THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
V
"
 
Introduced by SENATOR LUISA "LOI" P. E JERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Rapid population growth exacerbates many environmental problems, including air 
and water pollution, loss of wildlife habitat, fisheries depletion, and climate change and 
seriously impairs nearly all facets of political, economic and social life of the people. 
Given the nature and magnitude of its complexity, it not only obstructs growth 
and development, creating numerous difficulties in daily life, but also causes a setback in 
developing the intelligence, culture, and physical fitness of mankind. If this population 
growth remains unabated, in the near fLiture our country will face numerous difficulties 
and serious danger in various domains. 
Albeit the government expends efforts to critically address this predicament, no 
significant change has been effected because much of these efforts are based on a flawed 
perspective. 
The prevailing paradigm seems to be that population growth is purely a health 
concern that is entirely distinct and detached from other issues. This is the reason why 
governmental efforts to address the same are geared towards population growth 
abatement per se and not aimed at undertaking a holistic approach as demanded by 
existing population predicaments. 
What is more disturbing is the fact that as a result of such perspective, population 
concerns take a backseat and are accorded low priority. As it is now, for instance, the 
existing Population Commission is merely an attached agency of the NEDA; thus, 
malting it ineffective in addressing various population issues. 
Indeed, the problem on population is so extensive and all-encompassing that if the 
government is to continue harnessing its resources towards mere growth control, there is 
no way an effective measure to reduce population can paradoxically be carried out 
effectively. 
A change in perspective is needed. 
It is about time we realize that rapid population growth is more than a health 
concern, so that it no longer makes sense to justify the enactment of a population policy 
on health grounds only. Population policy is justified by its multifaceted impact on all 
aspects of economic and social life. 
More importantly, it is about time we realize that more than anything else, 
population issues are directly related to women's concerns for after all the fate of the 
planet is connected to their participation in this process. 
When women, for instance, are educated about various population issues and have 
access to family planning resources, they shall be able to space their children, delay the 


timing of their first child, and have longer intervals between each child. As a result, there 
shall be a decrease in the risk of mortality in both women and children, and there shall be 
provided a much more conducive environment for pursuing a national population 
program that will result into significant reduction of the rate of population growth. 
In sum, an effective population program should include two components. These 
are: 1) saving women's lives through provision of vital reproductive health care, 
including family planning and maternal health programs which include prenatal, 
postpartum, "/AIDS 
and other sexually transmitted disease education that results in 
safe pregnancies and safe motherhood; and 2) taking into consideration various 
socioeconomic and political concerns, mindfbl of the current view that demographic 
variables permeate all aspects of economic and social life so that it makes it imperative 
that population policy be managed in such a way that all the relevant sectors of the 
economy and society are equitably served by it. 
Hence, this bill seeks to promote the welfare of Filipino families and save 
women's lives and their families through the establishment of a national family welfare 
program and creation of National Family Welfare Commission, as a separate entity under 
the Office of the President. 
Immediate enactment of this bill into law is earnestly sought. 
LUISA "LOI" 8. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 


, 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Introduced by SENATOR LUISA "LOI" P. E JERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
PROTECTING THE WELFARE OF THE FILIPINO FAMILY THROUGH THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL FAMILY WELFARE PROGRAM, CREATION 
OF THE NATIONAL FAMILY WELFARE COMMISSION AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Family Welfare Act.'' 
SECTION 2. Declaration of State Policy. - It is hereby declared to be the policy 
of the State to promote the welfare of Filipino families and to protect and save women's 
lives and their families through satisfaction of basic human needs and enhancement of the 
quality of life of the people in areas such as housing, health and nutrition, education, 
transportation and environmental conditions through establishment of a national family 
welfare program. Such program shall be geared towards: 
malting development planning and policy more comprehensive and 
effective by the incorporation of the demographic dimension; 
achieving a rate of growth of the population that would be 
sustainable by the economy, thus, establishing a small and 
prosperous family norm; 
contributing towards meeting the basic needs of the people, 
improving the quality of the people and the family and enhancing 
utilization of the nation's human resources; 
promoting the health and welfare of the people especially those in 
the high-risk groups of mothers and children; 


moderating initially the expected rise in and later reducing 
progressively population growth rates through the spread of 
voluntary family planning and small family noms so as to 
facilitate the attainment of national economic and social targets; 
guiding mral-urban migrations, so as to minimize socio-economic 
problems and optimize benefits to migrants and non-migrants alike 
in rural as well as urban areas; and 
allowing women and men to exercise their fundamental human 
right to plan the size of their families and ensure that every 
pregnancy is planned and every child is wanted. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms 
sliall mean: 
(a) 
Population - anything related to the quantity, main characteristics, 
growth, disposition, quality, condition of welfare which involves 
economic, social, culture, religion and environment of the people. 
(b) 
Population Development - the change in population situation and 
its characteristics within a period of time, either caused by natural 
process or caused by the influence of social, economic, cultural, 
and environmental change, which involves the quantity, growth, 
quality and mobility. 
(c) 
Family Planning - an effort to increase the society awareness and 
participation through delayed-marriage, birth control, development 
and increment of family welfare, and other efforts to create the 
family prosperity based on the Small and Prosperous Family Norm. 
(d) 
Small and Prosperous Family Norm is a standard institutionalized 
and culturized within each individual, family, and society, to 
motivate establishment of an ideal number of members within a 
family and a fair condition to form the physical welfare and mental 
liappines s. 


(e) 
Quality of People and Family - the condition of people and family 
measures with the criteria of education, health, economy, other 
social- cultural, self-reliance and mental-spiritual and religion, 
which are bases for development of their ability and to enjoy life as 
a human being, with culture, personality and in a reasonable 
condition. 
(f) 
Environment - an integration of a space with all its resources, 
power, condition and creatures, including people and their 
behavior, which affects the livelihood and welfare of human and 
other living creatures. 
SECTION 4. National Family Welfare Commission. - There shall be created a 
National Family Welfare Commission (hereinafter known as "Commission"). It shall be 
headed by a chairman and two commissioners who shall each have a term of four (4) 
years and shall be constituted by the President of the Philippines from among the list of 
nominees considered expert in the field of family planning management. The chairman 
shall have the rank and privileges of a department undersecretary, and the appointive 
commissioners shall have the rank and privileges of assistant secretaries of a department. 
SECTION 5. Status and Nature of the Commission. - 
The Commission shall 
be independent and autonomous and shall have the same status as that of a national 
government agency attached to the Office of the President. 
The Commission shall exercise corporate powers. It shall have a seal, may sue 
and be sued, and shall be the sole policy-making coordinating body of all family welfare 
management pro grams. 
SECTION 6. Powers of the Commission. - 
The Commission shall have the 
followiiig powers: 
(1) 
To appoint the officers and other personnel of the Commission and 
fix their compensation, allowances and other emoluments, subject 
to the civil service and other existing applicable laws, rules and 
regulations; 
(2) 
To suspend, dismiss, or otherwise discipline for cause, any 
employee, and/or to approve or disapprove the appointment, 


, 
transfer or detail of employees, subject to the provisions of existing 
laws and regulations; 
(3) 
To enter into contracts; 
(4) 
To acquire, use and control any land, building, facilities, 
equipment, instrument, tools, and rights required or otherwise 
necessary for the accomplishment of the objectives of the 
Commission; 
( 5 )  
To acquire, own, possess and dispose of any real or personal 
property; 
(6) 
To accept donations, gifts, bequests, and grants; 
(7) 
To ensure the implementation by various government departments 
and agencies of their disaster management programs; 
(8) 
To issue rules and regulations in pursuance of the provisions of this 
Act; and 
(9) 
To perfonn any and all other acts incident to or required by virtue of 
its creation. 
SECTION 7. Responsibilities of the Commission. - The responsibilities of the 
Commission shall revolve around the principal social and economic development sect0r.s 
and touch areas as varied as maternal and infant health, employment, education, housing 
and the habitat, child and youth welfare, the environment and sanitation, control of 
demographic growth, and other related concerns. Specifically, these responsibilities shall 
. 
be to: 
(1) 
Make family planning means and services to all couples and 
individuals easily accessible at affordable cost and actively 
promote the acceptance of contraceptive practice, which shall 
include : 
(a) 
expansion of static and mobile maternal and child health 
family planning clinics; 


intensification of community-based delivery systems of 
contraceptives to cover those not reached by the 
conventional delivery channels; 
distribution 
of 
conventional 
non-prescriptive 
contraceptives, 
i.e. 
those 
not 
requiring 
medical 
prescriptions, through local health center units; and 
where feasible, referral arrangements for counselling and 
service to health outlets equipped for family planning. 
Expand and improve in a culturally acceptable manner the 
iniplementation of family planning and population education 
programs in schools and throughout the nation; 
Expand programs for youth to increase participation in community 
activities and to help avoid pregnancy before marriage and delay 
the birth of their first child; 
Provide incentives to women who delay their first pregnancy until 
24 years of age or who space their children at least every three 
years; 
Assist with self-productivity projects and encourage women 
participation in the labor force, 
Sponsor programs that would encourage and prolong higher levels 
of education so that males and females may better understand the 
difference and consequences of “quality” children versus 
“quantity” children. 
Improve pregnancy outcomes by encouraging expectant mothers to 
attend pre-natal clinic sessions early in their first trimester of 
pregnancy. 
Expand ’ population education and family planning counseling 
efforts to reduce the numbers of high-risk pregnancies; 


Effect attitudinal changes among couples through awareness 
programs to decrease unnecessary fear concerning the potential 
losses of their infants. 
Sponsor training efforts in all areas of maternal and child health 
care. 
Sponsor information campaign projects that would encourage 
breast feeding which provides nutrients, immunological protection 
and psychological well-being for the infants, discourage the 
consumption of cigarettes, alcohol, non-nutritious foods and other 
harmful 
substances during pregnancy 
and encourage the 
availability of nutritious foods during and after pregnancy. 
Submit. recommendations to appropriate agencies on ways to 
improve local food production, utilization and consumption; 
Improve the demographic knowledge base, i.e. data collection, 
processing, analysis, projections and research on population, and 
development interaction on regular basis; 
Promote and facilitate the utilization of the knowledge base in 
social and economic planning, policies and projects etc.; 
Promote, clarify and sharpen the awareness and understanding 
among leaders and the public at large of population and 
development problems and issues; 
Provide men and women with information and education on the 
value of reasonable family size and child spacing to improve the 
welfare of the family and its members, the community and the 
nation; 
Pay special attention to selected groups such as young persons and 
women of reproductive age, members of organized groups in 
providing information and education relating to family life, fertility 
regulation, etc. 


\ 
Improve the quality and availability of maternal and child health 
care services, through coordination with the Department of Health, 
so as to reduce infant, child and maternal morbidity and mortality; 
Review existing legislation as it pertains to key areas of population 
policy improved quality of life and enhanced protection of the 
welfare of men, women and children; 
Promote collaboration among the various government agencies and 
NGOs; 
Coordinate implementation of population policies and programs; 
Coordinate the preparation and review of a national population 
action plan to give effect to the national population policy; 
(23) Help ensure that population variables are integrated into all stages o f  
soci'o-economic planning; 
(24) 
Establish a system for the mutual exchange of general 
demography, economic and other information from responsible 
agencies, including Government and research institutions; 
(25) 
Provide demographic data required for population and human 
resources planning, programming and monitoring; 
(26) Help identify research and data gaps and undertake, or collaborate 
with research institutions in research concerning population 
development 
interactions 
and 
population 
policy 
program 
management (operations research); 
(27) Assist in the design and implementation of programs aimed at 
spreading knowledge and promoting the small and prosperous 
family norm; and 
(28) 
Establish a system for the monitoring and evaluation of the 
implementation of the national population policy. 


SECTION 8. The Secretariat and the Executive Director. - 
The Commission 
shall organize a secretariat to be headed by an executive director who shall serve as the 
chief operating officer. 
The executive director shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon 
the recommendation of the Commission for a term of four (4) years with reappointment 
for another term, and must have the qualifications, rank and privileges of a bureau 
director. 
He must possess executive and management experience of at least three (3) 
years and with considerable exposure to population management programs. He shall be 
responsible for the effective implementation of the policies promulgated by the 
Commission and shall also direct and supervise the day-to-day operations of the 
Commission. 
The staffing pattern and compensation schedule of the secretariat shall be drawn 
up in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations. 
SECTION 9. Duties and Responsibilities of the Secretariat. - The Secretariat 
shall be responsible for: 
(a) 
Ensuring an effective and efficient performance of the functions of 
the Commission and prompt implementation of the programs; 
(b) 
Proposing specific allocation of resources for projects instated 
under the approved programs; 
(c) 
Submitting periodic reports to the Commission on the progress and 
accomplishment of programs and projects; 
(d) 
Preparing an annual report on all activities of the Commission; 
(e) 
Providing and performing general administrative and technical 
staff support; and 
(f) 
Performing such other functions as the Commission may deem 
necessary. 
Section 10. Structure at Provincial Level. - The structure at the National level 
will be replicated downwards through the provincial levels. There shall be a Provincial 


Family Welfare Commission to be chaired by the head of the provincial government unit 
concerned or his representative. The members will be: 
(a) 
The Head of the Office of Population 
(b) 
(c) 
(d) 
(e) 
The Head of the Office for Planning and Development 
The Head of the Provincial Health Office 
The Head of the Provincial Education Office 
The Head of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources 
Office 
The Head of the Provincial Labor Office. 
(0 
The Provincial Commission will be assisted by a secretariat to be located in the 
Office of the liead of the provincial government office. While it is not possible to 
replicate the staffing pattern at the national level, efforts shall be made to staff the 
provincial secretariat with appropriate personnel. The size and composition of the 
secretariat shall reflect the magnitude and complexity of the tasks to be performed. 
SECTION 1 1. Duties and responsibilities of the Provincial Family Welfare 
Council - The Provincial Council shall be responsible to the National Family Welfare 
Commission through the Chief Executive Officer of the province for: 
1) 
Determining the relevance of population related goals objectives 
and strategies and ensuring that such goals, objectives and 
strategies are set by taking into account prevailing socio-economic 
rea!ities in the Province and its subdivisions; 
2) 
Identifying unmet needs in the sphere of population related 
activities and services and mobilizing provincial resources for the 
purpose of strengthening existing services and creating new ones 
where they do not exist; 
3) 
Issuing guidelines on ways and means of financing family planning 
services; 
4) 
Consulting with the Commission in regard to legislative and 
administrative measures to be taken at the provincial level to make 


service delivery more effectively accessible to the peoples of the 
regions; 
5 )  
Submitting periodic reports to the Secretariat of the National 
Family Welfare Commission; 
6) 
Coordinating the activities of the various sectoral agencies 
(governmental and non-governmental) undertaking population and 
development related activities at the Provincial levels; 
7) 
Monitoring and evaluating population programs in the Province 
concerned; 
8) 
Promoting focused policy relevant research and undertaking research 
on population and development; 
9) 
Establishing technical committees as required for the effective 
implementation of the population policy at provincial levels; 
10) 
Organizing and carrying out events on population issues at 
provincial levels; 
11) 
Participating, actively, in the collection of data on population and 
development; 
12) 
Stimulating community participation through effective IEC; 
13) 
Undertaking such activities as may be required by the Office of 
Population at the National level. 
14) 
Ensuring that guidelines for the establishment and effective 
ftmctioning of a system of registration of vital events-marriage, 
birth, death and migration-throughout the province are in 
accordance with principles and formats stipulated by the National 
Family Welfare Commission; 
15) 
Establishing a system for the systematic mobilization of population 
and related data including those on unemployment 
and 


, 
\ 
underemployment in accordance with principles and guidelines 
developed and provided by the Commission; 
Creating conditions that will stimulate and encourage community 
participation in population and related activities; 
Submitting periodic reports to the Commission; and 
Doing such other things as may be required of it by the 
Commission. 
SECTION 12. National Family Welfare Advisory Council. - There shall be 
created a National Family Welfare Advisory Council, hereinafter known as "Council" to 
be composed of the following: 
Secretary, Department of Health (DOH), Chairman 
Secretary, Department of National Defense (DND), Member 
Secretary, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Member 
Secretary, Department of Social Welfare 
and Development (DSWD), Member 
Secretary, Department of Agriculture (DA), Member 
Secretary, Department of Education (DepEd), Member 
Secretary, Department of Finance (DOF), Member 
Secretary, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Member 
Secretary, Department of Justice (DOJ), Member 
Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Member 
Secretary, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Member 
Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Member 
At least two representatives from non-governmental organizations directly 
involved with population issues. 
The Council shall meet once every three (3) months, or as often as may be 
necessary upon call of its chairman, advise and be consulted by the Commission on 
important matters relating to disaster management. 


. 
The Council may form task forces which shall convene between the meetings. 
The Commission shall provide the technical support and the secretariat required by the 
Council to ftmctioii according to this Act. 
SECTION 13. Advisory capacity. - The Council shall be the advisory arm of the 
Commission, tasked primarily to formulate policy programs which the Commission may 
adopt. Specifically, the responsibilities of the Council shall be to: 
(1) 
Develop specific policies and programs pertaining to population and 
development to be undertaken in the various sectors of the 
economy and creating conditions conducive to inter-sectoral 
collaboration; 
(2) 
Define a broad legal framework within which population and 
development related information (IEC) are to be accessible to the 
general population by various governmental and non-governmental 
groups; 
(3) 
Review short, medium and long term plans of actions leading to a 
significant reduction of the current high level of fertility as soon as 
possible and recommending same for adoption by government; 
(4) 
Guide the development and articulation of operational programs in 
the field of population and related activities; 
(5) 
Coordinate the activities of the various sectoral agencies 
(governmental and non-governmental) operating population and 
development related activities at different administrative levels; 
(6) 
Monitor and evaluate the impact of population programs; 
(7) 
Promote policy-oriented national research program on population 
and development; 
(8) 
Ensure that the programs conducted by various agencies comply 
with the population policy; 


(9) 
Establisli, through the Commission, multi-sectoral technical 
committee and special task forces as required to assist in the 
effective implementation of the Policy; 
(10) 
Organize and carry out, through the Commission, 
national and 
international events (Conferences, symposia, seminars, etc.) on 
population issues; 
(It) 
Ensure that inter-sectoral programs in population activities are 
effectively coordinated by instituting a sound information 
exchange system; 
(1 2) 
Review the discharge of functions of the Commission to ensure the 
effective operation of existing family planning service delivery 
institutions; 
(1 3) 
Facilitate conditions, through their respective resources, that will 
enable the Commission to promote the creation of domestic 
capacity for the production of a variety of contraceptives and for 
the production and distribution of materials and equipment to 
increase 
people's 
access to 
population 
and 
development 
information; 
(1 4) 
Establish effective working relationships with international 
agencies like the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the 
United Nations Population Fund and other global agencies for the 
purpose of facilitating the mobilization of technical and material 
resources that will be usefiil in goal attainment; 
( 1 5) 
Make recommendations for the Commission's implementation 
anent various population control programs; 
(16) 
Promote and foster an integrated approach to family planning 
development; 
(17) 
Promote and encourage integration of the various aspects of family 
development; 


(1 8) 
Provide a venue for undertaking population projects, which shall 
include: 
demographic data collection; 
population 
dynamics, that is to 
say, analysis 
of 
demographic data, determinants of fertility, mortality, 
migration and other population trends, consequences of 
population, interaction of demographic and 
socio- 
economic 
variables 
including 
modeling 
and 
demographic projection; 
the formulation and evaluation of population policies and 
programs and the integration of population factors in 
development plans and programs; 
family planning programs; 
communication 
and 
education, 
communication 
for 
awareness of population issues, population education in 
school, out-of-school education; and 
social programs affecting the status of women, children and 
youth, 
the 
aged, 
the 
economically 
inactive, 
the 
disadvantaged and other special groups; and 
(1 9) 
review population laws and regulations to see what effect they may 
have on national demographic objectives. 
All members of the Council shall make available their personnel, 
facilities and expertise to effectively carry out the functions of the 
Commission. 
SECTION 14. Family Planning Research, Data Collection, Analysis and 
Dissemination. - 
The Commission, aside from its duties and responsibilities, as 
enumerated in this Act, shall give priority attention in program development and 
implementation processes in order to improve and strengthen domestic capacity for 
generating, analyzing and disseminating demographic and population related information 


* 
by malting more domestic and extemal funds available to institutions engaged in 
demographic and population related research and training. 
In addition, collaboration with foreign research and academic institutions shall be 
actively sought. Further, research activities will focus attention on the study of the 
complex interrelationship between population factors and development variables. The 
information generated shall represent critical inputs in development planning processes 
and provide relatively more accurate bases for forecasting probabilities and trends of 
development. Work in this important area will be considerably facilitated by: 
1) 
Submitting recommendations to Congress anent enactment of laws 
and regulations making the registration of vital events (marriage, 
birth and death) compulsory; 
2) 
Providing existing research institutions with the necessary 
technical and material support in order to enable them to process 
and disseminate data generated by censuses, sample surveys (inter- 
censal surveys, demographic and health surveys, household 
consumption surveys, labour force surveys etc). 
SECTION 15. Expansion and Strengthening Domestic Capacity for Training 
in Family Planning Services.- In view of the critical need for more trained personnel to 
man the 'expanded family planning programs envisaged in this Act, the Commission shall 
expand existing domestic capacity for training in population. Accordingly: 
The capacity for the training of high level personnel in 
demography and population studies will be strengthened by 
making more resources available to existing institutions; 
Training for family planning will be integrated into the curricula 
O E  
(a) 
Medical schools; 
(b) 
Nursing and health assistants' schools; and 
(c) 
Technical and vocational schools (e.g. institutions for the 
training of home economists and teachers training 


institutions) in order to accelerate the integration of family 
planning with existing social services, particularly health. 
3) 
In-service training for teachers and other development agents will be 
organized. 
SECTION 16. Expansion of IEC and Social Mobilization. - The Commission 
shall focus on Information, Education and Communication (IEC) pertaining to population 
and development issues through formulating comprehensive policies and programs that 
will permit: 
1) 
A wider and more systematic use of multi-media channels to 
facilitate the use of population IEC in expediting behavioural 
change 
relative 
to 
family 
size, 
reproductive 
behaviour, 
reproductive health, family nutrition, personal and environmental 
hygiene; 
2) 
The dissemination of population related information through 
community organizations, interest groups, political bodies, women 
and youth groups, NGOs, adult education classes, industrial and 
other 
work 
establishments where there 
is 
a significant 
concentration of workers and so on; 
3) 
The incorporation of population and family life education topics as 
integral parts of formal education curricula at relevant levels of 
education; 
4) 
The incorporation of population related topics in the package of 
information carried to the rural population by agricultural 
extension workers, informal community leaders, and other 
community level development practitioners; 
5 )  
The strengthening of the capacity of population and women's affairs 
units in relevant government development agencies to produce and 
disseminate IEC programmes. 


SECTION 17. Family Welfare Program. - The Committee, in coordination with 
NGOs, peoples organization and concerned sectors shall convene, within one year after 
the effectivity of this Act, in order to formulate and develop a national welfare program, 
which shall: 1) serve as the guiding principle of the Commission in the implementation of 
its responsibilities and in the discharge of its functions; and 2) be a main component of 
every program sponsored and initiated by any government agency and instrumentality. 
Such program acknowledges that population growth and other parameters 
influence and are influenced by different development programmes to varying extent. 
Hence, the same shall focus not only population issues but also on other political, 
economic and social issues closely and/or directly related to it. 
Under the program, the utilization of demographic data and projections in various 
development processes shall be intensified. Its primary focus shall be on developing 
family planning and related mother and child health and educational activities, raising the 
status of women among others. 
Family planning and related information and education components shall be at the 
center of the national program in three ways: improving the health and welfare of 
mothers, children and the family; raising the status of women; and reducing fertility and 
population growth which facilitate socio-economic and human resource development. 
Family planning shall be closely integrated with health services, especially its maternal 
and child health component, and be fully supported by vigorous, imaginative and many 
sided programs of education and information. 
Specifically, the program shall include the following areas: 
a) 
Family PZanning - which should be developed and expanded 
progressively within the context of primary health care and related 
system .and supported by appropriate measures in spheres of law, 
education, social services etc. to protect and promote the family as 
the basic unit of society. 
b) 
HeaZth/'aternal 
and Child Health - which should be strengthened 
and expanded and proper emphasis should be laid on its component 
relating to maternal and child health, including family planning, as 
well as that of community participation. 


c) 
Information, Education and Communication - which should play a 
key role in dispelling misconceptions, doubts, traditional attitudes 
etc. in population and family formation issues and which should 
require multipronged and sustained action which is a pre-requisite 
to firm commitment to national population policy by leaders and 
the public at large and the translation of the policy into practice 
through adoption of contraceptive practice and the small and 
prosperous family norm by many couples. 
The same should also focus on communication strategies 
which would be used through the most suitable forms of media 
should be devised and utilized, to sensitize leaders and the public 
opinion to population and family welfare issues. 
d) 
Women in Development - which should include census, survey and 
service statistics in spheres such as health, education, employment 
and whatever feasible, separate data sets for women, since 
women's participation in economic activities and contribution to 
national income are grossly underestimated in labour force 
statistics and national accounts. 
The policy should include efforts to promote Women's 
education at all levels and in various forms and should provide 
various public extension services such as in the spheres of 
agriculture, credit and marketing, rural development, social welfare 
etc. 
e) 
Education - which should focus on spread of literacy and education 
as a component of national development, that would facilitate 
access to and the understanding of population and family welfare 
education and information. 
f) 
Labor and Employment - which should include ways to develop 
employment labor intensive methods of production, and others. 
g) 
Environment - which should focus on policy measures envisaged for 
the conservation of land, air and water resources including the 
following: 


(1) 
enforcement of laws on reforestation, forest conservation 
and marine preservation; 
(2) 
legislation on siting of industries; 
(3) 
protection of the environment through the control of 
industrial pollution; 
(4) 
land rehabilitation by the mining industry 
h) 
Migration and Urbanization - which should focus on the 
development of the rural economy and the improvement of living 
conditions of the rural community through extension services, self- 
help and other measures and intensification of rural development 
through measures such as the following: 
(1) 
provision of reliable, safe water supply; 
(2) 
provision of adequate power supply for domestic and 
economic use; 
(3) 
provision of adequate and accessible health facilities; 
(4) 
improvement in the quality and expansion, where needed, 
of primary education and non-formal educational programs; 
(5) 
dissemination of appropriate technology and other key 
inputs to raise rural productivity; 
(6) 
provision of adequate credit, marketing, storage and 
distribution facilities for rural commodities; 
(7) 
improvement in transport and communication facilities in 
rural areas and between villages and small towns; 
(8) 
decentralization of development planning and programmes 
and of public administration. 


SECTION 
18. Active participation. - All government agencies and 
instrumentalities shall participate in the different strategies and programs of activities of 
the national population policy. In particular, in family planning service delivery and 
related activities, the principal agency shall be the Department of Health. In regard to 
population and family life/family planning information and education, the major 
participants include the Departments of Health, Education, Agriculture, Natural 
Resources and Environment, Labor, Trade and Industry, Energy and the Philippine 
Information Agency. 
The Commission shall encourage non-governmental organizations to initiate or 
intensify participation in population activities. The Commission shall likewise give due 
recognition and support to their work, expertise and experience and shall give them 
appropriate guidance so that their activities could respond most effectively to community 
and national needs. 
SECTION 19. Rules and regulations - The Commission shall formulate and 
issue rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 20. Appropriations. - 
There is hereby authorized to be appropriated 
the amount of one hundred million pesos (P 100,000,000.00) as additional funding for the 
Commission to be charged against the unexpended contingency funds of the Office of the 
President. Thereafter, the amount needed for the operation and maintenance of the 
Commission shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act: Provided, That 
operating expenses of the Commission itself shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the 
annual appropriation and that at least ninety percent (90%) of said annual appropriation 
shall be disbursed for population management programs, projects and activities. 
SECTION 21. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 22. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
or inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 


SECTION 23. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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