Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
`   .,   '.,   ~  ^
House Bill No.
Introduced by REP. FRANCISCO PAOL0 P. ORTEGA V
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article 11, Section 13 of 1987 Constitution provides that:
"The State recognizes the vital role Of the youth in ration-building and shall
promote  and protect  their  pkysical,  moral,  spiritual,  intellectual,  and  social well-
being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their
irrvolvemehi in public and civic af fairs. "
The  United  Nations  Convention  on  the  Rights  of the  Child  guarantees  the  right  to
education, health, and autonomy. Adolescent pregnancy undermines these rights. For some girls,
early pregnancy results in death -an ultimate violation of her right. Upholding these rights help
eliminate  conditions  that contribute  to  adolescent pregnancy  and  can  help  break the  cycle  of
intergenerational  poverty,  allowing  her  to  contribute  meaningfully  to  her  household  and  her
community. However, the impact of adolescent pregnancy is not only on her health. Pregnancy
can have  immediate  and lasting consequences on,  for example,  education  and income-earning
potential. Thus, adolescent pregnancy is intertwined with issues of human rights. The future of an
adolescent pregnant girl changes radically, and rarely, for the better. She will be forced to drop out
of school, thus denying her the right to an education.  This will further limit her job prospects
exposing her to vulnerabilities and further intergenerational poverty. Her rights are undermined in
many aspects.
The data on adolescent pregnancy in the Philippines is alarming. The 2018 data from the
Civil  Registration  and  Vital  Statistics  (CRVS)  recorded  a  total  of  183,9671ive  births  among
adolescents aged  10-19 years old  in 2018.   This  is equivalent to  504  live births per day  in the
aforementioned  age  group.  Adolescent  Birth  Rate  remains  high  at  47  per  1,000  births  in the
country. In 2017, the National Demographic and Health Survey showed that 9% of girls aged 15-
19 years old have begun childbearing. Pregnancy and childbirth-related mortality and morbidity
remain a key challenge to be addressed in the Philippines - especially as other research revealed
that in the Asia Pacific, matemal mortality for a 15-year old girl remains high at 1 in 190 in 2017.
Maternal mortality and morbidity directly impair a woman's right to life, to be equal in
dignity, to education, to her role in nation-building, and to enjoy the highest attainable standard of
physical and mental health, including sexual and reproductive health and rights. For adolescent
pregnant mothers, these also impair their vital role in nation-building both as women and as young
Filipinos.


One of the health targets under the Sustainable Development Goals calls for the reduction
in the  global  matemal  mortality  ratio  to  less  than  70  per  100,0001ive  births.  The  Philippines
already has particularly high matemal mortality ratios based on point prevalence estimates at 114
deaths per 1,0001ive birth.  Of important note is that adolescent pregnancies and births pose a high
risk  of pregnancy  complications,  higher  neonatal  mortality,  and  higher  risks  of postpartum
depression.  Thus, there  is an  urgency to  implement corresponding interventions as the risk of
matemal mortality is highest for adolescent girls.
Evidence remains clear that building the knowledge and skills of adolescents, as well as
providing easy access to comprehensive services that address issues of sexual and reproductive
health,  allow  teenagers  to  delay  sex  until  they  are  ready  and  are  able  to  prevent  unplanned
pregnancies. When adolescents are empowered with basic information about their own bodies and
reproductive health,  they  are  able to  make  responsible  choices-showing  a decrease  in risky
behaviors, a delay in sexual activity until they are ready, or the use of protection if they are sexually
active.
The  State,  under the  principles  of intergenerational justice  and pczreus pczfrz.cze,  has  the
obligation to address the high rate of adolescent pregnancies and the failure of the government to
take immediate action in addressing such phenomenon can significantly affect the quality of the
country's   human   capital   and  ultimately  the   capacity   of  the  nation  to   attain  and   sustain
socioeconomic growth.
As there  are  many  structural  barriers  and  complex  drivers  that  force  an  adolescent  to
become  pregnant,  improvements  in  matemal  health  and  the  well-being  of pregnant  women
including the overall physical, mental, and emotional health during and before pregnancy, are very
important. The focus should be on transformative interventions anchored on the empowerment of
adolescents and the pursuit of their rights to health and development, thus building and supporting
a girl's agency; providing access to comprehensive reproductive health services and information;
and  removing  the  stigma  on  adolescent  sex  and  pregnancy  by  providing  psychosocial  and
community support, among others.
There  is  a  need  to  establish  a  national  policy  that  addresses  adolescents'  sexual  and
reproductive   health   needs   and   reducing   the   adolescent   birth   rate   significantly   through
institutionalizing social protection programs for teenage parents. Hence, the passage of this bill is
earnestly sought.
REP.
First Distri
PAOL0 P. ORTEGA V
a Union


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
Hous;Bill-No.   6901
Introduced by REP. FRANCISC0 PAOLO P. ORTEGA V
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL POLICY 0N ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY
INCLUDING ITS PREVENTION AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREOF
Be  it  enacted by the  Serrate  and the House Of Represehiatives  Of the  Philippines  in Congress
assembled:
SECTION  1. S#or/ Tjffe.  -This Act shall be known as "Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention
Act.„
SEC. 2. Dec/¢r¢f}.o# a/Po/I.cjJ. -It 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;
(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 afford 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  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 in decision-making, and the right to choose and make
responsible decisions for themselves;
(e)        Pursue   an   adolescent   pregnancy   reduction   strategy   that   is   anchored   on   the
empowerment  of adolescents  and  their  rights  to  health  and  development;  that  is
cognizant of the structural barriers, including, but not limited to, gender, poverty, age,
ethnicity,  and  disability.  that  lead  to  adolescent  pregnancy;  and  that  is  based  on
adolescents' needs and preferences;


(I)         Provide full and comprehensive information to adolescents to help them prevent early
and unintended pregnancies and their lifelong consequences;
(g)        Provide safe, quality, and respectful matemal health care, including antenatal, delivery,
and postnatal care, to adolescent women and enable their access to these services;
(h)        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, for social, family and community support,
employment  opportunities,   participation   in  the  political  process,   and   access   to
education, health, counseling, and high-quality reproductive health services;
(i)         Guarantees  universal  access  to  medically-safe,legal,  and  affordable  reproductive
health care services, methods, devices and information that prioritizes the needs of the
underprivileged, especially adolescent girls;
¢)         Encourage  and  enable  adolescent  mothers  and  fathers  to  continue  and  finish  their
education in order to equip them for a better life, to increase their human potential, to
help prevent early marriages, high-risk child-bearing and repealed pregnancy, and to
reduce  associated mortality  and morbidity through  comprehensive  social protection
interventions; and,
(k)        Recognize  and promote  the  rights,  duties,  and responsibilities  of parents,  teachers,
health   professionals,   and   other   persons   legally   responsible   for   the   growth   of
adolescents  to  provide  in  a  manner  consistent with  the  evolving  capacities  of the
adolescent, appropriate direction and guidance in sexual and reproductive matters.
SEC. 3. Def#z.fro# a/ rcrms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall be defined as
follows:
(a)        Adolescents -refers to the population between the ages of 10 and 19;
(b)        Adolescent sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) Care -refers to the access to a
full range of methods, techniques, and services that contribute to reproductive health
and well-being of young people by preventing and solving reproductive health-related
problems.  Following  the  WHO's  definition  of sexual  health,  ASRII  is  a  state  of
complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease
or infirmity,  in all matters relating to the sexual and reproductive  system and to  its
functions and processes, in individuals aged 10 to 19.
(c)        Adolescent Reproductive Health cuniculuni (ARHC) -is a package of teaching and
imparting information on cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of gender,
sexuality  and  adolescent  reproductive  health.  It  aims  to  equip  children  and  young
people with age-appropriate knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that will empower
them to realize their health, well-being and dignity; develop respectful social and sexual
relationships; consider how their choices affect their own well-being and that of others;
and, understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives. It is a
rights-based,  gender-focused  approach  to  adolescent  health  education  taught  over
several years with progressive appropriateness based on age-appropriate information
consistent with the evolving capacities of young people and adolescents.
(d)        Adolescent sexuality -adapted from the world Health organization's definition of
sexuality, adolescent sexuality is a central aspect of being human throughout life, which
encompasses sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure,
intimacy, and reproduction of individuals aged 10 to 19. It is experienced and expressed
in thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, practices, roles and
relationships; and is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social,
economic, political, cultural, legal, historical, religious and spiritual factors.


(e)        Evolving capacities of the adolescent -refers to the concept enshrined in Article 5 of
the Convention of the Rights of the Child recognizing the developmental changes and
corresponding  progress  in  cognitive  abilities  and  capacities  for  self-determination
undergone by children as they grow up, thus requiring parents and others charged with
the responsibility for the child to provide varying degrees of protection, and to allow
their  participation  in  opportunities  for  autonomous  decision  making  in  different
contexts and across all areas of decision making.
(I)         Harm reduction principle -refers to interventions aimed at reducing negative effects
of behaviors. The goal is to address risk behaviors that occur alongside the harlns of
pregnancy to adolescent bodies.
(g)        Information  and  Service  Delivery  Network  for  Adolescent  Health  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.
(h)        Local Youth Development council (LYDC) -refers to the local body to be created
based on RA 1 0742 (SK Reform Law) which is composed of representatives of youth
and youth-serving organizations in the provincial, city, and municipal level with the
primary function of assisting in the planning and execution of projects and programs
of the Sangguniang Kabataan,  and the Pederasyon ng Sangguniang Kabataan in  all
levels.
(i)         Male   involvement   and  participation  ~  refers  to  the   involvement,   participation,
commitment of and joint responsibility of men with women in all areas of sexual and
reproductive health, as well as reproductive health concerns specific to men.
¢)         Mature Minor Doctrine -refers to the legal principle that recognizes the capacity of
some  minors  to  consent  independently  to  medical  procedures,  if they  have  been
assessed by qualified health care professionals to understand the nature of procedures
and their consequence to make a decision on their own.
(k)        Normal  schools  or Teachers  college -refer to the  leaning  institutions training or
educating teachers.
(I)         Public-Private partnership (PPP) -is a cooperative arrangement between one or more
public and private sectors, typically of a long-term nature,  for various development
programs or projects.
(in)       Reproductive Health -refers to a state of complete physical, mental and social well-
being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity in all matters relating to the
reproductive system and to its functions and processes.
(n)        Risky  Behaviors  -  refer  to  ill-advised  practices  and  actions  that  are  potentially
detrimental to a person's health or general wellbeing.
(o)        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, exclusion, sickness, disability and old age.
(p)        Teenage pregnancy prevention council -hereafter referred to as the council,  is an
inter-agency and inter-sectoral council that shall be formed through this Act and serve
as its implementing body.


S;HC. 4. Development Of National Program Of Action and Irivestment Plan for the Prevention
a/ ree#¢gc PregH¢#cj/ /IVPP7P/. - The Council, in collaboration with other relevant national
agencies and civil society organizations,  shall develop an evidence-based National Program of
Action and Investment Plan. This plan 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.
The evidence-based 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.
SHC.5.IrformationandServiceDeliveryNetworkforAdolescentHealthDevelopmentorISDN
/or .4JID. -All provinces and chartered cities shall organize and operationalize an ISDN for AHD
consisting of different government and non-government organizations, institutions, and facilities
disseminating information and services to adolescents within their locality. In cases of provinces
and cities with existing ISDNs, they shall now harmonize new and existing efforts and programs
for AHD.  The  ISDN  may  be  organized  by  municipal  LGUs  according  to  their  capacity.  An
effective collaborative and referral system among the members of the ISDN for AHD shall be
established and implemented within a catchment area.
The ISDN for AHD will provide health services that are sensitive to the paticular needs and human
rights  of all  adolescents  to  enable  them  to  deal  in  a positive  and  responsible  way  with  their
reproductive health and sexuality.  The ISDN shall perform the following tasks:
(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 for AHD agency-members  in collaboration with relevant regional
government agencies to ensure quality information and services to adolescents;
(d)        Provide, in collaboration with concerned LCDs, needed information and services for
adolescent development;
(e)        Generate or share resources  in the implementation  of the joint strategic plan of the
ISDN for AHD; and
(f)         Monitor  and  evaluate  effectiveness  of coordinative  and  referral  systems  and  other
interagency interventions jointly implemented by the ISDN. The local ISDN shall be
coordinated by the Provincial Population Office and co-coordinated by the Provincial
Health Office in collaboration with the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation or Task
Force  on  Youth  Development  (TFYD)  and/  or Local  Youth  Development Council
(LYDC)  in the  concerned localities with technical  assistance  from the Council  and
other relevant national government agencies.
The local ISDN shall be coordinated by the Provincial Population Office and coordinated by the
Provincial Health Office in collaboration with the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation or Task
Force on Youth Development (TFYD) and/ or Local Youth Development Council (LYDC) in the
concerned  localities  with  technical  assistance  from  the  Council  and  other  relevant  national
government  agencies.  The  local  ISDN  must  be  established  within  three  (3)  years  upon  the
effectivity of this Act with respect to this Act's implementing rules and regulations and appropriate
local government capacity.
SHC.  6.  Culturallysensitive,  Age  and  Development-Appropriate  Adolescent  Reproductive
ffe¢/ffo Cwrri.c#/win |HRZ:TC/. -Agencies from the education sector with support from the Council,
and in collaboration with relevant national government agencies and civil society organizations,
shall develop and promote educational standards, modules, and materials that promotes adolescent
reproductive health in schools, communities and other youth institutions. The Council must ensure
that   the   materials   and   modules   produced   are   culturally-sensitive,   age   and   development-
appropriate.


The  Adolescent  Reproductive  Health  Curriculum  shall  be  a  compulsory  part  of education,
integrated at all levels of leaning with the end goal of normalizing the discussions of sex and
gender, adolescent sexuality, reproductive health, and to remove stigma on the discussion of these
topics. The materials and modules developed must be evidence-based, medically-accurate, rights-
based,   culturally-sensitive   and  non-discriminatory  towards   adolescents   of  different   sexual
orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
ThecurrentcurTiculashouldberegularlyreviewed,updatedandbroadenedwithaviewtoensuring
adequate  coverage  of concerns  such  as  gender  sensitivity,  reproductive  health  choices  and
responsibilities, and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS.
This  curiculum  shall  be  designed  to  strengthen  respect  for  human  rights  and  fundamental
freedoms, including those related to reproductive health, sexuality, population and development.
The materials shall be complementary to the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Law, and
should be based  on the need  for responsible human sexuality  and must reflect the realities  of
current sexual behavior.
SEC. I . Training Of Teachers, Guidance Counselors, School Supervisors and School Nurses on
Ado/esce#f Reprodwc/z.ve He¢/ffa Cwr".cw/win. - The DepEd, TESDA, and CHED, with support
from  the  DOH,  POPCOM,  and NYC  for technical  assistance,  shall  ensure  that  all  teachers,
guidance counselors, instructors, and school nurses are properly trained on adolescent health and
development to effectively educate or guide adolescents in dealing with their sexuality-related
concerns. Agencies concerned must allot annual allocation for the program training to be included
in their annual appropriations to be approved by Congress.
CHED shall ensure that ARHC standards are guided by principles of gender equality and women's
human  rights  and  must  be  integrated  in  the  curiculum  and  across  specializations  in  the
professional preparation and training for would-be teachers in normal schools or teacher education
institutions in the country.
Thetrainingmustintroduceandimprovethedeliveryofthecurrentservicesoastopromotegreater
responsibility and awareness on the interrelationships between adolescent health issues, including
sexual and reproductive health and gender equity.
Smc. 8. ASRH Training fior Policy-makers and Implementers. -The DOH a.nd PC)PCC)M shall
be responsible for disseminating guidelines and providing training programs for policy-makers
and implementers in both the executive and legislative branches of goverrment to enable a better
understanding of ASRH as well as policies and practices to promote it.
The guidelines shall be framed from a lens of gender equality and women's human rights and shall
be  made  in consultation with academic  institutions and civil  society organizations  focused on
gender and women's human rights.
SHC.9.ARHcfiorout-OfschoolAdolescentsandthosewithspecialconcerns.-DS:WD,Dcm,
POPCOM,   and   the   local   government   units   (LGUs)   shall   collaborate   to   intensify   and
institutionalize interactive learning methodologies for ARHC among out-of-school adolescents in
the communities and workplaces as well as unsuitably housed youth. Provz.dec7, 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.
Delivery of ARHC  in a non-formal education setting shall be ensured by DepEd through their
Alternative Leaming System. Community youth leaders, through the SK, TFYD, or LYDC shall
invest in a concentrated effort in reaching these groups and encourage peer-to-peer counseling.
Volunteer   groups   and   interested   civil   society   organizations   (CSOs)   and   non-government
organizations (NGOs) shall be recognized for supplemental support to the local ISDNs. DEPED,
along with other relevant government agencies, shall be tasked to integrate a ARHC syllabus that
is culturally sensitive into the existing Madrasah curriculum.


SE;C.  10.  Promoting   the  ARHC   using  the  Social  Media  and  other  Digital  or  Online
Comm##z.c¢#.o#  P/¢f/arms.  -  The  Council  shall  optimize  the  social  media  and  other  online
platforms  to  reach adolescent netizens  with  accurate  information and  messages  on  adolescent
sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) concerns. A web portal for the NPPTP shall be developed
and promoted by  the  council to  harmonize  and  link various  government websites  and  online
services for ASRH including the networked operationalization of IsDN for AHD.
S;EC.11. Mandatory Establishment Of Functional Local Teen Centers fior Adolescent Health
¢#d Dove/opme#£  -  A  community-based  center  for  adolescent  health  development  shall  be
established and operationalized in all provinces and chartered cities in the country. These centers
shall  serve  as  facilities  where  adolescents  and  youth  can  access  appropriate  information  and
services on ASRH and other concerns relevant to their holistic development. The Teem Centers
shall be the convergence facilities or hubs for the services of the ISDN for AHD members as
provided in this Act.
The Center shall serve as a counselling and treatment center 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 adolescent youth groups 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 Teem Centers shall
be funded using the 10% SK fund and other relevant local budget sources.
The POPCOM in collaboration with DepEd, CHED, DOH, DILG, PNP, and CSOs shall formulate
the guidelines and standards in setting-up of Teem Centers in communities. National government
agencies shall provide assistance to LGUs in setting-up the teem centers.
SHC.  T2,.  Public  information  and  Media  in  ASRII  Promotion  and  Teenage  Pregnancy
PretJe##.o#. - The Philippine Information Agency (PIA), as the official public information arm of
the government, will take the lead in promoting ASRII and in advocating for teenage pregnancy
prevention in the media. It will be tasked to provide regular reports on the trend and incidence
rates of teenage pregnancies in the country and to provide the public with information on resources
and healthy practices for ASRH, among others. Private broadcast networks with news channels or
news programs will also be encouraged and given access to relevant information and material to
do the same.
SE:C.13. Private Sector Participation in ARHC Promotion. -The govemmenl may enter hio
public-private   partnership   agreement   in   mobilizing   private   communication   networks   and
companies in promoting ARHC through text or short message service (SMS) or media messages.
An incentive mechanism for telecommunication companies shall be developed and implemented
byconcemedagenciestorecognizeprivateparticipationinpromotingARHCandadolescentyouth
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 unsafe sexual activities among adolescents as a 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.
SEC. 14. .4ccess fo jRcprodwcrfvc Hlenr/£* SertJi.ces. -Access and information to modem family
planning methods with proper counselling shall be provided. The aforementioned counseling is
caITied out with the end in view of ensuring healthy practices through the promotion of optimal
health  outcomes  and  protecting  minors,  especially  those  in  vulnerable  circumstances,  from
possible predatory and sexually exploitative practices.


The information and services shall be made under the following circumstances:
(a)        Adolescents from  10 to  14 years of age must secure the consent of their parents or
guardian prior to the provision of any medical treatment or service;
(b)        In keeping with the principles of harm reduction and the mature minor doctrine,  as
defined in Section 3 (h) of this act, adolescents from 15 to 18 years of age who has had
a previous pregnancy as proven by documentation through ancillary examinations such
as ultrasound, written documentation by a doctor, parent or guardian shall be allowed
access to modem family planning methods with proper counselling by trained service
providers;
(c)        In keeping with the principles of harm reduction and the evolving capacities of the
adolescent, adolescents from 15 to 18 years of age engaged in sexual activities shall be
allowed access to modem family planning methods with proper counselling provided
that a physician provides consent to the same.
For this purpose, all health service providers in all health facilities shall be trained on providing
adolescent-friendly  and  responsive  information  and  services.  It  is  the  duty  of health  service
providers to provide complete and medically-correct information on possible reproductive health
services including the right to informed choice and access to legal, medically-safe and effective
family planning methods.
Provz.c/ed, that all health facilities shall be enhanced to become an adolescent-friendly facility by
ensuring   confidentiality,   exclusive   schedule   for  adolescents,   availability   of  services,   non-
judgmental, stigma-free and gender responsive health service providers:
The Council shall ensure that ASRH training is integrated in the pre-service curiculum training
of Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), front-line health care providers, and social workers. The
said  training  shall  include  topics  such  as,  but  not  limited  to:  consent,  adolescent  sexual  and
reproductive  health,  effective  contraception  use,  disease  prevention,  HIV/AIDS  and the  more
common STls, hygiene, healthy lifestyles, and prevention of gender and sexual violence. Linkages
and referral  systems  shall be  established in educational  institutions  in  order to  bridge  gaps  in
between information and access to ASRII services for in-school adolescents. For Out-of-School
Youths  (OSYs)  and  other  groups,  a  community  peer  educator  could  be  chosen  to  advocate
accessing ASRH services and distribution of commodities.
In cases of pregnant adolescents, a wider spectnm of ASRII services shall be made available to
them spanning the pre-natal, antenatal, and post-natal stages of pregnancy and its respective health
care requirements. Provision of reproductive health services to adolescents shall be based on the
principles  of non-discrimination  and  confidentiality,  the  rights  of adolescents,  their  evolving
capacities, and as a life-saving intervention. Further, it shall be ensured that adolescents are not
denied the information and services needed to prevent future unintended adolescent pregnancies
and are able to access treatment and care services without fear of stigmatization, discrimination
and violence.
SHC.  15.    Social  Protection  fior  Teenage  Mothers  or  Parents.  -  A  corny[eha"stNe  soctal
protection service shall be provided to adolescents who are currently pregnant and their partners
in  order  to  prevent  repeat  pregnancies  and  to  ensure  their  well-being  while  assuming  the
responsibilities of being young parents. Such services shall include the following:
(a)        Maternal health services including pre-natal, ante-natal, and post-natal check-ups and
facility-based delivery;
(b)        Post-natal family planning counseling and services for either or both teenage parents;
(c)        Personal  PhilHealth  coverage,  making  mandatory  eurollment  and  membership  of
indigent teenage mothers;
(d)        Training, skills development, and suppor"o livelihood programs for the household of
the teenage parents especially for the indigents;


(e)        Continuing ARIIc for teenage parents;
(I)         Workshops on couples counseling, parenting, and positive discipline for the impending
parents; and,
(g)        Psycho-social support and mental health services for teem mothers. Adolescent mothers
and  their  partners  shall  be  entitled  to  matemal  and  paternal  leave,  respectively,
especially   if   both   are   employed.    Suspension,   forced   resignation,   and   other
discriminatory  acts  in the workplace against pregnant girls  shall be prohibited.  The
LCDs  through  the  Local  Social  Welfare  and  Development  (LSWD)  and/or  the
Population Office shall implement a continuing ARHC program for teenage mothers
and fathers with technical assistance from the Council.
The services must safeguard the rights of the adolescents to privacy, confidentiality, respect, and
informed consent, respecting cultural values and beliefs.
The  national  government  shall  provide  additional  and  necessary  funding  and  other necessary
assistance for the effective implementation of this provision.
SEC.  16.  SocJ.a/ Pro/ecfJ.o#  I."  Cuse§  a/ Serwfl[/  yz.a/e#ce  -  Strengthened  social  protection
mechanisms against violence for adolescents, especially for girls, shall be provided. Expectant and
current mothers whose pregnancies were the result of sexual violence shall be given access and
support to legal, medical, and psycho-social services. Furthermore, the Council shall reinforce the
capacities of health facilities  in providing comprehensive care for adolescents in case of sexual
violence.
Health service providers, particularly the BHWs, other primary health care providers, and local
population officers shall be given confidentiality and safeguarding guidelines and tools for spotting
sexual exploitation and abuse of adolescents. A referral pathway shall be created by the Council
to ensure that identified sexual abuse and exploitation survivors are assisted and properly handled.
S;rfLC.  T].  Social  Protection  in  Cases  Of  Humanitarian,  Armed  Confoict  and  Emergenay
S;./#¢&.o#s. -The local ISDN shall be bolstered in the events of humanitarian crises, armed conflict
or  emergency  situations.  The  local  ISDN  shall  ensure  swift  and  efficient  delivery  of ASRII
services to vulnerable adolescents and young pregnant girls. Increased vigilance shall be practiced
in cases of gender violence, sexual assault, and exploitation in these situations. All incidences of
the  aforementioned  situations  shall  be   immediately  addressed  by  the  local  ISDN  through
appropriate charmels.
Special attention shall be given to young mothers who are at the late stages of pregnancy in case
of toremature) labor. In order to ensure delivery ofASRII of adolescents and adolescent expectant
parents, LGUs  shall  incorporate adolescent SRII  specific content and safeguards  in their local
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plans.
SEC.18. Core ¢#dA4lo#¢geme#f/or FI.rsf r!.me P¢rc#ts. -All pregnant teens, especially the poor
and hard-to-reach groups shall have access to skilled care throughout their pregnancy, delivery,
and postnatal periods. ASRH providers shall strive to provide as many teenage mothers with their
birth plans that detail their intended place of childbirth delivery, availability of transport to these
health care institutions, and respective costs. Special attention shall be given to younger pregnant
mothers during obstetric care.
Workshops, classes, and seminars for first-time parents shall be provided with ante-and postnatal
education. These classes shall include topics such as, but not limited to: infant feeding and care,
positive  discipline,  responsible  parenthood,  and  safe  sex practices.  The  classes  shall  be  made
available free of charge and at times most convenient for the teem parents.
Educational institutions shall be encouraged to develop and establish support mechanisms that will
encourage   the   return  of  teem  mothers   and  parents,   for   instance:   in-school   day-care   and
breastfeeding stations.


The  national  government  shall provide  additional  and  necessary  funding  and  other necessary
assistance for the effective implementation of this provision.
SEC.  19.  E"cowrogr.#g A4l¢Jc J#tio/tJeme#f.  -  The  Council  shall  develop  programs  that  will
promote male involvement in the prevention of early and unintended pregnancies. These programs
shall  include  topics  such  as,  but  not  limited  to:  responsible  fatherhood,  couples  counseling,
avoiding gender violence, life-skills, and co-parenting strategies. These programs shall emphasize
the  roles  and  responsibilities  of being  a  father  and  promote  their  active  involvement.  These
programs shall also serve as an avenue to encourage the uptake of ASRH services and information
of boys and young men.
S;EC. ZO.  Integration  Of Local  Program for  the  Prevention  Of Teenage  Pregnancy  in  SK
Programs. - Strategies and programs which aim to prevent the incidence of teenage pregnancies
shall be integrated into the SK programs at the local and community level using the ten percent
(10%) SK funds. In the absence of the SK, the Task Force on Youth Development (TFYD) shall
undertake the responsibility of integrating teenage pregnancy prevention programs in the barangay
youth council's activities. The Council shall issue guidelines to ensure the implementation of this
provision.
The SK/TFYD shall likewise implement programs and activities that aim to develop the potentials
and skills of adolescents to make them more productive members of society. The topics of the said
programs and activities are inclusive of, but are not limited to: leadership training and life skills
seminars that can be done together by the teens and their families together. The SK/TFYD shall
encourage youth participation in these activities as a means of diverting the focus and potentials
of adolescents into more meaningful and productive endeavors.
The SK/TFYD shall enlist the support of the local barangay council, the local Council for the
Protection of Children, and the barangay health center to be able to provide a more complete array
of services, activities, and programs.
SEC. 21. Residential Care Facilities fior Disadvantaged Women. -rThe existing res.\deul±al czLre
facilities  for  disadvantaged  women  of the  Department  of Social  Welfare  and  Development
(DSWD) shall be capacitated to accommodate the needs of pregnant girls. The management of the
said facilities shall coordinate with their respective locality's ISDN to provide SRII information
and services to their residents. In order to effectively serve their pregnant teem residents, these
centers shall employ the following personnel: a caseworker, an on-call obstetrician-gynecologist,
a full-time midwife or nurse, and a psychologist.
If there is an identified demand and need for a residential care facility to be built and established,
the local ISDN shall prioritize the city or municipality with the highest rate of teem pregnancy.
S;rfLC. Z2. Creation Of a National System on the Prevention Of Teenage Pregnancy. ~The C,oune.\l
shall endeavor to create a system that will comprehensively assess and effectively monitor and
evaluate the status, success, and efficacy of the NPPTP, as referred to in Sec. 4 of this Act.
The existing Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study shall be renamed Adolescent Health and
Development Survey and be carried out every four (4) years to conduct surveys and collect age-
and  gender-disaggregated  data.  Its  topics  shall  cover  a  wider  range  of topics  and  indicators
extending beyond adolescent sexuality and reproductive health. Its coverage shall include topics
such as, but not limited to: education, adolescent health, and labor. Existing surveys such as the
National Demographic and Health Survey, Family Health Survey, Family Planning Survey, and
Maternal and Child Health Survey shall begin the collection of data-disaggregated at age  10-14
and include never married women in data collection in order to have a more accurate picture.
Research  and  data  collected  from  the  assessment  and  evaluation  shall  be  stored  in  a  public
database.


LGUs  are required to  conduct safety  audits  every three  (3)  years to  assess the  efficiency  and
effectiveness  of the  implementation  of this  Act within their jurisdiction.  Such  audits  shall be
multisectoral  and participatory,  with  consultations  undertaken with population  officers,  social
workers, health workers, schools, and civil society organizations.
SEC. 23. J"p/eme#/flfro# Sfrwcfwre. -A Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Council to be integrated
as  a sub-committee  of the National Implementation  Team of the Responsible  Parenthood and
Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law shall be established to be composed of the following:
(a)       The Department of Health (DOH) Secretary as the chairperson;
(b)      The popcoM Board of commissioners chair as co-Chairperson;
(c)       Senior  officials  (at  least Undersecretary  level)  of the National  Youth  Commission
(NYC),  DEPED,  DSWD,  Department  of Interior  and  Local  Government  (DILG),
CHED, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) as ex-
officio members;
(d)      Five  members  appointed  by  the  Chaixperson  who  are  persons  with  knowledge,
expertise, accomplishments, and with no less than five-year experience in the fields of
public health, adolescent rights and social protection, education, psychology, and social
welfare,  provided  that  one  qualified  member  is  appointed  in  each  field;  Provided
further, That majority of these appointed members are female; and,
(e)       Two representatives  of children and youth appointed by the 2 Council chairperson
from various nationally represented youth organizations, provided that one is male and
one is female.
The POPCOM shall serve as the secretariat of the Council. The appointment of members shall be
in accordance with the rules and procedures as prescribed by the POPCOM, taking into account
the approximate proportion between men and women.
The Council shall have the powers and duties as follows:
(a)        To  propose  legislative  and  administrative  policies  on the  prevention  of adolescent
pregnancy based on adolescents' needs and preferences; in consideration of structural
barriers, including, but not limited to, poverty, gender, age, ethnicity, and disability,
that  lead  to   adolescent  pregnancy;   and  with  the  overarching  goal   of  pursuing
adolescents' empowerment and rights to health and development;
(b)        To integrate mechanisms and policies in the social development agenda that creates
enabling environments for adolescents to make informed choices on their sexual and
reproductive health;
(c)        To develop operational guidelines for government agencies and private organizations
in the development and implementation of comprehensive strategies and programs for
prevention of adolescent pregnancy, including sexual violence;
(d)        To monitor implementation of the provision of the law;
(e)        To  conduct research and generate  evidence  on the  drivers  of teenage pregnancy to
inform programs and policies;
®         To provide  relevant agencies  and  private  organizations with  recommendations  and
solutions to challenges and gaps in the course of implementing the program; and,
(g)        To engage the private sector and the citizenry to ensure active partnership in looking
for solutions to address the problem of adolescent pregnancy.
At the National level, the Council agency members shall have the following duties and functions
in accordance to their mandates and in relation to the implementation of this Act:
The Commission on Population shall:
(a)        Develop and coordinate with the relevant agencies the NPPTp as part of the national
population program;


Implement a program for the training of parents and guardians in effectively guiding
adolescents on ASRII issues;
Set-up the National Information System on the Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy that
shall be used for planning, programming, monitoring and evaluation of indicators in all
levels;
(d)        Create an enabling environment for adolescents to make an informed choice on their
sexual and reproductive health best suited to their needs;
(e)        Spearhead efforts to harmonize information within the network. The popcoM may
invest on a platform or information portal that would allow linking the data between
members of the network;
(f)         Serve as overall coordinator for the nationwide and community-based campaign for the
prevention of teenage pregnancy, including the development and maintenance of the
web portal for relevant online information and services; and,
(g)        Serve as the secretariat of the council.
The DEPED and CHED shall:
(a)        Ensure  the  development  and  promotion  of ARHC  standards  and  its  corresponding
leaning modules for teachers and students;
(b)        Ensure the comprehensive training of all teachers,  guidance counselors,  and  school
administrators on ARHC ;
(c)        Lead  the  delivery  and  implementation  of ARHC  in  all  public  and  private  basic
education and tertiary educational institutions, as well  as in non-formal educational
settings;
(d)        Ensure the incorporation ofARHc in the module offuture educators; and,
(e)        Guarantee  quality  assurance  of educational  institutions  in terms  of ARHc  delivery
compliance through the PASBE accreditation.
The DOH shall:
(a)        Ensure the availability and provision ofASRII information, services, and commodities
in all public and private health facilities;
(b)        Ensure the training of health service providers in providing adolescent-friendly and
responsive health services;
(c)        Establish Teem Mom clinics in all hospitals to provide adolescent mothers with access
to post-natal services and counseling, as well as reproductive health commodities to
avoid successive pregnancies;
(d)        Coordinate with the popcoM on the establishment of an M&E system to ensure the
responsiveness, coverage and delivery of this Act; and,
(e)        Support and provide technical assistance in the capacity building of existing IsDNs
and establishment of new ISDNs at the local level.
The DSWD and shall:
(a)        Take the lead in providing social protection for adolescent parents, especially in cases
of sexual violence, abuse, and exploitation;
(b)        Ensure  the  provision  of social  protection  for  adolescents  in  humanitarian  and/or
emergency situations;
(c)        Equip  their  existing  Distressed  centers  for  Disadvantaged  women  with  increased
capacity to accommodate more residents;
(d)        Incorporate  ASRH  and  teenage  pregnancy  modules  for  both  parents  and  teens  in
existing Family Development Sessions and Youth Development Sessions under the
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, with modules for teens emphasizing peer-to-
peer discussions; and,
(e)        Promote ARHc for adolescents with special needs and in difficult circumstances.


The NYC shall:
(a)        Ensure the integration ofASRH and ARHC promotion in the sK or TFYD and LYDC
programs and projects;
(b)        Capacitate the sK or TFYD and LYDc in the implementation of this Act at the local
level; and,
(c)        Conduct workshops, classes, and seminars for first-time parents, in partnership with
DOH, DSWD, and other concerned Council members and relevant agencies.
The DILG shall:
(a)        Ensure the compliance ofLCDs  in the implementation of this Act by including the
implementation of ASRH programs as a qualifying requirement of the Seal of Good
Local Governance; and,
(b)        Assist the local IsDNs through their League of provinces, League of cities, League of
Municipalities and League of Barangays.
The TESDA shall:
(a)        Provide  social  protection  to  adolescent  parents  by  providing  skills  training  and
livelihood support; and,
(b)        Encourage enrollment in tech-vocational courses for adolescent parents who are not
fully equipped to return to in-school education.
The CWC shall:
(a)        Integrate  in  its  development  and  strategic  frameworks  issues  and  concerns  from
children-specific to teem pregnancy and ensure the adoption of such frameworks by the
LGUs and other stakeholders;
(b)        Vigorously advocate for the awareness and prevention ofteen pregnancy; and,
(c)        Develop,  adopt,  and  implement,  in  a  manner consistent with  adolescents'  evolving
capacities, legislation, policies, and programs that will promote children and adolescent
health and development. At the local level, the Provincial Population Office and the
Provincial Health Office shall organize and lead the coordination of local ISDNs. The
two offices  shall headline the implementation of the NPPTP at the local level.  The
LGU's City or Municipal Population and Health Officers shall become the local ISDN's
point    person.    With    assistance    from    the    provincial    coordinators,    the    local
SK/TFYDELYDC, and the Council, they shall adopt the NPPTP to their localities and
be  responsible  for its  implementation,  monitoring,  and evaluation.  The  LCDs  shall
enlist the participation of children, adolescents, and youth-oriented groups as well as
CSOs and NGOs as much as possible.  Specific strategies shall be designed to reach
marginalized and vulnerable adolescent sub-sectors.
SHC. 24. Designating February Of Every Year as the Month fior Raising Public Awareness on
Preventing Teenage Pregnancy and Conduct Of Nationwide Communication Campaign. -To
raise public consciousness on the issues on teenage pregnancy and generate support from various
stakeholders, the entire month of February shall be designated as Month for Preventing Teenage
Pregnancy which shall be observed nationwide. Schools and other stakeholders shall hold activities
with  the  objective  of raising  awareness  and  generate  critical  actions  to  address  the  issues  of
increasing  teenage  pregnancy.  Further,  the  Council,  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.
SEC. 25. j4##w¢/ .4/Joc¢#.o"s. - All concerned government agencies including the LGUs shall
include  in  their  armual  budget  the  necessary  funds  for  strategies  and  activities  within  their
mandates that contribute to the implementation of this Act. Agencies and LGUs may also utilize
their Gender and Development (GAD) budget in implementing progralns and activities to carry
out this Act.


S~E:C.  26..  Jo.in_t  CorgreFsional   Oversight  Committee.  -  There  is  heresy   crea;hod  a  Joint
Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor the implementation of this Act and to review the
implementing rules and regulations promulgated. The Committee shall be composed of five (5)
Senators and five (5) Representatives to be appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, respectively. The Oversight Committee shall be co-chaired by the
Chairpersons  of the  Senate  Committee  on  Women,  Children,  Family  Relations  and  Gender
Equality and the House Committee on Population and Family Relations.
?Eic.2].TimelineforAdoption,MonitoringandEvaluationofthisAct.-I+twork:sa;ndseIV.roes
included in this Act shall be established within three (3) years upon the effectivity of this Act.
Periodic monitoring and evaluation of coverage and delivery of reproductive health services for
pregnant adolescents shall also be conducted every three (3) years.
SHC. 28. Imp/cme##.#g R#/cs ¢#d J[egw/¢fz.o#s. - Within one hundred twenty (120) days upon
the effectivity of this Act, the Council, composed, as aforementioned, of the DOH Secretary as
Chairperson; the POPCOM Board of commissioners Chair as Co-Chailperson; senior officials of
the NYC, DepEd, DSWD, DILG, CHED, and TESDA as ex-officio members; five appointees of
the Chair; and two representatives of children and youth sectors, shall be organized to formulate
the  Implementing  Rules  and  Regulations  of this  Act,  along  with  at  least  three  civil  society
organizations.
SEC. 29. Sep¢robi.Jtry C/¢wscL - If any part, section, or provisions of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
SEC. 30. jRepe¢Jz.#g C7¢#se. - All other statutes, executive orders, and administrative issuances
or rules  and regulations contrary to  or inconsistent with the provisions  of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
SEC. 31. E/grcc#.w.fy CJ¢#se. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,