The Forum supports Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)and the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Bill

PRESS STATEMENT February 4, 2025 - Quezon City.

The Forum calls for urgent action on adolescent pregnancy: Experts declare Comprehensive Sexuality Education a national priority 

The Forum for Family Planning and Development, an NGO comprised of health, population, economics, and social development experts, raises urgent concerns about the growing spread of misleading information against Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE). As a long-standing advocate for adolescent reproductive health, The Forum reaffirms its commitment to supporting key government agencies and legislative champions in upholding the rights of young Filipinos to life-saving, age- and development-appropriate CSE.

On February 5, The Forum will join fellow CSE advocates and defenders in a mobilization in the Senate and urged for support in this activity. 

PSA data shows that in 2023 one in every 10 pregnancies are from teenagers. It also showed an increasing rate of under-15-year-old girls becoming mothers over the past years. In 2023 alone 3,343 under 15 girls were reported to delivered their first child. “As a nation, we should be alarmed,” Kevin de Vera, director for programs and advocacy of The Forum said. “All teenage pregnancies are high risk; a teenager girl’s body is not physical ready for pregnancy. Teen pregnancy results to life threatening complications and poses to socioeconomic challenges to their families.”

With the alarming rise in adolescent pregnancies, experts stress the need for immediate action:

Dr. Ernesto Pernia, former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and a trustee of The Forum, emphasized:

"The alarming cases of teenage pregnancies are not just statistics—they represent a national social emergency. The economic and social costs of early pregnancies are profound, perpetuating cycles of poverty and limiting opportunities for young women. Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) is not merely an academic subject but a necessary intervention to help Filipino families, through our professional and caring educators, equip our adolescents with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their reproductive health. Without urgent action, we risk compromising years of progress and the future of our young generation—and ultimately, the nation’s development."

In 2019, then Socioeconomic Planning Secretary, Dr. Pernia declared teen pregnancy as a national social emergency, and supported the filing of a measure to address the issue.

With the alarming rise in adolescent pregnancies, experts stress the need for immediate action. Former Department of Health Secretary Dr. Jaime Galvez-Tan, also a trustee of The Forum, reaffirmed:

"Adolescent pregnancy is a public health crisis that demands evidence-based solutions. We cannot ignore the reality that lack of proper education and access to reproductive health services leads to poor maternal health outcomes and lost opportunities for young women. School-based Comprehensive Sexuality Education is an essential, life-saving tool that empowers our youth to take charge of their future. A nation that invests in the well-being of its young people invests in a healthier, more prosperous society."