Resource Speakers:

Christopher Joseph Soriano MD, MHPEd, FPOGS

• Doctor of Medicine degree at University of Sto Tomas
• Residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Medical City
• Masters in Health Professions Education
• NTTC- University of the Philippines, Manila

Current positions:

1. Assistant Professor, Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health
2. Assistant Training Officer, Institute for Women’s Health, The Medical City
3. Radio Host, Doctors On Line, 702 DZAS (AM Band) FEBC- Radyo TV
4. OB-GYN Consultant: Tricity Medical Center, Pasig

The doctor talked extensively about Maternal Health and Child Care During Pandemic Time citing common problems encountered of women with regards to taking care of their health when they could not go to the clinic due to travel restrictions, and answering specific questions women asks with regards to pregnancy, women’s health in general and Child Care in Particular.

Ms. Christy Parenno

• Teacher 3 Balibago National Integrated School
• Teaching Grade 11 and 12 English
• Coach several winning students in Division, Regional and National Competitions
• Candidate for Head Teacher English Department

Ms. Parenno discussed Maternal Health and Child Care from the point of view of the Mother of three healthy young children, a wife and a teacher. She poised some practical techniques on motherhood during this time of pandemic on how to cope up and home management secrets.

Ms. Annacoreta S. Alcazar

• Population Commission of Alfonso , Person In Charge
• Municipal Social Work and Development, Municipality of Alfonso

Ms Alcazar tackled the topic Teenage Pregnancy and Responsible Parenthood. She gave us recent data on young pregnant mothers in every barangay, to the Municipality and regional level. Alarming figures shows how bad the situation is.

The webinar was able to share many new information to the women that can help other women facing these challenges in their barangays and AWC President and its members were grateful to our club and its resource speakers for the webinar.
The webinar will not be possible without the help and cooperation of the President of Alfonso Women’s Council, Ms. Len Reyes and the technical support of Gia Erica Rivera. of the Alfonso Mayor’s Office.
The webinar lasted longer as planned till about 6p.m. A total 7,500.00 pesos Raffle prizes thru G cash was given to active participants coming from all the barangays of Alfonso, There were a total of 64 active participants in all Others come and go maybe of poor connection.
We awarded 74 Certificates of Participation and 3 Certificates of Recognition to our Resource Speakers.

The webinar cost of P30,000 was fully sponsored by our club.

RIMM gave P200 cash each to the 100 enlisted women to buy food. Pre-screening by FC excluded 15 women due to the following reasons: (1.) had engaged in sex 3 days prior to the pre-screening, (2.) positive test result of pregnancy, (3.) still in the middle of injectable contraception.

The majority of the women were grateful to avail of the implant. The insertion of the bendable match-stick like implant under the skin of the upper arm was painless and it allegedly prevents pregnancy for 3 years. Some young teen below 17 also received the implant.

PE Raymund manged to get 4 indigent women from Usting in Luksuhin to avail of the free implant and Honorary Member Carlito managed the crowd control of the event.

Anna of Population Commission (POPCOM) from Trece Martirez City, Cavite who was one of the key speakers of the seminar said this was the first time they conducted it in Alfonso upon the request of Gina of DSWD (Department of Social Welfare Development).

POPCOM collects the following profile data from individual participants:

• Number of children in their family
• Job of the parents
• Forms of contraception they are using, if any

From the data they have gathered they will encourage each mother to use the most suitable form of contraception depending on her health and financial situation and refer her to the nearest clinic where she resides to get free contraceptive provided by the Department of Health. POPCOM cannot impose contraception but instead educate & offer the women what contraceptive services are available for them.

Anna told us that her team which is in charge of certain Cavite areas has been conducting the said seminar and Adolescent Sexuality & Reproductive Health seminar for high school students in the other areas of Cavite since there is an urgent need to control the alarming increase of population in the Philippines.They target more than 400 local high schools in Cavite. They have many team leaders assigned to cover other provinces of Cavite to conduct the seminars. They do not provide snacks to the participants but the students are given a short break period to relax & snack.

Anna said they have a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Education to conduct the seminars at any local high schools in all regions of Cavite. RIMM could invite her as a speaker in our Teenage Pregnancy Forums or RIMM can join their seminars. In any case we can work together since we share the common goals.

IDN noted that Brgy. Payatas has one of the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Metro Manila. The area is known as a trash dumping site of greater Manila.

The forum was attended by female and male teenagers along with their mothers totaling around 100. The local barangay officials and health workers got also involved in the forum.

RIMM speakers past president Raymund and current president Betty along with Gina of DSWD (Department of Social Welfare Development) Alfonso and Anna of LCPC (Local Council for Protection of Children) relayed the social aspects of teenage pregnancy. Gina made the whole audience to vow to prevent teenage pregnancy. Another invited speaker of IDN Dr. Belen Rajagukguk talked abut the health aspect of teenage pregnancy.

In the discussion session the participants were separated into 3 groups. The first group consisted of 12 to 20 years old female and male teenagers; the second group consisted of 9 to 11 years old children and the third group consisted of parents. Key speakers Anna, Gina and president Betty acted as facilitators of the said groups respectively. President Betty found out during the discussion session that the parents of the teens are busy scavenging the dumpsites for livelihood and do not spend time with their children.

A role playing depicting the disadvantages of teenage pregnancy was performed by teens residing in Brgy. Payatas.

Several video clips on teenage pregnancy gave a visual chilling factor on the realities of early pregnancies.

IDN gave a full meal to their audience and even a loot bag to take home after the forum.

At the closing ceremony a certification of appreciation was given to the speakers. IDN officials told us that they were very satisfied about our speakers that they feel had given a direct impact to the teenagers and mothers who attended the forum.

IDN gave a donation of P4,000 to our club. IDN said they are looking forward to working with RIMM again.

IPP Raymund reported providing financial assistance and working with Friendly Care to perform free ligation to hundreds of women in hospitals in Cavite and Tagaytay. He also relayed statistics on high Teenage Pregnancy in the Philippines. Power point presentation showed many photos of ligation activities and Teenage Pregnancy Forums in Alfonso and Tagaytay.

Honorary Member Jun showed photos of his emergency rescue operations involving many vehicular accidents.

Liezel shared her in-dept insights on issues on the high pregnancy rate in the Philippines and her active involvement during our Teenage Pregnancy Forums.

At the end of the event Rotary Club of Manila members told us that it was an eye-opener for them that family planning is key to prevent over population in the Philippines.

At midyear review, PP Klaus shared our club’s projects, such as family planning, teenage pregnancy forums, End TB program, and post typhoon Haiyan victimized area research and support trip. Since the venue was close to where indigenous tribe Aetas live, honorary Rotarian Jun and PP Klaus extended their support to them as it is one of our service projects.

In the meantime, ASP Casey succeeded in inviting 10 more new members to RIMM and funding with sales of district raffle tickets.

President Raymund Balicha shared vital information and statistics why the Philippines has now the highest rate of teenage pregnancy among the  ASEAN countries.

The teenage mother speaker relayed her ordeal being a teenage mother to the students. The students were shocked to hear her story. During the open forum many students participated in asking questions to her. The students were curious on this sensitive topic.

Some questions asked by students were:

1. Did you realize that you were already engaging in an actual sexual act with your boyfriend?
2. Did you know the consequence of your sexual contact that may get you pregnant?
3. What is the reason why you did not listen to your mother’s advice?
4. How painful was it when you were giving birth for the first time?
5. Have you been pessimistic about the  future for yourself and your child?
6. How did you know that you are pregnant

Dr. Liza Fe Capupus (Tagaytay City Health Officer) was supportive of this Teenage Pregnancy Forum.  She relayed to the students that the rate of teenage pregnancy is increasing in the City of Tagaytay. She said that she owns a lying-in maternal clinic in Alfonso and noticed that there are many teenage mothers giving birth in her clinic. She told the students that teen pregnancy can be very risky as it could lead to maternal death due to pre-clampsia or the sudden rise in blood pressure. On top of that the young body of a teenage mother is not yet fully developed to bear her own child. At the end of the forum, she gathered the participated students to make a study on the effect of the said forum.

Rosalinda Eridao of DSWD-Tagaytay shared her insight on teenage pregnancy. She said a teenage mother and her child is likely to be physically abused by her partner in later life. Likewise children of teen mothers are more likely neglected and peform poorly in school. These incidents are based on her experience with DSWD.

Our club member Betty Vicedo also shared her motherly advice to the students. She said her adopted daughter was a victim of teenage pregnancy when she was studying at the Tagaytay National High School. She said it was not easy raising her grandchild when the father was not around to support her adopted daughter.

In the latter part of the forum four short video documentaries on teenage pregnancy was shown on screen, which seem to have visually impacted them effectively.

At the end of the forum, a male teenage student openly said that he now has a clearer understanding about the suffering a teenage mother will go through. He now has more respect for a woman and he will not become a teenage father after what he had learned from the forum.