The City Leadership Team in Iligan.
Located in Northern Mindanao in the Philippines, Iligan faced serious challenges in addressing family planning and reproductive health, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reports showed a 30% decline in facility-based deliveries and an increase in home births managed by traditional birth attendants, locally known as “hilots.”
These trends were driven by strict hospital admission protocols and the financial burden of mandatory RT-PCR tests. As a result, barangay health professionals found it increasingly difficult to promote hospital-based care, especially in remote coastal and urban communities.
At the same time, the city experienced a troubling rise in adolescent reproductive health concerns. The Adolescent Birth Rate (ABR) increased from 2021 to 2022, reflecting the pandemic’s broader impact on young people’s access to reproductive health education, services, and support.
Adolescent birth rate per 1,000 births for 15 to 19 year-olds.
Inclusive Leadership and Strategic Initiatives
In response to these challenges, Mayor Frederick W. Siao joined The Challenge Initiative (TCI) in 2023. This global program focuses on rapidly implementing and sustaining effective family planning (FP) and Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (AYSRH) solutions through stronger local government partnerships.
Iligan adopted an inclusive, participatory approach to governance that prioritizes collaboration, transparency, and responsiveness to community needs. Mayor Siao’s administration promoted inclusive leadership by actively involving stakeholders across sectors – from grassroots communities to private partners – in planning, implementing, and evaluating development initiatives.
A Powerful Coalition: City Leadership Team
Iligan’s collaboration with TCI promoted the institutionalization of inclusive governance. The City Leadership Team (CLT) was established through Executive Order No. 28, s. 2023. This multi-sectoral coalition ensures Iligan’s health services are adolescent-friendly and responsive, with a focus on workforce development, facility enhancement, and capacity-building. The team includes representatives from key city offices, youth leadership, and regional health and population agencies.
The mayor underscored his commitment to youth and reproductive health:
We envision [Iligan] as a city of knowledgeable youth with health options. They should feel supported and empowered to make their decisions. We will do our best and make sure the money put into this program does not go to waste. We promise that.
Dr. Glenn Manarpaac, City Health Officer, noted how TCI shifted the city’s approach from fragmented efforts to a unified, strategic framework. He highlighted TCI’s transformative role:
The collaboration and ownership of the problem and its solution is a key contribution of the TCI program among us from the City Health Office, LGU, and other key agencies.
Before TCI, Iligan’s interventions were often fragmented, with limited data use and little youth engagement. AYSRH and family planning efforts were largely seen as the sole responsibility of the health sector. With TCI’s coaching and technical support, the city has adopted a more strategic, evidence-based, and participatory approach. Youth, women, and community leaders now play an active role, and Gender and Development (GAD) principles are integrated across programs.
This shift has been reinforced by increased city budgets for logistics, training, and facility improvements. In partnership with the regional offices of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) and the Department of Health, Northern Mindanao Health Development Center (DOH-NMHDC), the CLT developed a strategic roadmap for 2023-2025 to guide the implementation of high-impact interventions aimed at reducing teenage pregnancies.
Data as the Cornerstone of Effective Healthcare Delivery
In March 2024, the City Health Office, with support from TCI and DOH, hosted a three-day reorientation on Family Planning and Adolescent Health Development Program indicators under the Field Health Service Information System (FHSIS). The training involved 44 health centers and focused on updates to the 2018 FHSIS version, proper use of standardized forms, and simulation exercises for generating FP M1 reports. Participants also received training on Data Quality Check processes and were briefed on reporting updates based on DOH Memo 2023-0071.
Rhona P. Sumugat, Nurse III and Family Planning Coordinator, stressed the importance of data quality:
Incorrect data entry at the health center level leads to inaccurate reporting and misinterpretation. This reorientation, the first in 15 years, ensures we capture and report data accurately for more effective healthcare delivery.
Midwife Maghanoy from Tubod-B shared her experience:
This is our first orientation since 2016. It was challenging, but now we have a clear direction. I have gained confidence in filling out forms correctly, and the confusion is gone.
These data-driven improvements are part of a broader strategy that includes coaching, mentoring, and resource investments to strengthen competency-based family planning services. With accurate data as a foundation, Iligan is delivering high-quality, rights-based reproductive health care that meets community needs.
Expanding Youth-Friendly Services and Engagement in Iligan City
Iligan City Mayor, Frederick W. Siao.
Iligan continues to prioritize youth participation through service expansion and policy reform. The CLT has strengthened data systems and streamlined referral networks to deliver integrated adolescent services – including AYSRH, mental health, substance use, and child protection. With the mayor’s support, the city now operates 19 Level 1 Adolescent-Friendly Health Facilities (AFHFs) offering youth-centered care such as psychosocial assessments, family planning counseling, HPV vaccination, and maternal health support.
Close collaboration with local organizations and the Local Youth Development Council ensures that adolescents can access reliable health information. Nora Fe Escorial, Local Youth Development Officer, explained:
By providing direct access to trusted sources, young people receive information tailored to their needs.
In 2025, Resolution No. 25-210 established the Iligan City Youth Development Office (ICYDO), a dedicated body to lead youth programs, promote leadership, and ensure sustained participation.
Peer education sessions, youth summits, and community dialogues continue to offer safe spaces for adolescents to discuss reproductive health. Teenager Maria Santos reflected:
Having our voices heard in these discussions makes me feel empowered. We need services that understand our needs.
Bridging Cultural Gaps in Family Planning in Iligan City
Recognizing the influence of cultural and religious diversity, Iligan has embraced culturally sensitive strategies to build trust and improve access to family planning. A key effort has been the deployment of 45 trained Barangay Population Volunteers, who serve as cultural navigators and deliver family planning messages in a relatable and respectful way, especially in underserved barangays.
To improve provider capacity, Iligan also participates in peer learning with Cagayan de Oro through a Community of Practice focused on client-centered counseling and service delivery.
A patient at an Iligan City clinic receives a LARC.
A significant milestone has been the city’s first budget allocation for long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), starting in 2024 and continuing into 2025. This funding reflects the city’s commitment to expanding contraceptive options and ensuring the steady availability of modern methods.
In addition, GAD principles are fully integrated into family planning and AYSRH programs through strategies such as disaggregated data collection, inclusive consultations, accessible services for persons with disabilities, and the involvement of marginalized groups in decision-making. Mobile services and safe spaces are also being prioritized in underserved areas.
These community-driven approaches support Iligan’s broader goals of universal health care, reproductive well-being, and increased modern contraceptive use.
Charting a Course for the Future: Sustaining Gains in Iligan
Sustainability is central to Iligan City’s health strategy. With increased budgets, permanent health positions, and a focus on community-led service delivery, the city is laying a strong foundation for long-term impact. Strategic partnerships with barangay local governments and continued support for barangay health workers and volunteers ensure services remain accessible at the grassroots.
As part of its long-term vision, the city plans to open two family planning stand-alone clinics to enhance service delivery and provide financial protection for women and families.
Iligan City successfully graduated from TCI in 2025, a reflection of its dedication to data-driven governance and community-led health solutions. Dr. Manarpaac emphasized the city’s commitment:
We learned a lot from the intervention – one of them is the power of collaboration in addressing the problem, and we are looking forward to sustaining and continuing the partnership.
Iligan’s financial commitment from 2023-2025.
Through data-informed governance, strong systems, and inclusive community engagement, Iligan City is not only addressing current challenges but also building a resilient path forward. Its experience demonstrates how sustained investment in people, partnerships, and policy can transform health systems and empower communities for years to come.
