Commission on Population and Development OIC Executive Director Lolito Tacardon (Photo courtesy of PopCom)
MANILA – Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) officer-in-charge Executive Director Lolito Tacardon cited on Tuesday the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic as one of the reasons behind the drop in the number of teenage pregnancies recorded in the country.
This, after the University of the Philippines Population Institute (UPPI) released the results of its 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFS5), which revealed that the proportion of young women 15 to 19 years old who were pregnant sharply declined from 13.7 percent in 2013 to 6.8 percent in 2021.
“The notable decline in the proportion of young women who have started childbearing can be considered a result of the continuing and collective advocacies, as well as initiatives, of all stakeholders from the national down to the local levels,” Tacardon said in a statement.
“While the study was conducted during the pandemic, the reduction in teenage pregnancy numbers implies that young people can make informed and responsible decisions about their sexuality, given an enabling environment,” he added.
Tacardon said he also agrees with the YAFS5's findings that the decline in teenage pregnancies can be partially attributed to the decrease in premarital sex engagement, as well as improved use of contraceptives.
However, the POPCOM chief noted that the Covid-19 pandemic presented extraordinary circumstances when young people were forced to spend months indoors with their movements curtailed by government-imposed lockdowns that limited their interactions with peers and partners.
Despite the significant slide in teen pregnancy and childbearing figures across the Philippines, Tacardon noted that it is also worth considering that more than half of the regions posted higher rates than the national average.
The Davao and Bangsamoro Regions listed 13.6 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
Among those who have ever been pregnant in Eastern Visayas, about half were expecting during the time of the survey.
“We should not let our guards down, as they gradually return to their normal activities. It should give us more resolve to strengthen and sustain our efforts in providing age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education and information, as well as access to reproductive health services among adolescents, which we deem will sustain, or further accelerate, the decline in adolescent pregnancy percentages,” Tacardon said.
He also called on concerned sectors to intensify their level of monitoring, vigilance, and actions to keep the causes of pregnancies among teenagers in check.
He urged institutions and stakeholders to boost collective efforts under Executive Order No. 141, s. 2021 in addressing the root causes of adolescent pregnancies through a whole-of-nation approach. (PNA)
