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

Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) Chairman Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit shares his reflections in the Georgetown-Lancet Commission on Faith, Trust, and Health, drawing from five decades of public health leadership in the Philippines and abroad.

Dr. Dayrit recalls his early work in rural Mindanao, where he learned that trust begins with listening. “We built a community of kindred spirits,” he said. “We learned to speak the language of the heart by listening to their needs and aspirations.”

As a former Secretary of Health and World Health Organization (WHO) Director, he led efforts to strengthen health systems and unite people around a shared mission. Now as ZFF Chair, he continues to guide programs that build local leadership and advance Universal Health Care (UHC)—work that he sees as both technical and spiritual.

“Promoting [UHC] requires attention not only to political and technical issues, but also to the spiritual journey of individuals and communities toward compassion, fairness, and peace,” he said.

Excerpt from the feature:

Why did you want to join a commission focused on faith, trust, and health, and what are you hoping it will achieve?

The invitation to join the Commission came at an auspicious moment. I had recently returned from Southern Philippines [Mindanao], where I met with Imams to discuss teenage pregnancy prevention in a culture where girls are married off as soon as their monthly periods begin. I also met Catholic educators who were teaching Muslim children about health at school. I saw that our local efforts could be shared and amplified by joining a global Commission that seeks to bring faith and health communities together to improve health care for marginalized populations.

Read the full feature here

Related article:

• Zuellig Family Foundation Welcomes Dr. Manuel Dayrit as Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Ateneo de Davao has conferred the Drs. Jess and Trining dela Paz Award to the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF), in recognition of its work in transformative leadership in public health. The award is given to honorary members, exceptional individuals, and organizations whose achievements and contributions to society reflect the highest ideals of leadership, scholarship, and service.

This award also recognizes ZFF’s exceptional commitment to public service, philanthropy, and societal betterment, and pays tribute to the Foundation’s extensive and impactful contributions, particularly in the areas of Universal Health Care implementation, Nutrition and Health Governance, and Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health. The esteemed members of the awards committee acknowledge the Foundation’s work and unwavering dedication, which has brought significant improvements, especially to underserved communities in Mindanao.

Transformative Impact on Universal Health Care and Primary Health Care

Strengthening local health systems and improving access for vulnerable communities to primary health care has been the cornerstone of The Zuellig Family Foundation’s work with local governments. From its initial pilot municipalities in 2008, ZFF has mainstreamed and scaled up its engagement by working with Department of Health (DOH) Centers for Health and Development, and provincial governments to ensure achievement of Universal Health Care (UHC) in the Philippines. ZFF’s work with the LGUs focuses on capacity building of governors and their provincial health teams to meet local health system maturity targets and ensuring access to primary health services. As a driving force for UHC, access to quality primary health care ensures that every Filipino’s right to optimal health outcomes is achieved. 

Commitment to Nutrition and Health Governance 

Understanding the critical role of nutrition in overall health, ZFF has implemented numerous initiatives aimed at combating malnutrition among young children and pregnant women since 2017. These programs focus on providing capacity building and technical support to Local Chief Executives (governors and mayors) and local leaders to bridge systemic nutritional gaps among vulnerable populations and improve governance of health and nutrition programs. 

ZFF has engaged with all six regions in Mindanao, working with a total of 13 provinces and eight cities over the years. Currently, ZFF continues to engage with ten provinces in the region, maintaining strong partnerships to enhance local capacities and outcomes. These sustained efforts have led to measurable improvements in the nutritional status of children and families, particularly in provinces such as Zamboanga del Norte, Sarangani, and Basilan.

Focus on Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health

Recognizing the importance of addressing the unique health needs of adolescents and the youth, the Zuellig Family Foundation has prioritized initiatives to contribute to the reduction of adolescent pregnancies, including cities and municipalities in Mindanao through The Challenge Initiative (TCI) in partnership with William Gates Sr. Institute for Population and Reproductive Health and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the Youth Leadership and Governance Program (YLGP), in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

—

The Drs. Jess and Trining de la Paz award is named after an outstanding couple in Davao, both physicians. The Drs. Jess and Trining de la Paz Award is intended to honor laymen and laywomen whose lives and work reflect love and concern for their fellows, following the Gospel’s great commandment of love.