This technical paper looks at how Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF)-supported cities and municipalities performed in the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) Health Compliance and Responsiveness (HCR) assessments from 2022 to 2024, and compares these results with national performance.

Building on the provincial benchmarking study released in May 2025, this follow-up analysis helps ZFF better understand where its partner local governments are progressing and where more support is needed. The findings will guide future program strategies, strengthen collaboration with local government units, and support more responsive capacity development aligned with national priorities for Universal Health Care.

Benchmarking of ZFF Cities and Municipalities with SGLG HCR_Sept2025_FINAL

When our team boarded the flight to Bogotá for the 2025 The Challenge Initiative (TCI) Annual Meeting and the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP), we carried more than presentations and data sets. We carried the stories of 24 Philippine cities that have chosen to lead boldly in family planning (FP) and adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH). As a relatively young hub in the global TCI network, the Philippines has always been both a learner and a contributor. This year, however, felt different. For the first time, we arrived not merely to listen but to help shape the direction of the Initiative.

Related articles:

• Nine Cities Recognized as Global Self-Reliant Cities in Reproductive Health
• Eight Cities Share Success in Family Planning and Adolescent Health

A Gathering Shaped by Urgency and Imagination

The theme of the Annual Meeting, “Lead from the Future,” captured the spirit of the meeting. Representatives from six TCI hubs across 13 countries came together, each navigating shrinking donor resources, political transitions, and data challenges. Yet despite these pressures, the mood was determined and forward-looking.

In his opening message, TCI Executive Director Kojo Lokko reminded us that the Initiative’s evolution—from Good to Great and Growth Mindset to Reaching New Heights—has always pointed toward long-term sustainability. Leading from the future, he explained, requires clarity about what we hope to achieve and the discipline to act today in ways that bring that vision closer to reality.

Listening to him, I saw how closely this reflects the Philippine journey. In five years, we moved from launching a hub at the height of a lockdown to establishing governance, leadership development, data use, and sustainable financing as the backbone of city programs. Our experience has been a constant cycle of learning, adapting, and improving—often under constraints but always grounded in the belief that cities can lead the change themselves.

Local Leadership at the Center

Our delegation brought this story to the global stage through five scientific presentations at ICFP and through the voices of two city partners: Dr. Benson Panaguiton, City Health Officer of Dipolog City, and Judith Catalan Janiola, City Population Officer of General Santos (GenSan) City.

Judith’s presentation on GenSan’s experience captured attention. She described how local leaders use data not only to monitor performance but also to solve problems, realign priorities, and motivate teams. She highlighted practical actions driven by partnerships with youth organizations, faith leaders, barangay officials, and civil society groups. These efforts helped reduce teenage pregnancies and strengthened community ownership.

A Shifting Global Landscape

Across sessions—from Bayer’s keynote to discussions on domestic financing—a consistent message emerged: the global environment for FP is changing rapidly. Donor funding is tighter, pronatalist and anti-rights movements are gaining momentum, and climate disruptions are affecting service delivery. Health systems must now be more resilient, adaptable, and grounded in local ownership.

During a flash-oral presentation, I shared how Philippine cities are beginning to tap PhilHealth reimbursements to finance FP services. This drew interest, especially from teams exploring sustainable financing models. The idea that a national insurance system can support FP programs illustrates the potential of strengthening and fully utilizing local systems.

Our Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Manager, John David, also shared how standardized data presentations transformed city leadership meetings. Data became easier to understand and discuss, encouraging more leaders—from mayors to youth representatives—to use evidence as the basis for decisions.

Expanding the Philippine Contribution Through Posters

The delegation also presented three posters highlighting how TCI-Philippines strengthens city systems:

• Deputy Chief of Party Pamela Mangilin showcased the Leadership for Adolescent and Youth-Friendly Cities (LAYFC) youth engagement model, demonstrating how trained young leaders create safe spaces and support adolescent reproductive health.
• City Team Leader Teresa Ferrolino presented how inclusive leadership, multisector collaboration, and community involvement enable cities to integrate FP and ASRH into development plans.
• John David examined inconsistencies between local and national FP data and recommended improvements in data governance.

Collectively, these posters highlighted how the Philippine hub advances youth leadership, governance, and data quality to support sustainable FP programs.

Leading From the Future in the Philippine Context

Some of the most meaningful exchanges happened outside formal sessions. Colleagues from other countries asked how a small Philippine team expanded to 24 cities while maintaining cost-efficiency. They inquired about City Leadership Teams, budget protection, and governance reforms aligned with national systems.

These conversations confirmed that the Philippines is becoming a source of global learning. Our strength lies in combining leadership development, system integration, and practical governance tools—elements that help cities continue performing even in uncertain environments.

To lead from the future in the Philippine context means focusing on what works: building strong leaders, institutionalizing coaching and onboarding, optimizing PhilHealth financing, integrating routine data use, partnering with youth and communities, and preparing FP systems to withstand political and environmental change. It means trusting local governments to lead while providing the right support and accountability mechanisms.

A Future Already Emerging

As our delegation left Bogotá, I felt a renewed sense of direction. The future that TCI envisions is already visible in Dipolog, General Santos, Iligan, and across the other 21 partner cities. These local governments are proving that FP does not survive because of projects; it thrives because leaders take responsibility for it.

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

Tacloban City — Local government leaders from Samar and Southern Leyte gathered for a two-day workshop last September 16–17, 2025, that focused on a shared goal: making the most of PhilHealth resources to support adolescent health.

The Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) organized the activity under its Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program (EYLGP). The workshop formed part of the Joint Programme on Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy (JPARAP) supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

Dr. Ofelia Alcantara, a public health advocate and former mayor of Tolosa, Leyte, facilitated the sessions. Over 20 participants from nine municipalities joined:

• Southern Leyte: Sogod, Libagon, Bontoc, Liloan, Malitbog
• Samar: Marabut, Basey, Sta. Rita, Villareal

A Shared Vision for Young People’s Health

The gathering highlighted the commitment of local government units (LGUs) to reduce adolescent pregnancy and promote youth leadership in health governance. The discussions built on the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act of 2019, which guarantees access to quality and affordable health services.

Dr. Alcantara encouraged LGUs to view PhilHealth funds as a lifeline. “PhilHealth reimbursements are not just numbers, they’re lifelines for our communities. We need to ensure that every peso translates into better care, especially for our youth,” she said.

Related articles:

• Learning and Working Together: Insights from the Youth Leadership Colloquiums in Southern Leyte and Samar
• Youth and Local Leaders Join Forces to Prevent Teen Pregnancies in Samar
• Southern Leyte Shows Progress in Reducing Teen Pregnancies

Strengthening Local Capacity

The UNFPA-ZFFproject  in  partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), Philhealth, and provincial governments of Samar and So. Leyte has already helped several LGUs secure Maternity Care Package (MCP) and accreditation, and ensure Primary Care Facilities (PCFs) are licensed. Despite these gains, LGUs still face challenges in managing funds, navigating PhilHealth’s online portal, and aligning reimbursements with their local health priorities.

To address these issues, the workshop introduced a four-part strategy:

1. Assess current practices and barriers in PhilHealth income use;
2. Develop a local fund management framework linked to UHC and adolescent health;
3. Deliver tailored mentoring and technical tools for LGUs; and
4. Produce a monograph to guide expansion and institutionalization.

The workshop opened a series of capacity-building activities for Samar and Southern Leyte. Municipal Health Officers, PhilHealth focal persons, and Provincial Development Management Officers actively joined the discussions. Partners from UNFPA and KOICA also expressed support.

LGUs in Samar and Southern Leyte now move forward with a stronger plan to maximize PhilHealth financing. Together with ZFF and its partners, they aim to turn adolescent reproductive health from a policy promise into a lived reality for young people in their communities.

Author: Floro Acaba Jr., ZFF EYLGP Provincial Account Officer for Samar

The Zuellig Family Foundation, through its The Challenge Initiative (TCI)-Philippines team, met with Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano, City Health Officer Dr. Debra Maria Catulong, and the dedicated staff of the City Health Office. The discussion highlighted the city’s steady progress in advancing family planning and adolescent health services over the past two years, while also laying out a shared vision to sustain and build on these gains in the years to come. 

Bringing Services Closer to Families 

When Mandaue City first joined TCI  in 2023, access to family planning was limited. Only five midwives in the entire city had the skills to provide certain contraceptive services, and residents often had to travel far or wait for schedules to receive care. Today, that situation has been transformed. All 27 barangay health centers now have trained midwives, nurses, and doctors who can provide modern contraceptives on a daily basis. 

This decentralization of services has had a direct impact on families. The city’s modern contraceptive prevalence rate has risen from 19 percent in 2020 to 30 percent in 2024—meeting the national target. Behind these numbers are women who are better able to space their pregnancies, parents who can provide for their families with greater stability, and adolescents who can make informed choices about their futures. 

Related articles:

• Mandaue City Redefines Reproductive Care through Women’s Health Caravan
• Eight Cities Share Success in Family Planning and Adolescent Health

Making Services Adolescent-Friendly 

The city also recognized early on that adolescents face distinct barriers when seeking health services. Young people often hesitate to ask for help because of stigma or fear of being judged. To address this, Mandaue invested in adolescent-friendly health services (AFHS), redesigning facilities to ensure privacy and training staff to listen and respond without judgment. 

As of today, ten barangays have already achieved certification from the Department of Health as adolescent-friendly, and the rest are moving toward the same goal. With these changes, adolescents in Mandaue are finding spaces where they feel welcome, safe, and respected. 

Integrating Family Planning into Everyday Care 

A significant innovation in Mandaue has been the integration of family planning into the full range of health activities. Whether through immunization drives, cancer screenings, or women’s health check-ups, family planning has become part of routine care. This approach helps normalize conversations about reproductive health and ensures that no opportunity is missed to provide information and services. 

Investing in Sustainability 

The city has also demonstrated strong political and financial commitment. From 2.5 million pesos in 2024, the budget for family planning and adolescent health rose to 12 million pesos in 2025—a fivefold increase. This reflects both the prioritization of reproductive health and the recognition of its importance in improving overall well-being. 

At the same time, Mandaue is pursuing PhilHealth accreditation for its facilities and providers. This will allow reimbursements to flow back into the health system, creating a financial cycle that sustains services over time. Coupled with the Special Health Fund under Universal Health Care, the city is positioning itself for long-term continuity of family planning and adolescent health programs. 

Key Lessons from Mandaue’s Experience 

Several lessons stand out from Mandaue City’s journey. Strong local leadership, led by the mayor and supported by the city council, has been central to accelerating reforms. Systems change is possible when local governments commit to decentralization, integration, and youth-friendly service delivery. Listening to adolescents and families has helped ensure that services are relevant and stigma-free. Finally, financial sustainability must be built deliberately, as demonstrated by the city’s budget increases and its pursuit of PhilHealth reimbursements. 

Looking Ahead 

Despite these successes, challenges remain. The city aims to achieve adolescent-friendly certification across all barangays, expand peer education networks, and continue strengthening data quality and use. Ensuring a consistent supply of commodities and fully utilizing available budgets will also be critical to sustaining progress. 

What is most notable is the sense of ownership within Mandaue City. Local leaders, health workers, and communities see these programs not as external projects but as their own responsibility. This perspective is the clearest sign that sustainability is within reach. 

Mandaue City’s story is one of determination, innovation, and leadership. From expanding access to family planning, to creating youth-friendly spaces, to embedding sustainability through financing, the city has demonstrated how local governments can drive meaningful health reforms. 

By making services more accessible to families and more welcoming to adolescents, Mandaue is showing what it means to build a healthier and more empowered community. Its experience serves as a model for other cities in the Philippines—and beyond—on how to combine political will, systems strengthening, and community-centered design to achieve lasting impact. 

Meeting photos from: Mandaue City Public Affairs Office

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

On September 18, 2025, the Zuellig Family Foundation, through its The Challenge Initiative (TCI)-Philippines team, met with the Lapu-Lapu City government to discuss family planning and adolescent health. Joining the meeting were City Administrator Atty. Almendras and the City Health Office team, led by nurses Ivy Amistad, Jovy Alonzo, and Leizel Lagtapon. The conversation served as a chance to reflect on the city’s progress, identify ongoing challenges, and consider ways to strengthen impact and sustainability.

Recovery and Resilience after COVID-19 

Like many local government units, Lapu-Lapu City experienced major disruptions in reproductive health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health workers were diverted to pandemic response, service delivery slowed, and demand for family planning dropped. Now, the City is steadily regaining momentum. With health staff back on the ground, there has been recovery in the uptake of short-acting methods such as pills, injectables, and condoms. Encouragingly, long-acting and permanent methods (LAPMs) like implants, intrauterine devices (IUDs), and sterilization are also increasing in demand. 

One area where Lapu-Lapu has exceeded expectations is in postpartum family planning (PPFP). Through sustained training and outreach activities, the city has exceeded its TCI commitment of ensuring that targeted providers are trained on PPFP–demonstrating that with political will and operational focus, service delivery can quickly regain strength. 

Related article:

• Eight Cities Share Success in Family Planning and Adolescent Health

Addressing the Data Gap 

Reliable data is critical for decision-making, yet the city continues to face difficulties in capturing a complete picture of family planning performance. Public facilities generally provide regular reports, though private birthing centers and hospitals show variable compliance rates. An ordinance requires reporting, but enforcement is limited without established legal penalties. The City Health Office is considering connecting compliance requirements to business permit processes and incorporating maternal death review procedures as accountability measures.

Another challenge lies in the transition to new Department of Health (DOH) performance indicators. Health staff are still adjusting from measuring modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) to tracking “demand satisfied”, which looks at the percentage of women with demand for family planning and who are actually using modern methods. Lapu-Lapu currently reports a demand satisfied rate of only 46%, far below the 70% national target. Continued coaching and capacity building will be essential to ensure that data is not only accurate but also used strategically for planning and advocacy. 

Investing in Young People 

Adolescent health remains a priority in Lapu-Lapu. Several health workers have been trained on adolescent-friendly health services (AFHS), and facilities are starting to offer confidential, youth-centered care. While formal DOH accreditation is still in development for most facilities, efforts are underway to address infrastructure needs, including the establishment of appropriate counseling spaces.

Despite these challenges, peer education is emerging as a promising practice. By mobilizing young people themselves to reach their peers, the city is creating more relatable and effective pathways to information and services. Plans are underway to expand peer education networks through collaboration with the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation and barangay-level initiatives. For sustainability, the city will need to determine the right peer-to-population ratio to ensure meaningful coverage across communities. 

Governance, Financing, and Sustainability 

Lapu-Lapu has demonstrated strong commitment to financing reproductive health, earmarking four million pesos in 2024 and five million pesos in 2025 for FP and adolescent health. 

Budget execution has been gradual, with 22% of funds utilized by mid 2025, indicating opportunities to accelerate implementation timelines to maintain program momentum. This highlights the potential for strengthening alignment between program objectives and financial planning. For example, advancing demand satisfied rates from 46% to 60% would involve specific resource requirements for peer educators, supplies, and community outreach activities, each with defined costs. Developing such costing frameworks could support city leadership, including the mayor and city council, in making strategic resource allocation decisions for optimal program impact.

In May 2025, the City completed a self-reliance assessment using TCI’s Reflection and Action to Improve Self-reliance and Effectiveness (RAISE) Tool. The results showed strong performance in data management (100%) and leadership (85%). However, areas needing improvement include formalizing policies, ensuring specific line-item allocations for FP and adolescent health, and strengthening supportive supervision systems. These gaps highlight where technical assistance and local leadership need to converge to ensure sustainability. 

Moving Ahead 

The meeting underscored both the progress and the unfinished work in Lapu-Lapu City’s reproductive health journey. On the one hand, the city has demonstrated resilience, ownership, and momentum—recovering service delivery, expanding postpartum FP, and investing in adolescent-friendly health services. On the other hand, challenges remain: persistent gaps in data reporting, budget execution, and demand satisfied rates reveal the need for stronger systems and sharper strategies. 

With committed leadership, available resources, and the support of partners like ZFF and TCI, Lapu-Lapu City is well-positioned to transform these challenges into breakthroughs. By enforcing policies, scaling up peer-led youth programs, and aligning financial investments with program outcomes, the city can not only close its current gaps but also emerge as a model for sustainable, locally-owned family planning and adolescent health programs in the Philippines. 

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

Two provinces in Eastern Visayas reflected on how young people and local leaders can work side by side to address adolescent health. 

Through the Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program (EYLGP) of the Zuellig Family Foundation in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund, Southern Leyte and Samar shared lessons, successes, and remaining challenges during their colloquiums held in August 2025.

In less than two years, our program cohort in Southern Leyte cut its adolescent birth rate by 29%, with the municipalities of Liloan and Tomas Oppus reporting zero teen births in 2024. Samar also moved forward, lowering its adolescent birth rate in partner municipalities by 5% and doubling contraceptive use among teens. Both provinces strengthened adolescent-friendly health facilities, supported peer education, and created local committees that regularly meet to tackle youth concerns.

Despite progress, both provinces face similar challenges. Births among very young girls aged 10 to 14 years old increased, often tied to gender-based violence and exposure to harmful online content. In Samar, education completion rates are also declining, while poverty continues to put many adolescents at risk. These issues show that reducing teen pregnancies is not only a health concern but also a matter of child protection, education, and community support.

Related articles:

• Youth and Local Leaders Join Forces to Prevent Teen Pregnancies in Samar
• Southern Leyte Shows Progress in Reducing Teen Pregnancies

Key Insights

Dr. Ramir Blanco, public health specialist, synthesized the insights from both colloquiums, and noted that while each province has a unique context, some common lessons stand out:

• Partnership works best when youth are seen as equal partners. Adolescents bring energy and ideas that make health programs more effective.
• Local governments need to back policies with real budgets. Commitments become meaningful only when resources follow.
• Health services must be accessible and friendly to teens. Both provinces showed that when facilities are welcoming, more adolescents use them.
• The challenge of early adolescent pregnancies requires stronger systems. This goes beyond health and must involve education, social welfare, and community protection.

As the colloquiums showed, the most powerful change comes when young people and leaders share responsibility. When adolescents are given a voice and communities stand behind them, reducing teen pregnancies becomes not just a goal, but a shared achievement for healthier, brighter futures.

Iloilo City has been working hard to improve its Family Planning (FP) and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) services since joining The Challenge Initiative (TCI)-Philippines in May 2023. With committed leaders and policies based on data, the city is making huge progress in bringing health programs closer to communities and solving long-standing problems with high-impact, locally adapted solutions. 

A recent trip to the field on August 20, 2025 gave a firsthand look at the progress being made and the energy that everyone is putting into it. 

Health in Action in the Community 

The opening of Iloilo City’s first PuroKalusugan in the Arevalo District was a big step forward for community-based service delivery. This program provides health services right to the purok, which is the smallest unit of a community. This makes healthcare easier to get, especially for people who don’t have access to it. 

At the launch, attendees had access to a full range of services, such as PhilHealth membership, consultations on maternity and child health, family planning counseling and provision, adolescent health services, nutrition support, and vaccinations. Putting services together shows that there is a plan to cover several health requirements in one easy-to-reach place. 

I met two young doctors, Earl Sevilla and Lysander Quintia, working as health center physicians in Iloilo. They are examples of what it truly means to serve the public. Even though they didn’t have a lot of resources and were dealing with problems like teenage pregnancy, rising cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STIs), and the growing trend of vaping among young people, Sevilla and Quintia were nevertheless very determined and passionate. Their choice to work in community settings instead of more lucrative jobs shows how strongly they care about public health and equity. 

Related articles:

• Iloilo’s Youth Health Movement in Action
• Eight Cities Share Success in Family Planning and Adolescent Health

Leadership That Listens and Leads 

Strong leadership is setting Iloilo’s health agenda at the policy level. During a visit to City Hall, Vice Mayor Lady Grace Julie Baronda, a vibrant leader with legislative experience, showed great interest in learning more about the health concerns that need policy assistance or institutionalization. Her willingness to a dialogue shows that she believes in a style of government that values evidence, working together, and community voices. 

Grace Hofilena, representative from the Office of Mayor Raisa Trenas, said the same thing. She conveyed that the Mayor strongly supports the program and wants to keep working with TCI. This support from institutions is really important for sustainability and ensuring programs and policies have lasting effect. 

The City Leadership Team’s data shows the results of these concerted efforts. From 2020 to 2025, the modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) went up from 39% to 41%, while the percentage of demand satisfied* rose from 79% to 88%. Although the adolescent birth rate (ABR) has stayed the same at 19 per 1,000, it is evident that further action is needed. 

The city’s big budget increase for family planning—from 765,000 pesos in 2023 to 8 million pesos in 2025—may be the best indicator of political will. This jump shows that FP is not only a programming priority, but also a financial one, thanks to excellent leadership. 

Persistence and Progress 

When local leaders, health workers, and communities work together toward a common goal, like they did in Iloilo City, progress in public health is both attainable and realistic. But there are still challenges. Teenage pregnancies, STIs, and dangerous behaviors among teens are still putting a lot of stress on the system. To solve these problems, we need more than just technical fixes. We need to keep coming up with new ideas, work together across sectors, and get the community involved. 

The field visit showed not only what the city has done well, but also the qualities that support those achievements: compassion, resilience, and responsibility. Health workers are making services more accessible to people who live nearby. Local leaders are using policy and budgets to drive sustainability. And young professionals are putting service and making a difference ahead of their own interests. 

A Model for Local Health Governance 

The last two years have shown how powerful local governments can be in Iloilo City. They can achieve real, quick progress in important health areas when they have the necessary tools, data, and assistance. The city’s increasing investments in FP and ASRH demonstrate that robust political commitment, alongside community-driven innovation, can yield tangible outcomes. 

The lessons from Iloilo are clear: to improve family planning and adolescent health, we need more than just one-time action. It needs changes to the whole system, shared accountability, and working together. Iloilo City is a great example for other communities in the Philippines that want to invest in the health and future of their families and young people. 

—

 * Demand satisfied refers to the percentage of women of reproductive age who want to delay or avoid pregnancy and are actually using a modern contraceptive method.

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

Empowering communities, strengthening leadership for better health outcomes

About the report

The Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) Annual Report 2024 shares stories of change, lessons learned, and milestones in improving health outcomes for Filipinos.

Our work in 2024 focused on:

2024 at a glance

ZFF will continue working with provinces, cities, and municipalities to accelerate health reforms, scale nutrition programs, and empower youth and communities.

Read the full report here:

ZFF Annual Report 2024

Download

Download: Audited Financial Statements 2024

On August 15, 2025, Samar leaders, health workers, youth representatives, and development partners came together for the Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program (EYLGP) Colloquium. 

Implemented by the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the EYLGP builds the leadership of both young people and local governments. The program was first piloted in Mindanao and has since expanded to Samar and Southern Leyte, where it is showing promising results.

Samar’s EYLGP journey began in April 2023 when Governor Sharee Ann Tan, together with mayors and municipal health officers, met with the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) to tackle the province’s high rate of teen pregnancies. At this meeting, the mayors and health officers signed learning contracts to affirm their commitment to the program.

Two years later, in Samar, EYLGP has trained 81 municipal leaders, along with youth leaders and representatives from the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education, and Department of the Interior and Local Government. Together, they improved local governance systems that directly affect adolescent health.

Related article:

• Southern Leyte Shows Progress in Reducing Teen Pregnancies

The results are encouraging. In partner cities and municipalities, the adolescent birth rate (ABR) went down by 5% from 2022 to 2024: from an ABR of 38.1 per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19 in 2022 to 36.1 in 2024. The use of modern contraceptives among adolescents also more than doubled in the same period. These numbers mean more young people are getting the right information and services to protect their health and future.

However, challenges remain:

• Provincial ABR is still higher than the national target of 30 at 33.7 per 1,000 in 2024, and the overall trend for Samar shows an increase from 27.33 (2022) to 28.28 (2023) to 33.7 (2024).
• Young adolescents (10 to 14 years old) experienced a 28% rise in births from 2022–2024.
• Education completion rates are declining: Elementary school completion dropped from 99.55% (2022) to 87.6% (2024), and high school completion went from 100% to 51.35% over the same period.
• Poverty remains high at 24.9% in 2023, affecting adolescent risk.

During the Colloquium, participants shared what worked best in Samar:

• Functional local committees that regularly meet to address adolescent health issues.
• Local policies backed by real budgets to support teen pregnancy prevention.
• Adolescent-friendly health facilities and services in communities.
• Active involvement of youth leaders in peer education and information campaigns.
• Supportive mayors who invest in programs that keep young people in school.

To sustain these gains, ZFF and partners will continue coaching local governments until 2026. New initiatives include the Masayang Pamilya Parent-Teen Program in Calbayog and Catbalogan, and helping five LGUs integrate adolescent health and development into their long-term plans.

Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) President and Executive Director Austere Panadero challenged Samar to look ahead: “Over the last two years, you have shown remarkable support and commitment, but the question now is whether these efforts are enough to fully address adolescent pregnancy. Sapat na ba? This is an important moment to reflect on our gains and consider how we can move forward faster and more effectively.”