Teen pregnancy still on the rise
NATIONAL Youth Commission Assistant Secretary Perci Cendana expressed alarm over the continuous spike in pregnancy statistics in the Cordillera region.
“The latest teen pregnancy statistics is even more alarming because the already high incidence in CAR continues to increase,” Cendana said.
Total deliveries this year reveal 1,322 against the 904 deliveries last year compounding the already high incidence of teen pregnancy in the Cordilleras which show an increase of 45% in 1st Semester of 2017.
“This is a clear indicator that current efforts and interventions are either not enough or are not effective in curbing the prevalence of pregnancy among young women and girls in the region,” Cedana added.
The statistics were presented during the third quarter meeting of the Regional Youth Advisory Council
[RYAC] a where latest data on rising teen pregnancy incidence was presented.
Benguet continue to top the charts topping the charts with 315 deliveries against 229 last year among 10 – 19 years old based on the the date from the 1st semester of 2016 compared to the same period this year.
Kalinga placed second with 278 deliveries this year against the 112 from last year followed by Baguio City with 259 this year against the 117 logged last year with Abra coming in at fourth with 186 deliveries against 58 last year.
Teen pregnancy in Ifugao decreased with 86 against 139 last year while Mountain Province also recorded 86 against the 104 logged previously.
Cendana said the statistics should serve as a wake call to all stakeholders to be more responsive and aggressive in addressing this pressing regional concern.
“The latest report underscores the need for the full implementation of the comprehensive sexuality education,” he added.
In 2013, the NYC again sounded the alarm bells when a Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality (YAFS) Study cited the Cordilleras as the chart topper for teen pregnancy.
Then, the YAF’s survey in the region logged an 18.4 percentage for teen fertility rates makes us top all other regions prompting alarm bells to be raised by both the private sector as well as government line agencies.