Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Mai

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

No.868

House

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Hon. Michael Edgar Y. Aglipay

Incidents of Teenage pregnancy in the Phil 2. In fact, one in ten
ilipino women age 15-19 has begun childbearing: 8% of which are already mothers
and another 2% are pregnant with their first child according to the results of the 2013 National
Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). The survey also reveals that one in five or 19% of
young adult Filipino women aged 18 to 24 years had initiated their sexual activity before age
18 and some of them had their first intimate sexual act before marriage.

you

The issue of teenage pregnancy contributed to the continually increasing the population
growth as well as problems on poverty. Hence, there is a need to establish a national policy to
prevent teenage pregnancy and institutionalize social protection for teenage parents.

This proposed measure, based on House Bill 4742 introduced by Rep. Sol Aragones
during the 17" Congress, aims to ensure the rights of every girl/young woman to proper
eduaction, including age-appropriate comprehensive sex education and access to youth friendly
reproductive health programs and services.



Republic of the Philij
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIV!
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 888

ist Representative Hon. Michael Edgar Y. Aglipay

AN ACT

PROVIDING FOR NATIONAL POLICY IN PREVENTING TEENAGE
ANCIES, INSTITUTIONALIZING SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR TEENAGE
PARENTS, AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. ~ This Act shall be known as the “Prevention of Adolescent
Pregnaney Act”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ \t shall be the policy of the state to:

(a) Recognize, promote, and strengthen the role of adolescents and young people in the
overall human and socio-economic development of the country not only in the
future but also in the present;

(b) Recognize and promote the responsibility of the State to create and sustain an
enabling environment for adolescents to enable them to achieve their development
aspirations and potentials as well as mobilize them to positively contribute to the
development of the nation;

(c) Pursue sustainable and genuine human development that values the dignity of the
total human person and affords full protection to people's rights, especially of
adolescent women and men and their families;

(d) Promote and protect the human rights of all individuals including the adolescents
particularly in their exercise of their rights to sexual and reproductive health,
equality and equity before the law, the right to development, the right to education,
freedom of expression, the right to participate indecision-making, and the right to
choose and make responsible decisions for themselves;

(e) Provide full and comprehensive information to adolescents that can help them
prevent early and unintended pregnancies and their life-long consequences;



(1) Ensure corresponding interventions that could respond to the socioeconomic, health
and emotional needs of adolescents and youth. Especially young women, With due
regard for their own creative capabilities, participation in the political process, and
access to education, health, counselling and high-quality reproductive health
services;

(g) Encourage adolescent mothers and fathers to continue and finish their education in
order to equip them for a better fife, to increase their human potential, to help
prevent early marriages, high-risk child-bearing and repeated pregnancy and to
reduce associated mortality and morbidity through comprehensive social protection
interventions;

(h) Recognize and promote the rights, duties, and responsibilities of parents, teachers,
and other persons legally responsible for the growth of adolescents to provide, ina
manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the adolescents, appropriate
direction and guidance in sexual and reproductive matters.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall
be defined as follows:

(a) Adolescents - refers to the population aged 10 to 19 years.

(b) Adolescents sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) care- refers to the access
to a full range of methods, techniques and services that contribute to the
reproductive health and well-being or young people by preventing and solving
reproductive health-related problems.

(c) Adolescent sexuality- refers to the reproductive system, gender identity, values
or beliefs, emotions, relationship and sexual behavior of young people as social,
beings.

(d) Comprehensive sexuality education refers to the process of acquiring
complete, accurate, relevant and age-appropriate information and skills on all,
matters relating to the reproductive system, its functions and process and human
sexuality and forming attitude and beliefs about sex, sexual identity,
interpersonal relationship, affection, intimacy and gender roles. It has the
purpose of developing the skills of young people for them to make informed
decisions such as the capacity to distinguish between facts and myths on sex
and sexuality, and critically evaluate and discuss the moral, religious, social
and cultural dimensions of related sensitive issues such as contraception and
abortion, and decide to prevent risky behaviors that can undermine the
realization of their aspirations and potentials.

(e) Information and services delivery network for adolescents health and
development (ISDN)- refers to the network of facilities, institutions, and
providers within the province, district municipality/city-wide health and social
system offering information, training, and core packages of health and social
care services in an integrated and coordinated manner.

(f) Local youth development council (LYDC)- refers to the local body to be
created based on RA 10742 (SK reform Law) which is composed of


representatives of youth and youth-serving organizations in provi city
and municipal level with the primary function of assisting in the planning and
execution of projects and programs of Sangguniang Kabataan, and the
Pederasyons in all levels.

(g) Normal schools or college te
educating teachers.

chers — refer to learning institution training or

(h) Public-private partnership (PPP) ~ is cooperative arrangement between one or
more public and private sectors, typically of a long term nature, for various
development programs or projects.

(i) Reproductive health- refers to state of complete physical, mental and social
well-being, and not merely the absence of disease infirmity in all matters
relating to the reproductive system and to its functions processes.

(i) Risky behaviors- refer to ill- advised practices and actions that are potentially
detrimental to a person’s health or general well-being.

(k) Social protection — consists of policies and programs designed to reduce
poverty and vulnerability by promoting efficient labor markets, diminishing
people’s exposure to risks, and enhancing their capacity to manage economic
and social risks, such as unemployment, exclusions, sickness, disability and old
age.

SECTION 4. Development of national program of action and investment plan for the
prevention or teenage pregnancy. ~ ‘The National youth commission (NYC). Department of
education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), Department of social welfare and
development (DSWD), and the commission on population (POPCOM) in collaboration with
other relevant national agencies and the civil society organizations shall develop an evidence-
based medium-term national program of action for the prevention of teenage pregnancy. The
program of action shall serve as the national framework for inter-agency and inter-sectoral
collaboration at all levels to address the various health, cultural, socio-economic and
institutional determinants of teenage pregnancy.

Based on the Program of Action, a national program on the prevention of teenage
pregnancy (NPPTP) which shall form a priority program of the Philippine population
management program being spearheaded and coordinated by POPCOM shall be developed and
funded at all levels. The NPPTP shall be based on the inter-agency program of action involving
all relevant government agencies and shall be considered as a program that is eligible for
multiyear funding and inter-agency obligational authority to ensure the allocation for the key
strategies in all concerned government agencies.

SECTION 5. Organization and mobilization of regional and local information and
service delivery network for adolescent health and development (ISDN for AHD). ~ All
provinces and charted cities shall organize and operationalize, an ISDN for AHD consisting of
different government and non-government organizations, institutions, facilities catering


information and services to adolescents within their locality. The ISDN may be organized by
district in each province or by municipalities/city. An effective collaborative and referral
system among the members of the ISDN shall be established and implemented within a
catchment area,

The ISDN shall perform the following tasks and functions:

(a) Map and analyze the various factors contributing to pregnancies among
adolescents at the regional and local levels;

(b) Identify, harmonize, coordinate, and implement inter-agency interventions
to address the various issues related to teenage pregnancies in the region
and at the local level;

(c) Capacitate ISDN agene
government _agencit
adolescents;

members in collaboration with relevant regional
to ensure quality information and services to

(d) Provide, in collaboration with concerned LGU’s needed information and
services for adolescents development;

(c) Generate or share resources in the implementation of the joint strategie plan
of the ISDN; and

(1) Monitor and evaluate effectiveness or coordinative and referral system and
other interagency interventions jointly implementation by the ISDN.

The local ISDN shall be coordinated by the Provincial/ city population
office or, in its absence, the provincial/city health office in collaboration
with the Sanggunian Kabataan (SK) Federation or local youth development
council (LYDC) in the concerned localities with technical assistance from
POPCOM and other relevant national government agencies.

SECTION 6. Age and development-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education.
All agencies under the education sector in collaboration with other relevant agencies shall
develop and promote educational standards, modules, and materials to promote comprehensive
responsible sexuality education shall start grade 5 and shall include age appropriate topics such
as, but not limited to human sexuality, adolescent reproductive health, health and nutrition,
gender-sensitivity, gender equality and equity, and life-skills. The purpose of which is to enable
adolescent to be responsible in nurturing their sexuality, prevent sexual abuse, and avoid
unintended pregnancy.

SECTION 7. Training of teachers, guidance counselors, and school supervisors on
CSE. ~ The DepEd, Technological education and skills development authority (TESDA) and
commission on higher education (CHED) shall ensure that all teachers, guidance counselors,
instructors, and other school officials entrusted with the duty to educate effectively educate or
guide adolescent in dealing with their sexuality- related concems. The training shall be in
collaboration with DOH, POPCOM and NYC for technical assistance. Funding for the training



shall be allotted in the concerned government agencies’ annual allocation to be approved by
Congress.

The CHED shall ensure that CSE standards are integrated in the curriculum and
across specializations in the professional preparation and training for would-be
teachers in normal schools or teacher education institutions in the country

SECTION 8. CSE for Out-of-School Adolescents and those with special concerns.
The DSWD, DOH, POPCOM, and the local government units (LGUs) shall collaborate to
intensity and institutionalize interactive learning methodologies for CSE among out-of-school
adolescents in the communities and work places. Provided, that the needs of indigenous,
working, persons-with-disabilities, and adolescents in social institutions are considered in the
design and promotion of sexuality education among adolescents.

SECTION 9. Promoting the CSE using social media and other digital or online
communication platforms. — All concerned government agencies shall optimize the social
media and other online platforms to reach adolescents netizens with accurate information and
messages on adolescents sexual and reproductive health (ASHR) concerns. A web portal for

the NPPTP shall be developed and promoted by POPCOM to harmonize and link various
operationalization of ISDN for AHD,

SECTION 10, Mandatory establishment of functional local teen centers for adolescent
health and development. ~ A school- or community-based teen center for AHD shall be
established and operationalized in all municipalities and cities in the country, Such teen centers
shall serve as facilities where adolescent and youth can access appropriate information and
services on ASRH and other concerns relevant to their holistic development, the teen centers
shall be the convergence facilities or hubs for the services of the ISDN for AHD members as
provided in section 5 of this Act.

The center shall also serve as peer helping, counseling, and treatment center especially
for adolescents in crisis or victims of abuse and violence.

The center shall be mainly managed and operated by the LGUs through SK members,
youth volunteers and workers and other organized adolescents youth group recognized by the
LGU with the assistance of various adult service providers and youth-serving professionals
including the civil society organizations (CSOs). The establishment and operationalization of
the teen centers shall be funded using the 10% SK fund and other relevant local budget sources.

The POPCOM in collaboration with DepEd, CHED, DOH, DILG, and CSOs shall
formulate the guidelines and standards in setting-up of teen centers in schools and

communities. National government agencies shall provide assistance to LGUs and schools in
setting-up the teen centers

SECTION 11. Participation of the private sector in the promotion of CSE. - The
government may enter into public-private partnership agreement in mobilizing private
communication networks and companies in promoting CSE through text or short message
service (SMS) or media messages. An incentive mechanism for telecommunication companies
shall be developed and implemented by concerned agencies to recognize private participation
in promoting CSEs and adolescent youth health-seeking behavior, positive attitude towards
sex, sexual relations and sexuality, etc.



The movie and television review and classification board (MTRCB) shall review their
existing guidelines to ensure that no movie and television programs portray, depict, promote
and encourage sexual activities among adolescent as normative behavior in the society. An
incentive scheme for adolescent-friendly television programs shall likewise be developed and
implemented to encourage movie and television networks to produce materials and programs
that promote responsible sexuality among adolescents.

Other private companies may be engaged to partner with the government agencies in
ing and implementing innovating programs to prevent adolescent pregnancy.

de

SECTION 12. Regulating access of minors to pornographic material and obscene
shows. — Existing laws penalizing pornography and obscenity in the country shall be
strengthened by the following regulatory provisions

(a) All business establishment providing computer and internet services shall
strictly restrict or prohibit minors from accessing pornographic websites by
setting up filters or parental control programs to block or filter-out
pornographic internet contents in all their computer units and by posting a
signage prohibiting minors from access pornographic materials. Non-
compliance to this provision shall cause the cancellation of the business
permit of said establishment,

(b) Selling and distribution of pornographic printed materials and videos in any
format to minors shall be prohibited and penalized under existing laws and
this Act.

(c) Persons within the age of majority who shall encourage or exert influence
to minors to access pornographic products and contents shall be penalized
under this Act.

(a) Any business establishment that causes the participation and access of
minors in obscene shows shall be penalized and shall be ground for the
cancellation of the business permit of such estal

The SK at the barangay and municipal/city level shall organize and mobilize group of
youth volunteers in collaboration with barangay officials and peace officers to monitor
compliance of computer shops and business establishments selling and distributing videos and
printed materials in restricting minors from accessing pornographic products.

SECTION 13. Access fo reproductive health services. ~ Sexually active adolescents or
those who have already engage in sexual activities shall be allowed to access modern family
planning methods with proper counseling by trained service providers in health facilities
including school clinics shall be trained on providing adolescent-friendly and responsive
information and service. Provided, that all health facilities shall be enhanced to become an
adolescent-friendly facilities by ensuring confidentiality, exclusive schedules for adolescents,
availability of services for adolescents, and non-judgmental health service providers.

SECTION 14, Social protection for teen age mothers or parents. ~ A comprehensive
social protection service shall be provided to teenage mothers or adolescents who are currently


pregnant and their partners to prevent repeat pregnancies and to ensure the wellbeing of
adolescents while assuming the responsibilities of being young parents. Such services shall
include following

(a) Maternal health servi
based delivery;

s including antenatal check-ups and facility

(b) Post-partum family planning counseling and services for
teenage parents;

ither or both

(c) Home-based educ:

jon for teenage mother ;

(d) Personal PhilHlcalth coverage, making mandatory enrollment and
membership of indigent and indigenous teenage mothers;

(€) Training and support to livelihood programs for the household of the
teenage parents especially for the indigents; and

(f) Continuing CSE for teenage parents.
The LGUs through the local social welfare and development (LSWD) and/ or the

population office shall implement a continuing CSE program for teenage mothers and fathers
with technical assistance from POPCOM and DOH.

SECTION 15. CSE for parents and guardians with adolescent children. — A CSE
program for parents and guardians with the main objective of capacitating them to effectively
guide, counsel, and provide consent to their adolescent children in concern related to their
Sexual health shall be developed and implemented by POPCOM in collaboration relevant
national government agencies. LGUs and CSOs. The POPCOM shall endeavor to reach to
parent organizations in schools and communities to promote such program.

SECTION 16. Designating February of every year as the month for raising public
awareness on preventing teenage pregnancy and conduct of nationwide communication
campaign. ~ To raise public consciousness on the issue on teenage pregnancy and generate
support from various stakeholders, the entire month of February shall be designated as month
Jor awareness on preventing teenage pregnancy and conduct of nationwide communication
‘campaign which shall be observed nationwide. Schools and other stakeholders shall hold
act with the objective of raising awareness and generate critical action to address the
issues of increasing teenage pregnancy.

Further, the POPCOM in collaboration with relevant agencies including the CSOs and
private sector shall develop, launch, and sustain a nationwide campaign for the prevention of
teenage pregnancy.

SECTION 17. Integration of local program for the prevention of teenage pregnancy in
SK programs, ~ Strategies and programs which aim to prevent incidence of teenage
pregnancies shall be integrated in the SK. programs at the local and community lever Using
10% SK funds. The NYC shall issue guidelines to ensure the implementation of this provision.

The SK shall likewise implement programs and activities that aim to develop the
potentials and skills of adolescents to make them more productive members of the society. SK.


shall encourage youth participation in these activities as means of diverting the focus and
potentials of adolescents into more meaningful and productive endeavors.

SECTION 18. Preventing adolescents involvement in other risky behaviors that are
Jacilitative of engagement in sexual activities. ~ All barangays shall implement legal measures
to prevent adolescents from engaging in risky behaviors particularly drinking alcoholic
beverages, illegal drug use, hanging-out in very late at night doing risky behaviors and other
behavior that can lead them to sexual activities or engaging in sexual assault or violence. The
barangays shall also strictly prohibit the access of minors to engage in sexual activities or sex-
related violence and crimes.

SECTION 19. Duties and functions. — \n accordance to their existing mandates the
following national and local government agencies shall perform the following duties and
functions in relation to the implementation of this Act:

(a) The DepEd, CHED, and TESDA shall;

1) Ensure the development and promotion of CSE standards and
its corresponding learning modules for teachers and students;

2) Ensure the comprehensive ti

ing of all teacher in CSE;
3). Support the development of school-based teen centers; and

4) Conduct other extra-curricular acti

ies for ASHR.

(b) The department of health:

1) Ensure the availability and provision of ASRH services for
adolescents in all public health facilities ;

2) Ensure the training of health service providers in providing
adolescent-friendly and responsive health services using the
enhanced adolescent job aid; and

3) Promote E for adolescents with special needs and in
difficult circumstances.

(c) The department of health :

1) Take the lead in providing social protection for teenage
parents;

2) Ensure the integr
centers; and

n of SO

protection services in teen

3) Promote CSE for adolescents with special needs and in
difficult circumstances.

(d) The national youth commis

ion (NYC):


1) Ensure the integration of ASRH and CSE promotion in the
SK programs and projects; and

2) Capacitate the SK in the implementation of this Act at the
local level;

(e) The commission on population (POPCOM):

1) Develop and coordinate with relevant agencies the national
program for the prevention of teenage pregnancy as part of
the national population management program;

2) Implement a program for the training of parents and
guardians in effectively guiding adolescents on ASRH
issues:

3). Set-up national data base for adolescent pregnancy that shall
be used for plan and program development and M&E of
indicators at all levels; and

4) Take the lead in the nationwide and community based
campaign for the prevention of teenage pregnancy including
the development and maintenance of web portal for relevant
online information and services.

(1) The commission on welfare of children (CWC) shall develop and
implement CSE strategies for adolescent aged 10-14.

{g) The MTRCB to review it guidelines to discourage television
networks and movie producers to portray sexual activities involving
adolescent as a normative behavior

(h) The LGUs:

1) Ensure the development of local strategies for the
prevention of teenage pregnancy in their localities;

2) Ensure the promotion of CSE in schools and communit

3) Mobilize the SK for key strategies in the prevention of
teenage pregnancy in locali

4) Facilitate the organization and mobilization of ISDN for
AND;

5) Ensure the availability and provision of appropriate health
and social services for adolescents;

6) Sct up database on teenage pregnancy for programming and
planning;


7) Implement a program for the training of parents and
guardians in effectively guiding adolescents on ASRH
issues; and

8) Allocate funds necessary for the strategies in preventing
teenage pregnancy

(i) The civil society organization ( CSOs) shall as partners of the
national and local government units in the implementation of the
provisions of this Act.

SECTION 20. Annual allocations. All concerned government agencies including the
LGUs shall include in their annual budget the necessary funds for strategies and activities
within mandates that are contributory to the implementation of this Act.

SECTION 21. Implementing rules and regulation. Within 120 days ufon th
of this act, an inter-agency technical working group (TWG) consisting NYC, DSWD, DOH,
CWC, TESDA,CHED.DILG,POPCOM as secretariat, and 4 representative from CSOs shall be
organized to formulate the implementing rules and regulation of this Act.

effectivity

SECTION 22 Reporting requirements. Before the end of April each year, the
POPCOM shall submit to the president of the Philippines and congress an annual consolidated
report, which shall provide a definitive and comprehensive assessment of the implementation
of its programs and those of other government agencies in relation to the implementation of
this act and recommend priorities for executive and legislative actions. The report shall be
printed and distributed to all national agencies the LGUs, NGOs, and private sector
organizations involved in said programs.

SECTION 23 Separability clause, if any part, section, or provisions of this act is held
invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall remain full force and
effect.

SECTION 24 repealing clause all other statutes, executive orders, and administrative
suance or rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this act are
here by repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 25 effectivity clause this act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,