Teen pregnancies alarm Soliman

Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman has expressed concern over the increasing incidence of teenage pregnancy, calling on parents and others to help educate young people on the matter.

“Despite the advocacy efforts in the past, data still shows an increasing rate of teenage pregnancy. All sectors, therefore, need to work harder to address this problem,” Soliman said.

She said it was important to hear from the experts and child advocates about their recent studies, perspectives and recommendations on how to solve the problem of child and adolescent pregnancy in the country.

The Council for the Welfare of Children, an attached agency of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, said that globally around 16 million girls aged 15 to 19 and two million girls under 15 give birth every year.

Also, nearly all adolescent births— around 95 percent—occur in low- and middle-income countries.

In the Philippines, studies showed that the number of births to adolescent girls rose by 65 percent—from 126,025 in 2000 to 207,898 in 2010.

During the same period, there was a doubling of births to girls younger than 15. Births to adolescent girls now comprise 11.6 percent of total births in 2010, up from 7.13 percent in 2000. Cynthia D. Balana

RELATED STORIES

Education will help curb teen pregnancy

PH tops teenage pregnancy in SEA