SOCCSKSARGEN journey towards the reduction of teenage pregnancy
By Evie Arabis Cabulanan, NEDA XII - DRD KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato – Rising teenage pregnancy is becoming a national emergency throughout the country especially in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region. Thus, the region had pushed a number of initiatives to address the adverse effect of teenage pregnancy in the life of an adolescent. In the civil registration and vital statistics released by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the region recorded 10,499 and 11,126 teenage live births in calendar year 2018 and 2019, respectively, with an overall annual increase of six percent. The age group 15-19 had the highest teen birth rate at 99 percent, while the remaining one percent belonged to the 10-14 age group. Slight decline is noted in the 10-14 age group, from 144 number of teen births in 2018 to 117 teen births in 2019 or a decrease by 27 births. Furthermore, according to the National Demographic and Health Survey in 2017, the total fertility rate in the region was high at 3.4 compared to the national rate of 2.7 percent. The report also showed that wanted fertility rate at 2.7 is above the replacement fertility level of 2.1 which means that women in the region, on the average, have more than 2 wanted births. Teenage childbearing or women 15 to 19 who already experienced having a live birth or got pregnant with their first child is likewise high at 14.5 percent, placing the region as 3rd highest in the country. Looking at the initiatives of the government in addressing this issue on high teen pregnancy in the region, Regional Development Council (RDC) XII passed Resolution No. 69, series of 2020, supporting the
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creation of Adolescent Health and Development Program Technical Working Group (TWG) under the Regional Implementation Team (RIT) XII. The TWG’s work focuses on policy formulation and implementation to support issues and concerns of adolescents. The TWG headed by the Department of Health XII already conducted four meetings since its organization in October 2020. An Action Plan was also
prepared towards reducing teenage pregnancy. There is also a move to institutionalize the functional teen centers and adolescent health and development facilities in the region. All these initiative will be monitored through a monitoring tool. Two LGUs namely, the cities of General Santos and Tacurong submitted their Expression of Interest and was subsequently approved to avail of technical assistance from The Challenge Initiative (TCI) initiated by the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which builds on the demonstrated success of the Gates Foundation’s Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (URHI). It is a “business unusual approach” that empowers cities to rapidly and sustainably scale-up best practices on family planning solutions for the urban poor. This is in collaboration with the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) and
Regional Development Updates | July - September 2021
Zuellig Family Foundation, mainly to address the rising cases of teen pregnancy. POPCOM XII also promoted the Philippine Population and Management Program with various local chief executives in order to forge partnership agreements for their support and commitment to the population program. Likewise, capability building was conducted for the Department of Education, population workers and other stakeholders on comprehensive sexuality education and related adolescent health programs. Other programs implemented were the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) demand generation activities such as mother classes, family development session, pre-marriage counselling, provision of family planning services and efficient repositioning of FP commodities. The production and distribution of information education campaign (IEC) materials on family planning, RPRH adolescent health development, HIV/AIDS, and related materials were also undertaken. Finally, the region supports the celebration of Family Planning this month of August. “Usap Tayo sa Family Planning” is the theme of the celebration which is anchored on the key messages of Practice Safe Sex, HIV-free Pinas and Pamilyang Planado Protektado. SOCCKSKSARGEN Region is hoping for the successful implementation of all these initiatives towards the reduction of teenage pregnancy and lowering of fertility rate to reach demographic dividend.
