CPD lauds television personality for receiving vasectomy

By Ma. Teresa Montemayor, Philippine News Agency

FILE: Happy late and advanced Mother’s Day to my wife. 👻 #HappyVA-SEC-TO-MEEE 🎵 #snipsnip #SarapYungSedativeAh 👻 (Photo: @drewarellano/Instagram)

MANILA – The Commission on Population and Development (CPD) has lauded a television personality for receiving a vasectomy as manifestation of love and appreciation for his spouse and family.

In a statement on Wednesday, the CPD said Drew Arellano’s gesture “strongly exemplifies responsible parenthood and family planning” as promoted by the commission.

“This comes as good news amidst the prevailing low level of participation of males in family planning as shown by the mere 0.1% of them accepting no-scalpel vasectomy. Currently, family planning is exercised mostly by women,” it said.

“We need more men like Mr. Arellano to encourage men to assume greater responsibility in ensuring the well-being of their partner and their children through responsible parenthood and family planning,” CPD Undersecretary and Executive Director Lisa Grace Bersales.

Such action could lead to improved socioeconomic conditions, as responsible parenthood and family planning enable better investment in the education of the children and health of the family, she added.

According to the Department of Health Field Health Services Information System, more than 8.6 million Filipino women use modern methods of family planning in 2023. This figure is higher compared to the 8.3 million Filipino women using family planning in 2022.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Statistics Authority National Demographic and Health Survey showed that male-centric methods still register the lowest count, as evidenced by the 1.6 percent usage of male condoms in 2022.

Emphasizing the importance of shared responsibility in family planning, the CPD called for more male participation through actual access to family planning services.

Consequently, it promotes the KATROPA or the Kalalakihang Tapat sa Responsibilidad at Obligasyon sa Pamilya program.