National policy, social protection to curb PH teenage pregnancies- Revilla

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Sen. Bong Revilla has filed Senate Bill No. 649, the "Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act of 2019" which will address what is described by the National Economic and Development Authority as a "national social emergency."

Under this bill, a National Program on the Prevention on Teenage Pregnancy (NPPTP) will be formulated as a priority program of the Population Commission (POPCOM). It also proposes to create Information and Service Delivery Network for Adolescent Health and Development (ISDN for AHD) in various levels of the government, participated in by private organizations that will provide health services for adolescents.

A National Information System on the Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy shall also be created to comprehensively assesses, monitor and evaluate the programs implemented under this measure.

Bong Revilla clarified that the bill does not solely focus on lowering teenage pregnancies, and added that government should provide support and services to teenage mothers through various forms of social protection such as health services, residential care, education, training and skills development, and livelihood programs.

The bill further mandates for a Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) to be implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd).

The lawmaker sought the support of his fellow solons echoing the call of Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia for the legislature to take immediate action on the matter, ensuring the health of both adolescent mothers and their children, and avoid the rise of school dropout rates nationwide due to untimely pregnancies.

A National Demographic Health Survey revealed that 9 percent of Filipino women aged 15 to 19 have given birth. It is also estimated that around P 24 B to P42 B worth of potential lifetime earnings of women have been lost due to teenage pregnancy.

BATAS LABAN SA MABILIS NA PAGLOBO NG KABATAANG NABUBUNTIS ISINULONG NI REVILLA

Nagsumite ng panukalang batas si Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. o ang Senate Bill 649 na Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act 2019 na naglalayong mabawasan kung hindi man tuluyang matigil ng national government ang pagbubuntis sa murang edad.         Naalarma si Revilla na maibsan ang naturang problema matapos na mismong ang National Economic and Development Authority ang nag-anunsiyo na isa na itong “national social emergency.”         Ayon kay Revilla, ang National Program on the Prevention on Teenage Pregnancy (NPPTP) ay dapat magsagawa ng agarang programa ng Population Commission (POPCOM) at magbuo ng Information and Service Delivery Network for Adolescent Health and Development (ISDN for AHD) na pagtutulungan ng pamahalaan at pribadong organisasyon para makapagbigay ng serbisyong kalusugan para sa kabataan.          Ang National Information System on the Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy ay dapat ding magbuo ng pinagsamang pag-aaral , pagbabantay at paglalabas ng programa na ipatutupad sa ilalim ng panukalang batas na ito.          Nilinaw pa ni Revilla na ang panukalang batas na ito ay hindi lamang nakatuon sa pagpapababa sa maagang pagbubuntis ng mga kabataan dahil maging ang pamahalaan ay inaatasan din nito na magbigay ng suporta at serbisyo sa mga kabataang maagaang nabuntis at magkaroon ng social protection tulad ng health services, residential care, education, training and skills development, at livelihood programs.          Ang naturang batas ay nagsasaad din ng Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) na obligadong maging bahagi ng edukasyon sa ilalim ng pamamahala ng Department of Education (DepEd).          Ang batas na ito ay tugon ni  Revilla sa panawagan ni Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia sa mga mambabatas na magsagawa ng agarang solusyon para matulungan ang mga kabataan at batang ina at kanilang mga anak upang mabawasan ang pagtaas ng school dropout sa buong bansa dahil sa wala sa tamang panahon ng pagbubuntis.          Ayon sa resulta ng National Demographic Health Survey, ang 9 na porsiyento ng babaing Pinoy na may edad 15 hanggang 19 ay nagkaanak na at tinatayang nasa P24 bilyon hanggang  P42 bilyong halaga ng potensiyal na kita pangkabuhayan ng mga babae dahil lamang sa maagang pagbubutis.

https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2019/0829_revilla1.asp

Edward Sodoy