An official of the regional office of the Commission on Population (POPCOM 11) revealed that the prevalence of teenage pregnancy in Davao Region has declined.
Sheryl Jane Fernandez, regional information officer of POPCOM 11, told media during Kapihan sa PIA at NCCC VP Mall on Friday that according to unofficial data from the Reproductive Health Information System (RHIS) of the Department of Health (DOH 11) based on the records from the barangay health stations and rural health units (RHUs) there were 11,900 cases in 2020 and 9,500 cases in 2021 in Davao Region.
Based on the data from DOH 11, the number of women aged 10 to 19 years old who delivered with livebirths, abortion, and stillbirth in the Davao Region were 15,039 in 2016; 15,643 in 2017; 15,703 in 2018; and 14,446 in 2019.
Fernandez said for the third quarter of this year there are 2,807 cases of teenage pregnancy in the region.
She also said that based on the record of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in 2020, the youngest teenager all over the country who gave birth was 10 years old while in Davao Region was 11 years old.
“There is a slight decrease in the prevalence of teenage pregnancy from 2020 data. This is unofficial data from RHIS and this data is recorded sa atoang barangay health stations and rural health units. Dili ni comprehensive na data kay naay uban wala niduol sa miski asa na oposina unya nanganak na diay sa ilang balay ug wala pud nagpa-check up so wala na record,” she said.
“It’s not increasing but makita nato there is still a prevalence of teenage pregnancy that is why gi-issue ang atong Executive Order 141 by our former President Rodrigo Duterte to address the prevalence of teenage pregnancy as urgent to national concern,” she said.
Fernandez is referring to Executive Order (EO) 141 signed by the former President, which prioritizes the implementation of measures addressing adolescent pregnancies in the country and declared the prevention of teenage pregnancies a national priority in the Philippines.
In EO 141, Duterte said the state acknowledges that what causes teen pregnancy are “endangered patterns of discrimination, deep-seated norms and attitudes that normalize and justify violence against women and children, lack of information and education, and the vulnerability and exclusion of women and children living in remote and rural areas.”
“The EO mandated DOH, POPCOM, DepEd, Sangguniang Kabataan, to develop programs and interventions to address the prevalence of teenage pregnancy. Si POPCOM 11 we have an active collaborative engagement with DepEd and with DOH in conducting programs and interventions in capacitating our local government units in the implement and combat the prevalence of teenage pregnancy,” Fernandez said.
She said POPCOM 11 is strengthening comprehensive reproductive education by capacitating in-school service providers like the adolescent reproductive health coordinators on how to handle the concerns of the adolescents.
She said POPCOM 11 is also strengthening the establishment of teen centers in the region to cater to adolescents.
“Ang teen centers are friendly facilities nga nahimutang sa mga eskwelahan naa pud tay teen centers sa community and barangay halls and health centers diin kaning mga facilities naa na’y safe place na maduolan si adolescents in case naa sila’y concern,” she said.
POPCOM 11 has monitored 145 teen centers in Davao Region and is continuously monitoring and helping the LGUs to establish the center.
