REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The issue of the relationship between family planning programs and the fertility rate has been in the
focus of interest of demographers, sociologists, healthcare workers and others for many years. A fertility
rate is one of the factors on how the country, province, or the municipality is being defined by its
economic status basing on its growing population. The fundamental relationship between population
and development can be explained by the inevitable demographic transition from high fertility rate to
low fertility rate (Dyson 2010).

A country is being defined on how it can able to sustain the needs of its people. In recent years, the
relationship between population and economic development in the developing countries has attracted
considerable attention from economists and researchers. As Dawson et.al (1998) observed, “The
relationship between population growth and economic development has long been thought to be
fundamental to our understanding of less developed countries”.

In the study of Gałka, J. et.al (2016) it was concluded that, the reproductive attitudes relate to the
concept of the second demographic transition (deferring child birth, extramarital children, voluntary
childlessness, change of family model). The study also shows the relationship between having children
and planning a family and the level of education and income. This was reflected in the correlation
between the higher income and education of respondents and their lower total fertility rate but greater
willingness to have children. In addition, the study shows that the influx of people associated with
suburbanization will have a greater impact on demographic developments in the suburban area than in
the area of commuting.

In a case study of Orbeta, A.C. (2005), it is stated that around the beginning of 1960s, Philippines,
Thailand and Korea have about the same population size. These two other countries have long achieved
replacement fertility (total fertility rate (TFR)), Korea before the 1990s and Thailand about the middle of
1990, the Philippines has still a long way to go with a TFR of 3.5 as of 2003. As a result, the population
sizes of these three countries have diverged. By around 2000, Philippines had about 30 million more
people than Korea and 16 million more than Thailand.

In addition, while these two countries continued to register consistent high growth, the Philippines had
slow and inconsistent growth rates. After putting these two together, it would not be difficult to
understand why the per capita income of the country has not gone far from 1,000 US dollars for more
than two decades now. It would not be surprising also to know that poverty reduction has been slow
and tentative (Reyes, 2002).

In relation to this, The Philippines is a well-known under-developed country with a desperate need for a
new start. While the people there are very loyal to the church, full of religion, tradition, and culture,
those are some of the very factors holding their society back from the flourishing future they could
obtain with change. The Philippines hold one of the highest population densities and fastest growing
populations in Asia, yet they lack government funded family planning methods (McDermott, 2012).
 A study of Turnemaine (2007) concluded that, the population growth could either have a positive or
negative impact on economic development, and that the outcome would depend on the relative
contribution of population and human capital to the economy.

Also Bucci et.al (2007) pointed out that; population growth may have a negative or an ambiguous effect
on economic development. When physical capital and human capital are substitutes, population growth
has a negative impact on economic performance. On the other hand, when physical capital and human
capital are complementary, the effect of population growth on economic development becomes
ambiguous.

Based on the study of Costello, O., et.al (2004), the highest maternal and neonatal death rates occur in
poor populations and take place at home, beyond the reach of health facilities. Current international
policy emphasizes the provision of skilled birth attendants and improved obstetric services in health
facilities as key interventions to reduce neonatal and maternal mortality.

According to a case study of Vera, D. (2007), it states that a vast majority of the 12 Million populations of
Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines reside in the uplands which they claim as part of their traditional
territories. Most of the remaining natural resources in the country are found within the traditional lands
of the Indigenous Peoples (IP).

Also in his study it was added that, The Indigenous People represent nearly 14% of the country’s
population. They are among the poorest and the most disadvantaged social group in the country.
Illiteracy, unemployment and incidence of poverty are much higher among them than the rest of the
population. IP settlements are remote, without access to basic services, and are characterized by a high
incidence of morbidity, mortality and malnutrition.

Based on the gathered information of the researchers though news, articles, books and web browsing,
they have found that Indigent people are now the main focus of some of the government aides such as,
the Pantawid Pilipino Programs executing financial aides and assistance for the poorest people in the
country. In regards to this, the Indigent People of the Philippines are considered the most favorable
people that need government assistance, since they lack attention, financial sustainability, education,
and others. And one of these programs is the Family Planning Programs,

Since the middle of the 70's the government has been embarking on a massive campaign to limit
family size through active extension of family planning services or outreach program, particularly in the
rural areas or indigent areas. Undoubtedly, it takes a considerable length of time before a significant
effect is produced on changing the reproductive patterns and practices of the target population, FINER,
L.B (2013). However, the success of such a program depends to a large extent on the understanding,
participation, and support of it would-be clientele.

Due to this rapid population growth instances, such as the inflations, malnutrition, limited health care
access and poverty some Filipino is forced to do abortions, in addition from McDermott (2012), Filipinos
have been suffering from overpopulation for years. In cities, in the uplands, and throughout the
countryside people have been starving from lack of relief from their own government. The Filipinos need
people in power making decisions for their well-being. Every single Filipino is connected in this. When
one suffers, loses money, or goes hungry, so does another, and so do their families and this may had led
them to undergo illegal and unsanitary abortions.

One action can cause a ripple effect and that is why the action must start now rather than later. It is
time to make changes and get the people of the Philippines on course. By limiting population growth
rates and implementing a government funded family planning system with modern contraceptives,
families can gain control of their lives and overall pressures by reducing the amount of income needed.
Unplanned pregnancies are common, comprising three out of every ten births. Women in rural areas
with lower educational attainment and socioeconomic status are more likely not to use any type of
contraceptive method (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2014)

In the documentation of Galvez-Tan, et.al (2008), it was stated that despite the political and academic
interest in the lumad, the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of the Filipino IP on sexual and reproductive
health and Family Planning (FP) have been largely undocumented. There is a lack of awareness and
understanding of Reproductive Health (RH) concepts among policy makers, executives, managers,
providers and the public health. Consequently, while rural health units continue to advocate for Family
Planning, health workers and policy makers have executed a generic approach and have left traditional
or indigenous tenets on RH unconsidered.

As much as the documentation of Galvez-Tan, et.al (2008), this study aims to provide practices and
beliefs of Indigent Peoples of Lebak, Sultan Kudarat on Reproductive Health (RH) is to pioneer and
provides baseline knowledge on indigenous culture which can be used to guide more effective policy
development and implementation on RH and FP.

Thus, because of these instances, the researchers wanted to make a conclusion and a formularized
study providing a pregnancy preventive measures and on how the current Family Planning Programs
implemented in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat and how could it be properly executed on its own indigent
people. As Singh, et.al (2009) said, Contraceptives prevent unintended pregnancies, and maternal and
child deaths which are significant to improving the family’s health.

The purpose of the research is population control, maternal and child health, as explained by Ngaya-an,
F.V. et.al (2016), men provide the strength and political power to transport women in labor from the
mountains to the health care clinics in the lowland. Because of the distance imposed by difficult terrains,
participants should understand the need for early birth planning including transport, place of delivery,
person to assist in the delivery, financial sources, possible blood donor, and person to baby-sit other
children at home.

To avoid and prepare them in these events from happening to the indigent people in highland areas, it is
such recommended to educate them the pregnancy preventive measures as guided by the
implementation of Reproductive Health and Family Planning Programs. In a brief article of The
Population Council, Inc. (2017) it was stated that, the Philippine government has adopted a policy called
the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act (RPRH) in support of modern family planning
(FP) and improved RH. This includes the goal of ensuring 6 million women access to modern
contraception. Though the policy does not refer to abortion, it faces stiff opposition from domestic anti-
abortion, religiously conservative groups, which has stalled the full implementation of the policy through
court appeals.

Based on a seminar report by the WHO (1974), in the context of family health problems and Pregnancy
Preventive Measures, it is evident that family planning alone is not a solution. Malnourished children
and overburdened mothers do not automatically recover because a subsequent pregnancy is prevented.
Family planning, however, is an important component of family health care and an appropriate activity
for nurses and midwives when their patients are seen in the context of the family unit.

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