Manila: As the country celebrates World Population Day this July 11, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) flagged the rising number of teenage pregnancies among young Filipinos, as it calls on communities to protect and empower the youth through accessible reproductive health education.
According to Philippines News Agency, CPD Knowledge Management and Communications Division Chief Mylin Mirasol Quiray emphasized the importance of young people knowing their rights and exercising their reproductive agency. She highlighted the need for them to make choices about their bodies and future without fear during an interview on PTV's Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
The United Nations has designated the theme for World Population Day 2025 as "Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world," focusing on the largest-ever generation of young people.
Quiray stated that the CPD aims to focus on young Filipinos to ensure they live in a 'just and fair world' where they are informed and empowered to protect their sexual and reproductive health rights. She stressed the importance of adolescent health and development, urging young people to choose the right path and be free to pursue their dreams.
Data from the 2023 Civil Registration and Vital Statistics reveals an alarming rise in pregnancies among children, with nearly 4,000 live births in the age group 10 to 14 years old. Quiray noted that the youngest to give birth in the Philippines was a 9-year-old girl from Luzon, who was eight years old when she became pregnant.
To address early pregnancies and promote safe reproductive choices, the CPD is enhancing its "I Choose" campaign through its Malaya Akong Maging Facebook page and malayaako.ph website. These platforms provide safe spaces for young people to freely ask questions about sexuality and reproductive health that they might not be able to discuss at home or school.
Quiray expressed the CPD's desire for Filipino youth to know they have options and can choose a brighter future. She mentioned that the Philippines now averages 1.9 children per woman, with more Filipinos opting for cohabitation over formal marriage. Formal marriages decreased from over 444,000 in 2022 to more than 414,000 in 2023. CPD data also showed that while over 600,000 children are born to formally married couples, more than 800,000 births are from live-in or cohabiting arrangements.
Quiray highlighted the importance of reliable and inclusive data in shaping responsive policies that prioritize people in development. She stated that population and development should be at the heart of a country because the quality of the people determines the quality of the nation. Therefore, all policies should center around population.
