Majority of Filipinos consider teenage pregnancy as women’s most important problem—SWS

MANILA, Philippines — At least 59 percent of Filipinos believed that early teenage pregnancy is the most important problem women face today, results of a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released Wednesday showed.

Of the 1,500 Filipinos surveyed from November 21 to 25, 2020, 11 percent answered physical violence and another 11 percent said unexpected pregnancy.

The results also showed 7 percent of the respondents believe sexual violence is women’s most important problem and another 7 percent said it was emotional violence.

Some 4 percent said inaccessibility to service or information about family planning while the other 1 percent cited other problems.

Meanwhile, the SWS survey also found that only 27 percent of adult Filipinos are using or have used family planning methods in the past six months.

Among family planning users, pills remain to be the most preferred method.

The SWS survey results were released following a report of two 10-year-olds said to be the youngest of at least 62,500 adolescents who became young mothers in 2019.

READ: Teen pregnancies could rise during pandemic – Popcom 

According to the Commission on Population and Development (PopCom), the number of births among girls aged 15 and below has consistently risen in nine years since 2011.

READ: Pregnancy among girls aged below 15 rose by 7% in 2019 – PopCom 

Separate inquiries on the alarming rise in adolescent pregnancy have already been sought in the Senate and the House of Representatives.