More than 400 civil society organizations and government agencies urged the Senate to pass the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Bill during a press conference held Thursday in Quezon City. They highlighted the need for expanded access to contraceptives, improved education and enhanced health services to address the rising rate of teen pregnancies.

Senate Bill 1979, which aims to expand sexual and reproductive health services to adolescents, passed the House in September last year but has yet to advance in the Senate. This delay prompted advocates to gather at the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population Development’s (PLCPD) “No More Children Having Children” event to rally support for its passage.

A Social Weather Stations survey in 2020 revealed that 59 percent of Filipinos view teenage pregnancy as the most pressing issue for women in the Philippines, far exceeding concerns about physical violence and unexpected pregnancies, which were both at only 11 percent.

“This bill is straightforward. It advocates for preventing teenage pregnancy. Perhaps this could be your Christmas gift to the Filipino youth,” PLCPD executive director Rom Dongeto said in Filipino during the press conference.

“No senator should go against this bill. It protects adolescents from abuse, fear and unwanted pregnancies, and it offers them a promise of a bright future,” Elizabeth Angsioco, chairperson of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines, added.

The push for the bill follows data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which revealed a 10.15 percent increase in live births among adolescent mothers (aged 19 and below), rising from 136,302 in 2021 to 150,138 in 2022.

The number of live births from pregnancies among girls aged 14 and below also surged by 35.13 percent, increasing from 2,320 in 2021 to 3,135 in 2022.

“This problem has a mathematical aspect. The failure to pass this bill takes away the bright future of the Filipino youth,” Dongeto expressed.

More than numbers

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), more than 500 adolescents in the Philippines become mothers every day, a troubling reality that includes girls as young as 10.

In light of this, supporters emphasize the bill’s importance, noting that the costs of teen pregnancies extend beyond individuals to impact communities and the economy. This issue is particularly significant in a country where about 30 percent of the population is under 15 and one in six girls marries before age 18.

“The statistics are more than just numbers to me; they represent my peers in the community -- fellow students, friends and family,” said Kaith Distor, a volunteer with the Center for Youth Advocacy and Networking (CYAN).

Distor, a teenager living in the largest barangay in the Philippines with the highest adolescent birth rate, emphasized that with each day the bill remains unpassed, lives, rights and futures are being lost.

This is illustrated by Hannah, 16, who misses school and hopes to return someday; and Jenny, 12, who nearly died during childbirth due to being too young for a standard delivery, according to her doctor.

These personal stories underscore the urgent need for legislative action. Edcel Lagman, one of the bill’s authors, highlighted the unfortunate collective experience of early pregnancy, emphasizing that it is a key predictor of future poverty. He noted that early pregnancy often hinders girls from completing their education, leaving them economically vulnerable and perpetuating intergenerational poverty.

Bigger picture

Given these unfortunate realities, the National Economic and Development Authority declared in August 2019 that teenage pregnancy constitutes a national social emergency due to increasingly alarming trends.

In response, Kabataan party-list Representative Raoul Manuel and the 43 other listed authors of the bill emphasized the need for implementing standardized comprehensive sexual education across all public and private schools, tailored to different age groups and developmental stages.

The bill also introduces community-based initiatives to support parents in educating their children, grants adolescents aged 16 to 18 access to sexual and reproductive health services, establishes mandatory reporting for sexual violence involving those aged 16 and under, and ensures assistance for adolescent mothers seeking foster care or adoption for their children.

Despite its promising provisions, a reporter at the press conference inquired about Cardinal Tagle’s opposition to contraceptives. Elizabeth Angsioco emphasized that the focus should remain on the law rather than religion, asserting that, as a secular country, the legislation must address the needs of all Filipinos, not just Catholics.

She further urged the Senate to consider the bigger picture, noting that the bill includes strong social protection measures designed to address the challenges posed by unplanned and unwanted pregnancies among youth.