Anti-teen pregnancy bill pushed anew at the House

Several members of the House of Representatives made a fresh push for the passage of the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention bill, saying government intervention is crucial to stop the teen pregnancy rise.

Negros Occidental Rep. Javi Benitez said, "the government should not stand in the way of what women can do with their own bodies. I am pro-choice."  

He added that making women aware of their rights is also women's empowerment.

Party-list Reps. Renee Co of Kabataan and Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers on Wednesday filed House Bill No. 4115 or the proposed Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention bill, which coincided with the screening of an award-winning Filipino movie that revolves around the same topic.

The bill provides for mandatory access and information to reproductive health services as well as modern and other legal, medically safe, and effective family planning methods to adolescents, with proper counseling by trained service providers.

The measure also states that the provision of reproductive health services to adolescents will be based on the principles of non-discrimination and confidentiality, the rights of adolescents, their evolving capacities, and the principle of the mature minor doctrine, provided further that adolescents are not denied the information and services needed to prevent future unintended pregnancies and can access treatment and care services without fear of stigmatization, discrimination, and violence.

Access to reproductive health services will also be available under any of the following circumstances:

• In keeping with the principle of the evolving capacities of the child, if the person 15 to 18 years of age, access to reproductive health services shall be made available to adolescents without the need for consent from a parent or guardian;
• In keeping with the mature minor doctrine, adolescents below 15 years old who have already begun childbearing, who are pregnant, or who have experienced sexual abuse, miscarriage, are sexually active, or engaged in high-risk behavior will have full access to reproductive health services without the need for consent from a parent or guardian; and
• In all other cases not covered by letter (b) of this section, consent to access to reproductive health services will be obtained from the adolescent's parents or guardian if the person is below 15 years old or is mentally Incapacitated.

In cases when the adolescent's parent or guardian cannot be located despite reasonable efforts, or if the adolescent's parents or guardian refuses to give consent, the consent will be obtained from a duly licensed and trained health service provider.

Meanwhile, Benitez recalled that in his city alone in Victorias, there was a time when it recorded 189 teenage pregnancies.

"We had about initially 189. Napababa po namin...but what's very sad is meron talagang bata talaga from 8 to 14 years old na nabubuntis. Nakakalungkot po. We have to look at it through a lens that is very data-driven and scientific. But more than that, kailangan din meron tayong empathy and sympathy sa mga women, mga babae na apektado dahil dito. We have to look at it in that way," Benitez said.

In addition, Benitez said empathy, rather than religion, should be the deciding factor in taking action against teenage pregnancy.

"We should not let religion be the sole factor in this conversation. Even in Spain, the country that colonized and brought Christianity to us, they already have laws that are more progressive than ours. So I hope that we can have a comprehensive bill for this, and for it to be fully funded [when it becomes a law]. Because it really saves lives. Teenage pregnancy is really affecting a lot of families," Benitez said.

Co, for her part, said young girls should be able to enjoy their childhood and not be burdened with child rearing.

"Pabata nang pabata ang mga nanay. Hindi na ito problema ng mga pamilya lang. Sakit na ito ng lipunan bunga ng laganap na abuso sa kababaihan at dapat may agarang aksyon ang gobyerno," she said.

"Children should not be having children. Young mothers should not be growing younger or growing more common," she added.—LDF, GMA Integrated News