Lanao del Sur stakeholders gear up for local legislation on reproductive health

On February 7-9, the Philippine Legislators’ Committee of Population and Development (PLCPD), together with Al-Mujadilah Development Foundation (AMDF), facilitated a writeshop on comprehensive local policy on Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH). The policy development workshop was held in Cagayan de Oro City.

Nineteen participants from five municipalities of Lanao del Sur – Piagapo, Taraka, Buadipuso-Buntong, Bubong, and Marantao – participated in this workshop, producing draft ordinances and action plan for the advocacy of RPRH in their respective municipalities.

Hon. Nashiba Gandamra-Sumagayan, the Municipal Mayor of Taraka, expressed support for the implementation of RPRH in Taraka.

During the writeshop, Ms. Aliah Matuan, Provincial Family Planning Coordinator, presented the regional situation of reproductive health. Prof. Aleem Anwar Radiamoda of Mindanao State University-King Faisal Center for Islamic and Asian Studies also discussed the key points of the Fatwa on Family Planning.

The policy development workshop is part of a series of activities geared towards contributing to an enabling policy environment for reproductive health at the local level, particularly in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao – one of the objectives of the ARCHES project or “Improving the Availability of RH services in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM),” in which both PLCPD and AMDF are implementing partners.