By Marita Moaje
MANILA – Commission on Population and Development (CPD) Information Management and Communication Division chief Mylin Mirasol Quiray on Wednesday called for the immediate passage of a proposed bill addressing adolescent pregnancy, noting the rising cases among very young girls, 10 to 14 years old.
“Talagang nararapat na i-pass na natin itong Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill para po iyong national program on reducing adolescent pregnancy lalo na sa very young adolescent, ages 10 to 14 ay mas mapalakas (We really need to pass the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill so that the national program on reducing adolescent pregnancy, especially among very young adolescents aged 10 to 14, can be strengthened),” Quiray said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview over PTV-4.
She emphasized the need to pass the proposed bill, citing new Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) data, which shows an 8 percent increase in births among girls aged 10 to 14.
“Kailangan din po mas mapalakas pa iyong (We all need to strengthen the) social protection program for adolescent mothers and their children, mapalakas ang preventive programs natin katulad ng reproductive health education kapag po napasa ang bill na ito (enhance our preventive programs such as reproductive health education once this bill is passed),” she said.
Quiray said the CPD is alarmed by the increase in pregnancy among 10 to 14-year-olds from 3,343 in 2023 to 3,612 in 2024.
She said the absence of a comprehensive and institutionalized framework limits the government’s ability to fully address the issue, particularly among the youngest and most vulnerable.
The CPD said pregnancies in this age group may indicate abuse, as the age of sexual consent in the Philippines is 16 years old.
“Lagi po nating sinasabi sa CPD ang pag-start po ng discussion is really protection, child protection talaga from abuse, lalo na (We always say in the CPD that starting the discussion is really about protection, child protection from abuse, especially) teaching our young kids to protect themselves,” she said.
“So, if less than 16 ka nanganak, so ibig sabihin (So, if you gave birth when you were less than 16) it maybe abusive or there is an abuse there that is involved because of the age sexual consent,” she added.
The proposed bill seeks to provide a coordinated national response by institutionalizing comprehensive reproductive health education, expanding adolescent-friendly health services, and strengthening social protection for young mothers and their children.
It will also ensure that young boys and girls receive scientifically accurate and age-appropriate information in accordance with the standards of the Department of Education and the Department of Health, while making health services more accessible and non-judgmental.
Quiray said the measure is also crucial in addressing gaps in awareness, as only a small percentage of Filipino parents discuss sexual health with their children, leaving many adolescents to rely on unreliable sources such as social media.
As the CPD supports efforts to fast-track the bill, including moves to harmonize various versions of the measure to speed up passage, she assured that existing programs are in place, including an interagency technical working group among concerned government agencies that aims to address adolescent pregnancy.
The House of Representatives approved its own version (House Bill 8910) of the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill in 2023, while the Senate has yet to pass its own version (Senate Bill 1979). (PNA)
