INTEGRATED Gender and Development Division (IGDD) head Lorna Mandin encouraged the winners in the recently concluded Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to allot funds to curb teenage pregnancy among their constituents.

"Since we have newly selected SK officials, they should include this as their priority program, since there is budget for SK and Barangay, it should be used to address the program in adolescent reproductive health and also to guide the teenagers and parents," she said.

She said that on the part of IGDD, they have made rounds to schools located at Agdao, Poblacion, Talomo, and Tugbok last week to conduct forums of adolescent reproductive health.

"The focus is really teenage pregnancies because it is very common the youth," she said adding that the usual cause of this is lack of information and also peer pressure.

As to the strategies to relay information, IGDD made sure that the presentation can easily be understood by children.

The advocacy on preventing teenage pregnancy is also constantly pushed by the City Health Office (CHO) through the City Population Office (CPO).

Mandin said that this 28th the International Day of Action for women's health, will be another event they eye to address reproductive health issues in the community. This event will give free access to youth and women to reproductive health services for free.