Tacloban City — Local leaders from Samar and Southern Leyte closed a three-day workshop on September 19, 2025, with a firm pledge to put people at the center of their development plans. The release of the 2022 Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) data prompted the workshop, revealing serious gaps in education, food security, jobs, and health across eight municipalities in Eastern Visayas.

Participants admitted that despite years of government investments, fragmented programs and infrastructure-heavy spending left many services underfunded. During the workshop, they treated the CBMS data not only as a report but as a wake-up call.

Troubling Gaps in Human Development

The CBMS numbers highlighted urgent challenges which contribute to local human capital development:

• Education: In San Jose de Buan, half of adults in unions had not completed elementary school. Calbiga, Catbalogan, and Maasin also showed large education gaps that continue to trap families in poverty.
• Food Security: Hunger persists in many areas. Calbiga reported the highest food insecurity at 56.88%, with Macrohon, Tomas Oppus, and Catbalogan also recording alarming rates.
• Health: Illness rates reached 62.2% in Tomas Oppus and 43% in San Jose de Buan. Yet PhilHealth coverage stayed critically low, with no municipality surpassing 12% and San Jose de Buan reporting only 1.75%.

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

Turning Data Into Action

The Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) organized the workshop under the Joint Programme on Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy (JPARAP) with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). ZFF guided participants in aligning their development priorities with the Philippine Population and Development Plan of Action (PPD-POA) and measuring their success thru a developed local human development index

Health, planning, budget, nutrition, and population officers reviewed their draft Municipal Population and Development Plans of Action through focused sessions. Participants committed to carry forward people-centered priorities in their respective local government unit (LGU)’s planning cycles.

A Call for People-Centered Governance

By the end of the workshop, participants were united in one message: CBMS data must not gather dust in filing cabinets. It should serve as a mirror, reflecting the real needs of communities. Progress, they said, should no longer be measured by the number of buildings or roads completed, but by how many lives are improved.

The challenge now lies with LGUs: to show that governance is not about scattered projects or token budgets, but about truly putting people first.

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

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

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.

The Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program (EYLGP) in Southern Leyte is helping young people and local officials work together to reduce adolescent pregnancies.

A joint initiative of the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), EYLGP equips both youth leaders and local governments to work side by side in improving adolescent health.

When the program started in 2022, Southern Leyte already had a lower adolescent birth rate (ABR) than the national average. UNFPA challenged the province to aim higher: bring adolescent births down to zero by 2026. With this ambitious goal, the EYLGP scaled up lessons from Mindanao—where ZFF’s youth leadership programs helped lower teen pregnancies—by also including mayors, health officers, and community leaders in capacity-building. The idea was that with both youth champions and competent local governments, results could be achieved faster.

Now on its 22nd month, the program has shown strong results:

• All 10 partner local government units (LGUs) reduced adolescent births, with the provincial cohort ABR dropping by 29%—from 35.8 per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19 in 2022 to 25.4 in 2024.
• This decline is nearly triple the national target rate of 10% per year, showing that Southern Leyte is moving faster than expected.
• Liloan and Tomas Oppus reported zero adolescent births in 2024, while six other LGUs are already below the 2026 program target of 21 per 1,000.

On contraceptive use, the province’s modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) for adolescents reached 3.6%. This is already enough to cover adolescent mothers but shows room to expand access so that sexually active teens who are not yet mothers can prevent their first pregnancies.

Much of this success came from innovations, including the TrucKabataan mobile health service, wider access to adolescent-friendly health facilities, and stronger multi-sectoral governance bodies that meet regularly to address youth concerns.

Youth are at the center of the program. They lead peer education, information campaigns, and initiatives to keep girls in school, showing that when given the chance, adolescents can be powerful advocates for their own health and future.

Despite these gains, challenges remain. Births among girls aged 10 to 14 years old increased, often linked to gender-based violence and access to harmful online content. These cases show the need for stronger child protection policies and community awareness.

The program will continue until 2026, with ZFF and partners coaching LGUs to sustain and expand initiatives. Technical support will also be provided so municipalities can strengthen their health facilities, access PhilHealth reimbursements, and integrate adolescent health into broader development plans.

As Dr. Dorie Lyn Balanoba, EYLGP Director at ZFF, emphasized during the EYLGP Colloquium in Southern Leyte last August 13, 2025, the ultimate goal goes beyond reducing pregnancies: “We also look forward to more empowered adolescents making healthy choices that allow them to achieve their goals and bright future.”

Southern Leyte’s experience shows that the EYLGP model—youth leaders working with responsive LGUs—can deliver results and transform local systems for adolescent health.

EYLGP Colloquium on Adolescent Health in Southern Leyte and Samar

On August 13 and 15, 2025, we will gather online for the Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program (EYLGP) Colloquium focused on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (ASRHR) in Southern Leyte and Samar.

These virtual events will bring together youth leaders, local government unit (LGU) partners, and multisectoral stakeholders to share stories and lessons from the ground. Through public narratives and forums, we will highlight how young people and local leaders are working together to improve adolescent health and rights in their communities.

Join us on Zoom:

• August 13, 1:00 p.m.: Southern Leyte Colloquium (Register here)
• August 15, 1:00 p.m.: Samar Colloquium (Register here)

What to expect:

• Stories from youth champions and local leaders
• Panel discussions with municipal and provincial health officers, youth development officers, and ASRHR focal persons
• Videos from partner LGUs showcasing their local efforts
• Insights from the Department of Health, Commission on Population and Development, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Education, and Department of the Interior and Local Government

Be part of the conversation. Celebrate progress and inspire the next wave of youth leadership in health governance.

“Is there a way of digitizing preventive care?” Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit, Chair of the Zuellig Family Foundation, asks during the Provincial Leadership and Development Program (PLDP) Colloquium in Eastern Visayas on July 3, 2025. He continued, “Because if you can get a big picture, bring the spectrum—of clinical care and preventive care—together, then you have a total approach to UHC (Universal Health Care).”

The colloquium marked the completion of the Bayang Malusog PLDP (2022–2024) run in Eastern Visayas, a partnership between the Department of Health (DOH) Eastern Visayas, University of the Philippines Manila School of Health Sciences, and Zuellig Family Foundation. The program supported provincial leaders in all six provinces—Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Biliran—to lead local health reforms as part of their push for UHC. Each province made its own progress, with efforts focused on improving nutrition, and adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH).

Related article:

• Dr. Exuperia Sabalberino Gives Back, Exemplifies Leadership in Action

Among the gains celebrated were integrated provincial UHCroadmaps, 70% achievement of organizational targets, and progress in qualifying nearly all provinces for Health Care Provider Network (HCPN) contracting. Dr. Dayrit pointed out that the program’s strength lies in developing both political and technical leadership—a combination essential to navigating demographic, economic, and system-level challenges.

Keynote speaker Dr. Alvin Marcelo, Professor, Lecturer, and Program Lead for the Standards and Interoperability Lab (SILab), noted that achieving UHC requires seamless interoperability of health information systems. He stressed the need to address governance, technical, and programmatic gaps through a structured framework: teaming, tooling, training, testing, and transfer.

Local leaders also shared real results. Southern Leyte Vice Governor Rosa Emilia Mercado highlighted how an immersion activity, the Deep Dive, inspired policy changes. After meeting a 15-year-old mother, Governor Damian Mercado and his team passed ordinances that funded AYSRH programs and strengthened pregnancy prevention.

Leyte Governor Carlos Petilla introduced the Quick Medical Record (QMeR) system, which connects patient records, referral services, and PhilHealth claims in one digital platform. This system now powers efficient healthcare across multiple facilities, with potential for wider rollout.

Despite these successes, DOH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Dr. Exuperia Sabalberino reminded participants that more work lies ahead. She called for scaling up innovations, deepening partnerships, and ensuring equitable access to health services for every Eastern Visayan. With strong foundations laid, the region’s leaders are now tasked with turning the full promise of UHC into reality.

Authors: Rio Fe Del Valle ZFF Nutrition Monitoring, Evalutation and Learning Expert; Krizzia Esperanza, ZFF Corporate Communications Associate

Perseverance—the unwavering will to keep moving forward despite challenges—is what defines the life and service of a 71-year-old Barangay Kagawad from Barangay Mambajao, Maasin City, Southern Leyte. 

Felizardo Ramos is a retired community organizer of the Commission on Population and Development. He dedicated 17 years to grassroots work. Today, even in his retirement, he continues to serve—this time with a deep focus on preventing teenage pregnancy in his barangay.

As the head of the Barangay Health Committee, he sees every learning opportunity as a way to improve himself and his leadership. He completed training under Modules 1 and 2 of Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF)’s Barangay Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program (BEYLGP)—a training series that equips local leaders with innovative strategies to address adolescent health and rights. 

These sessions are part of the Joint Program on Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy (JPARAP) in Southern Leyte and Samar. The program is supported by the Provincial Government of  Southern Leyte, the City Government of Maasin, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). 

In Barangay Mambajao, reported teenage pregnancies among 15- to 19-year-olds rose from zero in 2021 to 3 in 2022. The number slightly declined to 1 in 2023 but increased again to 4 in 2024 and 6 in 2025. These numbers reflect the urgent need for sustained action to protect and empower young people.

To Ramos, making a difference is not about numbers—it is about heart. “Even if we are only two or three, as long as we have the commitment and passion to help others—especially adolescents—we can make a difference,” he shared. Over time, they realized that holding just one symposium was not enough to create real change. This is why Ramos is now planning to allocate funds for the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (ASRHR) program in the barangay.

With a renewed sense of purpose, he is determined to carry out the plans created during the program and follow through even beyond the end of the project. His promise is clear: to continue the fight against teenage pregnancy so that every adolescent has a chance at a better future.

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