DAVAO Region ranked as the highest among the regions in the country on teenage pregnancy, based on the population survey conducted in 2020.
Bai Agnes Sampulna, regional director of the Population Commission (PopCom), said that based on the data gathered last year, Davao Region remains top on the list, though decreasing in number, in the cases of teenage pregnancy for the last three years.
She said that in 2018 15,703 teenage pregnancy cases were noted, 14,000 in 2019, and 12,000 in 2020.
Sampulna said it is evident that there is a considerable reduction of cases, but they remain high in Davao Region.
She said the age range of teenage pregnancy being monitored by the government was from 10 to 19 years old.
Sampulna said the latest count as of October 2020 was 7,653.
"We will add about three thousand plus, consequently, giving us eleven thousand six hundred something for Davao Region," she said.
Among the cities and provinces in Davao Region, Davao City ranked the highest at 3,320, followed by Davao de Oro ranking second at 2,160, third was Davao del Norte at 1,906.
Sampulna said the rise in teenage pregnancies in Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte can be attributed to cultural factors like the presence of indigenous peoples.
She said Davao del Sur ranked fourth at 810 cases, while Davao Oriental ranked fifth with 700 cases and Davao Occidental at sixth with 602 teenage pregnancy cases.
She noted that Davao Region, Soccsksargen and Northern Mindanao are the highest contenders primarily because of their nearness to each other, bridged by indigenous peoples that share the same cultural beliefs.
Sampulna said while these areas vied for first, second and third, respectively, the Cordillera in Northern Luzon ranked fourth, while the National Capital Region ranked fifth in the survey.
She also said that the Population Commission looks at these factors like the lack of information and education on sexuality and reproductive health especially on the groups of indigenous peoples, inadequate access to health services due to the pandemic due to the projected increase in the population at 110,000,881.76.
"There is a reduction in the Family Planning services now since the medical assistance of the government is focused more on Covid-19 response," Sampulna said.
She said while the government responds through these services, teenagers could hardly go out also because of the quarantine protocols.
Sampulna said the Popcom has implemented programs like enhancing the information dissemination on the dangers of teenage pregnancies in schools prior to the pandemic, and through their Facebook page, education on adolescent health among parents.
"We need to discourage early marriage, wherein parents would outrightly decide marriage once their child is pregnant," she said. (PIA-Davao)