Tacloban City — A five-day parenting training gathered local workers in Samar to strengthen families’ role in guiding their children and preventing adolescent pregnancy.

The Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program (EYLGP), under the Joint Programme on Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy (JPARAP), placed new focus on parents after consultations revealed that family guidance often receives less attention. Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan raised the concern in earlier discussions, which prompted program leaders to act.

From September 1 to 5, the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) and Masayang Pamilya, Inc. organized the training in Tacloban City. They used the Masayang Pamilya Para sa Batang Pilipino (MaPa) framework, an evidence-based program developed with Parenting for Lifelong Health. The sessions taught participants how to strengthen parent-child relationships, manage stress, and practice positive parenting.

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Trainers also introduced the MaPa Teens Hybrid model, which combines parenting support with adolescent health education. The model encourages parents and children aged 10 to 17 to talk openly about relationships, reproductive health, and emotional well-being.

Twenty-five social and health workers from Calbayog, Catbalogan, and the Samar Provincial Government completed the training. They will work directly with families during a three-month pilot in selected communities. Organizers will monitor the pilot closely to track changes in family behavior and youth outcomes.

The results will be shared with the Provincial Government of Samar to explore how the initiative can be expanded under its One Values Program which also aims to strengthen the role of parents in their children’s education, health and well-being. Organizers believe that by working with parents and communities, the program can help young people grow healthier and more supported in their journey to adulthood.

The Provincial Government of Samar will review the results. If the pilot shows promise, leaders plan to expand the initiative across the province. ZFF believes that by equipping parents and communities with the right tools, families can raise healthier and more supported adolescents.

Authors: Floro Acaba Jr., ZFF EYLGP Provincial Account Officer for Samar; Krizzia Esperanza, ZFF Corporate Communications Associate

Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte — Local leaders from the pilot barangays of Cantutang, Santa Sofia, and Poblacion presented their efforts to address adolescent pregnancy during the rollout of Module 2 of the Barangay Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program (BEYLGP) held on May 20–21, 2025. The two-day training involved workshops and peer-sharing sessions for 30 barangay and youth leaders to strengthen their roles as advocates for adolescent health.

Medeline Razon, a Barangay Health Worker from Santa Sofia, shared her community’s initiatives to raise reproductive health awareness during a gallery walk that featured outputs from the three barangays. Leaders highlighted both achievements and ongoing challenges in their local campaigns.

Since the program’s launch in 2023, Cantutang recorded a rise in adolescent pregnancy cases from one in 2023 to four in 2024, including a 12-year-old. Santa Sofia also saw an increase, while Poblacion reported its first case in two years. In 2025, however, all three barangays reported no new cases in recent months, which leaders view as a sign of progress.

Cantutang is the only barangay where adolescents have accessed contraceptives from the Barangay Health Station, though the number remains low. Leaders consider this a positive development and a step toward improving access to reproductive health services.

Mayor Hermenegildo C. Culpa, in his message of support, stressed the importance of preventing early pregnancies to secure a bright future for young people. He called for stricter curfew enforcement, a joint intervention with adolescents’ parents. He encouraged more inclusive consultations with parents, schools, out-of-school youth and community members. He also highlighted the need for comprehensive reproductive health education.

Santa Sofia’s Sangguniang Kabataan Chairperson Razel Rose Iballa presented their redesigned Behavior-Centered Design (BCD) plan, “Session for Kumustahan: Sama-sama ang mga Kabataan”, which uses peer education to connect with at-risk youth and discourage early sexual activity.

The BEYLGP is implemented by the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) under the Joint Program on Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy (JPARAP), in partnership with the Provincial Government of Southern Leyte and the Municipal Government of Padre Burgos, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

Stakeholders emphasized the importance of sustained community involvement and local leadership in creating long-term solutions to adolescent reproductive health issues. The Municipal Guiding Coalition reaffirmed its support for barangay-led initiatives to sustain and scale the progress made.

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