Senate urged to pass bill that addresses rising teen pregnancy cases

In observance of World Population Day, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) on Thursday led the call for the Senate to prioritize the passage of a proposed measure seeking to help prevent teenage pregnancy and institutionalize social protection for adolescent parents.

Ten months since the House of Representatives unanimously approved House Bill No. 8910 or the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Act, the CPD, along with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Philippines, and the Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD), said the counterpart bill in the Senate should also be discussed and be passed as well.

“We cannot overemphasize the significance of having the bill enacted. Aside from its social justice and human rights perspectives, creating an enabling policy environment to protect young people from unplanned pregnancies and its consequences, is critical in enhancing the socioeconomic growth potential of the country,” CPD executive director Lisa Grace Bersales said.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the total number of live births by adolescent mothers (aged 19 and below) rose 10.15%—from 136,302 in 2021 to 150,138 in 2022.

The number of live births from pregnancies among girls aged 14 and below also surged by 35.13% from 2,320 in 2021 to 3,135 in 2022.

Due to this, UNFPA Philippines country representative Dr. Leila Saiji Joudane pointed out that having an anti-teen pregnancy law can provide a framework for comprehensive action to address the root causes of the issue and ensure that young people have the information and support they need to make healthy choices.

“The passage of this bill is a crucial step towards empowering young people and ensuring their right to sexual and reproductive health,” Joudane said.

PLCPD executive director Romeo Dongeto echoed this, saying children and adolescents have the right to have access to age- and development- appropriate information and services, including family planning methods.

“We can no longer delay this measure. Let us not allow the effort and discussions started in the previous Congresses and in the early 19th Congress to go to waste. We call upon the Senators to act on this bill with urgency,” he added.

Once the law is enacted, an inter-agency council tasked to formulate and implement sexual and reproductive health policies and programs will be established.

A comprehensive social protection program shall likewise be provided to adolescent parents to prevent repeat pregnancies and to ensure their well-being while assuming the responsibilities of being young parents. —RF, GMA Integrated News