29 FEBRUARY 2024 - PHILIPPINES
JUMP OF 35 % IN TEEN PREGNANCIES IN THE PHILIPPINES PROMPTS CALLS TO INCREASE SEX
EDUCATION AND HEALTH SERVICES

MANILA, 29 February 2024 - Sex education in homes and schools and more adolescent-
friendly health services are crucial in the Philippines to address a 35% hike in
pregnancies of girls aged 15 and under between 2021 and 2022, Save the Children
said.
New data released this week has raised concerns across the country which, despite
some progress, has one of the highest adolescent birth rates in Asia[1] partly due
to social and cultural pressures, poverty, limited sex education, and restricted
access to contraceptives.[2]
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The legal age of consent in the Philippines was raised from 12 to 16 in 2022 but
written parental consent is still needed for children aged 18 and below to access
contraceptives.
Childbearing in adolescence often causes a ripple effect, including increased risks
for poor health outcomes for both mother and child, and often lower educational
attainment and employability.
Mothers under 15 are also twice as likely to die from complications in pregnancy or
childbirth as women between the ages of 20 and 30.[3]
In March, a bill that aims to increase access to sexual and reproductive health
services for adolescents, including contraception, is expected to pass the Senate
and become law.[4]
Successive governments have tried to tackle the country’s family planning issues
and in 2012 the Philippines adopted legislation that requires government hospitals
to offer reproductive health services and for government schools to teach sex
education in the Catholic-majority country.[5]
Save the Children Philippines’ Technical Adviser for Adolescent Sexual and
Reproductive Health and Rights Shebana Alqaseer said:
"Establishing adolescent-friendly health facilities and services, along with
comprehensive sex education in schools and homes, is crucial in addressing early
and unintended pregnancies. The consequences of early childbearing can be
devastating, affecting not only young mothers but also their children, families,
and the broader society. Together, we must create a culture where barriers are
addressed, and where all adolescents and their families have access to accurate
information and services, empowering them to make informed decisions and enhance
their overall well-being.”
Save the Children Philippines is helping parents and caregivers to communicate with
adolescent children about sexuality and reproductive health through Healthy,
Empowered and Responsible Teens or our “HEART to Heart” programme in all three
major islands across the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Save the Children has been working in the Philippines since 1981 with programmes in
humanitarian response, health and nutrition, education, and children's rights and
protection.
ENDS
