PopCom Eastern Visayas curbs teenage pregnancy

PALO, Leyte, Feb. 10 (PNA) – The Commission on Population (PopCom) regional office here will carry out more activities to control teenage pregnancy in Eastern Visayas.

PopCom will lead in the conduct of Teenage Pregnancy Awareness Week on Feb. 13 to 17, in relation to the upcoming Valentine’s Day.

“The celebration is very timely and relevant where many couples, including teenagers, engage into sexual activities,” said PopCom regional information officer Reyan L. Arinto

He however said the activity will be implemented for the whole year through the local population officers who would educate the teens.

Arinto pointed out that teenage pregnancy brought many serious problems and health risks since girls aged 10 to 19 are not yet ready to carry a baby. The appropriate age is from 22 to 25.

In the region, 9.7 percent of females aged 15 to 19 are already mothers, according to the 2014 Young Adult and Fertility Survey.

Early pregnancy will also cause maternal deaths. Young mothers (particularly under 15 years old) experience a maternal death of 2.5 times higher than mothers aged 20 to 24, the survey revealed.

Teenage pregnancy is closely linked to poverty and single parenthood. The growth in single parent families remains the most significant reason for increased poverty. In the region, 78.9 percent of the teenage mothers are single parent.

PopCom has lined up a series of activities to curb early pregnancy with their technical assistants and the local government personnel taking the lead .

“We will also establish satellite teen centers in partnership with different schools to provide rooms for putting some sports equipment, reading materials, musical instruments, and other things to make them have fun,” Arinto added.

The agency will also train peer educators, which is the same age as them to serve as their counsellor whom they could openly talk about their sexuality.

“Young people have tendencies not confide stories to adults. So, they talk to their peers. That is why we capacitate peers to have a peer-to-peer education.”(PNA)

FPV/SQM/John Ray B. Sudario (OJT)