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BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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ILOILO City – One way to address teenage pregnancy is for parents to talk to their children about sex.
National Youth Commission chairperson Cariza “Aiza” Seguerra said children must learn about sex from their parents firsthand.
“Kahit ano’ng gawin ng gobyerno para maiwasan o bumaba ang kaso ng teenage pregnancy, hangga’t ang mga magulang ay hindi bukas sa kanilang mga anak para pag-usapan ito at maibigay ang tamang impormasyon…walang mangyayari,” said Seguerra.
The singer-actress was here for a consultation.
Some people still consider talking about sex a taboo, Seguerra said.
“Minsan hindi ma-open up ng mga kabataan ang tungkol sa sex sa kanilang mga magulang dahil takot,” she said. “And it is not helping at all.”
According to the youth commission head, parents should also be taught how to discuss sex with their children. “I think it would be very good to engage the parents — how do you talk to your kids about sex?”
Seguerra plans to speak with Social Welfare and Development and Health department officials on how to reach out to the parents.
The Philippines has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Southeast Asia.
Its early pregnancy figures doubled to 13.6 percent in 2013 from 6.3 percent in 2002, according to the 2013 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality study.
Citing the study, Commission on Population regional information officer Roilo Vincent Laguna said one in three youths in Western Visayas has engaged in premarital sex.
Teenage fertility nearly quadrupled in the past decade, too, the study showed.
In 2015, teenage pregnancy rate in the region was 15 percent, way higher than the “acceptable” 4 percent, Laguna said.
Western Visayas is also one of the top five regions with high teenage pregnancy rate: 23 in every 1,000 live births.
Seguerra is in favor of sex education, which she said should be taught at an early age.
She said: “It does not necessarily mean we are promoting sex, premarital sex, no. But we also have to acknowledge the fact na, yes, may premarital sex talaga.
“Instead of giving them (children) the opportunity to protect themselves, lalo pa nating tinatanggal ang proteksyon na iyon just because we feel they are not ready for such information.” (With a report from Philippine Information Agency/PN)
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