DAVAO Region government agencies and stakeholders committed to turn demographic data and research into concrete local action, with stronger interventions for adolescent pregnancy, social protection and the region’s growing working-age population.
The commitment capped the two-day 2026 Regional Conference on Population and Development (RCPD), where government officials, civic groups and policy experts examined the region’s changing population trends and reproductive health concerns.
Participating institutions were scheduled to sign a joint Pledge of Commitment Tuesday, Sept. 15, to translate policy recommendations and demographic research priorities into local governance actions.
A major concern raised during the conference was the region’s high rate of adolescent pregnancy. Davao Region records a 21.8 percent pregnancy rate among females ages 15 to 24, the second highest in the country. About 2.4 percent of pregnancies occur among girls younger than 15, the highest rate nationwide for that age group.
Commission on Population and Development-Davao Regional Director Jeff Fuentes said cases involving girls ages 10 to 14 require urgent intervention, particularly because 87 percent of reported fathers in these cases are adults ages 18 and older.
“This is not a plain issue of reproductive health, but this is really more on social protection,” Fuentes said. “We are seeing a very disturbing situation. These predators are adults preying on these 10 to 14-year-olds. The challenge here is we really have to know the stories behind the 10 to 14 age group so that we can create a more appropriate intervention.”
Fuentes also called for young people to take an active role in shaping policies and solutions that affect them.
“When we talk about development and solutions, especially on the issues of adolescent youth, they have to be an active partner and a co-creator in the solution, not just merely recipients,” he said.
More than 400 teen centers, including a model facility near People's Park in Davao City, and certified Adolescent Health Friendly Facilities operate across the region. They provide life skills training, guidance and age-appropriate reproductive health education.
At the same time, the region must prepare for an aging population while making the most of its current working-age population, Fuentes said.
Census data show large populations among those ages 60 to 64, with 162,164 individuals, and 65 to 69, with 114,505. Recurring shortages of essential family planning commodities also continue to disrupt health care delivery.
Population growth has slowed significantly, falling from 2.46 percent in 2000 to 1.46 percent in 2020.
Philippine Statistics Authority-Davao Statistical Specialist II Jann Blair Salinas said the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey also showed the region’s total fertility rate declining from 1.8 to 1.6, below the 2.1 replacement level.
Fuentes said the region must act while it still has a large working-age population, or people ages 15 to 64, before demographic aging limits the opportunity.
“What we really want is to reap the opportunity of this demographic transition — na bago mag-age ang ating population, unta madatu muna ang ating population bago sila matigulang (before our population ages, hopefully our population becomes prosperous first),” Fuentes said.
“Before you reverse or do not reverse [the fertility rate], if you do not address this working-age population, that is already a problem. Currently, the question really is how we will be able to harness this opportunity right now while it's here.”
Fuentes also said that government programs will work only when communities can access them and provide feedback.
“Aanhin ang programa kung ito ay hindi ma-access, and when people access services, we also ask them to give feedback so that we can improve,” he said. “That's the only way that the government can improve itself — if the people participate and are very open in communicating what they really need.”
Department of Economy, Development and Planning-Davao OIC Assistant Regional Director Rosendo Aya-ay said the region can meet its long-term economic goals through closer cooperation among government, the private sector, and academe.
“Despite the chaos surrounding us, we are still very hopeful that all our efforts — in fact, whole-of-nation approach na tayo — private sector, public sector, academe, tulong-tulong tayo (we are now taking a whole-of-nation approach — private sector, public sector and academe, we all work together),” Aya-ay said.
“Optimistic kami na kung ano man 'yung nakasulat sa Davao Regional Development Plan, talagang makakamit natin 'yan (We are optimistic that we can achieve what is outlined in the Davao Regional Development Plan).”
The conference, organized by CPD-Davao, included discussions on the midterm review of the Regional Development Plan 2023-2028, national demographic and health survey findings, education, community wellness, and labor productivity. GRS
