Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR A NATIONAL POLICY IN PREVENTING ADOLESCENT 
PREGNANCIES, INSTITUTIONALIZING SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR 
TEENAGE PARENTS, AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Adolescent pregnancy is among the most serious concerns faced by 
young Filipinos today. The 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey 
(NDHS) shows that one in every 10 young women 15-19 years old has begun 
childbearing. Data from the 2017 NDHS also reveal that age group 15-19 
years old is the only age group that continues to register an increase in fertility 
rate, the lowest contraceptive prevalence rate, and the highest unmet need for 
family planning.  
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) recently released data on 
pregnancy of very young adolescents (10-14 years old) in the Philippines in 
2019. The data confirm that there is an upward trend in pregnancy of very 
young adolescents, with 2,411 girls who gave birth in 2019. This is equivalent 
to seven very young adolescents giving birth per day in 2019. This number 
increased three-fold—from 755 in 2000 to 2,411 in 2019—in two decades. 
Overall, 62,510 children gave birth in the country in 2019.   
In addition, data from the civil registration system also suggest that 
majority of early pregnancies may be a result of sexual exploitation and abuse, 
rape, or incest. According to data from the civil registry, more than 130,000 
of more than 180,000 live births among 10-19-year-old women were fathered 
by men older than 19 years old.   
October 14, 2022
12:45 pm
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Early pregnancy has many negative and sometimes irreversible effects 
on the social status, health outcomes, and development prospects of a girl 
and her child that often rob them of their dreams and a future that they want. 
Child- 
or 
minor-headed 
households 
are 
often 
the 
birthplace 
of 
intergenerational poverty. 
This bill seeks to address the need to establish a national policy that 
addresses adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health needs and reducing 
the adolescent birth rate significantly through the following: access to critical 
information and services, culturally sensitive and age- and development-
appropriate reproductive health education, and social protection programs for 
adolescent parents.  
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought.  
REP. PM VARGAS   
Fifth District, Quezon City


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
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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(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; 
 
(f) 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 maternal 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; 
 
(j) 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. 
 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – 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, 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. 
 
(f) 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 
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. 
 
(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. 
 
(j) 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. 
 
(l) 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  
 
(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 
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. 
 
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 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 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) 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.  
 
SECTION 14. Access to Reproductive Health 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;  
 
(f) 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. 
 
SECTION 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 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 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 
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 
 
(e) 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;  
 
(f) 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;  
 
(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 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. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.  
 
Approved,