The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) assisted “Expanding the Implementation of Integrated Community-based Family Planning/Reproductive Health and Coastal Resource Management in Selected Provinces in the Philippines (Expanded IPOPCORM)” Project contributes to UNFPA’s 6th Country Program’s support to poverty reduction. Project beneficiaries include women of reproductive age, men, youth and other coastal dwellers.

The goal of the Expanded IPOPCORM Project is to enhance food security and improve the quality of life of communities that depend upon coastal resources through better population management linked to improved costal resource management. It is consistent with the UNFPA’s 6th Country Programme goal which aims to improve the reproductive health of the people of the Philippines through better population management and sustainable human development.

Expanded IPOPCORM Project works towards three desired outcomes: improved reproductive health of people living in coastal communities; enhanced management of marine and coastal resources at the community level; and increased leadership and support for linked FP/RH and coastal resource management strategies for food security.

After two years, the project developed the capacity of 467 peer educators (PE) and community based distribution (CBD) active agents to deliver family planning and CRM information and services to their communities. LGUs were also capacitated and mentored to formulate development plans and budgets that support RH/FP activities linked to CRM. With the completion of the project, the LGUs have assumed responsibility for sustaining the CBD and PE operations in the target areas.