THE City Inter-Agency Committee (CIAC) Health and Nutrition Subcommittee, in partnership with the City Health Office and several organizations, conducted a two-day training on the Billings Ovulation Method (BOM) on July 4–5.
The program aimed to equip healthcare frontliners — including midwives, nurses, and community workers — with the skills to teach the BOM, a natural family planning method that enables women to monitor their fertility by observing changes in cervical mucus.
More than 180 participants gathered at Cronin Hall to learn the technique, which emphasizes understanding the body's natural signs rather than relying on artificial contraceptives or medical interventions.
The training was led by Raymond F. Ganar, director of the World Organization of the Ovulation Method Billings (WOOMB) Philippines. He highlighted the method’s benefits, especially for breastfeeding mothers and women in perimenopause, as a tool for informed reproductive choices.
“This is not just about preventing pregnancy,” a midwife noted during a break. “It’s about giving women a voice in their own health decisions,” Ganar said.
Officials and organizers said the training promotes family planning aligned with medical, ethical, and religious values. Stories shared during the event reflected the community’s need for accessible, respectful reproductive health options.
