Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5680

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Hon. Julienne “Jam” L. Baronda

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to amend Section 488(A) of RA 7160, otherwise known as
“The Local Government Code of 1991” which mandates all provinces, cities and
municipalities to establish a Population Office in their localities.

Section 488 of Republic Act 7160 provides that, “the appointment of a
population officer shall be optional in the local government unit: Provided, however,
that provinces and cities which have existing population offices shall continue to
maintain such offices for a period of five (5) years from the date of effectivity of this
Code, after which said offices shall become optional”

Currently, there is no law mandating the creation of a Local Population Office.
As a consequence, only six provincial governments, seven city governments, and
LGUs have established population offices. This is disconcerting considering that our
country is seen to have a high population growth.' According to our Secretary for
Socio Economic Planning Ernesto Pernia, around two million Filipinos are added to
our population every year. A high population growth coupled with the country’s
rapid urbanization will constrain our poverty reduction efforts.

For these reasons, the establishment of a Local Population Office is absolutely
necessary. The office would be responsible in addressing population development

jonalreview.com/corer/population-growth-philippines-problem-or-potential-christopher-

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issues which includes our issues on teenage and unintended pregnancies, rapid
urbanization in cities, declining quantity of human resource in rural areas,
unmanaged human settlements, gender inequality and discrimination.”

The Population office will be vital in analysing population needs. Most
importantly, they will provide substantial assistance to our Local Government Units
and the Population Commission in implementing their population programs and
policies.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is highly
recommended.

JULIENNE “JAM” L. BARONDA
Representative
Lone District of Iloilo City.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Sessigns g g

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Hon. Julienne “Jam” L. Baronda

AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE MANDATORY ESTABLISHMENT OF A.
POPULATION OFFICE IN ALL PROVINCES, CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 488(A) OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991 AS
AMENDED.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines duly assembled:

Section 1. This Act shall be known and referred to as the “Mandatory Establishment of Provincial,
City and Municipal Population Office of 2019”.

Section 2. There shall be a mandatory establishment of a Population Office in every province, city
and municipality with the necessary budgetary appropriations covering the current operating
expenditures and capital outlays.

Section 3. The Population Development Office shall be provided with a full staff complement
headed by a Population Development Officer, the Office shall perform the following functions:

(1) 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;

(2) 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;

(3) 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;


(4) Design and undertake Population Development related services, studies and researches;

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

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

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

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

(9) Engage, collaborate and partner with relevant government agencies such as Department of
Health, Commission on Population and Development and Civil Society Organizations and
other private sector agencies for the purpose of ensuring that the appropriate family
planning methods are available and that services are provided;

(10) Generate and mobilize necessary resources for the implementation of a family planning
program within the locality;

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

Section 4. Section 488 of Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the “Local Government Act of
1991”, as amended, particularly Title V (Appointive Local Officials Common To ALL
Municipalities, Cities and Provinces) is hereby amended further to be read as follows:

“Article XVIII. Population Officer
“Section 488. Qualifications, Powers and Duties. ~ (a) x x x.

“The appointment of a population officer shall be [optional] MANDATORY in the local
government unit: Provided, however, that provinces fand} cities AND MUNICIPALITIES which
have existing population offices shall continue to maintain such offices [for-a-period-of five-(5)



Section 5. Separability Clause. — If any part or section of this Act is declared unconstitutional,
such declaration shall not affect the other parts or sections of this Act.

Section 6. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, ordinances,
circulars, rules and regulations inconsistent with any provisions of this Act shall be deemed
repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 7. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication
in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,