House panel OKs contraceptives access for teens bill

MANILA, Philippines — The House ommittee on youth and sports development has approved several bills advancing an Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Act that would give teenagers access to modern contraceptives even without their parents’ consent.

The freedom of Filipino adolescents to use modern contraceptives without parental consent is featured in House Bill 79 authored by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, a known advocate of reproductive health and family planning.

“Young people have the right to lead healthy lives and the means to protect their health and safeguard their future. This includes access to reproductive health information, services and commodities,” Lagman said in a statement.

In January 2020, a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) policy brief showed that the Philippines “has one of the highest adolescent birth rates” among ASEAN member-states.

UNFPA reported that the Philippines has 47 births annually per 1,000 women aged 15-19, higher than the average adolescent birth rate of 44 globally and 33.5 in the ASEAN region.

The House panel that approved several bills proposing a national policy on preventing adolescent pregnancy is chaired by Isabela Rep. Faustino Michael Dy III.

Lagman told the committee that affording access to modern contraceptives to adolescents is “impressed with State interest” because “adolescent pregnancy, particularly from ages 10-14, has become a national social emergency.”

Also, he noted that adolescent pregnancy and childbirth account for the highest rate of maternal mortality in the country.

“Early childbearing is a leading factor in intergenerational poverty,” Lagman said. “It is a speculative and mistaken notion that access to contraceptives will lead to adolescent promiscuity.”

He said his bill complements the “mandatory reproductive health and sexuality education” provided for in Republic Act No. 10354, the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law which was enacted in 2012.

Under the bill, reproductive health services shall be made available to those aged 15 to 18 years old even without consent from their parent or legal guardian.

“In keeping with the mature minor doctrine, young persons aged below 15 who have already begun childbearing, or those who have experienced sexual abuse, miscarriage or is sexually active or engaged in high-risk behavior shall have full access to reproductive health services without the need of consent from a parent or legal guardian,” Lagman pointed out.

He added that in cases when the child’s parents or legal guardian cannot be located despite

reasonable efforts, or if the child’s parent or legal guardian refuses to give consent, “it shall be obtained from a duly licensed and trained health care service provider.”