A transformative ordinance is on the horizon, set to protect and empower adolescents and youth of Tacloban by prioritizing their health rights, and overall well-being.
This comes after members of the Sustainable and Nurturing Adolescent Health For All (SANA ALL) Key Assistance for Developing Adolescents (KADA) convened to finalize the proposed ordinance, aiming to establish a multi-sectoral network of support for youth and adolescents.
Leading the recent finalization meeting was Dr. Gloria Fabrigas, Tacloban’s acting City Health Officer and City Hospital Chief.
Explaining the initiative’s holistic approach for the young generation, Dr. Fabrigas underscored the role of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials as advocates and policy influencers for adolescent health and development. “Health is not merely the absence of disease; it’s a state of physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being. So, we want to empower them,” she stated.
The ordinance outlines a wide array of youth- and adolescent-centered services such as health education, mental and reproductive health counseling, violence prevention, and legal protection against abuse and exploitation. Once adopted by the City Council, these services will be accessible in the barangays through “SANA ALL KADA Centers” strategically located in district health centers (DHCs) across the city’s areas, including Abucay, Diit, San Jose, Sagkahan, V&G, Tacloban North Integrated Health and Social Services, and New Kawayan. These adolescent-friendly facilities will provide a confidential space for accessing services closer to their communities.
Currently, these DHCs work alongside the City Health Office (CHO) to provide various medical services.
Dr. Fabrigas and the other members of the ordinance’s technical and management committees envision a lasting impact on Tacloban’s young population. Within 3-5 years, they project decreases in teenage pregnancy, gang-related incidents, and substance abuse as adolescents and youth gain access to the resources and support network they need.
The technical and management committees include representatives from the CHO, the City Planning and Development Office, the City Social Welfare and Development Office, the City Youth and Development Office, the City Population Office, the Tacloban City Police, the Schools Division of Tacloban City, civil society groups and youth organizations, among others.