RH trailblazer De Leon gets international lifetime achievement plum

MANILA, Philippines — Benjamin de Leon, a Filipino whose advocacy helped pave the way for crucial reforms and policies on reproductive health in the Philippines, was given a Lifetime Achievement Award in Family Planning and Reproductive Health at the 2022 International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) this week.

From 1992 to 1998, De Leon held the rank of undersecretary while acting as presidential assistant for social development to former president Fidel Ramos.

Drawing from decades of experience as a champion of family planning, he gave advice on how to advance the cause of reproductive health in the country.

Jose Rimon II, director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health and chair of the core organizing group for the sixth ICFP held in Pattaya, Thailand, said that De Leon, “with (his) national and international experience, (was) able to leave behind historical legacies in the Philippines, including playing a major role in passing and implementing the landmark Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health bill in the Philippines in 2012 after languishing in the Congress for 14 years.”

Rimon, in a letter to De Leon, noted that “this groundbreaking law guarantees universal access to nearly all modern contraceptives for all citizens, including impoverished communities, at government health centers. We are honored to award you this recognition in addition to your previously awarded Presidential Medal of Merit in ‘recognition of his distinguished and exemplary service rendered to the Republic of the Philippines.’”

Lifetime Achievement Award honorees are distinctive in that they have provided exemplary leadership throughout a significant portion of their professional lives and become known as role models as a result of their accomplishments in increasing access to family planning information, services and/or supplies.

De Leon earned his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees at the University of the Philippines in 1957 and 1961, respectively.

A social worker by profession, he has devoted himself to social development work, especially in the field of population and family planning, since 1971.

He was deputy executive director and executive director of the Commission on Population and Development (PopCom) from 1971 to 1980.

He was involved in the implementation of population and family planning programs and projects in coordination with relevant government agencies such as the National Economic and Development Authority, the Department of Health and NGOs.

One of the highlights of the program then was the Total Integrated Development Approach which incorporated family planning as part of development and contributed to the broader agenda of local governments.From 1980 to 1987, he was executive director of the Jakarta-based ASEAN Population Coordination Unit which was responsible for coordinating the ASEAN Population Program.

He returned to the Philippines to become chief of staff of former senator Leticia Shahani, for whom he helped draft legislation on population, reproductive health, family planning and gender rights and welfare.

From 1988 to 1989 he was the founding executive director of the Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD).

With support coming from UNFPA and UNICEF, PLCPD embarked on a project that oriented provincial governors, city and municipal mayors on the importance of population and children in development programs.

From 1992 to 1998, Ramos appointed him as his presidential assistant for social development.

Retiring from the government in 2004, De Leon founded The Forum for Family Planning and Development Inc. (The Forum) of which he is president from its inception in 2004 to date.

During this time a bill was introduced in both Houses of Congress establishing a national population policy on responsible parenthood and reproductive health.

This bill met stiff resistance from the Catholic Church but members of civil society groups like The Forum stood to ensure its passage.

De Leon brought his learning and insights to various countries and continents, attending the executive program for senior managers in government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in 1998 and the Leadership Communication Course on Reproductive Health and Family Planning, Center for Communications Program, Johns Hopkins University.

In 1998 he received the Presidential Medal of Merit in “recognition of his distinguished and exemplary service rendered to the Republic of the Philippines” and in that same year was the Outstanding Professional Awardee in the field of Public Administration (Government Service), as recognized by the UP Alumni Association.