ZAMBOANGA CITY, Sep. 1 (PIA) – The Commission on Population 9 (POPCOM 9) recorded increase cases of teenage pregnancy in very young adolescents between the ages of 10 to 14 in Zamboanga Peninsula.
There are 606 cases recorded in Zamboanga City from the age group 15 to 19 years old and 10 cases for the age group 10 to 14 years old as of May 2021 data. In 2020, ZamPen recorded 66 cases of pregnancy in ages 10 to 14 years old and continuously increasing every year, the number of cases were considered alarming by the Department of health and POPCOM.
Cecil Abuy, information officer of POPCOM-9 shared that one of the factors why teenage pregnancy is increasing in 10 to 14 age group is due to lack of parental guidance. While the parents are busy working, the children are left at home and due to their lack of social interactions, further, the young adolescents are exposed to social media.
According to POPCOM-9, additional factors are the challenges brought by the pandemic, peer pressure, mental health problem and they also recorded victims of sexual abuse.
“Our target is to capacitate the parents, we have activities like learning package on parent education,” Abuy emphasized.
They also offer other activities for the adolescent like the Sexually Healthy and Personally Empowered (SHAPE) and You-for-You (U4U) to educate the youth through seminars and online sessions.
Moreover, the POPCOM-9 also wants to inform the public especially that they are providing free lecture and services through the local government units. One of the family planning method they are giving is the implants, which will prevent pregnancy within three years.
“All family planning methods provided by the government are safe and approved by the Food and Drug Association,” Abuy added.
In addition, POPCOM-9 urges couples or spouses to simply visit the barangay rural health units in the health center if they are interested in using the family planning free services such as Family Planning Counseling, contraceptives implants, pills and condoms. (RVC/EDT/MLE/OOJ/PIA9-Zamboanga City)
