an Adolescent Situationer and the Framework of the AHD Program. Next, participants learned about Managing a Referral System, including the networks and procedures agreed upon in departmental meetings. A key part was introducing the HEADSSS tool, a structured guide to assess risks in adolescents. This acronym stands for Home, Education/Employment, Eating, Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/Depression, and Safety. It helps providers screen for other concerns and refer to the right channels.

Finally, they covered Essential Skills of a Responder, including sessions on inclusivity and sensitivity. This included discussions on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression (SOGIE), Data Privacy, Confidentiality, and Active Listening to ensure respectful communication.

One social worker shared how the training changed their approach: “The training changed how I see my role. Before, I just handled the concern right in front of me. Now, I know how to listen for what’s not being said and guide them to the right help.”

The Road Ahead

While the ISDN has already closed many coordination gaps, its continued success will depend on regular monitoring, ongoing training for staff, and using digital tools to track referrals. This will make the system even more efficient and responsive.

Quezon City is already seeing results. The adolescent birth rate remains within target levels, and modern contraceptive use is rising. By breaking down silos and taking progressive steps, the city has improved young people’s lives and become a model for transformed adolescent health services—showing that innovation, collaboration, and political will can drive lasting change.

Banner photo: Physicians completed training on Postpartum IUD insertion, facilitated by the Quezon City Health Department.

Tacurong City sits at a crossroads in South Central Mindanao, serving as Sultan Kudarat’s commercial hub. It’s the smallest but most crowded area in the province, with over 109,000 people. As the main center for healthcare and education, it draws communities from nearby provinces. Yet growth brings challenges, especially in security and public health. The city urgently needs more accessible and complete family planning services.

Finding the Gaps

In 2021, Tacurong joined The Challenge Initiative (TCI), a global program implemented in the Philippines by the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF). It helps local governments launch and sustain effective family planning (FP) and adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH) solutions.

Related article:

• Nine Cities Recognized as Global Self-Reliant Cities in Reproductive Health

Through a Program Design Workshop, leaders examined what blocked AYSRH and identified action items to improve the status quo: 

• Strengthening the AYSRH committee. It existed in Tacurong City but needed clearer structure and purpose.
• Enhancing training for health staff on AYSRH. Providers needed skills to talk comfortably with teens.
• Developing adolescent-specific strategies beyond DOH (Department of Health) programs as most services focused on adults and children.

Building Stronger Leadership

After the workshop, former Mayor Lino Montilla formed the City Leadership Team (CLT). This created a strong inter-agency system that united different departments and mobilized barangay officials and youth groups. Gary Bañas, Social Worker and Population Program Officer, recalled, “The program design was followed consistently, which integrated adolescent programs across different sectors, especially schools and communities. Collaboration between the LGU (Local Government Unit), Commission on Population and Development (CPD), DOH, and partners made it possible to accelerate adolescent-friendly health services in the city.”

Through TCI, the city built both structure and skills. Coaching helped the CLT lead and sustain changes. Current Mayor Lina Montilla credits TCI for knowledge that strengthened her leadership and helped Tacurong champion AYSRH more effectively.

Creating Services Teens Can Trust

A major step was establishing adolescent-friendly health facilities (AFHFs). These provided resources and trained staff ready to serve without judgment. Nurse and Family Planning Coordinator Gina Ramiscal noted that few young people sought care before. “They either didn’t know services existed or were afraid they would be judged,” she recalled. Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Coordinator Richyle Mae Gallenta added, “Young people used to visit health centers alongside regular patients, which created discomfort because there was no privacy.”

The city expanded programs including the Buntis Class and Healthy Young Ones, giving young people health information and safe spaces to learn.

Young mothers felt the impact directly. Ana*, 19, and Bella*, 22, shared their stories. A felt fear, regret, and uncertainty when she discovered her pregnancy. She felt grateful for Laarni Ecalla, midwife from the Upper Katungal Health Center and President of Midwives in Tacurong. Together with Kagawad (“barangay councilor”) Expedito Ramay Jr., Chairperson on Health, Ecalla provided counseling and seminars for young mothers. B learned from her experience to delay pregnancy, warning it can be extremely difficult both physically and financially.

Kagawad Ramay expressed hope for livelihood programs for teenage mothers with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). “We believe young mothers should become champions who can encourage and support other teenage mothers in our community,” he said.

Mayor Lina Montilla stressed working closely with the Department of Education (DepEd). Guidance counselors and teachers became key allies in reproductive health education. As she emphasized, “By working with schools and guidance counselors, we ensure that young people find trusted adults they can turn to for advice on health and family planning.”

Reducing Reliance on Outside Help

To secure lasting impact, Tacurong passed local ordinances that institutionalized AYSRH. The city set aside dedicated funds for family planning and adolescent health.

“Family planning and adolescent health are now priorities in Tacurong. These programs are embedded in the Gender and Development (GAD) funds and the city’s budget. We are assured of sustainability because policies are in place,” Mr. Bañas noted.

Mayor Montilla echoed this commitment: “Our ordinances and teen centers are not just policies on paper; they are lifelines. We invested city funds so that services will continue regardless of changes in administration or external programs.”

Seeing Real Results

By 2024, Tacurong’s adolescent birth rate (ABR) dropped significantly compared to 2020, from 34 births to 26. The modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) stayed above the national target of 30%, showing greater trust in available services.

Community education and youth symposiums shifted attitudes at home. As Ms. Ecalla shared, “Pregnancies among very young girls have dropped. Parents are more open to talking about reproductive health. The conversations are happening in barangays where adolescents visit health facilities together with their parents and are directed to counselling rooms for additional support.”

Today, all health facilities in Tacurong are certified as adolescent-friendly. Every staff member is trained to provide these services.

The city also invested in data monitoring. Regular checks helped the team track progress and adjust. As Ms. Gallenta put it, “Data has become our guide. It tells us what is working, where we need to improve, and how we can better serve young people.”

Making It Last

Tacurong’s transformation is not temporary. With supportive policies, dedicated budgets, and teen centers, the city built a system meant to endure. Challenges remain. Ms. Ramiscal noted, “Program coordinators wear several hats. No one has a role specific to family planning and adolescent health.” Still, the city stays determined to reduce adolescent pregnancies and prevent repeats among young mothers.

Tacurong’s journey shows that sustainable progress is possible. The city moved from fragmented, externally dependent programs to a resilient, locally led system. The lesson is simple yet powerful: when leaders prioritize adolescent health and invest in both people and systems, communities thrive.

As Mayor Montilla concluded, “Every adolescent deserves the knowledge, services, and support to build a healthier future. When we empower young people with knowledge about reproductive health, we don’t just protect them, we secure the future of Tacurong’s families.”

* Name has been changed to protect the identity of the young mothers.

Banner photo: Courtesy visit to Tacurong City, where Barangay Enrique JC Montilla Health Center and Grino Super Health Center were recognized for delivering high-quality family planning services to women of reproductive age and adolescents. They were welcomed by City Councilor for Population Lalaine Montilla, together with Councilor Harvey Legas of the Health Committee.

For over ten years, Keisha Batalon served the people of Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, as a Medical Technologist at the local Rural Health Unit. She knew the community’s health challenges intimately. In 2023, she felt a calling to reach beyond clinical care and engage directly with young people. 

When she was named Local Youth Development Officer and Health Education and Promotion Officer, Keisha saw an opportunity to not only provide health services, but to listen, guide, and empower adolescents to take part in shaping their own futures.

Her journey with the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) under its Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program (EYLGP) began with learning spaces that shifted her perspective. “I can say that before EYLGP, I already had passion in youth leadership,” she shares. “But after EYLGP that ‘passion’ to lead activities turned into leading with purpose. For me, it was no longer about just programs, it is now about transforming lives. I began to understand that leadership is not about title, it’s about service. EYLGP was such a blessing because since then my heart for youth empowerment became more grounded in humility, accountability, and purpose.”

Related articles:

• Southern Leyte Shows Progress in Reducing Teen Pregnancies
• Serving One’s Community Has No Age Limit: Improving Adolescent Health and Rights in Leyte
• Emilio Galangue: Empowering Youth in Basey, Samar

Keisha deepened her understanding of the struggles and hopes of young people. She discovered that real change begins not with programs imposed from above, but with listening closely. “I have observed that when young people feel safe, they are more likely to openly talk about their thoughts, ideas, concerns, and struggles without fear of judgment, discrimination, or harm.” This insight became the foundation for her work, designing initiatives that respond to their lived experiences.

By mid-2024, she was translating these lessons into action. She led community roll-outs of EYLGP modules in several barangays. That same year, she helped open the Padre Burgos Teen Center, a safe space where adolescents could access health services, talk freely about their concerns, and feel seen. She also spearheaded the local adaptation of TrucKABATAAN, a mobile medical mission that brought essential health services directly to adolescents who might otherwise go without.

Keisha’s approach was always personal. She mentored youth in Barangay Cantutang as they ran their own version of the Commission on Population and Development project, “Isip-isip Before You Unzip,” creating spaces for honest conversations about relationships, sexuality, and life choices. She organized events to celebrate youth contributions, and worked alongside the Local Youth Development Council to advocate for ordinances that protected young people—on curfews, internet access, and safe spaces in their community. Slowly, she saw more adolescents stepping forward and voicing their ideas.

For Keisha, the true reward is found in these connections. “What I am most proud of as a youth leader isn’t the awards, titles, or recognition but it’s the trust, connection and relationship I’ve built with the youth,” she reflects. “It warms my heart that many of them see me not just as an officer, but as their ‘ate’—someone they can approach whenever they need assistance, advice, or simply someone who will listen. Receiving messages, either personally or via social media, saying that I’ve inspired them, even in small ways, to become better students and leaders reminds me that leadership is influence, and I’m grateful to be part of their journey.”

By 2025, the impact was visible. Attendance at youth events doubled, and trust between the community and young people grew. Most strikingly, the number of live births among 15 to 19-year-olds in the municipality dropped from 13 in 2022 to just four in 2025.

Yet Keisha knew the work was far from over. She faced challenges in engaging youth who felt apathetic, reaching out-of-school adolescents, and sustaining participation over time. Still, she remained guided by a simple principle: empathy matters more than criticism. 

“My hope for the youth of Padre Burgos is that they grow into confident, compassionate, and purpose-driven leaders. Young people who don’t just dream of change, but become the change for our community,” she adds, “And as long as I am given the opportunity to serve, I will continue walking beside them, guiding, mentoring, and believing in them.”

Photos from: Municipal Local Government Unit of Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte

Authors: Krizzia Esperanza, ZFF Corporate Communications Associate; Armand Duque, ZFF EYLGP Associate

The Challenge Initiative (TCI) is a global platform that supports cities and local governments to rapidly and sustainably scale up proven primary health care solutions, particularly family planning. Rather than introducing new or parallel interventions, TCI transfers evidence-based strategies that are already known to work and supports local governments in institutionalizing these approaches within their own systems. By strengthening leadership, management, and data use at the local level, TCI achieves strong results at scale while promoting long-term sustainability. At a time of shrinking global health funding, this direction offers exceptional value for money—protecting past gains while enabling countries to expand impact with fewer external resources.

The year 2025 marked a challenging transition for TCI with its project completion. For country teams, including ours in the Philippines, 2025 raised critical questions about continuity, expectations, and sustainability. How would momentum be sustained? What would the next phase demand in terms of focus and capacity? And how could gains in family planning and adolescent, youth, and sexual and reproductive health be protected amid tighter global financing?

These questions were very much present as I travelled to Senegal to attend the TCI Global Chief of Party Meeting. There was a strong need for clarity on strategic direction, operating models, and performance expectations. Like many colleagues from other hubs, we arrived seeking reassurance and a clearer understanding of how TCI would move forward.

What the meeting ultimately provided was a shared perspective. Listening to the experiences of other hubs across Africa and Asia made it clear that the Philippines was not alone in navigating uncertainty. Many teams had faced similar transitions, pressures, and doubts. At the same time, they shared stories of adaptation, resilience, and continued impact. This collective reflection helped normalize the challenges of the past year and reinforced a shared sense of purpose across the global TCI community.

The discussions were grounded in realism. TCI is operating in a global environment where development assistance for health is increasingly constrained, making efficiency and focus more critical than ever. The meeting acknowledged these realities openly, including leaner global support structures and the need for greater hub-level autonomy. Importantly, this shift was framed not as a setback, but as an evolution toward a more mature and sustainable operating model.

For the Philippines, this message resonated strongly. Over the past years, TCI, in partnership with the Zuellig Family Foundation, has demonstrated its role as a powerful scale-up engine, enabling cities to rapidly expand access to modern family planning services using proven approaches. By working through local governments, TCI strengthens health systems, builds institutional capacity, and embeds data-driven decision-making where it matters most. These are not short-term wins, but foundational improvements designed to endure beyond external support.

This is precisely why TCI matters now more than ever. In a context of shrinking global health budgets, TCI’s model delivers high impact at relatively low cost. By leveraging existing systems, local leadership, and tested practices, TCI maximizes return on investment while reducing long-term dependence on donor funding. It protects what has already been achieved and enables countries to do more with less.

The global meeting reinforced this value proposition. Despite the uncertainties experienced in 2025, the collective results from the NextGen phase demonstrate TCI’s credibility and global reach. Across multiple countries, TCI-supported cities have reached millions of women with family planning services, contributing to healthier families and stronger communities. These results are measurable, well documented, and replicable across diverse contexts.

Encouragingly, the meeting also brought clarity and optimism about the future. Continued funding from Bayer, alongside ongoing discussions with other partners, signals sustained confidence in TCI’s approach. While resource mobilization remains a shared responsibility, the opportunity ahead is clear. TCI offers a compelling platform for donors seeking efficient, scalable, and sustainable investments in primary health care and family planning.

For our team in the Philippines, the meeting was both affirming and energizing. It validated the strategic direction we are taking under TCI 20.30, with an emphasis on prioritization, operational efficiency, and strong local ownership. Approaches such as clustered city support, streamlined reporting, and practical, on-demand access to knowledge at the facility level align well with the global push to simplify systems while safeguarding results.

Leaving the meeting, the uncertainty that characterized much of 2025 gave way to clarity, reassurance, and confidence. TCI is entering its next phase not as an untested initiative, but as a proven mechanism for translating global evidence into local impact. For governments, partners, and donors committed to advancing primary health care and family planning, TCI represents an opportunity to protect past investments and scale what works in a way that is efficient, locally led, and built to last.

Author: Dr. Anthony Faraon, ZFF TCI-Philippines Chief of Party

General Santos City (GenSan) had trained health workers, functioning facilities, and national support for family planning (FP). Still, many families—especially in far communities—had limited access to modern contraceptives, particularly long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), which can protect women for years. 

During the pandemic in 2020, modern contraceptive use was only 30%, and LARC use was low across the city. Beyond distance, a key problem was that offices worked in silos, leading to fragmented services and unclear data.

City leaders and advocates also saw gaps in data. Judith Janiola, Head of the City Population and Management Office (CPMO); Desiree Garganian, Regional Director (RD) of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) Region XII; and Angelina Paule, President of the United Private Midwives of GenSan City, Inc. (UPM), shared that weak and inconsistent reporting hid the real picture of contraceptive use and adolescent pregnancy. This made it harder to design programs based on evidence.

Related article:

• Nine Cities Recognized as Global Self-Reliant Cities in Reproductive Health

 

In 2023, the city issued Executive Order No. 95-A creating the Family Planning Itinerant Team (FPIT) to reach underserved areas.

With support from the Zuellig Family Foundation through The Challenge Initiative (TCI)-Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH)-Region XII, and CPD-Region XII, GenSan also revived its City Leadership Team (CLT). Backed by former Mayor Ronnel Rivera and Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao, the CLT brought together health, education, social services, youth leaders, and community groups. The review confirmed that offices were not sharing data and that adolescent needs were often overlooked.

GenSan responded by aligning departments around shared data and goals. As RD Garganian noted, “General Santos was willing to lead, build capacity, and maximize TCI’s role in addressing these fundamental challenges.” A city directive required offices to share health data, helping teams see gaps and plan together. Providers were trained through the Family Planning Competency-Based Training (FPCBT), which gave hands-on skills in LARC insertion and removal, and strengthened adolescent-friendly, respectful care.

Trust and community outreach were central. “Earning the trust of clients is crucial,” Paule shared. “Our Enhanced Usapan sessions worked well because they didn’t just inform people about family planning—they also connected them directly to services.” Janiola added, “Family planning is not just about providing methods. It’s about improving quality of life. That’s why we emphasize informed choice and voluntarism.” Barangay nutrition scholars conducted house-to-house visits, and all facilities were upgraded to meet DOH standards for adolescent-friendly services.

The results were clear. All 46 identified providers completed postpartum FP training, and all health facilities earned DOH certification as adolescent-friendly. With cleaned and harmonized data, GenSan established accurate baselines. Modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) rose from 30% in 2020 to 34% in 2024, exceeding the national target of 30%. LARC use more than doubled—from about 8,000 users in early 2021 to over 20,000 by mid-2025.

GenSan’s experience shows that lasting gains come from system-wide coordination, strong leadership, trained providers, and shared data. As RD Garganian emphasized, “The GenSan experience was unique… showing that the city’s sustainability can go beyond external support.” For Janiola, the work continues: “With General Santos in such a strong position, we can only hope for more—more policies supporting family planning and adolescent health, and more advanced data collection and monitoring systems.”

Banner photo: GenSan mobile implant outreach

Tagum City, the capital of Davao del Norte, is a fast-growing urban center in Mindanao. Alongside its growth came persistent challenges in reproductive health, especially the unmet need for family planning (FP)—referring to women who want to delay or avoid pregnancy but are not using any modern FP method due to barriers such as limited access, lack of information, or social norms.

In 2023, the City Government of Tagum, under Mayor Rey Uy, partnered with the Zuellig Family Foundation through The Challenge Initiative-Philippines (TCI), the Department of Health (DOH)-Region XI, and the Commission on Population and Development (CPD)-Region XI to strengthen FP and adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH) programs. 

Related article:

• Nine Cities Recognized as Global Self-Reliant Cities in Reproductive Health

 

Putting Communities and Youth at the Center

Even before TCI’s support, Tagum had community health efforts in place. However, limited resources meant these efforts were often fragmented. The city saw the need for a more coordinated and data-driven approach—one that addressed both demand for and supply of services.

Through the City Leadership Team (CLT), local offices, health providers, and community partners aligned around a shared strategy. This included Teen Tambayan Centers and the revitalized Usapan Serye, which brought structured and culturally sensitive discussions on FP and AYSRH to barangays and schools.

Youth played a key role as peer educators, especially in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs). Their involvement helped normalize conversations on topics often seen as taboo.

“What began as a campus health forum for high school students has grown into a citywide movement—reaching elementary students, college youth, parents, and communities. By partnering with schools, the Parent-Teachers Association, Sangguniang Kabataan, and youth volunteers, Usapang Youth has expanded from classrooms to the streets, ensuring that health education and support truly meet young people where they are,” shared Edu Macabatas, Head of the Tagum Youth Development Office.

Community sessions complemented school-based activities. Dr. Dainah Casintahan Fajardo, City Health Division Chief, emphasized, “Because the city chooses to invest in its young people, with the help of TCI, we’ve grown from focusing only on the highest-need areas to now reaching all 23 barangays. With sustained funding for adolescents, we bring advocacy from schools to communities, ensuring every young person in Tagum is informed, empowered, and protected.”

Engaging Men and Shaping Shared Responsibility

Tagum also made sure men were part of the conversation. Through KATROPA (Kalalakihang Tapat sa Responsibilidad at Obligasyon sa Pamilya) and the locally developed Mr. GAD-PEGAD (Men’s Responsibility on Gender and Development–Parent Education on Gender and Adolescent Development), male leaders were engaged on gender equality, responsible parenthood, and reproductive health.

Messages That Reach and Resonate

To reach more people, Tagum invested in localized communication. Radio programs, social media posts, and printed information, education, and communication (IEC) materials used local language and real stories to build trust.

“Young people are naturally curious, and their questions—no matter how unexpected—deserve clear, honest answers. With localized IEC materials in their own language, we can bridge gaps in understanding, spark meaningful conversations, and guide them toward informed choices in family planning and adolescent health,” shared Charlene Gastanes Lanoy-Osido, Adolescent Health Development Program Coordinator.

Bringing Services Closer

Access to services improved through institutionalized Fixed-Day Services (FDS) at health facilities and mobile outreach for GIDA barangays. These ensured regular availability of both short-acting and long-acting contraceptives.

The city also responded to rising human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases among young people by offering free testing. “Rising HIV cases remind us how vital awareness and early testing are—especially for the young. By offering free HIV testing, we turn fear into action, empowering people to know their status and protect their future,” shared City Population Officer Dulce Amor Alcaraz.

With TCI support, midwives and nurses were trained in long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), including postpartum intrauterine device (IUD) insertion.

“Because of TCI’s support in training our family planning providers, services are now within reach. In every barangay, trained nurses are ready to serve, making quality care accessible right where families live. When a trained provider is just a few steps away, family planning becomes a choice everyone can freely and safely make,” Alcaraz added.

Continuous mentoring strengthened provider confidence and client-centered care. “Through Family Planning Competency-based Training (FPCBT), we’ve learned that counseling is just as important as the procedure itself. When clients fully understand their choices, they make informed decisions that protect their health and future—ensuring family planning is not just available, but truly empowering,” shared Archilee Cortado, FP Coordinator.

Results That Last

Tagum embedded FP and AYSRH into local policies, plans, and budgets—moving them beyond short-term projects. The City Health Office and City Population Office continue to lead multisectoral coordination through the CLT.

This approach led to measurable gains. The modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) steadily improved—from 35% in 2020 to 45% by 2024—exceededing the national target of 30%. The adolescent birth rate (ABR) rose from 38 per 1,000 live births in 2020 to 51 in 2022—above the benchmark of 37. By 2024, it dropped sharply to 32, meeting the national standard and reflecting the impact of sustained interventions.

Additional results include a 95% quality implementation score for postpartum FP, 83% gender integration in FP programming, and the inclusion of FP High Impact Practices in the city’s Annual Operational Plan and budget.

A Model Rooted in People

Tagum’s experience shows that lasting change begins with listening—using local language, trusted messengers, and data to guide action. By engaging youth and men, strengthening services, and embedding programs into governance, the city built a resilient and people-centered health system.

Tagum City’s journey proves that with strong local leadership and genuine community engagement, family planning can move from policy to practice—one conversation, one service, and one family at a time.

Banner photo: A Teen Tambayan Center of Tagum City

Updates from the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child

The Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child (LCSFC) is now in its 10th year. 

LCSFC is a 15-year national study that follows nearly 5,000 Filipino children from age 10 until they reach 24 in 2030, the target year of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  By tracking the same children over time, the study aims to put a human face on the SDGs, showing the real challenges and opportunities young Filipinos experience as they move from adolescence into adulthood. The Australian Government, the Philippine Government, UNFPA, UNICEF, and the Joint SDG Fund support the study, with the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) helping to disseminate results and insights.

This year’s updates, shared by Prof. Francisco Largo and Dr. Nanette Lee Mayol of the University of San Carlos–Office of Population Studies Foundation, Inc., focus on gendered vulnerabilities—the different risks and pressures that boys, girls, and gender-diverse adolescents face because of social expectations, roles, and conditions—which shape their experiences in school, health, work, and relationships.

 

 

Dr. Mayol explained how the team protects young respondents. They interview adolescents within sight of an adult but out of hearing, and they let young people answer sensitive questions privately on a tablet.

Key points from the open forum during the dissemination activity and workshop last November 28, 2025:

• Early socioeconomic conditions and mothers’ education remain linked to teen pregnancy.
• A separate qualitative study explores the experiences of children with disabilities, indigenous children, those affected by conflict, and LGBTQ+ youth.
• The study represents Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
• The Child Behavior Checklist has Filipino translations and uses simple, direct questions.
• Many teen parents manage to return to school with the help of supportive parents and flexible learning programs.

A Call for a Child-Friendly Society

Participants also joined small group breakout discussions with representatives from local governments and civil society groups. They explored practical entry points for action based on the LCSFC findings.

Groups discussed three guiding questions: What entry points can we pursue in our own areas of work? What can LGUs, CSOs, and ZFF do together to address gendered adolescent vulnerabilities? What enabling mechanisms—policies, programs, partnerships—can strengthen adolescent well-being? The conversations surfaced ideas on coordinated local action, more youth-friendly spaces, and stronger family support systems.

ZFF Chairman Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit shared how the study can guide long-term planning. He encouraged the participants to use the findings to build child-friendly and adolescent-friendly communities, noting that today’s children will form the country’s population by 2050. He said, “The data in this study will provide the impetus, hopefully, for plans and programs that would really make our society truly child-friendly. On behalf of ZFF, we are proud to be a part of this—in disseminating the study so that it really becomes a useful instrument for us to build our country better.”

The LCSFC will continue until 2030 and will keep offering insights that can guide programs for young people. Its findings show early gender differences but also stories of resilience. With the right support from families, schools, and communities, adolescents can stay safe, continue learning, and move toward a better future.

LCSFC Briefer

Download Briefer

“What I want to leave is a system that works even if we are not here. Even if there is a leadership change that does not prioritize nutrition, the institution is still effectively delivering the nutritional programs that are needed by the province.”

Tarlac Governor Christian Yap shared this vision during the Executive Session for Governors (ESG) held on December 11, 2025, at the Provincial Capitol in Tarlac City. The session formed part of the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF)’s Nutrition Leadership and Equity Acceleration Program (NutriLEAP).

Austere Panadero, ZFF President and Executive Director, opened the conversations by stressing that good nutrition is only possible when different sectors work together. Referring to ZFF’s 8 Critical Knobs for Nutrition Governance, he said, “The challenge is you don’t really handle one knob at a time, but to move all at the same time to find the mix of interventions that will move your strategy forward… to get all the towns and barangays to be part of the entire process.”

Prof. Hadji Balajadia of Ateneo de Davao University, who serves as a ZFF consultant, facilitated the session and guided Governor Yap and the participating heads of provincial offices to reflect on their own roles in improving nutrition. Using the Bridging Leadership Framework, they walked the participants through Ownership, Co-Ownership, and Co-Creation as steps toward shared solutions.

As the discussions deepened, Governor Yap explained how Tarlac is working toward a system grounded in evidence and sustainability. “We can spend so much, we can do so many feeding programs, but we don’t know if it is delivering results if there is no measure. Tarlac is okay in terms of the rankings nationally, but we are not content with what we have, and still want to improve.”

Together with the Governor, the heads of provincial offices identified key actions across major sectors:

• Health and Nutrition: Shift from reactive to preventive care; improve nutrition services for vulnerable groups; focus on early childhood nutrition and brain development; support caregivers with livelihood opportunities.

• Youth and Adolescents: Address teenage pregnancy; create youth-centered programs including peer counseling and community outreach; implement mental and reproductive health initiatives in schools.
• Education: Continue and expand school-based feeding programs; involve local government units (LGUs) to assist teachers in meal preparation; strengthen daycare programs for literacy, nutrition, and holistic child development.
• Agriculture and Food Security: Promote sustainable farming, reduce chemical inputs, and diversify crops; increase farmers’ income while ensuring nutritious food production; adopt long-term, environmentally responsible practices.
• Collaborative and Institutional: Build partnerships across health, social welfare, education, and agriculture sectors; use local and national data for planning; expand feeding, wellness, and youth programs to underserved areas.

With shared goals and practical steps ahead, Tarlac’s leaders hope to bring their vision of a Pook Malusog to life—a province where every child, every family, in every community, can grow healthy and well.