Embracing the ‘new norm’

TE EN AGE pregnancy in the province of Negros Occidental was previously considered an “unwelcomed phenomenon”. At the height of COVID-19 pandemic, cases in the province ballooned alarmingly, prompting the provincial government-run Teresita J alandoni Provincial Hospital ( TJPH) to allot a “special room” away from the“public eyes for teen moms’ prenatal check-up and counseling. Alas, four years after the health pandemic, teenage pregnancy continues to haunt local and health officials in NegOcc. Records from the Provincial Health Office ( PHO) showed that in 2023, there were 5,721 teen pregnancies, 52 percent of which were from the frontier town of Don Salvador Benidecto ( DSB). Gov. Bong Lacson described the report as“serious ”. DSB’s Mayor Laurence Marxlen de la Cruz is “beyond ready” to implement measures to address the challenge. In the Senate, Sen. Sherwin Gatchallian, chairman of t he committee on basic education, also moved to “dig and know” the causes of rampant teen pregnancy.

The Department of Education ( DepEd) has left with no choice but to revisit and intensify its Comprehensive Sexuality Education ( CSE). It vowed to confront the problem as soon as possible (ASAP). DepEd assistant secretary Alma Ruby Torio said they need to review of their CSE, especially on the following learning areas:

* Values Education

* Good Manners and Right Conduct * Health

*Technology

* L i v e l i h o o d Each of these learning areas is said to have direct and indirect effects on teenage pregnancy. The government is bent to launch a holistic or “whole of government” approach to curb this unwanted phenom.

HARD TO MEASURE QUANTITATIVELY

Billing teen pregnancy as a “new norm”, there are lots of factors to be considered why this is becoming prevalent and infamous alike. These include:

* social norms

* adolescent behavior amid digitalization

* school contexts

* peer pressure

* age norms

*family values and affairs These a nd more, however, believe me, are difficult to measure quantitative ly. Even the United Nations ( UN) is worried of the fact that about 16 million girls in the entire universe, under age 18 give birth each year. Worse, the UN Population Fund Agency (UNFPA) noted that another 3.2 million girls worldwide undergo unsafe abortions. ‘UBIQUITY OF TECHNOLOGY’

Well, citing reliable UN data, teen pregnancy nowadays seems to be a “new norm” around the world. Kinda part of embracing t he ubiquity of modern technology that becoming affordable- slashavailable for the millennials. Then, teenagers turning themselves as digital natives tend to be “daring” in exploring things online. And“sex cap ade” via unguarded or unregulated porn sites is one of their faves. Such a hobby fuels their “lusty desire” to explore more as such“tick les” their minds. And reality bites, even teenagers in the far- flung areas have the same interest/ like right now. Hence, the ubiquity of technology is like an“evil ”, serving as a “double-edged sword” that is now “wounding, hurting” our youngsters. Nothing to blame except for the smart phones and internet as the “culprits”, indeed!/