ILOILO City – Restrictions on public mobility due to the coronavirus pandemic have no direct impact on teenage pregnancy cases in Western Visayas, according to the Commission on Population (POPCOM).
Western Visayas recorded 10,309 teenage pregnancy cases in 2020 – a 5.56-percent increase from the 9,766 cases logged in 2019, data from the Field Health Service Information System of the Department of Health (DOH) showed. In 2018, 9,970 births were recorded.
Teenage pregnancy is when a woman under the age of 20 gets pregnant.
“May dugang kita nga 543 births among adolescents nga nagapang-edaron between 10 to 19 years old in 2020,” Marshall told Panay News.
However, there have been discrepancies between the data obtained by the DOH and that of the local civil registrar.
“Kon ikumparar sa local civil registar ara lang sa 6,329 ang gin-register. So, posible ang iban nga nagbata waay nagparehistro sa local registrar or basi late registration sila,” added Marshall.
NEGOCC HIGHEST
The province of Negros Occidental had 4,989 cases, topping other areas in Western Visayas.
It’s no surprise, Marshall said, citing the “high population pyramid” of the province based on the latest census.
“They have a very large and young population kag kon they begin or nagasulod na sila or onset sang puberty they tend to experiment or explore their bodies and sexuality,” he said.
Here are other areas recording teenage pregnancy cases:
* Iloilo province – 1,138
* Antique – 855
* Aklan – 705
* Capiz – 678
* Guimaras – 174
* Iloilo City – 613
* Bacolod City – 457
Marshall said teenage pregnancy cases in Iloilo City appeared to be declining.
“At least nahagan-hagan. Maayo ang effort sang LGU (local government unit),” said Marshall.
LOCKDOWN
Marshall said they were speculating that the community lockdown imposed in 2020 was not effective on teenagers but to travelers only.
“Kon tan-awon sa pag-implementar sang travel ban or lockdown mas applicable sa mobile nga mga tawo pero ang atong mga kabataan naga-basketball… Kon gab-i nagalagaw-lagaw pa gani,” Marshall said. “Ang kabataan nagslumbayag sa dalanon, ara sa plaza. Nagahulat manog-curfew.”
“Ti, may hidlawanay man… You know naman ang teenagers kon indi magkit-anay. So, kinahanglan may face-to-face interaction that’s why budlay sila i-manage or control,” he added.
Marshall also stressed that “teenager being teenager, mangita gid pamaagi nga maka-physical contact sa ila kapwa teenagers.”
CAMPAIGNS
The POPCOM said they would continue to guide LGUs in their campaigns through giving of “correct, timely and useful information” to teenagers.
Likewise, the POPCOM is coordinating with the Department of Education for the continued teaching of Comprehensive Sexuality Education.
Marshall said the ongoing coronavirus pandemic won’t derail their conduct of information dissemination to parents and teenagers.
REMINDERS
The POPCOM director has thus reminded teenagers to be aware of their sexuality.
“Information and knowledge is everything. Kinahanglan magpangita sang insakto kag mapuslanon nga info nga makagiya sa ila nga indi pagbaliwala ang bwas damlag,” said Marshall.
He also urged parents to guide their children for them to avoid risky sexual behavior and non-sexual ones like drinking, smoking and drug use./PN
