malaysiangManila: As the Philippines joins the global observance of World Contraception Day on Thursday, the Commission on Population Development (CPD) reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women and adolescents to make informed decisions about their reproductive health.
In a press statement, the CPD emphasized the importance of ensuring access to reproductive health services, including reliable online sources, to promote planned and wanted pregnancies. This year’s global campaign theme, “Empowering Choices, One Decision at a Time,” underscores the belief that informed choices can shape the future of individuals and families alike.
The CPD highlighted concerning data from the 2022 State of World Population Report (SWOP) by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which ranks the Philippines 56th among 150 countries in terms of unintended pregnancies, with 71 per 1,000 women annually.
More troubling is the significant rise in adolescent pregnancies, especially among minors aged 17 and below.
‘Live births among
minors (aged 10-17) increased from 50,790 in 2021 to 56,574 in 2022. Alarmingly, live births among girls aged 10-14 rose from 2,319 in 2020 to 3,135 in 2022, often indicating cases of statutory rape,’ the CPD statement noted, referencing Republic Act 11648, which strengthens protections against rape and sexual exploitation.
Repeat adolescent pregnancies are also on the rise, with 25,358 second, third, or even fourth births recorded among girls aged 10-19 in 2022.
Adolescent fatherhood is another emerging concern, as cases of young Filipino men becoming fathers surged from 5,054 in 2018 to 8,665 in 2019.
‘These numbers reflect not just statistical increases but deep social injustices, depriving vulnerable girls of opportunities to pursue their aspirations and fully exercise their rights,’ the CPD said.
Partnering with Bayer Philippines and the Forum for Family Planning and Development, the CPD pledged to dismantle the barriers preventing access to reproductive health services.
A recent study on family pla
nning content on social media, particularly Facebook, revealed the potential of digital platforms to connect reproductive-age individuals with vital information.
‘Social media can be a powerful tool to inform and empower individuals, providing them with the resources they need to claim their full set of rights,’ the CPD added.
Source: Philippines News agency
