Catholics for RH hold strategic planning workshop

The Catholics for Reproductive Health (C4RH) held a strategic planning workshop last June 24-25, 2010 at the Fersal Place Hotel in Quezon City to formulate the group's mandate for the next two years. C4RH is a fellowship of concerned Filipino Catholics, as individuals or as organizations, who affirm that the guiding principles of reproductive health do not contradict the practice of the Catholic faith, and who support the right to reproductive health.

20 representatives from partner organizations in 7 cities, including Davao, Cebu, Iloilo, Legaspi, and Tagbilaran, reviewed and redefined the vision, mission and mandate of C4RH. The newly-stated vision of C4RH is "a fellowship of Filipino Catholics living in harmony with their faith and right to RH", with a mission "[t]o organize and support fellow Filipino Catholics in understanding, appreciating and promoting RH as a right." The agreed upon mandate or major final outputs are: (1) sustained capacity building on RH and Religion; (2) a strong, established and maintained network of fellows; and (3) active and responsive advocacy on RH and religion. HAIN was designated the Secretariat of C4RH.

During the workshop, the delegates also agreed to shorten the official name to Catholics for Reproductive Health (C4RH) and leave out the words "Speak Out! Movement!" for better recall among the general public.

The C4RH National Organizing Committee (NOC) composed of HAIN, The Forum for Family Planning and Development, and the Institute of International Education-Leadership Development for Mobilizing Reproductive Health (IIE-LDM) headed the coordination and preparation for the activity. The Philippine Center for Population and Development (PCPD) funded the workshop.

With a more clearly defined vision, mission and mandate, C4RH will continue to work for the empowerment of Catholics in recognizing that the Catholic faith upholds social justice and human rights, and that reproductive health is a fundamental part of the human right to health. C4RH moves forward and proclaims: "We are Roman Catholics and we support the right to Reproductive Health!"