Through ugatngkalusugan.org, women, young people, parents, teachers, and health care workers can access RH information and services in a more accessible language.

by Romar Miranda

March 25, 2022, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan—Roots of Health (ROH), a non-profit organization based in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, in partnership with the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, recently launched its new Tagalog-language website. This is one of the nonprofit’s efforts to expand its reach, providing more women, young people and other stakeholders with accessible reproductive health information, available online anywhere in the Philippines.

While a lot of information about sexual and reproductive health is available online, most resources are in English. Through a new Tagalog-language website, ugatngkalusugan.org, women, young people, parents, teachers, health workers, and local legislators can access an alternative form of education and source of information in a language that is more accessible to Filipinos. 

This repository of articles, guides, quizzes, and videos is an integral aspect of ROH’s continued efforts in providing essential reproductive health materials and services across Palawan and the rest of the Philippines. 

Stakeholders can also get answers to the most frequently asked questions about contraception, pregnancy, menstruation, and breastfeeding, and other reproductive health concerns, through a chatbot to be hosted on the website and eventually on the Ugat ng Kalusugan RH Clinic Facebook page. Women and young people seeking reproductive health services may also book an appointment through the chatbot.

Colin Townson, Head of Political Affairs of the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines, during the website launch on December 10, 2021, said that making information more broadly available can help address social stigmas, increase awareness, appreciation of differences, and confront myths and biases, which can contribute to a more inclusive, more tolerant and safe society for all Filipinos.

“We applaud the launch of Roots of Health’s Tagalog language website and chatbot which will provide improved access to essential information about reproductive health, sexuality and gender, and sexually transmitted infections. This platform comes from a critical time, as we all continue to struggle with the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Use of digital platforms, such as this one, can help ensure that Filipinos are able to access information, seek guidance, and make informed decisions to safeguard their health,” said Townson.

Amina Evangelista Swanepoel, Roots of Health Executive Director, noted that there is an urgent need for useful and helpful tools to bridge the gap that has resulted in a rising number of teenage pregnancies and HIV cases, by providing access to comprehensive sexuality education and access to high-quality, nonjudgmental, free clinical services to the youth, parents, teachers, healthcare workers, and other reproductive health allies.

The website and social media campaign, which includes six primary themes including safe sex; avoiding early unplanned pregnancy; benefits of contraception (with a focus on young people accessing services); consent; reproductive health myths and facts; and HIV prevention were converted from the organization’s existing lesson plans to electronic standalone materials by using local and simplified language, making it familiar and accessible to local audience.

A list of clinical services that can be accessed in Puerto Princesa is also available on the website, as well as education services, which include training for various stakeholder groups such as youth, community-based screeners for HIV (CBS), and teachers.

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About Roots of Health

Ugat ng Kalusugan (Roots of Health), founded in 2009, works to empower women, young people and families in Palawan, Philippines to lead healthy reproductive lives by providing rights- and results-based educational and clinical services. The organization improves women’s and young people’s reproductive health and decreases the number of unplanned pregnancies and HIV incidence by providing sexuality health education and access to modern contraceptives through a clinical services program. 

Ugat ng Kalusugan is accredited by the Department of Health (DOH), the Commission on Population (POPCOM), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Provincial Government of Palawan, and the City of Puerto Princesa. The organization has Memorandum of Agreements with the Department of Education, Palawan State University and Western Philippines University.

About the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI)

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian embassy or high commission. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.