1 month ago
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ILOILO CITY — The Civil Registry Office of this city said that nearly 300 minors experienced early pregnancy in 2024, highlighting ongoing concerns about adolescent reproductive health.
It said 297 teenage pregnancies were recorded in 2024, including 10 cases involving girls ages 14 and below and a 12-year-old who gave birth in January.
The report also recorded 18 cases among 15-year-olds, 50 among 16-year-olds, 59 among 17-year-olds, 79 among 18-year-olds, and 81 among 19-year-olds.
Despite the high figures, the Civil Registry Office noted that the 2024 figure marks a 3.87 percent decline compared to the 310 cases recorded in 2023.
Previous records indicate a steady decline in teenage pregnancies, with 307 cases in 2022, 318 in 2021, and 354 in 2020.
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In 2024, the district of Jaro had the highest number of teenage pregnancies with 68 cases, followed by Molo with 56, Arevalo with 53, Mandurriao with 42, and 26 cases each from City Proper, Lapaz, and Lapuz.
At the barangay level, Sooc in Arevalo recorded the highest number with 15 cases, followed by Boulevard in Molo with 12. Calaparan and Sto. Niño Sur in Arevalo, as well as North Baluarte in Molo, recorded 11 cases each.
The data also showed that 90 of the teenage mothers are currently single, while 206 have acknowledged fathers under Republic Act 9255, which allows illegitimate children to use their father's surname. Only one teenage mother was recorded as married.
The city government attributes teenage pregnancy to a lack of sexual health education, poverty, limited access to contraception, and cultural norms that encourage early marriage and childbirth.
To address the issue, local officials are urging parents to strengthen parental guidance and calling for increased youth-friendly services, including access to contraceptives.
They also emphasize the need for comprehensive sexual health education in schools and wider dissemination of information through communication and media campaigns.
Lawmakers are currently pushing for the passage of Senate Bill 1979 or the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill which aims to implement comprehensive sexuality education in schools, making it a compulsory part of the curriculum.
This education is intended to provide students with medically accurate and culturally sensitive information about reproductive health, human sexuality, and interpersonal relationships.
The bill, however, has faced significant opposition, particularly from conservative groups and some government officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has labeled certain provisions as "woke" and "abhorrent."
In response to criticism, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, the bill's lead author, has amended provisions to reinforce parental authority and remove references to international standards that critics argue could lead to inappropriate content being taught in schools.
