The Potential Market for Expanded Private-Sector Family Planning in the Philippines

The Philippines with a population of 80 million and an annual growth rate of 2.36 percent had 3.2 million women using modern family planning methods in 1998. This number is projected to grow to 5.8 million by 2007. Seventy-two percent of users obtain their contraceptives from the public sector where the majority of contraceptive supplies have been donated by USAID. Since USAID recently began to phase out its contraceptive donations and the Philippines Department of Health has yet to demonstrate its willingness to procure contraceptive supplies the question of how many clients can be served by the private sector is crucial. This study analyzes patterns of contraceptive use makes projections about how the market will grow by method and defines groups of clients based on their attractiveness to the private sector. The resulting market segments indicate opportunities for private-sector expansion. (authors)