Manila: Eastern Visayas is seeing measurable progress in reducing adolescent pregnancies, with Samar and Southern Leyte reporting significant declines through the Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Programme (EYLGP).
According to Philippines News Agency, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) disclosed that the initiative is under the Joint Programme on Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy (JPARAP). The UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, implements the initiative together with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The program empowers youth leaders and strengthens local governance to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Since its launch in 2022, the results have been striking. In Southern Leyte, adolescent birth rates dropped by 29 percent-from 35.8 to 25.4 births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19-within just 22 months.
The province is now on track to surpass the program's 2026 target of 21 births per 1,000 if the current pace continues. Contraceptive use among young people also increased, while local budgets for adolescent health more than doubled, from PHP3.8 million in 2022 to PHP6.6 million in 2024, with PHP48.6 million projected for 2025.
In Samar, where the JPARAP entered its 23rd month, adolescent birth rates decreased by 5 percent, while modern contraceptive use surged by 70 percent. Although the province began with higher baseline rates and greater socioeconomic challenges, its local governments boosted adolescent health funding more than sixfold-from PHP6 million in 2022 to PHP45.7 million in 2025.
Department of Health Eastern Visayas Regional Director Exuperia Sabalberino stated that teenage pregnancy is a complex problem that requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, and the involvement of youth leaders has truly accelerated change. Initiatives like TrucKabataan, a youth-led mobile health service, and Masayang Pamilya Incorporated, a parent engagement program in Samar, have proven key to the success of both provinces.
They exemplify the collaborative model that combines education, social protection, and community participation under the JPARAP. Despite continued challenges-particularly rising births among girls aged 10 to 14 years old-the program's success highlights the power of collective local action supported by international partnerships.
The UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, and KOICA reaffirmed their commitment to helping local government units (LGUs) sustain progress through stronger governance systems, broader service coverage, and the integration of adolescent health into local development plans.
