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Republic of the Philippines pare, DEC.14 2016

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BillNo._ 4689

Introduced by REP. KAKA BAG-AO, REP. SOL ARAGONES
and REP. MA. LOURDES AGGABAO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Population variables remain as significant factors of socio-economic and human
development at the macro as well as at the household level. The Philippines is presently a
home to an estimated one hundred million Filipinos based on the National Statistics Office
(NSO) Projections in 2015. While the government has remarkably posted a significant 7.2
percent growth domestic product (GDP) growth rate in 2013, this large population makes it
difficult to translate such economic gains into food, shelter, and work for every Filipino.

The implications of this population outcome are most evident in urbanizing areas and among
poor households as propelled by internal migration and high fertility level. With the
continuously growing population, LGUs find it challenging to provide for the universal
welfare of their constituents due to limited resources. These population outcomes and
processes have consequently widened socio-economic disparity and inequality because of
scarce resources.

The provision on the appointment of a local Population Officer in Section 488 of the 1991
Local Government Code (LGC) is basically rationalized within the impact of population
factors to development. As such, local Population Officers are basically mandated to plan
and implement population development and responsible parenthood initiatives.

Nonetheless, the same statutory law provides for the appointment of a Population Officer as
merely an option for the LGUs. With this option, many LGUs have opted not to maintain
their population offices despite the prominent population development issues in their areas.
A few existing offices have primarily focused on implementing family planning-related
programs while others were assigned functions beyond their LGC-mandated responsibilities.

Some additional responsibilities involve population-related issues and concerns. Thus,
majority of local Population Offices and Population Officers are undertaking the following, as
contained in other laws and issuances:

‘* Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act 9710), which seeks to eliminate discrimination against
women by recognizing, protecting, fulfilling and promoting the rights of Filipino women,
especially those in the marginalized sectors. It also mandates (a) planning, budgeting,
monitoring and evaluation for gender and development, (b) the creation and/or
strengthening of gender and development focal points, and (c) the generation and
maintenance of gender statistics and sex-disaggregated databases to aid in planning,
programming and policy formulation;


* Urban Development and Housing Act (Republic Act No. 7279), which seeks to uplift the
conditions of the underprivileged and homeless citizens in urban areas and in
resettlement areas by making available to them decent housing at affordable cost, basic
services, and employment opportunities. It also seeks a reduction in urban dysfunctions,
particularly those that adversely affect public health, safety and ecology; and encourage
more effective people's participation in the urban development process;

‘+ Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (Republic Act No. 7277), which aims to facilitate
integration of disabled persons into the mainstream of society; advocate for and
encourage respect for disabled persons; exert all efforts to remove all social, cultural,
economic, environmental and attitudinal barriers that are prejudicial to disabled persons;

* Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01 Series of 2002 of the DILG, DOH and DSWD to form
a Pre Marriage Counselling (PMC) team with Population Officers/Workers at the lead.
This is anchored on Presidential Decree 965 mandating all engaged couples to attend a
Pre-marriage Counselling (PMC) session as a requirement for a marriage licence. All local
government units are enjoined to adopt amendments. for the efficient and effective
delivery of the PMC program.

Recognizing the important role of population factors in national and local development,
there is a need to strengthen the local population offices to achieve its mandated functions
under the LGC and broaden its responsibilities in ensuring the achievement of population
outcomes that can accelerate socio-economic development in the locality in the context of
informed choice and volunteerism and responsible parenthood.

‘As a way of strengthening this local structure, there is a need to make the establishment
and operation of Population Offices mandatory to ensure effective population management
strategies and measures at the local level. Such population office shall be primarily
responsible in addressing population development issues in the locality, to include a)
increasing teenage pregnancy; b) high unintended pregnancies; c) rapid’ urbanization in
cities and declining quantity of human resource in out-migration areas; d) unmanaged
human settlements especially in environmentally hazardous areas; and, e) gender inequality
and discrimination.

The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

REP. KAKA BAG-AO ee \GONES
Lone istrict, Dinagal nds I” District, Laguna

REP. MA. LOI 'S AGGABAO
t Isabela


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 4689

Introduced by REP. KAKA BAG-AO, REP. SOL ARAGONES
And REP. MA. LOURDES AGGABAO

AN ACT MANDATING THE CREATION OF A LOCAL POPULATION DEVELOPMENT
OFFICE IN ALL PROVINCES, CITIES, AND MUNICIPALITIES AND PRESCRIBING
ITS DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the Philippines in Congress
assembled.

Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Loca/ Population Development Act
of 2016".

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. It shall be the policy of the State to:

(a) Promote inclusive growth by providing equal and equitable opportunities to all
segments of population regardless of age, sex, socio-economic conditions, sexual
orientation, gender identity, race, religion, and other social categories to achieve
their desired quality of life;

(b) Ensure that the needs of the people, generated through empirical and consultative
process, shall serve as the central consideration for all development initiatives
Particularly in development planning, policy development, and resource allocation;

(©) Promote and capacitate couples and individuals to achieve their reproductive goals
and rights including the right to decide and achieve the timing, number, and
spacing of children in the context of responsible parenthood, informed choice, and
respect for life;

(d) Promote, ensure, uphold, respect, and protect the right of all individuals to migrate
in search of better opportunities and the provision of non-discriminatory services
for migrant and residents alike; and

(e) Promote and enhance the capacity of local government units (LGUs) for local
autonomy in ensuring the general welfare and development of all their people.

Section 3. Objectives. This Act provides for and shall govern:

1. The establishment and operation of Population Offices mandatory to ensure effective
population management strategies and measures at the local level; and


2

Address population development issues in the locality which includes increasing
teenage pregnancy, high unintended pregnancies, rapid urbanization in cities and
declining quantity of human resources in- and out- migration areas, unmanaged
human settlements especially in environmentally hazardous areas, and gender
inequality and discrimination.

Section 4. Creation of Population Development Office. All provinces, cities, and
municipalities shall create an independent Population Development Office to be headed by a
Population Development Officer. The Population and Development Office shall be provided
with full staff complement. Provided, that existing Population Offices or their equivalent
under Section 488 of Republic Act 7160 shall be renamed and strengthened based on the
duties and functions herein below provided.

Section 5. Duties and Functions. The Population Development Office shall perform the
following duties and functions:

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Establish and maintain a comprehensive, integrated and updated population
development information system that contains household demographic and socio-
economic profile to be used in analysing population needs and projecting service
requirements;

Recruit, organize and mobilize Barangay Population Workers and other community
workers or volunteers for data generation, household demographic and socio-
economic profiling, and community health promotion and advocacy;

Assist other local departments in generating and projecting population
development data needed in their planning and program development functions
and provide technical assistance in integrating population development needs and
gender dimensions in their sectoral development programs and projects particularly
marginalized and indigenous people;

Design and undertake Population Development related services, studies and
researches;

Establish mechanisms for monitoring in- and out-migration movement and human
settlement patterns especially across eco-systems for planning and programming
and formulate measures for the development of the migrants and development of
effective urban management strategies;

Promote responsible parenthood and family planning particularly through the
conduct of Information Education Communication Motivation (IECM), demand
generation activities, and ensure provision or referral of appropriate FP services;

Oversee, coordinate and manage the implementation of Pre-marriage counselling
(PMC) at the local level pursuant to the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR)
of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012;

Formulate and implement measures to prevent unintended pregnancies among
young people and promote adolescent health and youth development; and

Exercise other duties and functions as may be prescribed by a local ordinance and
legal issuances.


Section 6. Setting of minimum standards for population development data and information
system shall be set by the Commission Population (POPCOM) with Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA) and National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

Section 7. Qualification Standard. No person shall be appointed population officer unless
he Is a citizen of the Philippines, a resident of the local government unit concerned, of good
moral character, a holder of a college degree with specialized training in population
development from a recognized college or university, and a first grade civil service eligible or
its equivalent. He must have experience in the implementation of programs on population
development or responsible parenthood for at least five (5) years in the case of the
provincial or city population officer, and three (3) years in the case of the municipal
population officer.

Section 8. Salary. The Population Development Officer shall receive a minimum monthly
‘compensation commensurate to that of other local department heads and shall be adjusted
according to relevant future statutory provisions on salaries of public officials and
employees.

Section 9. Staffing Pattern. The staffing pattern and plantilla positions of the Population
Development Office shall be determined by the local Sanggunian through an approved
ordinance or executive order based on qualifications standard by the Civil Service
Commission. Salaries for Population Officers and personnel shall be exempted from the
general limitations cited in Rule XXXIV, Article 20 of the Local Government Code.

Section 10. Capacitating the Local Population Development Office. The Commission on
Population and other relevant agencies through its regional offices shall provide technical
assistance incapacitating the local population development office for the effective
performance of their duties and functions.

Section 11. Rules and Regulations. The POPCOM, as the lead agency, together with the
representatives from the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG), National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA), League of Cities in the Philippines (LCP), League of Provinces in the
Philippines (LPP), League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), Liga ng Barangay, and
two representatives from non-government organizations (NGOs), will formulate the
Implementing Rules and Regulations within ninety (90) days from approval of this law.

Section 12. Appropriation. The budget and allocations for the operations of the Population
and Development Office shall, upon the effectivity of this Act, be accordingly approved and
provided by the Local Sanggunian.

Section 13. Separability Clause. If any part or provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall
remain valid and subsisting.

Section 14. Repealing Clause. All other laws, decrees, orders, issuances, rules and
regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly. Section 488 of the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA
7160) is specifically repealed.

Section 15. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at
least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.