Repeat pregnancies among young Filipinos are rising, with over 25,000 cases recorded among teenagers or younger, according to the Commission on Population and Development (CPD).
At a conference in Quezon City, CPD’s Mylin Mirasol Quiray highlighted that girls aged 10 to 19 are experiencing second, third, and even fifth pregnancies.
The CPD is concerned about the underutilization of the country’s human capital, with children only reaching 52% of their potential productivity.
The CPD, UN Population Fund, and legislators are urging the Senate to pass the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention bill to provide comprehensive sexuality education and better access to reproductive health services.
UNFPA’s Leila Saiji Joudane emphasized the need for a legal framework to address adolescent pregnancies and related issues like HIV, gender-based violence, and child marriage.
Source: PhilNews24 | July 12, 2024
