POPCOM-R02 briefs media practitioners on RPFP

POPCOM-R02 briefs media practitioners on RPFP

Information Officers of the Provincial Government of Nueva Vizcaya (PGNV) participated in the Orientation on Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning (RPFP) held by the Region 02 Office of the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM-R02) on August 18, 2022 at the Hotel Carmelita in Tuguegarao City.

In her opening message, POPCOM-R02 Regional Director Herita O. Macarubbo said that the activity, which is part of the POPCOM’s information, education and communication (IEC) strategies, aims to provide government and private sector media practitioners with a deeper knowledge about the key concepts of RPFP, and to encourage them to become partner-advocates for the RPFP and other programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) of the Commission.

The presentations and ensuing discussions focused on the concepts, myths and misconceptions on fertility, family planning, and responsible parenthood.

The resource persons stressed that the success of a family in providing a stable foundation for the development of offsprings hinges significantly on the ability of parents to practice responsible parenthood.

They also explained that authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful parental styles generally create problems that could even transcend succeeding generations.

“Parents have to balance demands and discipline with responsiveness, which can be achieved under a positive parent-child relationship, built and strengthened through good and effective two-way communication”, they advised.

In addition, they underscored the importance of the basic duties and responsibilities of parents to their children, namely: providing physical care, love, and basic needs, including education; inculcating right values, conduct, and discipline; teaching their roles and responsibilities; developing their social competence; and orienting them on age-appropriate aspects of human sexuality and gender sensitivity.

RD Macarubbo said that this advocacy program is also undertaken in the five component provinces of the Region and is being spearheaded by their respective Provincial Population Program Officers in tandem with their municipal level counterparts, most of whom are Municipal Health Officers (MHOs) and Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers (MSWDOs) doing the job on a concurrent capacity.

The POPCOM-R02 officials see the value of a closer partnership with the media practitioners as their support is a crucial element in communicating the Commission’s PPAs to all concerned and the general public at large. “They not only inform but are also in a position to raise public attention and create a desired sensation and stimulus for pressing issues and concerns”, said POPCOM-R02 Information Officer II Diana Rose M. Manangan.

The activity is anchored on the notion that the media is indeed a powerful tool in promoting the government’s PPAs, creating awareness, shaping and influencing public opinion, advocating for change, and ensuring that the voices and needs of citizens and other stakeholders in relation to government policies and actions are heard. It also addresses the need to feed the media practitioners with accurate and timely information.