The youth is the future of this country. That future becomes unclear as teenagers drop out of school one by one due to early pregnancies. Society is not ready to address the issue of girls aged 15 to 19 becoming mothers.
Last year, the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) found that teenage pregnancies in the country significantly increased over the last two decades. Records from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicate that 24 babies are born to teenage mothers every hour.
Pregnant teenagers are mostly affected emotionally. It is a chain reaction that starts with the child dropping out of school to avoid humiliation; to her parents taking up the added responsibility; to the burden of handling the controversy it will bring to the community and the deprivation it will bring to the economic growth of the country.
Teenage mothers are more likely to be disadvantaged than their partners. They will more likely be the ones to drop out of school and face limited employment opportunities. Without employment, they will face great financial difficulty and deal with the physical, emotional, and social consequences of their unplanned pregnancy.
The health of both the mother and child would also be put to risk.
On the other hand, teenage fathers get pressured to support their partners and risk dropping out of school.
One of the major reasons why teens become aware of premarital sex is because of the internet, television, movies and magazines. Though the government has strict rules on what can be broadcast, it still cannot monitor everthing. The same goes for parents. Ultimately, the responsibility still lies in the hands of teenagers’ guardians and the teenagers themselves.
Another reason is the lack of sexual education among the young. It’s time that we note that culture dictates morals and beliefs. Teenagers nowadays have become more experimental with their sexual encounters. It’s time to be more accepting of these changes and to put measures that will help prevent teenage pregnancies.
Parents have a major role in this. Lack of attention at home is among the reasons teenagers seek love and support from other people.
Parents are responsible for shaping the behavior of their children. Without their guidance, a teenager would likely be immature and irresponsible. It is most important that parents have a balanced attitude towards their children. On the other hand, overprotectiveness is another reason teenagers become frustrated, causing them to disobey.
We would often say that teenagers should be treated as adults, but we should also understand that one can be called an adult based on their independence. For me, adults are people who are self-sufficient because they have a stable job. By that definition, technically, teenagers are still in need of assistance.
Overpopulation is already a problem in the country. The increase in teenage pregnancies will further affect the country and its progress.
In President Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address, he expressed his thoughts on Supreme Court’s Temporary Restraining Order on Reproductive Health Law. Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno then clarified that the TRO implemented was for Implanon and Implanon NXT, contraceptives under the RH Law.
The Reproductive Health Law’s goal to encourage family planning will help prevent the fast growth of our population. Through sexuality education, teenagers will become aware of how it will affect their lives because rearing children is a serious matter.
While the government has put efforts in addressing the economic aspect, it’s important that we understand our responsibilities as citizens of this country. The law will only be effective as we start to apply it on our decisions.