Children play in front of a diorama depicting the execution of National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal as they spend time at the Luneta park on Independence day in Manila on June 12, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — A group composed of health, population, economics, and social development experts has called on the government to prioritize comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) amid the continued rise of teenage pregnancies in the Philippines.

The non-governmental organization The Forum for Family Planning and Development in a release said it reaffirmed its commitment to supporting government agencies and lawmakers in upholding the rights of young Filipinos to life-saving, age- and development-appropriate CSE.

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It also raised urgent concerns about the spread of misleading information against CSE, which is one of the provisions of the anti-teenage pregnancy bill being pushed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

Citing a 2023 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the group said one in every 10 pregnancies occur on teenagers. 

The data, it added, also showed an increasing rate of under-15-year-old girls becoming mothers over the past years. 

In 2023 alone, 3,343 under-15 girls were reported to have delivered their first child, it noted.

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'WE SHOULD BE ALARMED'

Kevin de Vera, director for programs and advocacy of The Forum, warned in the statement that "all teenage pregnancies are high risk" and pointed out that "a teenage girl’s body is not physically ready for pregnancy."

"Teen pregnancy results in life-threatening complications and pose socioeconomic challenges to their families," De Vera said.

"As a nation, we should be alarmed."

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Meanwhile, former Health Secretary Jaime Galvez-Tan, also a trustee of The Forum, also said that teenage pregancy is a "public health crisis that demands evidence-based solutions."

"We cannot ignore the reality that lack of proper education and access to reproductive health services leads to poor maternal health outcomes and lost opportunities for young women," Galvez-Tan said.

"School-based CSE is an essential, life-saving tool that empowers our youth to take charge of their future. A nation that invests in the well-being of its young people invests in a healthier, more prosperous society."

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'NO URGENT ACTION COULD UNDO PROGRESS'

Ernesto Pernia, former socioeconomic planning secretary and a trustee of The Forum, meanwhile noted that the economic and social costs of early pregnancies were "profound, perpetuating cycles of poverty and limiting opportunities for young women."

"CSE is not merely an academic subject but a necessary intervention to help Filipino families, through our professional and caring educators, equip our adolescents with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their reproductive health," said Pernia, who in 2019 declared teenage pregnancy as a national social emergency.

"Without urgent action, we risk compromising years of progress and the future of our young generation—and ultimately, the nation’s development."

Social scientist Corazon Raymundo, president of The Forum and a Pasig City councilor, cautioned that "if we fail to act decisively, we are failing an entire generation. The time for debate has passed; the time for action is now."

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