The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) in Mimaropa region is still campaigning for awareness of ways to prevent teenage pregnancy cases despite a recent survey showing a 50% decrease in childbearing among teens.
POPCOM Mimaropa Regional Director Reynaldo Wong, in an interview on Wednesday, said that the awareness campaign should start at schools where the soldiers are the teachers.
“We need to gear-up our teachers, kasi sila ‘yung sundalo natin na ilalaban jan. Sila ‘yung magtuturo sa mga bata patungkol sa kung paano maiiwasan na mabuntis ng maaga,” Wong said in Filipino.
Wong is currently in Sibuyan Island, Romblon, where he and his team spearheaded a 3-day training on Population Development Program Localization Strategies for the municipalities of Cajidiocan, Magdiwang, and San Fernando.
“Sa training, nag-report sa amin ‘yung mga LGU na mataas daw ‘yung cases [teenage pregnancy] sa kanila. We need to verify this, dapat alam natin kung bakit mataas, gaano kataas ‘yung mataas, at ano ‘yung factors nito,” according to Wong.
The regional director is set to meet high school teachers of the four public high schools in the town of Cajidiocan on Friday, October 21, to offer solutions and techniques to prevent the reported rising cases.
“Maganda jan, magkaroon ng school-based group na tutulong sa kampanya natin. May mga kabataan kasi na sa kapwa kabataan lang naglalabas ng problema at hindi sa mga matatanda,” Wong suggests when asked by the media for possible solution.
Wong also said that teenage pregnancy is not the only problem the teen faces that need a solution. He said that due to the pandemic, cases of suicide have risen, and this needs to be addressed.
