Hospital and church-supported programs achieve widespread acceptance in urban, rural Philippines.

Abstract

The government of the Philippines became interested in family planning in the late 1960's. In 1970, laws which restricted family planning were relaxed; only induced abortion remained illegal. Population policies were recommended and international assistance for a population program was obtained. Voluntary sterilization was not made available until recently. It has grown in popularity as a method of birth control and the criminal penalties against it have been removed. A mobile family planning program sponsored by the Iglesia Ni Cristo has been successful in spreading family planning in rural areas of the country.