Community Outreach
Using the proverbial “Bibingka Approach” wherein the traditional rice cake is baked with heat from above and below, C4RH also engages stakeholders at the ground to complement the initiatives at the top. Community Outreach takes the form of demand generation (through community discussions, forum series), local policy advocacy, and actual family planning information and service provisions.
"Puso, Puson, Pananampalataya, at Pulitika (P4RH)"
C4RH conducts “Puso, Puson, Pananampalataya, at Pulitika (P4RH)” a public form on Gender, Reproductive Health, Religion, and Politics to:
- To encourage critical awareness and engagement of citizens in social issues and in the electoral and legislative policy reforms on SRHR
- To clarify misconceptions on RH and religion
- Motivate people into assert their right to RH information and services
The forum usually has four resource persons to discuss the following topics:
- Puso (heart) – This person represents the “puso ng bayan (village heart/soul)” and will speak in behalf of the local community. Ideally, this person is a respected community leader who is also a Catholic. S/he will talk about the situation in her community, especially the RH situation, and how they have been helped or will be helped by electing someone who champions RH causes. The local activist can also emphasize his own personal beliefs on why Catholics then in good conscience can be pro-RH and pro-life.
- Pananampalataya – This person represents the voice of “faith”. The idea is for this person to present an alternative perspective from the religious sector on how Catholics can be guided by their conscience in making their decisions in making decisions.
- Pulitika – This resource person represents the voice of “politics” who will also contextualize the experience of a government official who champions reproductive health in their locality.
- Puson (womb) – This resource person represents the voice of the “RH advocate”. S/he will present the RH situation in the locality
Each forum will have a moderator who will welcome the guests, explain the rationale and objective, introduce the speakers, facilitate the Q & A, summarize/synthesize the inputs and relevant discussions (from the Q & A) and close the event by thanking all who participated. The forum is also a great way of promoting C4RH and recruiting new members.
Common Questions:
- Is contraception a sin?
- Is masturbation a sin?
- Will NSV (no scalpel vasectomy) affect virility?
- Are contraceptive pills carcinogenic?
- Will you get infected with HIV & AIDS by kissing or hugging a person?
- Would you get pregnant if you only do it once, or you wash immediately?
- Do condoms have holes?
- Wouldn’t you get HIV if you carefully choose your sexual partners, would you?
- Is AIDS God’s punishment for men having sex with men?
- Does RH Law and sexuality education will promote sexual promiscuity particularly among the youth?
Compassion Mission
A medical family planning (FP) Mission and Community Discussion on RH
C4RH organizes grassroots activities in line with its advocacy efforts of promoting RH as a human right and generating awareness and demand for RH services. These are done in partnership with service providers, community organizations, and the local government units.