THE Commission on Population and Development (CPD) has flagged rising incidence of adolescent pregnancies, particularly those under 15 years old, urging the Senate a teenage pregnancy bill.
The live births among minors aged 10-14 are at an alarming state “that needs a more responsive policy,” it said in a statement on Wednesday evening.
It said the number of live births among “very young adolescent mothers” under 15 rose by 6.6% to 3,343 in 2023 from 2,411 a year earlier.
Repeat pregnancies also remain an issue, the CPD said, noting that in 2023, 38 young girls under 15 have experienced it, while 17 women have had five and more live births before they turned 20 years old, it added.
The problem calls for a “comprehensive, age-sensitive sexuality education to address the issue,” Undersecretary Lisa Grace S. Bersales said.
“Our emphasis is on protection from abuse and equipping adolescents with life skills to make informed decisions.”
“Given the significant increase of live births among adolescent girls aged 10-14 and the life-long and serious implications on their wellbeing and to the country,” the CPD said.
It called on senators to pass the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill, which remains under interpellation.
The measure pushes for a national program and seeks the creation of a Comprehensive Sexuality Education curriculum in schools.
The curriculum would tackle topics such as human sexuality, informed consent, adolescent reproductive health, effective contraceptive use, disease prevention, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), gender sensitivity, gender equality and equity, teen dating, gender-based violence, sexual abuse and exploitation, peer pressure, women’s and children’s rights, issues like pornography, among others, according to the bill.
“The purpose of which is to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and values to make informed and responsible choices about their sexual and social relationships,” the bill also read.
“We call for urgent action on this issue given that it affects the health and well-being of this segment of the population, who will be the future workforce of the country,” Ms. Bersales said.
“This will significantly impact on the gains from demographic dividend, a condition where the country gains traction for economic growth, since the population is mostly made up of working ages 15-64,” she added. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza