Cases of pregnancy among girls aged 10 to 14 in Western Visayas increased in recent years, with 103 cases recorded in 2023, according to data from the Commission on Population and Development (CPD).
CPD-6 Director Harold Alfred Marshal said the figure reflects a more than 21-percent rise from the 85 adolescent live births recorded in 2019, signaling growing gaps in reproductive health interventions in the region.
Most provinces and highly urbanized cities in Western Visayas reported higher numbers in 2023, except for Antique and Capiz, with Iloilo province posting the highest tally at 49 cases, up from 35 four years earlier.
Marshal described the trend among very young adolescents as alarming, noting that while pregnancies among those aged 15 to 19 remain more common, the increase in that age group has begun to slow.
He said CPD data in 2024 showed that the youngest recorded mother in the region was 11 years old, while anecdotal reports cited a case involving a 9-year-old who gave birth and later died.
According to Marshal, existing interventions by local government units (LGUs) have not kept pace with the changing realities faced by adolescents, as many programs continue to rely on traditional seminars that fail to address exposure to online content.
He stressed the need to involve policymakers, particularly the Sangguniang Kabataan, saying the youth council has both influence and resources that could help reduce adolescent pregnancy cases.
Meanwhile, CPD-6 population program officer Roilo Vincent Laguna cited policy and structural challenges, including parental consent requirements under the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law, which limit minors’ access to modern family planning services.
Laguna added that while some LGUs conduct outreach programs, many still struggle to meet the scale of adolescent needs across communities, resulting in gaps between awareness and access to services.
Written by Steven Bryle L. Tumandan, Insight PH
Steven Bryle L. Tumandan, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
