Sandra Tobillo of abs-cbn's morning show "Umagang Kay Ganda" interviewed me on a topic that wasn't "maganda" at all. Our discussion centered on teenage pregnancies.
The exponential rise in teenage pregnancies in the Philippines is quite alarming news. At the current time, the Philippines ranks first among ASEAN countries in teenage pregnancies. Out of a thousand filipino girls aged 15-19, around 50 of them will get pregnant. This emphasizes the need for a sex education program which teaches young people to be more responsible for their actions.
For pregnant teenagers, counseling is an important source of help. When a teenager gets pregnant, confusion, fear, guilt, anger, uncertainty, and a gamut of other emotions run high. The pregnant teenager is also beset by financial worries, school concerns, the fear that people are going to belittle her, and the fear of abandonment by her boyfriend, friends, and family members.
especially in this difficult time of her life, more than ever, the pregnant teen needs all the emotional and social support that she can get.
