Filipino Adolescents in Changing Times*
Introduction
Inadequate and inappropriate program strategies have hampered efforts to implement the Cairo Plan of Action in the Philippines.
Shifting from the family planning and population control to the reproductive health (RH) and rights framework has not been generally effective and efficient for many reasons. These include a lack of common understanding of the action requirements of the RH framework and an insufficiency of current and relevant data on many aspects of the reproductive health situation of Filipino women and men of various ages and socio-economic status.
Serious data gaps exist in the areas of adolescent sexuality, greater male involvement in RH, cancer incidence and management, post-abortion care as well as the cultural context of reproductive tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS (Sobritchea, 1999).
To produce data on these topics, quantitative researches were undertaken, primarily national and sector-specific surveys. However, qualitative data are lacking, especially on the subject of adolescent sexuality, to explain the behavioral patterns and social trends that have emerged from the surveys.
Feminist research approaches now more popular in the Philippines generate new knowledge and provide a situation that privileges the perspective, feelings and worldview of intended beneficiaries.
Assessments of the effectiveness of studies showed the importance of designing projects that reflect the respondents’ needs and worldviews to achieve intended outcomes and objectives.
Objectives of the Study
This study added to current knowledge about the beliefs, attitudes, perceptions and behavior of young people in their late teens belonging to different socio-economic classes and living in urban and rural areas.
It examined the factors influencing their beliefs and behavior and determining the critical events or “turning points” in their lives that have shaped their self-concept or identity.
Specific research questions
Inadequate and inappropriate program strategies have hampered efforts to implement the Cairo Plan of Action in the Philippines.
Shifting from the family planning and population control to the reproductive health (RH) and rights framework has not been generally effective and efficient for many reasons. These include a lack of common understanding of the action requirements of the RH framework and an insufficiency of current and relevant data on many aspects of the reproductive health situation of Filipino women and men of various ages and socio-economic status.
Serious data gaps exist in the areas of adolescent sexuality, greater male involvement in RH, cancer incidence and management, post-abortion care as well as the cultural context of reproductive tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS (Sobritchea, 1999).
To produce data on these topics, quantitative researches were undertaken, primarily national and sector-specific surveys. However, qualitative data are lacking, especially on the subject of adolescent sexuality, to explain the behavioral patterns and social trends that have emerged from the surveys.
Feminist research approaches now more popular in the Philippines generate new knowledge and provide a situation that privileges the perspective, feelings and worldview of intended beneficiaries.
Assessments of the effectiveness of studies showed the importance of designing projects that reflect the respondents’ needs and worldviews to achieve intended outcomes and objectives.
Objectives of the Study
This study added to current knowledge about the beliefs, attitudes, perceptions and behavior of young people in their late teens belonging to different socio-economic classes and living in urban and rural areas.
It examined the factors influencing their beliefs and behavior and determining the critical events or “turning points” in their lives that have shaped their self-concept or identity.
Specific research questions