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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Anti-adolescent pregnancy bill gets final House nod

Anti-adolescent pregnancy bill gets final House nod

Published Sep 5, 2023 12:39 pm

At A Glance

  • A measure that aims to prevent teenage pregnancies and protect young mothers have been unanimously approved on third and final reading in the House of Representatives.

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A measure that aims to prevent teenage pregnancies and protect young mothers have been unanimously approved on third and final reading in the House of Representatives.

Garnering 232 affirmative votes during plenary session Tuesday night, Sept. 5 was House Bill (HB) No. 8910, also known as the proposed Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Act.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez, in a statement after the measure's third reading passage, said that early pregnancy and mothering has adverse effects on both the mother and the baby, and on society in general.

He said based on surveys, the problem worsened during the pandemic when the government advised people, including the youth, to stay home to stave off the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

“The social cost of this issue and the negative impact on the national budget could run into billions - in terms of the government having to take care of young mothers and their babies. There is also the human development aspect,” Romualdez, leader of the 311-strong House of Representatives, said.

Independent minority solon Albay 1st district Rep. Edcel Lagman--a staunch reproductive health and women’s rights advocate--was the bill's principal author.

According to him, the United Nations Population Fund reported in 2020 that the Philippines had “one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates among ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member-states".

He said the Fund documented that “more than 500 Filipino adolescent girls are getting pregnant and giving birth every day" or in excess of 182,500 births yearly.

He estimated that the cost of early pregnancies to the economy is about P33 billion a year.

The bill establishes the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Inter-Agency Council (APPIAC). It will by led by the Population Commission executive director (as chairperson) and the executive director of the Council for the Welfare of Children (as co-chairperson).

The council’s principal mandate is to formulate and implement a national action plan on the prevention of teenage pregnancies. It shall recommend relevant legislative and administrative measures.

It shall create regional, provincial, city, and municipal counterparts to ensure proper implementation of its action plan and programs.

The bill also defines the roles and duties of each participating department and agency. Within 60 days from the effectively of the proposed law, the APPIAC shall convene to appoint the two representatives from women’s rights groups and one representative each from adolescents and youth.

The council is then mandated to issue implementing rules and regulations.

A joint congressional oversight committee will be formed to oversee the implementation of the proposed Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Act.

Related Tags

teen pregnancy House of Representative third and final reading
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