ILOILO — Despite improvements in recent years, 8.8 percent of women in Western Visayas still lacked access to the family planning methods they needed in 2025, a rate higher than the national average of 7.6 percent, underscoring a persistent gap in reproductive healthcare in the region.
Data cited by the Commission on Population (CPD) showed that Western Visayas’ unmet need for family planning declined from 9.5 percent in 2022 to 8.8 percent in 2025. Nationally, the rate dipped only slightly from 7.7 percent in 2022 to 7.6 percent in 2025.
The figures were highlighted as the country observes Family Planning Month, with CPD-6 pressing for wider access to family planning services, accurate information and professional healthcare guidance.
While the regional decline indicates progress, CPD Region 6 stressed that the remaining gap means many women still lack the resources needed to make informed decisions and exercise control over their reproductive health.
CPD-6 said family planning should not be treated as a one-size-fits-all approach because the appropriate method depends on a person’s health condition, lifestyle and family plans.
Among the safe and effective methods available are implants, intrauterine devices or IUDs, pills, injectables and condoms.
The agency encouraged individuals and couples to consult healthcare providers to obtain accurate information and determine which method is most appropriate for their circumstances.
It also advised users who experience side effects from a particular method not to immediately discontinue it without seeking professional advice. Healthcare workers can provide guidance or recommend alternative family planning options.
CPD-6 director Harold Alfred Marshall emphasized that family planning goes beyond the provision of contraceptive methods and requires informed and shared decision-making among couples.
“Family planning is not just a health program; it is a conversation every couple deserves to have. When couples plan together, consult the right people, and take active steps to protect their health, they are not just protecting themselves; they are securing a better future for their children,” he said.
“This Family Planning Month, let us embrace the S.M.A.R.T. initiative — sama-sama (together), may tamang kaalaman (with the right knowledge), aktibo (active), responsable (responsible), at tiyak ang magandang kinabukasan (and certain of a bright future),” he added.
Marshall said strengthening support, education and access to healthcare could help close the family planning gap and enable families to build healthier futures.
CPD-6 urged individuals, couples, families and communities across Western Visayas to help address unmet family planning needs by advocating better access to services, visiting local health centers and discussing available options with healthcare professionals.
The agency stressed that ensuring access to reliable information and appropriate family planning methods is crucial in allowing people to make informed decisions about their health and their families’ future./PN
