DOH plug on teenage pregnancy hit

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Catholic HIV/AIDS Network has criticized the Department of Health for its infomercial on teenage pregnancy because it is allegedly condemning teenage parents rather than educating them.

Paul Bongacaras, PhilChan spokesperson, said the infomercial also did not deal the issue properly.

“Imbes tabangan nato ato na hinuong gi-lookdown ug imbes sa nindot ta naka-focus, sa negative na hinuon,” Bongcaras said.

The infomercial, which the DOH launched this week, lambasted the teenage parents calling them “gaga” or “bobo” (dull).

Bongcaras said that describing teenage parents as such would only discourage them more. But, Dr. Lakshmi Legaspi, DOH-7 assistant director, sees it as an eye-opener for immature youths.

“This is more on giving emphasis to immature youth that they are not yet capable in handling responsibi-lity like pregnancy and taking care of the children,” Legaspi said, adding that infomercials are good but it should be appropriate also.

Legaspi, however, admitted that she had not seen the video personally as it was immediately deleted on Facebook following negative comments from the netizens.

The three-minute video posted on the DOH’s Facebook page on November 30 featured a cheering squad composed of boys and girls doing a routine to complement a song, which lyrics read;

“This kung ako’y mahal mo… Surrender mo ang bandila… Ibigay mo na… Sagot kita, sagot kita… Kung ako’y mahal mo…’Di mo ko pipilitin…’  Di pa ko ready… Maghintay ka… Maghintay ka.”

“Dapat naman magtapos ka muna… Dapat naman maghintay ka muna… ‘Wag magkasala…’ wag madapa…”

“Di naman ako gaga girl…’ Di naman ako bobo boy…”

Legaspi said that if the infomercial was promoted in the region, they are to change the lyrics of the song or even subtitles with our dialect.

The video ends with acting Health Secretary Janette Garin saying the slogan, “Ang planadong buhay ay maayos na buhay.”

According to the data from the Young Adult Fertility Survey conducted in 2013, 13.6 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 years old is either pregnant or first time mothers, one in 10 girls aged 15-19 years old has become a mother while 2.6 percent is pregnant with their first child.— (FREEMAN)