![FPOP [Family Planning Organization of the Philippines] — “Quality of life is our vision”](../site/img/spacer.gif "FPOP [Family Planning Organization of the Philippines] - “Quality of life is our vision”")
| About Us | News | Events | Gallery | Programs | Campaigns |
In this conflict-affected island province of Basilan down in southwestern Philippines, a small reproductive health (RH) clinic goes by its daily chore of opening at 8 o’clock in the morning and closing just before dusk sets in.
Patient load of the clinic has been light for the past two years now. But Jane Bantug, who is Chapter Program Manager of FPOP in Basilan and the one and only staff operating the clinic, does not worry that the women and men of Isabela no longer need her clinic’s family planning (FP) and other RH services.
“It’s only because our clients who live in far-flung areas of the province could no longer come down regularly because of the intermittent fighting between the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas and the Philippine Army,” Jane explains. She adds, “When the fighting finally stops, our clients will come regularly and I will be busy from sunrise to sunset.”
Indeed, serving the FP and RH needs of poor, marginalized and underserved men and women of Basilan is a great challenge. And a significant drain on FPOP’s resources, too, just to maintain the flow of contraceptives and other RH services, pay for the salaries of Jane and provide money to pay for the rent, utilities and other operating support for the clinic.
The clinic, a dilapidated two-storey structure on a corner lot close to the pier area of Isabela City, is already an institution so that when a visitor arrives looking for FPOP, she will never wander off in a different direction if she just bothers to ask anybody. For about forty years since its existence, FPOP has already carved a name for itself throughout Basilan.
For several years now, FPOP’s Basilan clinic has been struggling to maintain itself. For one, the fighting has affected the delivery of its services. Just a few months ago, an alarmed Jane was calling the FPOP National Office through her cellphone telling of an ongoing gunfight very close to her clinic. When the sound of gunfire was over she had to close only to open on time next day as if nothing ever happened.
Another reason for reduced clinic load -- as well as reduced donation income from individual clients -- is the worsening poverty of the clinic’s primary clients. Jane poignantly narrates the story of one of her regular FP clients, the wife of a fisherman, who came to her one day to get her regular monthly supply of pills. After receiving the pills, she asked Jane quite ashamedly if her cash donation can be replaced by what she had brought – her husband’s catch! According to Jane, she understandingly dismissed her patient asking her to bring along her pills and the fish.
Jane is no longer surprised by such an occurrence. She says that poor women from the villages would sometimes come to the clinic bringing along poultry, eggs and vegetables to trade for contraceptives. On such occasions she provides the services but refuses the trade.
The FPOP clinic has an umbrella of local support from volunteers, men women and young people who help plan programs and activities, conduct policy advocacy with local government units, peer education and outreach activities by bringing RH services to far-flung villages. Two of them, Mohammad Noore Ladjagais and Susan Yu, both ran and won for city council seats during the last election. They were helped obviously by their long and direct involvement in FPOP activities. Noore foresees that with their additional role they would be able to champion relevant local legislation and mobilize more resources to help FPOP.
With dwindling donor assistance to the country, the Basilan clinic is facing survival issues among them the lack of funds to pay for Jane’s salaries, hire at least an additional nurse or midwife, refurbish the clinic and subsidize services directed towards poor, marginalized and underserved clients. If and when that time comes, its departure will leave a big hole in terms of availability of services to compliment the local government’s and erase the memory of 40 years of dedicated provision of friendly family planning and reproductive health services to the island’s poor.
It is estimated that FPOP Basilan will need an additional monthly support PhP 30,000 monthly to support current needs and expand services to reach more clients.
YOU can help prevent the dissolution of the Basilan clinic through individual giving targeted to Basilan only. Donate now using your credit card, bank transfers or other electronic means with options for one-time, monthly, quarterly or annual payments! Using our AsiaPay account, you can be sure that your contribution will go to your intended target clinic and provide you updates on the status of your donation.
Population: 496,505
CPR Any Modern Method: 9.9
CPR Any Traditional Method: 5.2
At the helm of Basilan Chapter are the following:
For more information on Basilan Chapter, please feel free to get in touch with us through:
Ms. Mary Jane Fronda-Bantug
Chapter Program Manager
Office Address: Strong Blvd., Port Area, Isabela, Basilan City
Tel. No.: (062) 2003460; Mobile No.: 09279037062
Email: fpop_basilan@yahoo.com
