THE University of the Philippines System will soon have an Institute of Reproductive Health after getting the approval of its Board of Regents.

The institute is set to serve as a central research source on reproductive health to help with policy-making and legislation, guideline development, training and education needs, and research agenda setting, UP said in a statement.

“Its mission is to address sexual and reproductive health problems through innovative and evidence-based research, training programs, policies guidelines, and research agenda setting, and envisions to be a national leader in innovative reproductive health research working to build a nation with people living health sexual and reproductive lives by 2028,” UP said.

The new institute will focus on clinical care research, training of practitioners in research methodology, gynecology, and policy studies, and drafting of legislation and assessment of research agenda.

Once established, the new institute will be under the supervision and direction of the National Institutes of Health, the 16th office to be under its wing.

The UP BOR convened on November for its 1385th meeting, where the institute, alongside other affairs were discussed.

The Center for Reproductive Rights stated in its 2022 report to the Universal Periodic Review that the Philippine government has fallen short with improving access to sexual and reproductive health services.

The report dubbed ‘Report on Philippines’ Compliance with its Human Rights Obligations in the Area of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights,’ pointed out the country needs to improve services in contraception, maternal health, abortion, and adolescent sex education.