Butuan LGU gathers tribal families for seminar on responsible parenthood
By Mariesh F. Celedeña
BUTUAN CITY (PIA)—The city government of Butuan through the City Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department (CTCAD), recently conducted a seminar on responsible parenthood and family planning to the indigenous families in the barangays of Manila de Bugabus and Los Angeles, here.
The initiative, in partnership with the Commission on Population Development (CPD) Caraga, addressed the increase in the city’s population that may be attributed to the significant population of indigenous people (IP) who are known to have many children due to their culture and some family planning methods are not widely acceptable for them.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) 2020 census on population and housing, Butuan City, as the sole highly urbanized city in Caraga, has increased its population to 372,910 from 337,063 in the year 2015.
The seminar promoted community empowerment and informed family planning choices and responsible parenthood, supporting the health and well-being of the IP families, while honoring their cultural values and traditions.
According to Regional Director Alexander A. Makinano of the CPD Caraga, it is crucial to empower the parents and soon-to-be parents on family planning and responsible parenthood to be able to build a healthy family.
“One of the direct reasons why a teenager engages in premarital sex is the absence of parental guidance. That is why it is important to empower them to be responsible parents and guide their children.” Dir. Makinano said.
Datu Kabilin Belarmino Tomoc of Barangay Manila de Bugabus expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the initiative, emphasizing how much it educated the families in his community. He also reaffirmed the community’s commitment to ensure that each family in the community is informed on reproductive health.
Richard D. Villar, department head to CTCAD, shared that the IP community personally requested the seminar expressing their strong commitment to be responsible parents.
“We recognize that they have their own and unique ways and beliefs on family and parenthood, through the guidance of their Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP),” Villar said. “There is empowerment if the community members know that they have choices and become better members of their respective communities and the whole society in general.”
Meanwhile, CPD Caraga also distributed free family planning paraphernalia, while others availed of on-the-spot injectable contraceptives and pills, lessening the high risks on fertility birth. (MFC, PIA Butuan City with a report from Butuan CTCAD)