Full Implementation of RH Law to Temper Rising Teenage Pregnancy

Enforcing the full implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act or RA 10354 could temper the rising incidence of teenage pregnancy in the country.

POPCOM-7 regional director Bruce Ragas described the increasing number of teenage mothers in the country as “alarming” which is backed by a report from the United Nations Population Fund that there is a decline in the adolescent fertility rate among countries in the Asia-Pacific Region except the Philippines.

The POPCOM-7 director further said the growing concern is even reinforced by the result of the 2013 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality (YAFS 4) Survey that revealed that one of 10 Filipino women between 15 to 19 years old has already given birth or is pregnant with her first child.

The survey was conducted by the University of the Philippines Population Institute and the Demographic Research and Development Foundation.

In the YAFS 3 Survey done in 2002, 6.3 percent of girls between 15 to 19 years old were either pregnant for the first time or have borne a child but the 2013 YAFS 4 Survey showed an increase to 13.6 percent.

Ragas added the agency’s policy direction under the Duterte Administration is to make headway for the strengthening of information and education campaign on responsible parenthood and reproductive health that includes education against early sexual initiation.

Ragas said the delay in the law’s implementation contributed to the country’s lagging behind other nations in decreasing the adolescent fertility rate leading to increased rate of teenage mothers.

Other factors behind the spike of teenage pregnancy included unrestricted and unregulated use of social media, peer pressure and dwindling moral values.

Ragas said under the RH Law, pregnant minors need to gain parental consent in availing of family planning services.

The agency now is embarking on a partnership with Dep Ed 7 and local government units in crafting instructional manual on educating advocates to capacitate them into giving effective messages about the issue given its sensitivity.

The POPCOM-7 chief expressed optimism that with aggressive information and education advocacy about the law providing correct information to the youth including the social and economic implications of teenage pregnancy would impact on the reduction rate of teenage mothers.

“The RH Law is one of the priority action agenda of President Duterte and he specifically even mentioned this in his SONA last July,” said Ragas during the recent forum of the Association of Government Information Officers – Philippine Information Agency (AGIO-PIA7) that tackled the topic on “Rising Teenage Pregnancy in the Philippines.” (fcr/PIA7)