Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 5528

Introduced by REP. MARIA LOURDES ACOSTA-ALBA,
REP. MANUEL ANTONIO ZUBIRI, and REP. JANETTE GARIN

EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Constitution. Article II. Section 13 provides that:

The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall
promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social
well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and
encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.

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.

In 2017, the National Demographic and Health Survey showed that 9% of girls
aged 15-19 years old have begun childbearing. The Philippines’ Adolescent
Birth Rate remains high at 47 per 1,000 births. 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,
maternal mortality for a 15-year old girl remains high at 1 in 190 in 2017.

One of the health targets under the Sustainable Development Goals calls for
the reduction in the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per
100,000 live births. The Philippines already has particularly high maternal
mortality ratios based on point prevalence estimates at 114 deaths per 1,000
live births; note 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 maternal mortality is highest for
adolescent girls.


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, But 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.

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.

As there are many structural barriers and complex drivers that force an
adolescent to become pregnant, improvements in maternal 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.

Given these, there is a need to establish a national policy that addresses
adolescents’ sexual id reproductive health needs and reducing the
adolescent birth rate, ificantly through institutionalizing social protection
programs for teenage/parents.

In view of the foregoing, the T? f this bill is earnestly sought.
MARIA Lb ES ACOSTA-ALBA

1st District, Bukidnon

ANTONIO ZUBIRI Ji
District, Bukidnon 1st Dis


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 5528

Introduced by REP. MARIA LOURDES ACOSTA-ALBA,
REP. MANUEL ANTONIO ZUBIRI, and REP. JANETTE GARIN

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL POLICY IN PREVENTING
ADOLESCENT PREGNANCIES, INSTITUTIONALIZING SOCIAL
PROTECTION FOR TEENAGE PARENTS, AND PROVIDING FUNDS
THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as “Adolescent Pregnancy
Prevention Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - 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;

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4 (e) Pursue an adolescent pregnancy reduction strategy that is anchored on
5 the empowerment of adolescents and their rights to health and
6 development; that is cognizant of the structural barriers, including, but
7 not limited to, gender, poverty, age, ethnicity, and disability, that lead
8 to adolescent pregnancy; and that is based on adolescents’ needs and
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preferences;
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11 (f) Provide full and comprehensive information to adolescents to help them
12 prevent’ early and unintended pregnancies and their lifelong
13 consequences;
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15 (g) Provide safe, quality, and respectful maternal health care, including
16 antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care, to adolescent women and
17 enable their access to these services; .
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19 (h) Ensure corresponding interventions that could respond to the
20 socioeconomic, health and emotional needs of adolescents and youth,
21 especially young women, with due regard for their own creative
22 capabilities, for social, family and community support, employment
23 opportunities, participation in the political process, and access to
24 education, health, counseling, and high-quality reproductive health
25 services;
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27 (i) Guarantees universal access to medically-safe, legal, and affordable
28 reproductive health care services, methods, devices and information
29 that prioritizes the needs of the underprivileged, especially adolescent
30 girls;
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32 G) Encourage and enable adolescent mothers and fathers to continue and
33 finish their education in order to equip them for a better life, to increase
34 their human potential, to help prevent early marriages, high-risk child-
35 bearing and repealed pregnancy, and to reduce associated mortality
36 and morbidity through comprehensive social protection interventions;
37 and
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39 (k) Recognize and promote the rights, duties, and responsibilities of
40 parents, teachers, health professionals, and other persons legally
41 responsible for the growth of adolescents to provide in a manner
42 consistent with the evolving capacities of the adolescent, appropriate
43 direction and guidance in sexual and reproductive matters.
44

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

47

48 (a) Adolescents - refers to the population between the ages of 10 and
49 19.


WOIAUAWNH

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(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, ASRH 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 Curriculum (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.

(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. 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.

(e) 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.

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.

(g) Local Youth Development Council (LYDC) - refers to the local body

to be created based on RA 10742 (SK Reform Law) which is


WOIYAHAWNHYE

composed of representatives of youth and youth-serving
organizations in the provincial, city, and municipal jevel 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.

(h) Normal Schools or Teachers College - refer to the learning
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.

() 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.

(k) Risky Behaviors - refer to ill-advised practices and actions that are
potentially detrimental to a person's health or general wellbeing.

() 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.

(m) 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

SECTION 4. Development of National Program of Action and Investment Plan
for the Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy, - 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 council shall be coordinated by the Commission on Population (POPCOM)
in collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), the
National Youth Commission (NYC), and three civil society organizations. 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.


SECTION 5. Information and Service Delivery Network for Adolescent Health
Development or ISDN for AHD. - 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 the district in each province or by municipality/city according to local
government 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
particular 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

() 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
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.

SECTION 6. Culturally-Sensitive, Age and Development-Appropriate
Adolescent Reproductive Health Curriculum - Agencies from the education


sector with support from the Council and in collaboration with relevant
national government agencies and civil society organization, 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 compulsory part of
education, integrated at all levels of learning with the end of 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.

The current curricula should be regularly reviewed, updated and broadened
with a view to ensuring adequate coverage of concerns such as gender
sensitivity, reproductive health choices and responsibilities, and sexually
transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

This curriculum 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.

SECTION 7. Training of Teachers, Guidance Counselors, School Supervisors
and School Nurses on ARHC. - The DepEd, TESDA, CHED, with support from
the DOH, POPCOM, 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 curriculum
and across specializations in the professional preparation and training for
would-be teachers in normal schools or teacher education institutions in the
country.

The training must introduce and improve the delivery of the current service
so as to promote greater responsibility and awareness on the
interrelationships between adolescent health issues, including sexual and
reproductive health; and gender equity.


COIDHAWYHE

SECTION 8. ASRH Training for Policy-makers and Implementers. - The DOH
and POPCOM shall be responsible for disseminating guidelines and providing
training programs for policy-makers and implementers in both the executive
and legislative branches of government 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.

SECTION 9. ARHC for Out-of-School Adolescents and those with Special
Concerns. - DSWD, DOH, 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. 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.

Delivery of ARHC in a non-formal education setting shall be ensured by
DepEd through their Alternative Learning 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 an ARHC syllabus that is culturally sensitive into the
existing Madrasah curriculum.

SECTION 10. Promoting the ARHC using the Social Media and other Digital or
Online Communication Platforms. - 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.

SECTION 11. Mandatory Establishment of Functional Local Teen Centers for
Adolescent Health and Development. - A school or community based center for
adolescent health development shall be established and operationalized in all
municipalities 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 Teen
Centers shalll 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 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, PNP 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 12. Public Information and Media in ASRH Promotion and Teenage
Pregnancy Prevention. - The Philippine Information Agency (PIA), as the official
public information arm of the government, will take the lead in promoting
ASRH 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.

SECTION 13. Private Sector Participation in ARHC Promotion. - The government
may enter into 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 by
concerned agencies to recognize private participation in promoting ARHC and
adolescent youth health-seeking behavior, positive attitude towards sex,
sexual relations and sexuality, etc.

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) shail
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.

SECTION 14. Access to Reproductive Héalth Services. - Adolescents who are
presently or currently engaged in sexual activities shall be allowed access to
modern family planning methods with proper counseling by trained service
providers. The aforementioned counseling is carried 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.


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.

Provided, that all health facilities shall be enhanced to become an adolescent-
friendly facility by ensuring confidentiality, exclusive schedule for
adolescents, availability of services for adolescents, non-judgmental, stigma-
free and gender responsive health service providers: Provided, furthermore,
that adolescents shall not be denied access to clinical services and modern
methods of contraceptives if and when they seek to avail of the
aforementioned healthcare services.

The Council shall ensure that ASRH training is integrated in the pre-service
curriculum 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 STIs, 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 ARHC and access to SRH
services for in-school adolescents. For Out-of-School Youths (OSYs) and other
groups, a community peer educator could be chosen to advocate accessing
SRH services and distribution of commodities.

In cases of pregnant adolescents, a wider spectrum of SRH 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.

SECTION 15. Social Protection for Teenage Mothers or Parents. - A
comprehensive social 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 enrollment and
membership of indigent teenage mothers;

(d) Training, skills development, and support to livelihood programs for the
household of the teenage parents especially for the indigents;

(e) Continuing ARHC for teenage parents;

(| Workshops on couples counseling, parenting, and positive discipline for
the impending parents; and

(g) Psycho-social support and mental health services for teen mothers.
Adolescent mothers and their partners shall be entitled to maternal 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. Social Protection in Cases of Sexual Violence. - 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.

SECTION 17. Social Protection In Cases of Humanitarian, Armed Conflict and
Emergency Situations. - 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 SRH 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 incidence of the aforementioned situations shall be
immediately addressed by the local ISDN through appropriate channels.

Special attention shall be given to young mothers who are at the late stages
of pregnancy in case of (premature) labor. In order to ensure delivery of SRH
of adolescents and adolescent expectant parents, LGUs shall incorporate
adolescent SRH specific content and safeguards in their local Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Plans. .

SECTION 18. Care and Management for First Time Parents. - All pregnant
teens, especially the poor and hard-to-reach groups shall have access to
skilled care throughout their pregnancy, delivery, and post-natal periods.
SRH providers shalll 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 post-natal 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 teen parents.

Educational institutions shall be encouraged to develop and establish support
mechanisms that will encourage the return of teen 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.

SECTION 19. Encouraging Male Involvement. - 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 SRH services and information of boys and young
men.

SECTION 20. 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


WOINAHAWNHE

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 is 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.

SECTION 21. Residential Care Facilities for Disadvantaged Women - The
existing residential care 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 SRH
information and services to their residents. In order to effectively serve their
pregnant teen 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 teen pregnancy.

SECTION 22. Creation of a National System on the Prevention of Teenage
Pregnancy - The Council shall endeavor to create a system that will
comprehensively assess and effectively monitor and evaluate the status,
success, and efficacy of the National Program of Action for the Prevention of
‘Teenage Pregnancy and the NPPTP.

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.

SECTION 23. Implementation Structure - 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 Chairperson 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

(c) Two representatives of children and youth appointed by the 2 Council
Chairperson from various nationally represented youth 3 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;

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

(c) 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;

() 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 learning 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 of ARHC in the module of future 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 of ASRH 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 Teen 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 of ASRH 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;

(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 of LCDs 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 teen pregnancy and ensure the
adoption of such frameworks by the LGUs and other stakeholders;

(b) Vigorously advocate for the awareness and prevention of teen
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/TFYD/LYDC, 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.

SECTION 24. 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
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.

SECTION, 25. Annual Allocations. - All concerned government. agencies
including the LGUs shall include in their annual 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 programs and activities to
carry out this Act.

SECTION 26. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. - There is hereby
created 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.

SECTION 27. Timeline for Adoption, Monitoring and Evaluation of this Act -
Networks and services 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.

SECTION 28. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - 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-Chairperson; 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.

SECTION 29. Separability Clause. - 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.

SECTION 30. Repealing Clause. - 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.

SECTION 31. Bffectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,