Mark Anthony Tabangay

Bachelors Degree/Tertiary Degree from Palawan State University/Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science

Additional Degrees and Certifications:

1. Training Certificate on Assessing Gender-responsive Programs, Projects, and Activities (PPAs) and Gender Tools Analysis
2. Training Certificate on Advancing Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law Social Media and Network Advocates Training
3. Training Certificate on Gender Sensitivity Training (GST) and Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Training
4. Training Certificate on Peer-Educators and Facilitators Training
5. Training Certificate on Peer Counselors Training
6. Training Certificate on Training of Trainers (ToT) for the Conduct of DSWD Youth Development Session
7. Training Certificate on Enumerators and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) Facilitators for Capturing Coral
Reef and Relate Ecosystem Services (CCRES) Research
8. Training Certificate on Comprehensive Population Development Training
9. US Embassy and Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Singapore Training Certicate on Urban Planning and Smart Growth ASEAN Regional Workshop
10. Training Certificate on Environmental and Development Planning

“At 22, Mark, became the youngest legislator in the town of San Vicente, Palawan in Philippines. The once vegetable vendor in the morning and college student at night is now champion of youth and SRHR having authored many RH ordinances their town.”

– Chi Laigo Vallido, Director for Programs and Advocacy at Forum for Family Planning and Development, Inc.

Describe your contributions to and achievements in family planning.

Since 2015 up to present, I have been engaged in advocating the full implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law through volunteering in the implementation of youth forum across the province of Palawan most especially in my hometown in partnership with different National Government Agencies, Non-Government Organizations, and Local Government Units.
Moreover, I have trained more than a hundred plus youth peer educators in my hometown that serves as speakers in conducting our community and school-based Information, Education, & Communication Campaign on Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health that resulted to the tremendous decrease by 50% of the annual incidence rate of teen pregnancy in the municipality based on the Municipal Health Office Annual Report.

What sparked your passion for family planning?

My passion for family planning started way back during our college fieldworks on Community Development Course where we get to immerse on far-flung communities who have a large number of families. By then, I learned the concept of population development and its connection to our finite resources.
I, personally, have experienced the social and personal development impact of family planning through empowering women of our society to have informed decisions on deciding their preferred family size.

Give one or two examples of how you display leadership in your family planning work.:

As a youth leader, mentor, peer educator, and local legislator, I considered myself as a public figure that the young people are looking after. The way I understand Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health and family planning is crucial because it sets the direction of my policy agenda and priority programs and projects for the youth. One of my accomplishments is the passage of the ” Teen Pregnancy Prevention Ordinance” which I have sponsored and co-authored the Ordinance Adopting the RPRH Law.

If you are named a winner of 120 under 40, how will you use this new platform and the $1000 grant to advance your work?

I’ll use this platform to advance and strengthen advocacy on Family Planning and empowering the youth sector on ASRH, and to enhance my leadership skills through networking, mentoring, and collaboration with other global partners. I will use the grant in implementing a project in other towns of Palawan with the aim to provide reliable information about ASRH to prevent them in experiencing early, unwanted, and risky pregnancy that might cause the death and the reason of getting into poverty.

Mark Anthony Tabangay

2019 Winner

Position: Municipal Councilor and Youth Representative

Organization: Local Government Unit of San Vicente, Palawan, Philippines

Current Location: San Vicente, Palawan, Philippines, Southeast Asia

Bachelors Degree/Tertiary Degree from Palawan State University/Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science

Additional Degrees and Certifications:

“At 22, Mark, became the youngest legislator in the town of San Vicente, Palawan in Philippines. The once vegetable vendor in the morning and college student at night is now champion of youth and SRHR having authored many RH ordinances their town.”

– Chi Laigo Vallido, Director for Programs and Advocacy at Forum for Family Planning and Development, Inc.

Describe your contributions to and achievements in family planning.

What sparked your passion for family planning?

Give one or two examples of how you display leadership in your family planning work.:

If you are named a winner of 120 under 40, how will you use this new platform and the $1000 grant to advance your work?

Photos of the nominee in the field/at work: