CPD, PSA flag rise in pregnancies among girls aged 10–14

Despite an overall decline in teenage pregnancies, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) has raised concern over an increase in pregnancies among very young adolescents, citing the need for more localized interventions.

In an interview with GMA Network News Online, the CPD said the country is seeing a demographic shift from teenage pregnancies to what it described as “child pregnancies” in 2024.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that 138,697 live births in 2024 were to mothers aged 10 to 19. Of this number, 3,612 births were to girls below 15 years old, rising from 3,343 cases recorded in 2023.

“For ages 15 to 19, births continue to decline. The number recorded by PSA among mothers in this age group decreased again. But for those under 15, it increased,” said CPD Undersecretary Lisa Bersales.

Bersales attributed adolescent pregnancies to multiple factors, including poverty, limited educational opportunities, and earlier exposure to sexual content through social media.

“Parents do not always recognize that children below 15 can already become sexually active. In the past, we assumed they were still too young, but times have changed. Social media is now accessible to these children,” she said.

She noted that existing government programs are contributing to the decline in pregnancies among older teenagers, citing sustained awareness and information campaigns.

However, Bersales emphasized the need to recalibrate messaging for younger adolescents—shifting the focus from warnings about sex to conversations about aspirations and life goals.

“We have to go to the ground and really talk at the community level. We need to work closely with LGUs and barangays and engage children and adolescents in ways they understand," she said.

"The government has to take a closer look at how we communicate with those below 15,” Bersales added.

She said that interventions must be broader, more consistent, and delivered across multiple platforms, while remaining sensitive to the country’s cultural and religious context.

“This is less about family planning commodities and more about guiding children to think about their dreams and future,” Bersales said.

The CPD official also underscored the role of schools in prevention efforts, stressing the need to equip teachers with proper training to address adolescent health issues.

“What we need are synchronized efforts at the local level. Because of local autonomy, LGUs may implement programs differently, so it is important to bring them to work with us at the same pace and direction,” she added.—MCG, GMA Integrated News