A population development organization on Wednesday called for the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Health (DOH) to implement what it sees as the neglected provisions of the Reproductive Health Law amid the increase in the teenage pregnancy rate.
“Kami po ay nananawagan sa DepEd na ipatupad ang ilang taon nang nabibinbin na comprehensive sexuality education…Wala pa po ang programang ‘yan after six years,” Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) Executive Director Rom Dongeto said at the launch of "No More Children Having Children" campaign against teen pregnancy.
Dongeto said that the agencies did not implement these provisions due to "personal and religious biases," and urged them to "listen to evidence" instead of acting based on these biases.
One in 10 women aged 15 to 19 years old has begun childbearing, according to the 2017 data of the National Demographic and Health Survey.
At least 24 babies are delivered by teenage mothers every hour, based on Philippine Statistics Authority data in 2014.
READ: The Philippines has Highest Teenage Pregnancy Rate in Southeast Asia
Dongeto also called for the Department of Health (DOH) to implement an information campaign on reproductive health to combat the rising rate of teen pregnancies.
“The Department of Health is supposed to be in charge of the implementation of what we call comprehensive, sustained behavior change communication,” he told GMA News Online.
“Dahil wala yung ganung information campaign, nananatiling may lack of information, na hindi nga nakakarating sa mga kabataan,” he added.
In 2012, then-President Benigno Aquino III signed the RH Law. However, a Supreme Court decision requires teenagers to get parental consent to have access to RH services.
“So wala kang services, wala kang information [campaign] na sustained, wala comprehensive sexuality education. Wala lahat yan. Ngayon, magtataka ka kung bakit nasa national emergency ang teenage pregnancy,” he said.
Dongeto said their group also called on lawmakers to review the implementation of RH Law.
Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) executive director Juan Antonio Perez III said that according to National Economic Development Authority, there were around P33 billions of lost income in the country due to teenage pregnancy.
“So ang major thrust ng aming campaign ay strategic approach which is built around comprehensive sexuality education being introduced in schools. Also, dapat may out of school work din yan,” Perez said.
PLCPD, POPCOM and other groups including youth, reproductive health and women’s rights advocates gathered on Wednesday to call for the passage of proposed laws addressing adolescent pregnancies in the country. — BM, GMA News
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This article first appeared on GMA News.
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