Rep. Janette Garin clarifies report on the UN Population Funding

Iloilo Representative Janette L. Garin clarifies that as far as she knows the United Nations (UN) funding support for family planning (FP) and reproductive health (RH) is intended for meeting the Millennium Development targets in reducing maternal mortality and improving the maternal and child health situation in the country and is not envisioned to control the growth of population.

Rep. Garin said that she is not aware of the plan of UN to withdraw their support for family planning in the country and that they are here to stay for their programs which will be more comprehensive and more focused come 2012.

According to Rep. Garin, one of the main authors of the highly clamored RH bill, the UN has existing programs in various provinces of the country that assist poor areas as they provide family planning services and contraceptive support for Local Government Units (LGUs) wanting to help women and couples meet their family planning needs.

“Currently, UN Population Fund support programs that help improves maternal and infant health, as well as other family planning services,” Garin said.

Being one of the RH main authors Garin is thankful that UN is supportive of having a national policy on reproductive health.

Garin explains, “UN’s support on the country’s family planning program is very much valued. “And even after the enactment of the proposed RH bill, UN’s support will still be needed only to startup the program implementation,” she stressed.

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