MANILA, Philippines- Umakyat ng 35 porsyento noong 2022 ang ang bilang ng live births sa mga inang wala pang 15-anyos, ayon sa Commission on Population and Development (CPD, dating POPCOM).
Sinabi ng CPD nitong Lunes na makikita sa findings ng Philippine Statistics Authority ang “considerable increase” sa bilang ng live births mula sa pagbubuntis ng mga kababaihang edad 14 pababa: mula 2,320 noong 2021 sa 3,135 noong 2022.
Bagama’t tumaas ang kabuuang bilang ng live births ng adolescent mothers (edad 19 pababa) sa 10.15%—mula 136,302 noong 2021 sa 150,138 noong 2022—ang itinaas para sa “under-15 mothers” ay 35.13%.
“Although live births from adolescent girls, 14 years old and below, is just 0.22% of total live births recorded, CPD is still deeply concerned about the increase in adolescent pregnancy, especially among our very young girls,” pahayag ni Executive Director Lisa Grace Bersales.
Hinikayat ni Bersales ang pagpasa sa Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Act, na naglalatag ng national policy upang maiwasan ang adolescent pregnancies at nagsusulong ng institusyonalisasyon ng social protection para sa adolescent parents. Inaprubahan ito sa Kamara noong Setyembre.
“The bill aims to promote and protect the basic human rights of adolescents, particularly their rights to sexual and reproductive health, development as well as education and participation,” pahayag ni House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas ng Gabriela party-list, isa sa principal authors ng panukala.
“Under the action plan’s eight key strategies is the further advancement of Filipino teens’ health and development, where the phenomenon of early parenthood is specifically addressed,” pahayag ng CPD. RNT/SA
