Teenage pregnancy in the Negros Island Region (NIR) has risen among girls aged 15 to 19, who were pregnant at the time of survey, climbing from 2.9 percent in 2022 to 3.8 percent in 2025, per the 2025 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The share of teenagers who have ever been pregnant, meanwhile, slightly declined, from 6.6 percent to 6.5 percent, for the same period.
At an NDHS Regional Data Dissemination forum in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental last week, Commission on Population and Development (CPD) assistant regional director-designate Jonathan Dioteles said the rise in teenage pregnancies has several contributing factors.
“Adolescent pregnancies derail girls’ adulthood and health development as most of them are forced to drop out of school,” Dioteles said.
He said that low contraceptive use among sexually active adolescents and a lack of knowledge on reproductive health contribute to unwanted pregnancies, as many of those affected are no longer in school.
Dioteles said girls as young as 10 in the region have become pregnant and that the number of young mothers giving birth has been rising.
He said the concern needs a whole-of-community approach.
Dr. Roselle Bandal of the Department of Health-NIR, called on stakeholders to intensify family planning and sexuality education campaigns.
“This is crucial as young people often rely on unreliable sources, like social media, increasing their vulnerability to risky sexual behaviors,” Bandal said.
She said teenagers are increasingly exposed to media platforms that influence their sexual behavior and thinking.
Bandal said the health sector is committed to strengthening efforts, such as comprehensive sexuality education, youth-friendly health services, and legislative measures to prevent adolescent pregnancies.
“We need local officials and community support and participation on policy development, planning, funding, and capacity building, including information awareness,” Bandal said.
PSA-NIR also reported a decline in the region’s total fertility rate among women, aged 15 to 49.
Data showed the average number of children born per woman dropped from 2.4 in 2022 to 1.4 in 2025.
The survey also reported fertility preferences among currently married women aged 15 to 49. It showed that 56.7 percent of married women no longer wanted more children, while 0.4 percent wanted another child but were undecided on when to have one. | PIA
