THE Department of Health (DOH) stressed on Saturday the relevance of family planning on Valentine’s Day.
”Valentine’s Day is an expression of love, but if you’re in love, it should also come with a plan,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a radio interview.
He noted that 51 percent of pregnancies in the Philippines are unplanned, adding that unintended pregnancies carry health risks.
Herbosa said about 30 percent of pregnancies occur among adolescents younger than 18, and he encouraged teenagers to practice abstinence. He added that young people may also access modern family planning methods such as contraceptive pills, intrauterine devices and injectables, which are available for free at DOH facilities.
He said family planning is a “team sport,” emphasizing that men should also take an active role in reproductive health decisions.
The agency said it provides vasectomy services for men, which, while underutilized, are gradually gaining traction. In 2025, Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital — a DOH-run hospital — recorded an increase in male participation, with 52 men opting for a vasectomy compared to just two per year in the past.
”There are men who believe that it reduces their masculinity, but no. It doesn’t affect your sexual activity,” he said, addressing common misconceptions about the procedure.
Herbosa urged the public to avail themselves of free family planning services at DOH-run hospitals, including counseling and access to modern contraceptive methods.
