LARENA, Siquijor (PIA) – – The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here recently conducted the ‘Barangayan sa Bagong Pilipinas: Paglawig sa mga Hagit sa Katilingban’ at Nabutay, Maria, Siquijor.
The activity tackled mental health awareness and other advocacy campaigns of the government, particularly in response to the alarming rise in suicide and teenage pregnancy cases, as well as issues on Illegal drugs.
The Barangayan is one of PIA’s grassroots communication programs that aims to deliver accurate, relevant, and timely information at the grassroots level and address prevailing issues and concerns of the community.
The grassroots communication drive has been carried out in different provinces nationwide in partnership with other government agencies and individuals to bring relevant information, programs and services that address some prevailing issues of the community.
According to population and development officer Hilmer B. Ongue, several cases of teenage pregnancy have been reported in the province, with the latest 49 cases recorded as of 2nd quarter of this year, involving teenagers and children as young as 10 years old.
Of the total, 14 are from the town of Larena, followed by 12 from Lazi, and nine cases from Maria.
There were eight cases from Siquijor and six from the town of San Juan.
However, Ongue noted a consistent annual decrease of teenage pregnancy cases in the province, from 225 in 2019 to 150 in 2020, 139 in 2021, 129 in 2022, and 101 in 2023.
Of the 101 recorded cases in 2023, 28 were from Lazi, 21 each from Maria and Siquijor, 11 from Larena, and 10 each from San Juan and Enrique Villanueva.
Barangayan sa Bagong Pilipinas
Participants during the Barangayn were barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials, purok presidents, health workers, nutrition scholars, 4Ps beneficiaries, as well as parents and youth.
The event provided them the opportunity to express their views and concerns on the critical issues affecting the province.
PIA has invited advocates and experts in the field of Mental Health as resource persons, namely: provincial population and development officer Hilmer Bantilan Ongue, registered psychometrican and mental health advocate Kiara A. Sarmiento, Department of Education (DepEd) nurse and School Mental Health focal Ciarra Gwynn C. Jimenez, and Police Lt. Col. Rolan L. Allisser, chief Police Community Affairs and Development Unit of the Siquijor Police Provincial Office (SPPO).
PIA has also partnered with the local government unit of Maria and the Siquijor Association of Information Disseminators (SAID) to help promote programs and services that the participants may avail of during the forum.
Maria Mayor Roselyn T. Asok vowed strong support to the Barangayan sa Bagong Pilipinas program and assured that the Maria town will respond to whatever issues and concerns raised during the forum.
Among the participating agencies were: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Philippine National Police-SPPO, and the Provincial Government of Siquijor through the Provincial Agriculture Office and the Provincial Population and Development Office. (RAC/PIA-7 Siquijor)
