The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) lauded President Duterte's signing of an executive order that prioritizes the implementation of measures addressing adolescent pregnancies in the country.
Undersecretary for Population and Development Juan Antonio Perez III said the signing of Executive Order 141 last month manifests the national government's deep concern for the "most vulnerable" during this pandemic that include minors who had unplanned or unintended pregnancies.
"Complementing the action of President Duterte, his signing of EO 141 will hopefully draw a positive response from Congress and the Senate to address gaps in family planning and reproductive health services among minors who have become parents, or are pregnant," Perez said.
The enactment of the order took effect Saturday, July 10, or two weeks after it was signed by the chief executive on June 25 and published on June 29 in the Official Gazette.
Perez said the development effectively focuses the attention of the government on issues of pregnancies among adolescents in the Philippines, which is currently labeled as an "urgent national priority" by POPCOM's Board of Commissioners headed by Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua.
The order adopts as a national policy the implementation of measures to tackle the root causes of the rising number of young Filipinos giving birth. It also mobilizes various government agencies for the said purpose such as Sangguniang Kabataan units and the National Youth Council.
For the part of POPCOM as an implementer, it is directed "to continue to educate leaders, parents and other community members about evidence-based strategies to reduce, if not eliminate, adolescent pregnancy, and improve adolescent reproductive health."
EO 141 mentions preventing adolescent pregnancies as key for all regions to reach their demographic dividend and among the declared strategies and priority legislative agenda under the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022.
It also stated the strengthening of youth participation in responsible sexual and reproductive health by lowering the incidences of teenage pregnancies, among others, is covered by the Philippine Youth Development Plan 2017-2022.