ARCHES team pays courtesy calls to ARMM provinces

February 2, 2017

Together with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), Tarbilang Foundation, and Pinay Kilos (PINK), the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) local advocacy team of Mr. Rio Magpayo and Ms. Maureen Bugatti paid courtesy visit to local government units and Integrated Provincial Health Offices (IPHOs) in the provinces of Basilan, Tawi-tawi, Maguindanao, and Lanao del Sur from January 16 to 27.

The courtesy calls were part of preliminary activities for the second phase of implementation of the project “Improving the Availability of Reproductive Health Services in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao” or ARCHES.

The team met Dr. Rhodora Delgado and Dr.Tahir Sulaik, IPH Officers of Basilan and Maguindanao, respectively, and representatives of the IPHOs of Tawi-tawi and Lanao del Sur. The groups discussed the objectives of the project and how the IPHOs and ARCHES can work together to deliver better RH services to the people of ARMM.

The team also paid courtesy visit to Vice Governor Michail K. Ahaja of Tawi-tawi, Mayor Jimuel S. Que and Vice Mayor Abdulsaid Jum Dail of Bongao, and both expressed their full support for the project, hoping to be regularly informed on its progress.

Supported by the European Union, ARCHES is a five-year project that aims to improve the RH situation in ARMM through capacitating health service providers, building the capacity of communities and local organizations, and national and local policy development on RH. The project is now entering its second phase of implementation. Partners for the project are Oxfam in the Philippines; PBSP for health service delivery and capacity building; PLCPD for policy advocacy; and four organizations based in the ARMM—Al Mujadillah Development Foundation, Pinay Kilos, Tarbilang Foundation, and UNYPHIL Women—for capacity building of women, young people and communities towards sustaining their own actions on sexual and reproductive health.