THE Commission on Population and Development (CPD) said fathers play a crucial role in family planning as the country celebrates Father’s Day on June 21.
“When fathers actively participate in decisions concerning their family’s health, welfare and future, they help create a stronger foundation for their children and contribute to healthier and more resilient communities,” said CPD Executive Director Lisa Grace Bersales in a statement.
The CPD noted that fatherhood includes ensuring that the family, especially the children, thrive in a conducive environment.
Modern fatherhood, it said, is multifaceted, encompassing not only financial provision but also caregiving, mentoring and shared decision-making.
“This Father’s Day, we celebrate Filipino fathers who continue to embrace these responsibilities with dedication and love,” Bersales said.
The CPD noted that demographic trends show that Filipinos are gravitating toward smaller families, indicative of growing emphasis on providing better opportunities and quality of life for children.
“Strong families are built through partnership and shared responsibility,” Bersales said.
While male involvement in family planning has historically been low, the CPD noted that the trend is changing.
In 2023 and 2024 alone, it said the number of men who undergo vasectomy and use condoms has risen, with new acceptors of no-scalpel vasectomy increasing by 52.84 percent and new condom acceptors growing by 9.61 percent.
The CPD highlighted the importance of agreed-upon family planning because it enables couples to achieve their desired family size, space pregnancies effectively and make informed choices that benefit the health of mothers and children.
This ensures that families are better prepared to invest in their children’s nutrition, education and future development.
“By working alongside mothers in nurturing and planning for their families, fathers help build healthier, stronger and more resilient Filipino families,” Bersales said.