MANILA — The Commission on Population and Development (Popcom) on Thursday said it would focus on the pregnancies of adolescents, citing its potential health risks and impact on their education.

Popcom Executive Director Lisa Grace Bersales cited studies showing that some Filipino women aged between 10 and 19 were already mothers, with some even having 3 children already.

These people could be found in municipalities and other rural areas, and this would be the commission's focus through information campaigns in social media.

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"Tinatawag pa rin natin silang rare event. Hindi naman sila ganoon karami talaga kumpara sa buong populasyon," Bersales said in a public briefing.

"Kaya lang siyempre nalulungkot tayo na mayroon tayong batang babae, adolescent, nanay na sila. Mas mahirap sa kanila makamit ang magandang edukasyon kasi nag-aalaga na sila ng bata," she added.

This also poses some health risks not only to the adolescent but also to her baby, she noted.

"Dadalhin niya hanggang sa kanyang pagtanda itong consequence na masyado siyang maagang nanganak," she said.

Popcom, she said, is banking on Vice President Sara Duterte's comprehensive sexual education that would be taught in primary schools.

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The commission still believes, she said, in the right of every person to have a child and decide on how many children they want but this decision should be made intelligently and consciously.

"Gabayan natin sila kung paano pumili ng number of children," she said.

Philippine population, the official said, is projected to grow slower, based on the 2020 census. From 2015 to 2020, the country's population grew by 1.63 percent or by 8.05 million.

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Video from PTV