The Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) celebrated the graduation of nine cities under The Challenge Initiative (TCI)-Philippines: General Santos, Iriga, Isabela de Basilan, Lapu-Lapu, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Tacurong, and Tagum. 

The Batch 3 Colloquium, themed “Sustaining Momentum: Transformative Reproductive Health Impact through Data-Driven Leadership,” took place on October 14, 2025, at the Park Inn by Radisson in Quezon City. The event gathered local government leaders, health officers, and partners from across the country to celebrate how cities strengthened their family planning (FP) and adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH) programs through evidence-based leadership.

ZFF President and Executive Director Austere Panadero congratulated the cities for their progress. Across the nine cities, data show significant gains: all surpassed the national target for adolescent birth rates or incidence of teenage pregnancy (below 37 births per 1,000 women) and most exceeded the 30% modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) benchmark. “These are not just numbers,” said Panadero, “Ito ay mga kwento ng pagbabago—of stronger systems, more capable leaders, and communities that now make informed and empowered choices.”

Dr. Anthony Faraon, Chief of Party of TCI-Philippines at ZFF, presented key reproductive health trends, warning that while births among 15–19-year-olds are declining, births among girls below 15 are increasing. He challenged the audience: “Will we act now with the urgency this crisis demands or will we wait until the effects are irreversible?”

Related articles:

• Batch 1: Five Cities Celebrate Milestone in Adolescent Health and Family Planning Efforts
• Batch 2: Eight Cities Share Success in Family Planning and Adolescent Health

Panel 1: Family Planning Demand Generation and Service Innovations

Cities showcased innovative approaches that expanded access and inclusivity in family planning services:

• Tagum City – Mobilized grassroots leaders and youth advocates through Usapang Youth and KATROPA sessions, engaging men and youth as champions of reproductive health.
• General Santos City – Expanded outreach to underserved women through Family Planning Itinerant Teams and long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs).
• Lapu-Lapu City – Empowered barangay health workers as frontline FP service providers.
• Iriga City – Promoted culturally sensitive family planning among 21 Indigenous Peoples (IP) tribes.
• Isabela de Basilan – Localized reproductive health materials into 16 languages to reach more communities.

Panel 2: Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) Innovations

Cities also implemented programs that placed young people at the center of reproductive health advocacy:

• Mandaluyong City – Organized Healthy Young Ones lectures and the Adolescent Congress to create peer-driven learning spaces.
  Quezon City – Institutionalized prevention programs through Ordinance No. SP-3128, s. 2021, establishing the Information and Service Delivery Network for Adolescent Health and Development (ISDN4AHD).
• Pasig City – Developed a rights-based referral system to link services across agencies.
• Tacurong City – Integrated adolescent-friendly health services across all barangay centers.

Representatives from the graduating cities shared Leadership Narratives, reflecting on their efforts to sustain reproductive health reforms amid political transitions. They emphasized collaboration, data use, and strong community partnerships as key to their success.

In his closing message, Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit, ZFF Chairman, congratulated the cities for achieving global self-reliance: “You are all part of a global movement called TCI, covering hundreds of cities worldwide. Our local experience has global significance.” 

As of September 2025, ZFF and its partners under TCI-Philippines recorded the following results across 24 cities: 

• 947 Master Coaches trained nationwide;
• 209,574 additional family planning clients served;
• 21,589 outreach and demand-generation activities conducted;
• 577 health facilities certified as adolescent-friendly; and
• 780 facilities offering post-pregnancy family planning services.

These accomplishments reflect a shared lesson from the colloquium: that locally led, evidence-based, and community-rooted approaches can sustain reproductive health gains and inspire other local governments across the country.

The Challenge Initiative (TCI)-Philippines, implemented by the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF), will hold its Batch 3 Colloquium on October 14, 2025, bringing together nine cities that have made strides in improving family planning (FP) and adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH).

The event, themed “Sustaining Momentum: Transformative Reproductive Health Impact through Data-Driven Leadership,” celebrates the achievements of General Santos, Iriga, Isabela de Basilan, Lapu-Lapu, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Tacurong, and Tagum, the final cohort of TCI-Philippines.

Over the past three years, these cities have shown how innovation, local leadership, and data use can translate into tangible gains—raising modern contraceptive prevalence rates (mCPR) and reducing adolescent birth rates (ABR). Their experiences highlight that locally led and evidence-based programs can drive lasting impact, even amid political and social changes.

Through the support of TCI-Philippines and ZFF, local governments designed and implemented tailored initiatives addressing their communities’ specific needs:

• Tagum City engaged men and youth as advocates, increasing awareness and participation in FP.
• General Santos City expanded access to modern contraceptives by deploying FP Itinerant Teams to reach underserved communities.
• Lapu-Lapu City strengthened service continuity by empowering barangay health workers to deliver FP services.
• Iriga City and Isabela de Basilan improved inclusivity by tailoring FP efforts to indigenous peoples through localized communication strategies.
• Mandaluyong City reduced  adolescent pregnancies through community group engagement 
• Quezon City institutionalized adolescent pregnancy prevention through an ordinance, creating a coordinated network for youth health and development.
• Pasig City improved adolescent-friendly health services through a comprehensive Information and Service Delivery Network (ISDN).
• Tacurong City integrated adolescent needs into regular health services, ensuring continued access to reproductive health care.

These innovations build on the lessons of previous TCI-Philippines batches in Cagayan de Oro, Dipolog, Puerto Princesa, Baguio, San Jose, Iligan, Naga, Santiago, Biñan, Mandaue, Manila, Iloilo, and Las Piñas, whose experiences affirm that sustained political commitment, data use, and community engagement are key to improving reproductive health outcomes.

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As TCI-Philippines concludes its final cohort, the Colloquium aims to showcase city achievements, share best practices, and inspire other local governments to adopt scalable and sustainable approaches to FP and AYSRH.

Related articles:

• Batch 1: Five Cities Celebrate Milestone in Adolescent Health and Family Planning Efforts
• Batch 2: Eight Cities Share Success in Family Planning and Adolescent Health

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. 

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• 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. 

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• 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

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. 

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• 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

The road to a healthier future for Filipino youth is not a scenic route—it’s an expressway we need to build now. Last week in Bohol, at the Adolescent Health Learning Exchange (AdHLEx)—organized by the Department of Health (DOH) Adolescent Health Unit and DOH Center for Health Development VII—government leaders, health professionals, civil society, and young people gathered to map that route. 

The metaphor of roads—national highways, boulevards, crossroads, and yes, rough roads—showed both how far we had come and how far we had fallen off the track. On the “national highway” are broad policy frameworks like the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act and the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law. On the “boulevards” are adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) services. At the “crossroads” stand local governments and multi-sectoral teams deciding whether to press forward or stall.  Far too many young Filipinos also find themselves on “rough roads” marked by early pregnancy, mental health struggles, and lack of access to care. 

National data gives us a mixed view. According to the Commission on Population and Development (CPD), adolescent birth rates (ABR) in the Philippines have generally declined in recent years—a sign that sustained interventions are working. However, there has been a rise in births among girls aged 10 to 14 years old, which is a real concern. These pregnancies are often the product of abuse and exploitation, and they can have lifelong consequences for the health, education, and well-being of these children. This is not just a statistic—it’s a warning sign. 

The lesson from Bohol is crystal clear: adolescent health cannot be treated as a side street. It must be central to our public health and development agenda. That means three things. 

First, integration. ASRH is not separate from mental health, nutrition, or protection from abuse—they are all part of the same path. A national plan that doesn’t reach the barangay health station or school clinic is a highway that ends in a dead zone. 

Second, youth participation. In Bohol, young leaders were not tokens on a panel; they were drivers of solutions—designing peer-led programs, confronting stigma, and reaching peers in ways adults can’t. We cannot plan adolescent health “for them” without planning it “with them”.

Third, scaling innovation. From peer education networks to mobile health clinics, the solutions already exist in pockets of the country. The challenge is not invention—it’s political will, financing, and replication at scale. 

This is where the work of The Challenge Initiative (TCI)-Philippines offers important lessons. In 24 cities across the country, TCI has worked with local government units (LGUs) to make high-impact practices for ASRH a permanent part of their work.  These include strengthening leadership teams, training health workers, making health facilities more welcoming to young people, and embedding adolescent health in local investment plans. 

Related article:

• Eight Cities Share Success in Family Planning and Adolescent Health

For example, in several LGUs where TCI support was sustained, adolescent birth rates among 15–19-year-olds dropped significantly within a few years. Cities have adopted referral systems linking schools, barangay health stations, and hospitals; improved commodity security for contraceptives; and launched social behavior change campaigns that reach both in-school and out-of-school youth. These are not just pilot initiatives that go away when funding ends—they are built into LGU budgets, policies, and processes. 

TCI’s approach proves that with local ownership, data-driven planning, and community engagement, adolescent health programs can produce measurable results. But the rise in pregnancies among the youngest girls shows there are still gaps in protection, prevention, and early intervention. LGUs need to strengthen links with child protection mechanisms, expand mental health services, and equip frontline workers to detect and respond to abuse swiftly. 

The Special Health Fund under the UHC Law offers an untapped opportunity. LGUs can earmark these pooled resources for adolescent health—financing outreach programs, peer education, and youth-friendly clinics. Schools can become gateways to care, not just sources of information, by partnering with health providers for on-site services. Communities can become safe spaces where adolescents access help without fear or shame. 

We are in a race against time. Every delay means another young life derailed by preventable pregnancy, untreated mental health issues, or violence. The choice is ours: keep patching potholes, or build the expressways our adolescents deserve.

At AdHLEx, we chose the latter. Leaders from national agencies, local governments, and the youth sector committed to accelerate progress, address the alarming rise in pregnancies among the youngest girls, and ensure every adolescent in the Philippines can grow up healthy, educated, and safe. 

The rest of the country must follow—not someday, but now. 

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

When Mandaluyong City joined The Challenge Initiative (TCI)-Philippines in 2023, it did so with quiet determination and a clear sense of purpose. Mayor Benjamin Abalos Sr.’s letter of intent wasn’t just a formal document—it was a signal that the city was ready to invest in the future of its people, especially women and young people, by prioritizing access to quality family planning (FP) and adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH) services. 

At the time, Mandaluyong’s modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) stood at 22%—still far from the national target of 37%. The adolescent birth rate (ABR) was 13 births per 1,000, better than the national average but showing an erratic pattern. These numbers gave us a snapshot: progress, but also room (and reason) to do more. 

Through a collaborative Program Design Workshop in November 2023, city stakeholders and the TCI team got to the heart of the matter. Together, three key challenges surfaced: fragmented coordination across departments, widespread myths and misconceptions about FP, and a lack of trained personnel. Familiar challenges, yes—but the way Mandaluyong tackled them was anything but typical. 

The city immediately set up a City Leadership Team (CLT), pulling in champions from different departments. This team wasted no time adopting five of TCI’s high-impact practices (HIPs): strengthening health leadership, engaging communities, making services more adolescent-friendly, improving post-pregnancy family planning, and empowering community health volunteers. Each intervention was locally driven and tailored to Mandaluyong’s needs. 

Related article:

• Eight Cities Share Success in Family Planning and Adolescent Health

Since then, it’s been a steady roll-out of smart, strategic, and scalable actions. Health workers have been trained on everything from informed consent to subdermal implants to intrauterine device (IUD) insertion. Youth leaders were engaged through the Sangguniang Kabataan orientation. Population workers, health leaders, and facility staff were brought into the fold through orientations, workshops, and coaching sessions. Alongside that, the city integrated FP and AYSRH programs into local events like the Adolescent Congress, Healthy Buntis Pageant, and Family Planning Month—turning awareness into action. 

Fast forward to today: the city has built a solid foundation for long-term self-reliance. There’s now a pool of Master Coaches mentoring others, a trained workforce offering quality FP and AYSRH services, a functional and empowered CLT, and an operational Health Management Information System that helps track performance and identify gaps. Even more affirming, the LGU has continued to increase its local investment in FP and AYSRH—a strong signal of ownership. 

The results are real: mCPR has gone up to 23.4%, and ABR has remained stable at 13. These may sound like small shifts, but they represent steady, measurable progress—especially in a field where change doesn’t happen overnight. 

And here’s what excites us even more: as of July 2025, there’s been a change in leadership in Mandaluyong. Mayor Carmelita “Menchie” Abalos, previously the Vice Mayor, is now at the helm. It’s clear that continuity is likely—especially with strong advocates like City Health Officer (CHO) Dr. Arnold Abalos and Assistant CHO Dr. Emily Detaro still championing FP and AYSRH from within. Their commitment, paired with Mayor Menchie’s openness to sustain the work already in motion, gives us confidence that the city’s momentum won’t just continue—it’ll grow. 

Mandaluyong’s journey with TCI is a solid example of what can happen when cities lead from the front—when political will, technical capacity, and community ownership come together with purpose. We’re looking forward to officially recognizing Mandaluyong as a self-reliant city on FP and AYSRH by September. 

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

Las Piñas City has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a fishing village. Now a bustling urban center in southern Metro Manila, the city’s population reached 628,652 by 2025, according to the Department of Health. Among these, 107,113 adolescents aged 10 to 19—or 17% of the population—represent both a major opportunity and a growing challenge for the city.

Las Piñas has built a strong infrastructure for adolescent health: 30 health centers, all accredited as Level 1 Adolescent Friendly Health Facilities, three Teen Centers, a social hygiene clinic, and a birthing clinic. But behind this network was a serious problem: services for young people were often uncoordinated.

Programs from health, education, and social welfare sectors operated in silos. This meant young people often had to navigate confusing or disconnected services—leaving many without the help they needed.

 

A Closer Look at the Numbers

City records show the adolescent birth rate (ABR) rose from 16 births per 1,000 among girls aged 15 to 19 in 2021 to 18 in 2022. But what was more alarming was the gap between reported pregnancies and actual deliveries. Dr. Justine Hernandez from the City’s Adolescent Health and Development Program explained, “Many pregnant adolescents, fearing stigma and judgment, sought to give birth outside the city or concealed their pregnancies entirely, often delivering in distant provinces.”

This trend distorted data and revealed that many young mothers did not feel safe or supported locally. The modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) stood at just 12% in 2022.

Without a system that connects services, the city risked letting more adolescents face health issues, early pregnancy, and long-term social difficulties.

Why the System Was Not Working

Three key gaps held the city back:

1. No unifying policy to align different sectors and prioritize adolescent welfare.
2. No clear leader or champion for coordinated action.
3. No referral system to guide adolescents from one service to another when needed.

These missing pieces led to duplication, confusion, and many young people falling through the cracks.

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• Eight Cities Share Success in Family Planning and Adolescent Health
• Cities Lead the Way in Family Planning and Adolescent Health—Webinar Series to Spotlight Local Innovations

A Turning Point: The Challenge Initiative

In 2023, Las Piñas joined The Challenge Initiative (TCI)-Philippines, a global program co-managed by the Zuellig Family Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, and Bayer, with technical support from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

This partnership gave Las Piñas not just funding, but a framework and technical support to fix the system.

Led by Mayor Imelda Aguilar and City Health Officer Dr. Juliana Gonzalez, the city formed a City Leadership Team (CLT). This brought together the City Health Office, Social Welfare Office, Local Youth Development Office, Public Employment Service Office, the Department of Education, the Philippine National Police, and the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK)—all committed to working together for adolescent health.

Creating the Information and Service Delivery Network (ISDN)

To connect fragmented services for adolescents, Las Piñas created the Information and Service Delivery Network (ISDN)—a system that links health, education, social welfare, and security services into one coordinated referral network.

By 2023, the city developed a referral algorithm and began drafting protocols to ensure that adolescents could easily access the right services, regardless of where they first sought help. Frontline workers were trained to screen adolescent concerns and refer cases—such as mental health issues or adolescent pregnancy—quickly and appropriately.

The process started with mapping all adolescent-serving agencies and assessing service gaps. Then, in December 2023, a three-day workshop facilitated by the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) helped align partners and establish shared referral processes and data-sharing agreements.

With a clear system in place, the city empowered frontliners and introduced monitoring tools to track referrals, improve service delivery, and ensure accountability across the network.

Strengthening Coordination and Passing Policies

To further institutionalize the work, Las Piñas aligned ISDN with the Department of Health’s Key Assistance for Developing Adolescents (KADA) Network. In September 2024, a local ordinance officially created the KADA Network, ensuring long-term policy support.

The networks were launched on December 6, 2024, complete with service catalogs, referral guides, directories, and resource maps.

Las Piñas did not stop at planning. The city rolled out activities to make the system effective and responsive:

• Regular Adolescent Case Management Conferences help network members jointly solve difficult cases like cyberbullying and sexual exploitation.
• Enhanced Usapan sessions improved counseling, contributing to a steady rise in mCPR.
• Dedicated Family Planning Implementers were deployed to barangays, reaching more adolescents and families directly.

A Model Worth Replicating

Las Piñas backed its reforms with dedicated budgets, policies, and leadership structures. The referral system is now embedded in how the city works—simplifying workflows and ensuring adolescents can get help wherever they first seek it, whether in school, a clinic, or a barangay hall.

Monitoring is led by the Health Promotion Unit, and the CLT regularly reviews progress and listens to feedback from the youth themselves. “These gains translated into better access,” said Dr. Hernandez, “as more families were able to choose and obtain their preferred contraceptive methods at the right time.”

And the results are starting to show. By 2024, ABR had dropped to 13 per 1,000 births among girls aged 15 to 19. Meanwhile, mCPR rose to 19%.

More than just improving services, the city built a model that centers adolescents, builds community trust, and connects systems. From policy to practice, and planning to grassroots action, Las Piñas has become a leading example of how local governments can transform health systems for the next generation.

Iloilo City, lovingly called the ‘City of Love’, has long been known for its cultural richness and educational institutions. But in recent years, it has also emerged as a national model for adolescent health reform. Faced with rising rates of teen pregnancy and weakened service delivery, the city responded with bold leadership, strong partnerships, and deep youth engagement—changing the story for its young population.

A Crisis in Continuity

In 2019, Iloilo City’s Adolescent Health and Development Program (AHDP) was in crisis. A leadership change at the City Health Office and the retirement of key personnel created disruptions in program continuity. At the time, the city had only one Level 2 Adolescent-Friendly Health Facility (AFHF) based in the Arevalo District. Despite support from the Integrated Service Delivery Network (ISDN) and local ordinances, the program remained fragile.

Even before the pandemic, adolescent health was already at risk. The city recorded an adolescent birth rate (ABR) of 36 per 1,000 girls aged 15–19 in 2019. One particularly alarming case involved a 10-year-old girl, the youngest known to give birth in the city—a clear sign of service gaps and unmet needs. By 2022, adolescents made up more than 18% of the city’s total population, amplifying the urgency.

Then COVID-19 struck, stalling what little progress had been made.

 

A Turning Point: Local Action Meets Global Support

Change began in earnest in 2022, when Iloilo City joined The Challenge Initiative (TCI)—a global program that supports local governments in implementing high-impact, sustainable family planning (FP) and adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH) interventions. Co-managed by the Zuellig Family Foundation and Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, TCI helped the city reframe adolescent health as a shared, multisectoral responsibility.

A City Leadership Team (CLT) was formed, expanding the existing Technical Working Group into a powerhouse of cooperation. Members included city government units, the Department of Education (DepEd), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), local colleges, the Iloilo City Police, the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation, and community organizations. Using TCI’s assessment tool as a strategic guide, the CLT pinpointed gaps and co-created solutions rooted in local realities.

“Through the Health Leadership and Management Program, our people evolved from support staff into leaders,” said Florence Joy Rubido, AHDP Nurse Coordinator. “We have achieved substantial progress. All district health centers in Iloilo City now have at least one Adolescent-Friendly Health Facility, and all adolescent focal persons from our nine district health centers have been capacitated through the AHDP foundational course in October 2023.”

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Youth Voices at the Center

Iloilo’s new approach centered on empowering adolescents to lead. Programs like KaTEenAran, a teen center at Nabitasan Integrated School, gave marginalized youth a safe, structured space. The NewscasTEENg competition and the AHD Film Advocacy Contest with UP Visayas allowed youth to use media and storytelling as advocacy tools.

The Teen AD Facebook page grew into a vibrant online community, connecting over 2,900 members to health information and services. Meanwhile, the Peer Helpers Training program built a cadre of trained young advocates offering peer-to-peer support.

“Young people were not just reached, they were engaged on their terms, in ways that truly resonate,” said Richard Magullado, Information Officer of Commission on Population and Development (CPD)Region VII. “From film contests and newscasting to vibrant digital platforms, youth voices drove the movement.”

Reaching Every Barangay

The city also strengthened its demand generation workforce. All 224 Barangay Service Point Officers (BSPOs) were re-trained to deliver up-to-date FP information. The city’s grassroots commitment was evident in events like the Adolescent Summits in June and November 2024.

Held in Brgy. Sooc, Mandurriao and Arevalo respectively, these summits reached over 330 adolescents with sessions on teen pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), child labor, and family planning profiling. Parents were also engaged through Parent-Teen Talks and Usapan Sessions, breaking down taboos and building trust.

During Youth Day at Ramon Avanceña National High School, 92 adolescents joined interactive workshops on mental health, HIV, and Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC), reinforcing their agency and access to support.

Policy Backing and Budget Growth

Iloilo’s local policies strengthened these efforts. Ordinance No. 2017-048 institutionalized the ISDN, while Executive Order No. 141 (2021) underscored adolescent pregnancy as a national priority. These enabled a coordinated response, backed by real investment: the city increased its adolescent health budget by 620% from 2024 to 2025.

The results speak volumes. Between 2019 and 2024, ABR dropped from 36 to 24 births per 1,000 girls aged 15–19. Meanwhile, modern contraceptive prevalence rates (mCPR) have consistently exceeded the national benchmark of 30% at 41% in 2024.

A Movement Built to Last

“Iloilo City shows that when local leadership is bold, young people are engaged as partners, and systems are built to last, transformation becomes not just possible but inevitable,” said Magullado.

The city’s journey is far from over—but the foundation is strong. With sustained leadership, empowered communities, and energized youth, Iloilo is not only protecting its adolescents—it is equipping them to thrive.

And in true Iloilo fashion, it is doing so with heart.