TEEN PREGNANCY composite image from Inquirer file photos
MANILA, Philippines-The University of the Philippines Population Institute (UPPI) started conducting the Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality (YAFS) Study in 1982 to provide comprehensive data on young Filipinos, especially on issues related to sexual and non-sexual risk behaviors.
But after almost five decades, a lot of young people still don’t have a comprehensive understanding of the cognitive, emotional, physical, and social aspects of sexuality that while teenage pregnancies have decreased, a lot of 10 to 14-year olds are becoming batang ina.
Article continues after this advertisementThe government expressed concern over the rise in early pregnancies, with livebirths from girls as young as 10 to 14 years old spiraling to 3,343 in 2023 from 2,411 in 2019, when two 10-year olds became the youngest cases of early pregnancy in the Philippines.
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While inconceivable, this reality is evident in the database of the Commission on Population and Development, or CPD, where one can see marks that indicate the existence of pre-teen pregnancy and registered livebirths from individuals who are supposed to be still enjoying their childhood.
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Article continues after this advertisementAs pointed out by UPPI director Elma Laguna, pregnancies in girls as young as 10 to 14 years old could be cases of sexual abuse and predation, especially since based on the findings of the UPPI’s study on pre-teen pregnancies, most livebirths were “fathered” by older men.
Article continues after this advertisementIt was explained by the UPPI in the “Levels, Trends, and Correlates of Under-15 Fertility in the Philippines, 2003-2022” that the age difference is enough reason to express concern, especially on informed consent and the effectiveness of legal protections against sexual abuse and exploitation.
Article continues after this advertisementREAD: DepEd firm on Comprehensive Sexuality Education program
Based on data, the average age of the partners of girls who gave birth at 10 to 14 years old was 21, with only less than one percent of the batang inas having a partner who was also below 15 years old, with the youngest one being 13. Ten percent of the partners were 25 or older, with the oldest said to be 75 years old.
Article continues after this advertisement CSE nowFor CPD Undersecretary Lisa Grace Bersales, the rise in pre-teen pregnancies demands a “comprehensive, age-sensitive sexuality education,” highlighting the need to “protect children from abuse and equipping them with life skills to make informed decisions.”
Aside from the 6.6 percent increase in early pregnancies in 2023, 38 girls below 15 experienced repeat pregnancies, while 17 women have had five or more livebirths before they turned 20, with early pregnancies becoming more common in regions with large populations, like Metro Manila and Central Luzon.
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This is exactly why “comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) should already be taught,” Laguna told INQUIRER.net as she stressed that CSE is not only about the reproductive system. “It is about how to deal with relationships and physical developments.”
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“Once you pass through the pubertal mark, you should already know your right to consent and when you are being violated,” she said while pointing out that one should already have boundaries as early as 10 years old. “You should not be hugged by just anyone, you should not go somewhere with just anyone.”
Laguna said with CSE, the idea is that children would know that there are certain parts of the body that are not supposed to be touched by just anyone. “If this is taught to children as early as 10 years old, I think it would really help them,” she said.
READ: Sex education through the ages
“I mean, if we look at it, what we need to develop in our young people is the sense of agency that they can actually decide or make decisions for themselves and know the consequences of their actions,” she said. “There are serious consequences when children are kept in the dark.”
SB 1979CSE is already mandated by a 2018 order from the Department of Education (DepEd), but with Senate Bill (SB) No. 1979, or the proposed Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act, CSE shall be a compulsory part of education and integrated at all levels.
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According to the bill, the CSE, which seeks to equip young people with knowledge, skills, and values to make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual and social relationships, shall include age and development-appropriate topics such as, but not limited to these:
Human sexuality Informed consent Adolescent reproductive health Effective contraceptive use Disease prevention, HIV/AIDS and the more common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Hygiene, health and nutrition, healthy lifestyles and health seeking-behaviors and practices Gender sensitivity, gender equality and equity Teen dating Gender-based violence, sexual abuse and exploitation Peer pressure Women’s and children’s rights Digital citizenship and issues like pornographyAs stated in the UPPI’s 2013 report on parents’ perspective on sex education, only 25.7 percent had initiated discussions on sex and related matters with their young children, with most discussions being commenced by mothers at 31.2 percent than fathers at 20.1 percent.
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The DepEd explained in 2018 that CSE in schools will “enhance the holistic wellness of Filipino adolescents and effectively address their needs for health and protection through education by ensuring they are equipped with comprehensive information and appropriate life skills.”
It said that CSE “can advance gender equality and empowerment, clarify their values and attitudes, and reduce risks related to poor health outcomes — thereby enabling them to achieve their full potential,” while stressing the school system’s role and responsibility.
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But while 67.3 percent of parents agree that sex education should be given in schools, the UPPI said that most prefer that it be introduced in high school (58.8 percent) and college (27.1 percent). Only 14.1 percent of parents said sex education should be introduced at the elementary level.
ContentiousThe bill, however, has become controversial, with some pointing out concerns on the CSE being “guided by international standards” and the possibility of stripping parents of their right to give consent over the activities of their children, especially in accessing contraceptives.
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One of the most vocal critics of the bill is former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who asserted that the “international standards” refers to guidelines released by Unesco and the World Health Organization that are supposedly teaching children about sexual pleasure.
To address the concerns, the proponent of the bill, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, filed an amended one, which removed the proposal that the CSE in the Philippines would be “guided by international standards” even when some of the criticisms were not contained in the text of her proposal.
READ: Hontiveros: Give revised anti-teen pregnancy bill a fair chance
Likewise amended was Section 5 of the bill, which initially allowed adolescents to access health facilities, goods, and services without parental consent. Now, minors below 16 years old will only be allowed to access these services when there is consent from their parents or guardian.
“Nothing in this Act shall be construed to diminish parental authority or academic and religious freedom,” the amended bill stated, with Hontiveros saying that she decided to file an alternative one “because of the many and heated discussions on the content.”
Especially in the Philippines, where 33 percent of parents who do not agree with sex education being given in schools believe that it will only make their children “curious about sex,” criticisms did not come as a surprise. Some 7.3 percent disagree with CSE because they believe it is “malaswa.”
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But now that everything is available online7up gaming, Laguna pointed out that the least thing that parents should want for their children is for them to rely on the internet “because online, there are no standards.” “This is even more concerning,” she stressed.
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