Call centers now hires almost 90 percent of young adults between ages 18-29 years old, all of reproductive ages, who mostly have just graduated from college/university or in college levels, and therefore, both impressionable and vulnerable.  Given the timings of their work hours, mostly in the graveyard or night shift, increased gender interaction and sudden financial independence, there is high prevalence of high risk behaviors particularly sexual activity among its co-workers.

Common family and maternal health concerns reported to the HR Department are increasing rates of unwanted pregnancies by single and young women, multiple partners, STI cases and other matters related to reproductive health.  This prompted call center/BPO companies to implement measures to prevent or reduce risky behaviors by increasing awareness on the risks and ‘proactive’ behavioral change among their employees.

Advocates for Youth recognized the need to focus on this call center-outsourcing industry as the business will continue to flourish and expect high employment demands despite the current economic situation.  The Project Call-Usugan program activities largely targets young people and covering other employees of all ages and diversity (gay, disabled, etc.). 

“CALL-usugan” is a play of the Filipino word “kalusugan”. It is a combination of two words – “call”, which refers to call centers (the focus of the project), and “kalusugan” which means “health.” Hence, “CALL-usugan” indicates the aim of the project, which is to bring health in call center industries.

PRISM seeks to increase formal employment sector’s involvement in family planning by promoting and providing assistance in the establishment of workplace Family Planning Programs.

The key objective of PRISM under the workplace initiative meets the overall objective of Project: CALL-Usugan by increasing the percentage of working young, single or married, women and men to seek reproductive health information and obtain contraceptive services and products from the private or commercial sector. 

Project CALL-usugan: A Family Health & Wellness Program was made possible by the generous support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/ Private Sector Mobilization for Family Health (PRISM).

Programs are:

Call Center Beneficiaries of the Program are: