CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Region 3 said the increasing trend of teenage pregnancy is an issue the government must work on.
This was after the agency reported that 178,505 or 10.7 percent of the total live births recorded in the region were in the age group of 15-19; and 2,411 or 0.1% are under 15 years old.
“The issue of early pregnancy is a nationwide experience. The government must work on these statistics. In those ages of giving birth, the health of mothers and babies are at risk,” PSA 3 Chief Administrative Officer Elna Ruth Casasola said.
The highest number of live births totaling to 452,406 or 22.7% were those of mothers in the age group of 25-29 years old.
In addition, PSA disclosed that 185,820 or 98% of total live births in Central Luzon as of 2019 were attended by health professionals who are doctors, nurses, and midwives; and only about 1.9% were by traditional birth attendants.
“We also want to congratulate the Department of Health with this achievement. Let us work together to make this statistics higher,” she stated.
From 2017 to 2020, males comprise about 52% of the total registered live birth with the sex ratio of 109 males per 100 females.
Meanwhile, Casasola shared that 952 or 1.9% males, and 3,754 or 7.4% females got married at the age group of 15-19.
“All marriages that took place are valid, but not all are legal. The marriages recorded which are below 18 years old are from the Muslims and indigenous communities. This is in respect to their tradition, that is why we still honor the marriages,” she pointed out.
In 2019, 19,094 or 38% of males and 8,023 or 35.4% of females got married at 25-29 years old; 12,247 or 24% of males and 16,692 or 32.7% of females at 20-24 years old; and 10,130 or 19.9% of males and 7,301 or 14.3% of females got married in the age group 30-34.
Lastly, 97.8% of the marriages were timely registered while only 2.2% were not registered on time. –Jag Lyra D. Costamero