MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Population and Development (PopCom) clarified on Friday that 40 to 50 Filipino children aged 10 to 14 years old give birth every week and not every year as earlier reported.
PopCom Executive Director Juan Antonio Perez III said this over ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo as he added that over 2 million women are also estimated to give birth in the Philippines next year.
Perez made the clarification after earlier saying in a Senate budget hearing on Thursday that “roughly 40 to 50 10-year-old children [are] giving birth every year.”
“Actually, ang bilang, medyo i-correct ko lang ang balita, mga 40 to 50 every week ang nanganganak na 10 to 14 years old,” he said.
(I will just correct what was reported. Actually, roughly 40 to 50 children aged 10 to 14 give birth every week.)
For instance, some 2,250 children belonging to the age group gave birth in 2018, which is more than double the 1,000 in 2007.
“Nag-aalala kami na ito ay nangyayari sa panahon na ini-implement pa naman natin ang RPRH (Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health) law,” noted Perez.
(We are concerned that this is happening despite the implementation of the RPRH law.)
On average, around 64,000 minors or those aged below 18 give birth every year, according to the PopCom chief.
“So siguro overall ang teen pregnancy sa Pilipinas, 500 kabataan ang nanganganak kada araw,” he added.
(So maybe, around 500 youth give birth everyday in the country.)
Perez also cited a study by the University of the Philippines Population Institute that 200,000 to 700,000 may give birth in 2021 on top of the 1.7 million average births in the country every year.
He said that of this projection of more than 2 million births next year, 11 percent or around 200,000 are projected to involve those aged below 20 years old.