3 of 10 teenage girls in Iloilo City pregnant, family planning group says

Three out of 10 teenage girls in Iloilo City are pregnant, a family planning group said over the weekend.

 

The Family Planning Organization of the Philippines said this shows a lack of awareness on sex education, Iloilo-based The Daily Guardian reported Monday.

 

Because of this, an ongoing intervention program has been piloted in two schools in Barangay Calaparan in the city's Arevalo district.

 

Program manager Mona Lisa Diones cited the case of a 22-year-old mother who already has six children, most of them were born when she was still a teen.

 

FPOP also found some teenagers got pregnant several times before they reached 20.

 

The intervention program is now being implemented by the Department of Education in Iloilo City and FPOP.

 

Under the program, sex education will be integrated in the curriculum of the two schools.

 

FPOP national coordinator Bryant Gonzales said the program teaches sexual reproduction and helps teenagers understand that parenting bears much responsibility and skills.

 

The report said the program also seeks to enhance awareness for teenagers in the school setting, as parents find it hard to openly talk about sex education with their children.

 

2008 survey

 

Citing the 2008 National Demographic and Health Survey, Gonzales said there are 400,000 teenage mothers between 15 and 19 years old.

 

FPOP said it is hoping the incidence of teenage pregnancies will decrease with the recent passage of the Reproductive Health Law.  — ELR, GMA News