MISAMIS ORIENTAL (PIA) -- The Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental (PGMO) allocated P10 million to the Commission on Population and Development in Northern Mindanao (CPD-NorMin) at a recent meeting in response to the region's teen pregnancy issues.
CPD-NorMin Regional Director Neil Aldrin Omega discussed teenage motherhood as a problem that not only contributes to poverty but also worsens the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
He reported that the Philippine Statistics Authority's (PSA) 2022 live birth registry data shows Tagoloan, Initao, and Balingasag towns with the highest in Misamis Oriental. Its high rate translates to approximately six teenagers giving birth daily between 2019 and 2022.
Governor Peter Unabia said the Provincial Population Office (PPO) needs to carry out client-centered interventions in response to the unexpected data on adolescent pregnancy.
"The provincial government allocates funds to implement a program that aligns with the government's social protection program for adolescent mothers and their children," he said.
Unabia explained that the CPD-NorMin would assist the PPO in formulating its work and financial plan to support the implementation of the Social Protection Program for Adolescent Mothers and their Children (SPPAMC) in the province.
SPPAMC is a national government program designed to improve the lives of adolescent parents and their children, particularly those in poor, marginalized, and challenging circumstances as they transition to adulthood. It aims to create a supportive environment to enhance their capabilities, fulfill their aspirations, and ensure their children's well-being.
Without assistance, a mother who becomes pregnant at 14 may have additional pregnancies at 15 and 16, potentially leading to four or five children by the age of 20. The SPPAMC aims to prevent repeat pregnancies among teenage mothers.
Those who enroll in SPPAMC will, among others, be provided support in their pursuit of continuing education, completion of high school or college, or be enrolled in various short-term livelihood and skills courses offered by program partners like the DepEd and TESDA.
With Misamis Oriental's target of reducing poverty incidence in the province to a single digit, from 18.1 percent in 2022 to nine percent in 2028, Unabia reiterates its support for CPD's projects and programs.
"We are working to raise constituents' earnings through various interventions and initiatives with a whole-of-society approach anchored on the 'PAGLAUM' development agenda," Unabia emphasized in response to the prevalence of poverty.
CPD, formerly known as PopCom, appreciates Misamis Oriental's commitment to addressing teenage pregnancy and vows to help PPO in the SPPAMC implementation.
Omega said they will coordinate with LGUs in the region to support ongoing programs, especially those addressing teenage pregnancy. (JAKA/PIA 10)
