TACLOBAN CITY — As teenage pregnancies continue to climb across Eastern Visayas, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD-VIII) is calling for stronger education initiatives and active parental involvement to protect adolescents from health and social risks.
Recent data from the Department of Health – Eastern Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-EVCHD) show a steady increase in live births among females aged 10–19 from 2022 to 2024.
For older adolescents aged 15–19, live births rose by 621 cases in 2024, reaching 6,931 compared to 6,310 in 2023—a nearly 10 percent year-on-year increase. Meanwhile, younger adolescents aged 10–14 accounted for 116 cases in 2024, slightly higher than 103 cases in 2023.
CPD Regional Director Elnora Pulma stressed that these figures highlight the urgent need for awareness and preventive education.
“Young people must understand population and development issues in our region. Comprehensive discussions on the dangers and risks of teenage pregnancy are crucial,” she said in an interview with Bombo Radyo Tacloban.
Director Pulma identified peer pressure, misinformation, gaps in parent-child communication, and increasing exposure to sexual content on social media as key contributing factors to the rise in adolescent pregnancies.
In response, CPD VIII is urging parents and guardians to take an active role as primary educators on sexuality and relationships.
“Parents should be the first to educate their children about sex and sexuality. Start with topics like good touch and bad touch, proper names for body parts, and age-appropriate discussions on relationships that may lead to teenage pregnancy,” said CPD Central Office Information Management and Communications Division Chief Mylin Mirasol Quiray in an interview with PTV.
The issue also carries significant economic consequences.
According to economist Alejandro Herrin, teenage pregnancies cost the Philippines an estimated P33 billion annually due to lost educational opportunities, lower lifetime earnings, and increased government spending on healthcare and social services.
To address the problem, CPD VIII is promoting a collaborative approach involving schools, local government units, parents, and health providers. By combining awareness programs, parental guidance, and community support, the agency hopes to reverse the upward trend in teenage pregnancies and safeguard the well-being of the region’s youth.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
