Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
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COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
Section 2-B
FUECONCILLO, Jamaica
GALURA, Ma. Revelyn
GARIBAY, Mavis Athina
GUCE, Jheff
GUILLEN, Deanna
HILARIO, Mae Florence
HIZON, Sergi Aaron
HUNG, Paul Aldrin
JAPZON, John Kristoffer
Doctor and Society MedEthics2
I. INTRODUCTION
In 1985, the Philippine Center for Population and Development period created the Manila Center for
Young Adults (MCYA). The MCYA aims to provide adolescents and young adults correct information, values
formation and services on health and sexuality. It was primarily housed outside school campuses enabling
teenagers and young adults to discuss openly and confide issues and problems regarding growing up,
relationships and sexuality. The center also serves as a hang-out place where adolescents of the same age can
meet up, play games and share growing up concerns.
After 3 years of operation, the youth center was formally transformed into a foundation, thus, the
Foundation for Adolescent Development (FAD) was born. The FAD believes that the period of adolescence and
puberty is a crucial stage in every individual’s life. Faced with physical, emotional as well as psychological
changes, it is a struggle to completely understand and get in track with everything. A fifth of the total Filipino
population, or 16.5 million, belong to the 15-24 age brackets. An overwhelming 30% of all births per year
belong to the same bracket. 25% of first time mothers are at the age of 20. A total of 400, 000 induced abortions
per year are committed by teenagers. 62% of reported sexually transmitted diseases and another 62% of newly
reported HIV- AIDs infections, belong to ages 15- 24. These saddening statistics define the framework of the
foundation. FAD believes that there is a lack of knowledge and social support as well as concrete values to
prevent premarital sex and its consequences. The FAD utilizes an approach usually deviated from the traditional
“safe sex” practices. The foundation encourages the young to review their values, attitudes, situations and
relationships to enhance their decision making regarding their relationships. From the words of Cecilia C. Villa,
executive director of FAD, “we believe that prevention is the best cure, and we give teenagers the information
they need to make decisions”.
The Foundation for Adolescent Development envisions to be perceived as a trustworthy friend of young
adults and as a leading resource center on adolescent sexuality, reproductive health and development. They
strive to help young adults become emotionally secure, sexually responsible and self reliant individuals by
empowering them with adequate information and proper values formation, through initiation and development
of innovative approach and program models which can be replicated and expanded.
The Foundation for Adolescent Development is unique from other organizations for five main reasons.
First, it caters a very specific age group- 15- 24 years old. Second, it does not serve as a crisis center but rather,
addresses education and values formation. Third, sexuality is deemed important and is considered a vital issue in
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the adolescent development. Fourth, FAD serves as a research and development shop in which new innovation
for work effective interventions are marketed and offered to the general public. Lastly, FAD respects and takes
advantage of the role of fellow teenagers in helping one another.
Through the years the foundation has developed a wide range of strategies, programs and approaches
that emphasizes on the preventive aspect of young people’s health and sexuality needs and concerns.
The foundation for Adolescent Development was founded by Aurora Silayan- Go, also the president
emeritus. For 2009- 2011, the board of directors for FAD includes: Anne Catherine Silayan Go, chairperson;
Rosie Go, vice chairperson; Teresa Sierra, president, Erlinda Bartole, secretary; and Eduardo A. Mendoza,
treasurer.
II. PROGRAMS
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Philippines, Mapua Institute of Technology, Philippine Women's University, Far Eastern University and Lyceum
of the Philippines.
The SEXTERS program enables FAD to infiltrate the core of the student population. In every partner
school lies a SEXTERS Corner where teenagers can study, hangout, be informed or just spend their free time. The
SEXTERS Corner has a mini-library, a counseling and “tambayan” area. There are a few selected students who
man the SEXTERS Corner and these are called the SEXTERS Core Group Members. Like the 1st Phase Campus
Based Program, SEXTERS are given special training on peer counseling and group facilitating and also are given
an orientation on topics concerning adolescent sexuality and reproductive health (ASRH).
DIAL-A-FRIEND
The objectives of DAF is to provide immediate, anonymous and professional telephone counseling
intervention to adolescents to help them make enlightened decision through guided exploration of all possible
options and to provide basic information on HIV/AIDS in every counseling session.
This serves as a gauge of adolescent needs and problems. Since 1991, DAF operates in Metro Manila
with four telephone hotlines from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, Monday to Saturday.
Majority of the callers are female (61%) belonging to the 17-24 age bracket (55%); single (81%); college
and college graduate (78%).
A unique feature of DAF is the involvement of the youth to be volunteers. To date, an On the Job
Training is offered to Psychology majors in the University belt area and given comprehensive training on
counseling and emerging patterns of adolescent issues and concerns.
DAF invests in the continuing education and skills development of all counselors such as Monthly Case
Conference, which is a venue for counselors to share their experiences in handling unusual or difficult cases;
Case Consultation, which is intended to enhance counseling skills and technical knowledge on difficult emerging
topics; and Counselor's Care, which is designed to prevent counselor burnout.
To date, DAF is available for free and confidential telephone counseling from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm,
Monday to Friday.
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FAD also held medical services that are relevant and focuses to sexuality, reproductive health and development
needs. Age bracket for adolescents is from 15 -24 years old regardless of his/her marital status. In 1994, FAD was
able to implement programs in communities through the help of the Australian Agency for International
Development. They build partnerships with various barangay in Manila and some areas in Cavite wherein they
will conduct their programs.
Through the success of THQ, FAD had think of franchising with an objective of merging income with a
social goal of developing responsible adolescence. This part of the program is supported by David and Lucile
Packard Foundation. FAD made standard self directed learning modules, training video and guide on suggestive
selling, and educational class session plan manual that they offer to the public for purchase. FAD made it clear
that this franchising is purely for operational sustainability and viability and not for the organizations monetary
profit.
technical and vocational courses like Computer Technology; Refrigeration and Aircondition; Building Wiring. The
reason for this program was most adolescents who engage in risky behaviours such as premarital sex have little
knowledge about reproductive health and HIV/AIDS and that most of their information comes from peers who
also have little knowledge about this topic. The curriculum consists of 4 units for a total of 31 lessons and has
benefitted 17 to 24 year old, poor, out-of-school youth of Don Bosco Technical College in Mandaluyong, Don
Bosco Technical Institute in Makati, Don Bosco Youth Center in Tondo, ERDA TECH Foundation in Pandacan,
Tuloy Foundation, Inc in Alabang. The program has been rolled out to other Consuelo partners in Luzon, Visayas
and Mindanao.
III. CHALLENGES
FAD like most other NGOs are donor driven so funding is one of the main issues that it deals with on a
regular basis. Funding, being an essential part of what keeps an organization functional is difficult to come by
these days especially for NGOs like FAD due to Donor Fatigue also particularly related to the Economic Crisis that
has been the trend for most countries lately not sparing countries such as the United States of America.
Although there are difficulties in funding for FAD, they remain adherent to their values in avoiding any
involvement or affiliations with politicians so that their cause won’t be exploited in order that they can continue
their work without being manipulated by the Politician’s self interest. Many adolescents are oblivious to the fact
that there are those that are willing to guide or counsel them which pushes the FAD to expand their network so
that more adolescents would be in the know. Establishing trust with troubled adolescents who do not know how
to cope with the changes taking place in their lives is difficult due to their propensity to shut out others including
their parents from their own personal space especially in times where they make big mistakes (ex. Get pregnant
at an early age) that the society frowns upon to the highest degree thus challenge FAD in reaching out to these
youths that think that the whole world is against them.
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1. How did you come to be a member of this organization? What makes it personally fulfilling?
During my college years, I (Ms. Arceli Obmerga) was affiliated with FAD because the old address of
this foundation was near my school. Right after graduation, I considered working here and never looked for
another work. It was because my vision and my love for work tied me to this foundation. It felt like as this
organization grew, my growth as a person continued with it. It was my passion for service and improvement in
the sectors of the society fueled my endeavors for my work. It was also in my own will that in order to be more
productive in this kind of work, I pursued my Masterals and I am expanding my competencies as a social worker.
It was the response from the youth and the people who works behind it that makes it more fulfilling.
people would call on our hotlines just to say a heartfelt thank you for a counseling they had days or months ago.
Although there is no statistics yet that we can show to people, it is the very essence that we are still continuing
what we have started proves that we are enjoying what we do and we would not stop until we reached our
goals.
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