Adolescent Reproductive Health: The SMU Experience

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BREAKING THE BARRIER
ARH in a Catholic School Setting
The SMU Experience
By Corazon N. Abriam, EDd Saint Marys University
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SMU implements the ARH/Family Planning and POPDEV
programs primarily through

• Curricular integration of ARH issues/ concerns
  into courses/subjects wherever applicable.
• Co-curricular/extra curricular integration in
  club activities.

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Latter part of the 60s

• Family planning concepts infused into all
  Theology subjects in College.
• Sociology 4
• INTRODUCTION
• A. Mans General Vocation Call to Holiness
• B. Responses to the call to Holiness
• - Religious Life
• - Single Life
• - Married Life
• C. Destiny A Personal Task and Creative
  Responsibility
• What is drug?
• Drug Abuse A Threat to the development of Ones
  Gift of Choice
• Effects of Drug Abuse
• Measure to Prevent Drug Abuse
• PREPARING FOR A LIFE TOGETHER
• Friendship, Love, Sex and Sexuality
• MARRIAGE
• POPULATION EDUCATION, RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD AND
  FAMILY PLANNING
• THE FAMILY

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Latter part of the 60s

• Family planning and POPDEV issues integrated in
  all Social Sciences classes

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Latter part of the 60s
SMU - a pilot School for Adolescent
Reproductive Health.
Focal College College of Nursing, now, the
School of Health Sciences
Curricular integration of Reproductive Health /
POPDEV issues and concerns in different courses
across colleges and in the elementary and high
school levels
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Objectives and directions
Support to the long-term vision of the Philippine
Population Management Program (PPMP)

• to contribute to improving the quality of life
  of all Filipinos through better reproductive
  health, attainment of population outcomes that
  are in harmony with available resources and
  environmental conditions and reduction of poverty
  and inequalities in human development
  opportunities.

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How was the Program implemented
/institutionalized?

• MOA signing

• Capability Building given to Administrators,
  Guidance Counselors, Doctors, nurses, student
  leaders, PTCA officers, priests (Chaplain), etc.

• Technical assistance from UNFPA

• Organization of the ARH Task Force

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Program DirectorsRev. Jessie M. Hechanova, CICM
PresidentProf. Mateo Tugab - Vice President
for AdministrationDr. Evangeline B Escobar -
Vice President for Academic Affairs Program
ChairmanDean Monaliza Gaw - College of
NursingProgram Vice-Chair Dean Corazon N.
Abriam - Student Affairs SecretaryMrs. Mary
Jane Sagabaen MembersDr. Carolina Rupisan Dr.
William PanganibanMrs. Ester Cantong Dr.
Wilfredo Rosario Jr.Dr. Leonora Damaso Mrs.
Pearl GuimbatanMrs. Diesley Tabago Mrs. Anita
MondalaMr. John Tayaban Miss Marvie Flose
FernandoMr. Cesar Antonio Mrs. Rosenie Aquino
Mrs. Emily Cabanting
SMU-ARH/VAW Task Force
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1st Chairman of the Program left SMU (Dean of the
College of Nursing)Dean of Student Affairs took
overImplementing guidelines were drafted
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Guidelines implemented
Orientation for - Administrators - Faculty and
staff - student leaders - other student - were
done throughout the year Revision of the ARH
Implementing Guidelines Provision of IEC
Materials to all Deans, Department Heads on
Reproductive Health. Enrichment/revision of
syllabi at all levels
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Thematic focus of activities

• awareness building
• capability building
• service provision or referrals to partner GOs
  and NGOs as the need arises.

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Specific Activities

• Continuing information dissemination on ARH-VAW
  projects / programs
• Integration of RH issues and concerns in the
  curriculum at all levels
• Bulletin board display on RH concerns at all
  levels
• Symposium on ARH-VAW issues
• ARH on the Air (Pagadalan ti Tangatang and
  Sincerely Yours Ate Lea)
• ARH-VAW Orientation for parents at the
  elementary, High School and College levels
• RH orientation for constituents of service area
  barangays and the BHOMA

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Specific Activities

• Update about the program through the school paper
  at all levels (elementary The Little Marian,
  high school The Spectrum, and college The
  Marian).
• Provision of Audio Visual facilities and IEC
  materials at the Teen Center (all levels),
  Guidance Office, ARH Information Center, and the
  DSA Office.
• Contests on ARH-VAW such asSlogan and Poster
  making Literary works  Murals, paintings  
  Essay writing
• Sincerely Yours Ate Lea on Television

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Continuing capability building activities/trainin
gs to

• focal persons who implement the program
• students / peer counselors/ leader
• parent-teachers association officers

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Financial resource implication

• Expenses for all activities related to the
  program are charged to Administration and the
  Student Activity Fund (SAF). No funding from
  outside agencies / donors has been solicited.

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Major accomplishments of the Program include

• 1.Positive response of SMU Administration to the
  ARH activities planned by the Task Force.
•  
• 2.Better counseling techniques, strategies,
  employed by the Guidance staff, Prefects of
  Discipline and Medical Services personnel.

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Major accomplishments of the Program include
3. Support to less fortunate/marginalized
students 4. More students seeking counseling
services 5. Establishment of Teen Centers at
all levels 6. The establishment of SMU ARH Drama
Guild. 7. Hosted several local and international
observation study tours
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Major accomplishments of the Program include

• The preparation of the ARH Directions for the
  University.
• Pool of speakers among the faculty.
• Opportunities for students and faculty to attend
  international conferences
• Requests by students for Youth camps throughout
  the year management of youth camps taken over by
  students
• Institutionalization of the Teen Week celebration.

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Major accomplishments of the Program include

• Close collaboration with the boarding home owners
  and matrons associations in the nearby barangays
• Outreach programs initiated by students
• Support programs for the ARH institutionalized
• Clean, Healthy, Safe and Friendly Campus Program
  (CHSF)
• Students loan assistance program
• 16. SMU an active partner of the LGU, NGOs and
  other stakeholders

• 13.
• 14.
• 15.
• 16.

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Resources generated by the program

• Library materials in the form of periodicals,
  posters and charts, modules, pamphlets, books,
  leaflets, stickers and the like have been
  regularly given by the Commission on Population
  of the region.
•  
• Other related materials were also received from
  international organizations like the World Health
  Organization (WHO), the World Bank (WB) and the
  Asian Development Bank (ADB). It is also worth
  mentioning that Saint Marys University was
  designated as the WB / ADB Depository Library in
  Northern Luzon.
• The Educational Media Center of the University
  has also acquired films related to RH concerns.

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Resources generated by the program

• Karaoke, portable sound system, 4 lapel
  microphones, 14 inches television, VHS player,
  DOH modules and VHS tapes.
• Soon to come Computer, bulletin board

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In closing .

• SMUs services to its clientele have been greatly
  improved through the ARH program.
• It has helped SMU in the attainment of its
  mission to form competent, creative, committed
  and Christian disciples.

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Maraming Salamat Po!