USAID ReachHealth Accelerator: Creating a space and solutions for Filipino youth and women to take charge of their Sexual Reproductive Health
Amber Garma talks about the SRH landscape in the Philippines and how USAID ReachHealth Accelerator plays a key role in supporting innovations that address the gaps in family planning and teenage pregnancy in the Philippines.
A decade ago, the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, or the ‘RH Bill’, was passed into law. It was the triumphant result of a long battle for women’s reproductive health rights, a cause which Albay District Representative Edcel Lagman describes beautifully, “every child born deserves to be planned and wanted; that women should not die from unplanned, mistimed and high risk pregnancies”.
The RH Law became a milestone in Philippine gender-centered law, and paved the way for legislation like the SOGIE Equality Bill. Beyond this, it brought the promise of greater access to sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH), contraceptives, and comprehensive sex education.
But 10 years in, a crucial question emerges: what has been done to deliver on these promises? The RH Law set the stage, but the achievement of its long-term goals lies in the hands of various actors: the government, the private sector, civil society organizations, and the public.
So what is the current state of SRH in the Philippines? What factors have been holding progress back, and who has been pushing it forward?
As of 2020, the Philippines’ teenage pregnancy average of 47 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19 is still higher than the global average of 44. Lack of accurate sexual education proves to be the largest factor behind this. Only a reported 13% of Filipino girls aged 15–19 had accurate information about their fertility periods. And these realities only cover the surface. More can be said about the influence of conservative culture and attitudes, Christian faith denominations, and demographic factors such as socioeconomic status on the SRH and wellbeing of Filipino women.
However, here’s the good news!
The contraceptive prevalence rate in 2022 is at 41.8%, 1.4% higher than it was in 2017. Use of modern contraceptives such as birth control pills and intrauterine devices (IUDs) are also increasing. And despite access issues, awareness of contraceptives is nearly universal, at 99.0% as of 2021. The average number of births per woman in 2022 is also decreasing, at 1.9% from 2.6% in 2017. From a cultural standpoint, observed realities also show that SRH is becoming less of a taboo topic, and the calls for women’s rights to agency over their bodies, and to fair and accessible SRH services are stronger than ever. In addition, a handful of actors are also doing their part to amplify these calls and sustain the RH Law’s gains.
SRH finds champions in lawmakers like Senator Risa Hontiveros, who has advocated for improved access to all kinds of modern contraceptives, and authored laws for expanded maternity leave and solo parents’ benefits. In civil society, local organizations such as Likhaan Center for Women’s Health, Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP), and the Philippine Safe Abortion Advocacy Network (PINSAN) have been working towards better and safer access to modern contraceptive options, sexual and reproductive health services, and safe abortion and post-abortion care.
But often overlooked in this ecosystem is the private sector that plays an integral role in the service delivery of SRH and the creation of innovative solutions for SRH issues.
USAID ReachHealth Innovation Accelerator levels the playing field
In 2022 Villgro Philippines launched the USAID ReachHealth Innovation Accelerator in partnership with USAID, RTI International, and the Duke Global Health Innovation Centre. The ReachHealth Accelerator is a program supporting local innovators in creating solutions for family planning and teenage pregnancy challenges.
USAID ReachHealth Innovation Accelerator is a 6-month program with learning labs, webinars, a customized mentorship system, and an investment readiness assessment, culminating in an impact showcase where participants engage with potential investors and partners. In 2022, the ReachHealth Accelerator worked with four enterprises in the fields of health and education: CP Health Innovations Inc. (CareGo EMR), Edukasyon.ph, FriendlyCare Clinic, and Yaka.ph. Each of the teams developed a Family Planning (FP) solution that they tested, strengthened, and prepared to launch with the learnings and assistance they received through the program.
CareGo EMR is developing a text-message system that informs communities about free available programs for reproductive and maternal health in government health centers, accessible to lower-income individuals. Edukasyon.PH addresses barriers to SRH through their Turn You On 2.0 initiative, a one-stop shop comprehensive SRH education platform which enables peer education and facilitation for the youth.
FriendlyCare Clinic’s solution is their e-Plano app, aiming to ease access to family planning methods, where users can quickly access legitimate family planning information and secure an FP service appointment. Yaka.ph is a digital baby book where mothers and families can engage in pre and post-partum family planning activities and connect to a community of fellow women and families.
Through creating these solutions, further aided by both the mentorship and funding they receive from the ReachHealth Accelerator, these admirable enterprises are not only delivering on the promises of better SRH options for Filipino women — they reveal a future wherein women’s reproductive, sexual, and maternal rights are championed by all.
About the Author
Amber Garma is a 21 year-old Communications intern at Villgro Philippines. She is currently in her fourth year at the Ateneo de Manila University, where she majors in Development Studies and specializes in Urban an Regional Development.
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