ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The regional office of the Commission on Population (Popcom) marked Valentine’s Day Wednesday with an education campaign on teen pregnancy prevention.
The education campaign was held at a shopping mall where teenage-students gathered to meet friends and acquaintances after classes.
Popcom-9 Director Reynaldo Wong said in an interview the campaign was to raise awareness on the negative impact of teen pregnancy.
Wong said study showed that teen pregnancy occurs as teenagers engaged in early sex for reasons the girl is really in love with her boyfriend, but for him is just out of curiosity.
The study on teen pregnancy was conducted by the government-run Western Mindanao State University (WMSU).
“This activity is to provide the right information. There is nothing wrong in falling in love, but they should give priority to their ambitions in life. This should not be exchanged with short enjoyment,” Wong said.
He said the study further showed that almost 40 percent of the youths in the region aged 16 to 17 already have sexual experience.
He said Region 9 contributed 3.7 percent to the teen pregnancy rate of the country.
During the activity, each of the students was made to pick a raffle that contain questions related to teen pregnancy and adolescent sexual health.
The student who picked up the question will be the one who will supply the answer.
“If their answer is wrong, we correct them. If the answer is right, we augment it,” Popcom Information Officer Cecil Abuy said.
The activity is dubbed "#be informed, be educated, be safe." (PNA)
