CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Commission on Population and Development (CPD) cited local government units (LGUs) in Central Luzon for their exemplary programs in population and development.
The Outstanding Population Structures (TOPS) Year 5 awarding primarily aims to celebrate the dedication and innovation of local population offices in implementing the Philippine Population and Development Plan of Action 2023-2028.
CPD Regional Director Lourdes Nacionales said TOPS highlights the best practices in Adolescent Health and Development, Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning, and Population and Development Integration.
She likewise stressed the critical role of LGUs addressing population concerns and fostering sustainable development.
“Through this initiative, we honor the hard work of our population officers and workers in ensuring that communities have access to crucial programs on family planning, adolescent health, and population management. Their dedication directly impacts the well-being of families and individuals across Central Luzon,” Nacionales said.
The awards focused on program effectiveness, innovation, sustainability, community engagement, and overall impact.
Among the awardees, the Province of Bataan earned the Hall of Fame Award for consistently excelling in population program implementation.
For the Best in Adolescent Health and Development—Province Category, the Province of Bataan placed first; followed by the Province of Zambales and Province of Pampanga in the second and third spots, respectively. For the city category, Mabalacat City landed on the top spot; followed by Balanga City on the second spot; and San Jose City on the third spot. Meanwhile, San Miguel in Bulacan was adjudged as the champion in the municipal category, followed by Candaba, Pampanga in the second place; and Pilar, Bataan in third place.
In terms of Best in Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning category, the Province of Bataan placed first; followed by the Province of Zambales and Province of Pampanga in the second and third spots, respectively. Mabalacat City topped the city category, followed by San Jose City and Malolos City; while winners in the municipal category included Candelaria, Zambales; Guiguinto, Bulacan; and Abucay, Bataan.
For the Best in Population and Development Integration, Bataan topped the provinces, followed by Zambales and Bulacan. For the city category, Mabalacat City ranked first, followed by Malolos City and San Jose City; while Samal (Bataan), Guiguinto, and San Ildefonso (Bulacan) won in the municipal category.
Lastly, for the Best Population Structure category, winners in the provincial category include Zambales Pampanga, and Bulacan; Mabalacat City, San Jose City, and Malolos City in the city category; and Guiguinto (Bulacan), Samal (Bataan), and Candelaria (Zambales) in the municipal category.
With full devolution now in effect, CPD underscored the increasing responsibility of LGUs in sustaining and expanding population-related initiatives.
Nacionales also encouraged all LGUs to further enhance their programs to ensure that more individuals and families in Central Luzon benefit from comprehensive population services.
“We must continue scaling up key population strategies to empower communities. The success of these programs depends on the commitment of LGUs to integrate PopDev initiatives into their long-term policies,” she added.
TOPS reaffirm CPD’s commitment to recognize LGUs that demonstrate leadership and excellence in population and development programs. (CLJD/MJSC, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)