Oky Period Tracker launch highlights the importance of menstrual health information for Filipino youth
Joint press release
Manila, 26 May 2023 – Government agencies and development organizations called for better measures to provide young Filipinos with accurate and trustworthy information about menstrual health during the nationwide launch of the Oky Philippines Period Tracker App, an app made for and by Filipino girls.
The app was launched in time for the global Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed every 28th of May, through the partnership of the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM), and National Youth Commission (NYC), with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Australian Government, and Plan International. The event, “Oky for you, Oky for Me: Say hello to the period tracker app for Filipino girls, by Filipino girls,” tackled issues about menstrual health and hygiene management and featured demonstrations of the easy-to-use app.
According to DepEd, 8 out of 10 schools provided access to sanitary pads to girls during the school year 2020-2021 [1] – a marked increase from 2017-2018, when only 60% of schools provided menstrual hygiene products. While the improved access to menstrual hygiene products in schools is remarkable, menstruation and sexual reproductive health rights remain sensitive topics for discussion. More concerning is that myths and misconceptions about menstrual health proliferate on social media – hindering girls’ access to important information critical to understanding their right to reproductive health.
The Oky Philippines app was developed based on Oky, the world’s first menstruation education and period tracker app co-created by UNICEF with girls for girls. The app, supported by the Australian Government, is a joint product of DepEd, DOH, POPCOM, NYC, and UNICEF Philippines, in partnership with Plan International. In localizing the app, the team consulted with girls living in different contexts in the Philippines, including indigenous peoples, out-of-school children, and children with disabilities. The results from the talks underwent vetting by adolescent health experts from government agencies and development organizations. Oky Philippines also includes content relevant to the Islamic culture, co-created with adolescents in the Bangsamoro Region.
The Oky Philippines is a new platform for adolescents, which will be deployed through existing government programs such as DepEd’s Comprehensive Sexual Education and the WASH in Schools programs and the joint campaign “I CHOOSE #MalayaAkongMaging” led by DOH and POPCOM. Moreover, sexual reproductive health is one of the seven priority areas of the DOH campaign “Health is Life,” which focuses on health promotion to improve health outcomes. The Oky app is also consistent with NYC’s Philippine Youth Development Plan for Health.
The Australian Government supports the localization of the app in the Philippines as part of its AUD 48-million Indo-Pacific Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights COVID-19 Surge Response. The program supports the Philippines, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
Oky Philippines is free to download from Google Play Store. The app will be available in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
[1] Department of Education, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools Monitoring Report School Year 2020/2021, https://wins.deped.gov.ph/2022/10/19/wins-monitoring-results-2020-2021/
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
Photos and videos from the launch can be downloaded from https://bit.ly/OkyPHNationalLaunch
Messages of support for the Oky Philippines App:
Department of Health: OIC - Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire
"The Department of Health prioritizes adolescent sexual reproductive health in our programs and campaigns. We recognize the need of adolescent girls to access accurate information about their menstrual health and are happy to have the Oky Philippines app as a new digital platform that can help them make informed, healthy choices for themselves. Ensuring the health of our adolescents takes us one step closer to achieving a Healthy Pilipinas."
Commission on Population and Development: Executive Director Usec. Lisa Grace Bersales
“As part of the Commission's continuous commitment to empower every Filipino adolescent, we are honored to be part of the launch of the Oky Philippines Period Tracker App.
Effective skills in dealing with puberty as signaled by menstruation among girls is crucial in adolescents’ sexual and psychosocial adolescents. As data show, puberty among girls is happening at younger ages. As such, it is crucial that we provide them accurate information about menstruation and other reproductive health information to help them cope with the challenges of growing up. Physical changes during adolescence could be stressful but with appropriate information, young girls can be guided to ensure their hygiene and physical wellness.
The Oky Philippines Period Tracker App is not only responsive to digital natives who comprise our youth, but a big help towards enabling them in ensuring a healthy path towards achieving their goals and potentials. POPCOM shall promote this application to all concerned institutions—particularly the local government units and schools—as part of our commitment to empower young boys and girls.
National Youth Commission: Chairperson Ronald Cardema
“Aligned with the Youth in Nation Building Act of 1995 or Republic Act 8044, the National Youth Commission is committed to harnessing and nurturing the immense potential of the youth as indispensable partners in nation-building. We firmly believe that the localized OKY App will serve as a catalyst to empower girls in our country, breaking down the barriers that impede their ability to realize their full potential for personal growth, family well-being, and community development.”
Australian Government: Ambassador HK Yu PSM
“Australia wants to ensure women and girls have equitable access to essential sexual and reproductive health services and rights. We are proud to support the development of the Oky App to empower girls with evidence-based information about menstruation, puberty and sexual and reproductive health. We are pleased to be part of the national launch of the Oky App, which has been adapted to the varying contexts of young women in the Philippines.”
UNICEF Philippines: Deputy Representative for Programme Behzad Noubary
“We are delighted that the Oky period tracker, co-created by UNICEF with girls, is now available in the Philippines. We thank the children and young people who worked with us to localize Oky so that we can provide evidence-based information on menstrual health for adolescent girls and boys. We thank the Philippine Government, Australian Government, and Plan International for their commitment to ensuring that every girl realizes her right to manage her menstrual health safely and with dignity.”
Plan International: Country Director Ana Maria Locsin
“The process that went into developing the Oky Philippines app together with girls and boys has set a new standard for us as a community of advocates. The challenge now is to revisit the programs and interventions we have and open more avenues for children and young people to participate and collaborate meaningfully. We must also strengthen partnerships with government agencies, including BARMM Ministries, and sustain the network of Youth Campaigners in various areas of the country. These are crucial steps in moving Oky forward nationally.”
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