EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S.B. No.
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•19 JULll P4*42
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. M AR C £^IVEDDBV
AN ACT PROVIDING A NATIONAL POLICY ON THE PREVENTION OF TEENAGE 
PREGNANCY, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution provides that, "The State shall 
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness 
among them." The Constitution further provides that the government should provide 
essential goods, health, and other social services available to all at an affordable cost 
and the promotion of general welfare for the people.
However, despite the enactment of R.A. No. 10354 or otherwise known as the 
"The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012" and the presence 
of sexual education in classroom settings, the issue on teenage pregnancy is still 
rampant.
According to the 2018 World Bank report entitled, "Making Growth Work for the 
Poor," niipino women in the poorest quintile have more than five children on average 
and the fertility rate has been steady in the past decades. One in ten girls age 15-19 is 
either pregnant o r already a mother. An increase in adolescent pregnancy means higher 
maternal and infant mortality, as well as more school dropouts.
Another measure to be addressed is for households to meet their need for 
contraception. A recent study based in Manila showed that reducing access to 
contraception increase family size and decrease education attainment.
In 2016, as reported by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities 
(UNFPA), adolescent fertility rates have declined in the last two decades in all countries, 
with the exception of the Philippines, where there have been little changes. On a lighter 
note, based on the 2017 National Demographic Health Survey, the country's teenage 
pregnancy had declined to 47 live births per 1,000 women aged 15-19. Nevertheless, 
while figures have declined, the actual number of teenage women getting pregnant 
remains high -  24 babies are born to teenage mothers every hour in the Philippines, 
according to the Chair of Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines, Elizabeth 
Angsioco.
Thus, given the high number of teenage pregnancies in the Philippines, the 
immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
iMEErCMARCOS
Senator


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE/1 1 A
S.B. No. 
414
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’19 JUL11 P4--42
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCUS * 1 1
P Q iV L D  U V ___
AN ACT PROVIDING A NATIONAL POLICY ON THE PREVENTION OF TEENAGE 
PREGNANCY, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled.
1 
SECTION 1. Short Tide. -  This Act shall be known as the "Teenage Pregnancy
2 
Prevention Act o f 2019."
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -  It shall be the policy of the State to promote and
4 
protect the health of the people, instill health consciousness among them, and
5 
endeavor to make essential goods, health, and other social services available to all the
6 
people at an affordable cost. The increasing number of teenage pregnancy pose a
7 
serious threat to the health and welfare of the Filipinos, especially to adolescent
8 
women, which should be given prompt attention by the government.
9 
Sec. 3. Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Council. -  There is hereby created a
10 
"Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Council," hereinafter referred to as the "Council" which
11 
shall be the body that will oversee and monitor the implementation of this Act. It shall
12 
be composed of the following:
13 
(a) Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd);
14 
(b) Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH);
15 
(c) Executive Director of the Commission on Population (POPCOM);
16 
(d) One (1) representative of the Philippine National Police (PNP);
17 
(e) One (1) representative of the League of Provinces;
18 
(f) One (1) representative of the League of Cities; and
19 
(g) One (1) representative of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK).
20 
The Chairperson of the Council shall be the Secretary of Health and the
21 
Executive Director of the POPCOM shall serve as the Secretary General.
22


1 
A Sub-Council for every province and highly-urbanized city shall also be
2 
established which shall be composed of the following:
3 
(a) Governor or mayor, as the case may be;
4 
(b) One (1) representative of the DepEd;
5 
(c) One (1) representative of the DOH;
6 
(d) One (1) representative of the PNP; and
7 
(e) One (1) representative of the SK.
8 
Sec. 4. Age and Development Appropriate Sexual Health Education. -  The
9 
Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with the Council, shall develop and
10 
promote educational standards, modules, and materials to promote comprehensive and
11 
responsive sexual education, that shall be mandatory, to adolescents, aged 8-21 years
12 
of age, in schools, communities, health units, and youth institutions. The Council shall
13 
ensure that it shall 
be medically accurate, rights-based, 
inclusive, and non-
14 
discriminatory towards lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders, intersex, or queers
15 
(LGBTIQs) adolescents.
16 
The Sexual Health Education Curriculum shall include, but not limited to: human
17 
sexuality, 
consent, 
adolescent 
reproductive 
health, 
contraceptive 
use, 
disease
18 
prevention, especially on sexually transmitted diseases and infections, hygiene, health
19 
and nutrition, healthy lifestyles, gender sensitivity, gender equality and equity, teen
20 
dating, prevention of gender and sexual invoice, digital citizenship and issues like
21 
pornography, and life skills. The Curriculum shall be standardized and implemented in
22 
all public and private basic education institutions. The inclusion of the Curriculum shall
23 
be part of the criteria for the accreditation requirement of DepEd's Philippine
24 
Accreditation System for Basic Education (PASBE).
25 
Provided that, the Council shall undertake annual reviews to determine the
26 
effectiveness of the Curriculum and to make revisions, as they may deem necessary, to
27 
enhance the implementation of the Act.
28 
Sec. 5. Family Planning Methods and Supplies. -  Modern family planning
29 
methods, hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices, injectables and other safe,
30 
legal, non-abortifacient and effective family planning products and supplies shall be
31 
easily accessible to adolescents in public hospitals, health centers, rural health units,
32 
and other places deemed appropriate and necessary by the Council.
33 
Sec. 6. Prohibition on the Consumption and Sale o f Alcohol to Minors. -  The
34 
Philippine National Police (PNP) shall ensure that all laws and ordinances, such as P.D.
35 
No. 1619 which penalizes the unauthorized sale to minors of liquors, and ordinances


1 
imposing cutfew, among others, shall be strictly enforced to protect the welfare of the
2 
adolescents.
3 
Sec. 7. Guidance Counselling. -  The DepEd shall ensure that all public and
4 
private education institutions shall have at least two (2) guidance counsellors to provide
5 
adolescent pregnant mothers a person to talk to in relation to their psychological,
6 
emotional, and social well-being, such as pregnancy and abortion, among others, which
7 
shall be considered as confidential and sensitive matters.
8 
Sec. 8. Peer Counselling and Support Group. -T h e  SK, in every barangay, shall
9 
provide assistance and a support group to adolescents, especially those with absentee
10 
parents; provide assistance to adolescent pregnant mothers, including confirmation
11 
through pregnancy tests; and establish a hotline number where calls can be made
12 
which shall remain strictly confidential.
13 
For purposes of this Act, the support group shall refer to three (3) or more
14 
persons, including members from the SK, who can mutually share personal experiences
15 
and give care, encouragement, or advice to each other.
16 
Sec. 9. Pre-natal, Delivery, and Post-natal Care. -  
All pregnant adolescents,
17 
especially the poor and hard-to-reach groups, shall have access to skilled care and
18 
health care requirements, such as: regular check-ups, vitamins, starter kits, among
19 
others, throughout their pregnancy, delivery, and post-natal periods. In order to ensure
20 
compliance on regular check-ups, a maternity health card shall be issued by health care
21 
workers to expectant adolescent mothers to monitor their current condition.
22 
Health care workers shall strive to provide adolescent pregnant mothers with
23 
birth plans that detail their intended place of birth, type of delivery, availability of
24 
transport to nearby or chosen health care institutions, and respective costs. Provided
25 
that, special care shall be given to young pregnant mothers all throughout their
26 
pregnancy. Provided further that, special help desks for adolescent pregnant women
27 
shall be made available to all public and private health care institutions to ensure safe
28 
labor and delivery.
29 
Workshops, classes, and seminars for first-time parents shall be provided. These
30 
shall include, but not be limited to: infant care and feeding, positive discipline,
31 
responsible parenthood, and safe sex practices which shall be made available free-of-
32 
charge.
33 
Sec. 10. Social Protection fo r Adolescent Mothers. -  No female student shall be
34 
forced to take a leave, be suspended, expelled, or denied admission in any educational
35 
institution solely on the grounds of pregnancy. Discriminatory acts against adolescent


1 
mothers, in accordance and in violation of R.A. No. 9262 otherwise known as the "Anti-
2 
Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004" shall also be strictly enforced.
3 
Sec. 11. Livelihood Assistance. -  The DepEd and Technical Education and Skills
4 
Development Authority (TESDA) shall coordinate with each other to provide free
5 
workshops, classes, seminars, and other online programs for adolescent mothers on
6 
livelihood programs and activities such as weaving, cookery, bread and pastry
7 
production course, and housekeeping course, among others.
8 
Sec. 12. Back-to-Schooi Program. -  Education institutions shall be mandated to
9 
establish support mechanisms that will encourage adolescent mothers to return back to
10 
education institutions. Provided that, internet-based courses shall be made accessible as
11 
an option. These institutions shall ascertain that in-school day-care and breastfeeding
12 
stations are available within their premises.
13 
Sec. 13. Foster Care o r Adoption. -  The Department of Social Welfare and
14 
Development (DSWD) shall provide assistance to adolescent mothers who may decide
15 
to put their child to foster care or adoption. The consent of the mother and one (1)
16 
parent or guardian of the mother shall be needed for the validity of the foster care or
17 
adoption.
18 
Social workers and guidance counsellors shall provide support and advice to the
19 
adolescent mothers to make an informed choice on the possible, legal and non-legal,
20 
consequences of their acts.
21 
Sec. 14. Monitoring and Reporting. -  Eighteen (18) months following the
22 
effectivity of this Act, the Sub-Council shall submit quarterly reports to the Council to
23 
monitor the progress of their respective areas. Thereafter, the Council shall consolidate
24 
the reports and make a comprehensive report with recommendations, as they may
25 
deem appropriate and necessary, which shall be submitted to the Office of the
26 
President for appropriate action.
27 
Sec. 15. Appropriation. -  Upon effectivity of this Act, the amount necessary to
28 
carry out the provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General
29 
Appropriations Act (GAA).
30 
Sec. 16. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  Within ninety (90) days from the
31 
effectivity of this Act, the DOH, DepEd, DSWD, POPCOM, and PNP shall formulate and
32 
promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations of this Act.
33 
Sec. 17. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or
34 
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
35 
repealed or modified accordingly.


1 
Sec. 18. Separability Clause. -  If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
2 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall
3 
remain in force and effect.
4 
Sec. 19. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
5 
the completion of its publicabon either in the Official Gazette or In a newspaper of
6 
general circulation in the Philippines.
7
8 
Approved,