The Department of Social Welfare and Development is moving to expand the nationwide implementation of its ProtecTEEN Program, a social welfare initiative designed to provide a comprehensive and systematic response to adolescent pregnancy.

As part of the program’s continuing pilot phase, the DSWD Field Office 10–Northern Mindanao formalized its partnership with the local government unit of Cagayan de Oro City on December 2 through the signing of a memorandum of agreement to support the pilot implementation of the Enhanced ProtecTEEN Program in selected barangays.

“The Enhanced ProtecTEEN Program carries one profound purpose, to advance the holistic well-being of our adolescent mothers by providing strengthened psychosocial interventions, opportunities for capacity building, parenting support, and access to resources that promote healing, empowerment, and resilience,” said Ramel Jamen, Special Assistant to the Secretary for Field Office Special Programs and concurrent officer-in-charge regional director of DSWD Field Office 10.

According to Jamen, the partnership aims to strengthen psychosocial support, parenting interventions, and service referral mechanisms for adolescent mothers and their children, marking another milestone in the program’s expansion at the local level.

“This program also recognizes the importance of nurturing their children and engaging their families to build a supportive environment for long-term recovery and personal growth,” Jamen said.

The DSWD has also conducted data-gathering activities for the evaluation phase of the ProtecTEEN Program in several pilot areas nationwide. The agency said these efforts are part of its commitment to evidence-based programming to ensure that policy and program enhancements are grounded in field realities and actual beneficiary outcomes.

As part of the program’s ongoing expansion, the DSWD is set to conduct a project launch and payout activity in Iloilo province to support eligible adolescent mother-beneficiaries through social assistance and complementary services.

“With the enhancements introduced to the program anchored on empirical data, field insights, and the evolving needs of our adolescent mother we are taking a significant step forward in our collective pursuit to address adolescent pregnancy. We aim to bridge service gaps, improve referral pathways, enhance developmental interventions, and strengthen community-based support systems that safeguard our young mothers’ rights and future,” Jamen said.

The DSWD said it remains committed to scaling up the ProtecTEEN Program as a nationwide campaign in partnership with local government units and other institutions.