Teen pregnancies on the rise again
The Commission on Population and Development (CPD) expressed alarm over the renewed increase in the number of children aged 10 to 14 years old who are getting pregnant and giving birth, urging lawmakers to immediately pass the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention bill.
“As the country observes National Women’s Month, the Philippines is facing a disturbing reality: Children are having children,” the agency said in a statement on Friday, pointing out that two of the youngest mothers recorded in the CPD dataset were both only 10 years old.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the CPD said there were a total of 3,612 girls ages 10 to 14 years old who gave birth in 2024, an 8.9-percent increase from the 3,343 recorded in 2023.
“When a child becomes a mother, something has gone terribly wrong,” CPD Executive Director Lisa Grace Bersales said in the statement. “These are girls who should be in school, discovering their dreams—not raising children before they even understand adulthood.”
According to the CPD, most of these young mothers came from regions with large populations, where access to age-appropriate information and services are limited.
The agency noted that in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), the most populous region in the country, there were a total of 474 girls aged 10 to 14 years old who had given birth.
Meanwhile, 445 of these young mothers were located in Central Luzon, 374 in the National Capital Region, and 302 in Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos City).
“These numbers tell us that the problem is widespread and deeply rooted,” said Bersales. “Population size partly explains the numbers, but they also show where we must intensify information campaigns and youth-friendly health services.”
Gov’t action will help
To address the rise in adolescent pregnancies, the CPD urged lawmakers to immediately pass the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention bill, which calls for a comprehensive sexuality education program in all public and private education institutions.
The proposed measure also seeks to expand adolescent-friendly health services, establish integrated service delivery networks and implement social protection programs.
“When a 10-year-old girl becomes a mother, she loses the opportunity to fully grow into her potential,” Bersales said. “Preventing adolescent pregnancy is about protecting the future of young Filipinas—ensuring that they can become the leaders, professionals, and changemakers our nation needs.”
Bersales stressed that the prevention of adolescent pregnancies requires action not just from the government, but also from families, schools and communities.
“We need parents who can talk openly with their children. We need teachers who are trained and supported. We need communities that choose to protect their young people. It really takes a village to raise a child,” said Bersales.
“These girls are our daughters. Their future—and the country’s future—depends on what we do today. We cannot allow more children to lose their childhood because they were forced into motherhood.”
