Adolescent pregnancy has been tagged as a national and social emergency in 2021.
This came after a significant increase in the number of adolescents who are compelled to navigate the path of early parenthood due to unintended pregnancy.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed that the number of adolescent mothers aged 10 to 19 years rose from 136,302 in 2021 to 150,138 in 2022.
In the same period, the number of adolescent mothers in the age bracket of 15 to 19 years also posed an increase from 133,982 to 147,003.
The most alarming trend is the increase in the total number of families led by adolescents aged 10 to 14 years. There were 2,320 reported cases of adolescent pregnancy in the said bracket in 2021, which significantly grew to 3,135 in 2022.
These numbers strongly suggest the need to establish critical discussions on responsible sexuality, particularly in Metro Manila.
Based on the 2015 and 2020 population censuses of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD), adolescents comprise 17 percent of the total population of the National Capital Region (NCR).
The city of Navotas, in particular, shares a substantial proportion of adolescent pregnancy in the region from 2019 to 2022 among the other cities.
CPD-NCR Population Program Officer Dominie Busacay cited that in 2023, Navotas recorded the youngest case of adolescent pregnancy in the city, which was reportedly a Grade 4 student.
Complex reality
“Now I know that some of the kids are getting pregnant at a really young age,” said 12-year-old Kylle Fontillas.
Fontillas is a student at Tanza National High School (TzNHS). He is one of the participants in the Youth Empowerment Series (YES) facilitated by the Philippine Information Agency-NCR.
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The program essentially tapped on the trends in the reproductive scene among Filipino adolescents to depict the complex reality of adolescent pregnancy and how it can be prevented through informed decision-making.
“It’s high time na dapat pag-usapan na po natin ngayon bilang mga kabataan. Actually, malaki po ang inyong magagampanang role para mabawasan natin ang usapin ng maagang pagbubuntis,” Busacay stressed.
(It’s high time for you to discuss this at your age. Actually, you have a vital role in lessening the instances of early pregnancy.)
Leading cause
Sex education is still considered taboo in many societies, including the Philippines. As a predominantly Catholic nation, conversations about sex are mostly not welcomed in Filipino homes.
As a result, the stigma and shame around the spectrum of sexuality continue to increase, which ultimately leads to a higher risk of unplanned pregnancy.