LIMITED educational opportunities, skills training and poverty are issues of urgency and importance as the government tries to halt teenage and unplanned pregnancies.
In fact, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) on Tuesday underscored the critical role of these issues in addressing the rising number of adolescent pregnancies.
The CPD information and communications division chief cited data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showing 138,697 live births among girls aged 10 to 19 in the country.
Of the number, 3,560 cases involved girls aged 10 to 14 in 2024, up from 3,343 cases in 2023, with CPD division chief Mylin Mirasol Quiray describing the increase as “alarming.”
“So, we really want education to have a link because education is always a protective factor against early sexual engagement, early pregnancy and early childbirth,” she said.
And many early pregnancies are recorded among girls from low-income families, highlighting the link between poverty, limited educational opportunities and increased vulnerability.
We agree with Ms. Quiray that there is that urgent need to strengthen the comprehensive reproductive health education and skills training programs.
This must be done in schools and communities as part of efforts to equip young people with the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions.
And young mothers ought to return to school and acquire skills to prevent repeat pregnancies.
The mushrooming number of teenage or adolescent pregnancies in this Southeast Asian nation must be addressed by the government and the community.
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