In observance of International Youth Day, the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) and the Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) will hold a series of online mini-concerts on Thursday (Aug. 13).

To generate further awareness in teen pregnancy and interest in their campaign #NoMoreChildrenHavingChildren, a series of mini-concerts called "Amplified: Young Voices for Adolescent Health" will be streamed live on the Facebook pages of POPCOM and PLCPD at 4 p.m.

For the first episode, the organizers will stage a panel interview led by POPCOM Undersecretary Juan Antonio Perez III, PLCPD Executive Director Romeo Dongeto, Kabataan Partylist Representative Sarah Jane Elago, and #GirlDefender youth advocate Ziah Macasilang. 

Adverse effects of teen pregnancy

According to POPCOM, about one in 10 Filipinas aged 15 to 19 years old have already given birth, and this age group continues to register increasing fertility rates, the lowest usage of contraceptives, and is burdened with serious, unfulfilled requirements for family planning (FP).

POPCOM and PLCPD are actively campaigning to raise public awareness on the adverse impacts of teen pregnancies in relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights while calling on legislators and policymakers to take decisive actions to address the issue.

Citing data from the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA), POPCOM said some children as young as 10 years old have begun childbearing. Other data from the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) revealed that the age bracket of 15-to-19-year-old girls continues to register an increase in fertility rate, the lowest contraceptive prevalence rate, and the highest unmet need for family planning.

An average of 200,000 female teens became first-time mothers in the last five years, according to PSA data.

POPCOM and PLCPD underscored that adolescent pregnancy is among the most serious sexual and reproductive health and rights, public health, and development concerns faced by the Philippines at the present.

"eenage pregnancy still plagues the nation as a social emergency," Perez said in a press release.

"Being in the midst of a pandemic complicates and worsens the problem, as there are unreported incidents of rape and incest. For instance, POPCOM Region 9 posted about 628 cases of teen pregnancy from April to June this year," he added.

The POPCOM chief also noted that cases come from within groups of out-of-school youth or youngsters lacking in education, and those with limited or no access to services in sexuality and reproductive health.

Perez said POPCOM continues to support the institutionalization of Comprehensive Sexuality Education in school curricula, as well as the establishment of Information and Service Delivery Networks within communities to address increasing teen pregnancy through education and health services.

Meanwhile, Dongeto believes that Republic Act No. 10354 or the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law "could be further strengthened with the passage of complementary bills."

"We need to make the public understand that adolescent pregnancy is not only a result of children's consensual sexual activity. That is why we are pushing for new laws that will address other serious concerns of adolescents, such as violent experiences like rape and incest," Dongeto said.

Currently, the PLCPD has initiated a partnership with #GirlDefenders, a communication campaign of the non-governmental organization (NGO) Creating Spaces to Take Action on Violence Against Women and Girls, an Oxfam Canada project that works to reduce violence against women and girls in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Philippines.

The NGO's flagship campaign also endeavors to end the practice of child marriage, which they noted in the Philippines occurs mostly in Muslim areas.