Rise in teen pregnancies rattles Philippines

[lastlid]

"The Philippines has the highest number of teenage mothers in South East Asia.

The country's population continues to grow by two million people every year, with the number of teenage mothers rising by 70 per cent in 10 years.

Although sex education is controversial in the mostly Roman Catholic country, the 200,000 teen pregnancies each year is fuelling calls to educate young women about birth control".

Al Jazeera's Marga Ortigas reports from Manila.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByGqgay4pGY

[CBM]

I would guess that most people reading this thread will agree on the causes of the problem, but I will set out my thoughts anyway, beginning with a quotes from a friend, a gentleman who is no longer with us but who was at the time Manila's senior resident Englishman:

"When I arrived, in 1950, the population was fifteen million, I could swim in the Pasig, and I only added three!"

(the population was then sixty seven million)

The underlying cause in the rise of teenage pregnancy is the relative unavailability of contraception, and we all know who we have to thank for this. Not mentioned in the report, but just as present, is the rise in single motherhood and the rise in family breakdown.

We are starting to see a pattern in the Philippines where young men run away from the responsibilities of fatherhood.

Yet there seems no prospect of the CBCP ever learning to connect with reality.

[Terpe]

:iagree:

Still far too many "blocks" being raised against the RH bill.
Very worrying.

[Terpe]

:iagree:

Still far too many "blocks" being raised against the RH bill.
Very worrying.

[Terpe]

Teenage pregnancy and motherhood in UK is also a major issue, with contraception easy to obtain and sex education at school.

There's been talk recently about allowing children from 11 yrs and upwards to obtain free contraception from various sources without the need for parental consent or knowledge.
Many folks argue that this strategy could lead to increases in sexual activity amongst our younger people.

[lastlid]

Solution. Get Manny Pacquiao out of politics....thats my wife's answer to this.

[CBM]

As the Romans would say, "Cui bono?"

In whose interest are these blocks to the RH Bill? Who benefits from a rise in teenage pregnancy, a rise in single motherhood, a rise in family breakdown and an exploding population?

A cynical answer would be "foreign employers of housemaids".

I could be more cynical and add that I cannot see that the present situation benefits anyone in the Philippines, other than owners of recruitment agencies and, more shamefully, owners of KTV/disco joints, who of course depend on a steady supply of "fallen" young women with a child to support.

[lastlid]

As the Romans would say, "Cui bono?"

In whose interest are these blocks to the RH Bill? Who benefits from a rise in teenage pregnancy, a rise in single motherhood, a rise in family breakdown and an exploding population?

A cynical answer would be "foreign employers of housemaids".

I could be more cynical and add that I cannot see that the present situation benefits anyone in the Philippines, other than owners of recruitment agencies and, more shamefully, owners of KTV/disco joints, who of course depend on a steady supply of "fallen" young women with a child to support.

To the advantage of getting the RH Bill through. My dearest assures me that if Pacquiao's support against the bill was removed then it would stand a better chance of going through.....:D

[CBM]

Teenage pregnancy and motherhood in UK is also a major issue, with contraception easy to obtain and sex education at school.

There's been talk recently about allowing children from 11 yrs and upwards to obtain free contraception from various sources without the need for parental consent or knowledge.
Many folks argue that this strategy could lead to increases in sexual activity amongst our younger people.

Just to put these numbers into context, the UK had 34,633 teenage mothers in 2010, the last year for which the figures are available, and that was the lowest figure since 1969 - the rate has been falling steadily.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17190185

It is quite hard to find comparable figures for the Philippines, but a report in the Inquirer in 2008

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20080614-142572/Teen-pregnancies-in-the-Philippines

suggested that there were a total of 3.6 million teenage mothers in the population in 1998. That figure seems to be the most recent and comes from the 1998 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) which went on to say that 92% of these pregnancies were unplanned and that 78% of teenagers did not use contraception when they first had sex.

The population of the UK is around 67 million, that of the Philippines is around 100 million. If we very crudely take the teenage years as being 13-19 and divide the 3.6 million figure for 1998 by six we get 600,000 teenage pregancies per year in the 1990's; a figure which is said to have doubled, according to the al-Jazeera report.

If the UK has 35,000 teenage mothers in a year out of a population of 67 million and the Philippines has 600,000 teenage mothers in a year out of a population of 100 million I think we may reasonably conclude that the UK approach of universal sex education at school and availability of contraception is working better than the Philippines reliance on the teachings of the Church!

[CBM]

To the advantage of getting the RH Bill through. My dearest assures me that if Pacquiao's support against the bill was removed then it would stand a better chance of going through.....:D

Makes very good sense, alas. It's too easy for an outfit like the Church to "get to" a public figure like Pacquiao, who must court popularity because he is, at bottom, an entertainer, like any other professional sportsman.

Conversely, who amongst the politicians who have urged the need for common sense in contraception and sex education has flourished?

I can go back as far as Juan Flavier, Minister of Health under FV Ramos, being called "An agent of Satan" by Cardinal Sin for distributing condoms.

[CBM]

I'm afraid the sad truth is that the al-Jazeera headline is wrong - it should be

"Rise in teenage pregancies DOES NOT rattle the Philippines!"

[grahamw48]

In the Philippines the Catholic church is primarily to blame IMO.

As an Atheist I could easily write 3 pages here, but I don't want to bore anyone.

Where there is a lack of discipline shown from above and the whole population is effectively brainwashed from birth into a culture of acceptance and apathy, this will always result in the prevention of the majority from reaching their full potential in life.
A great shame for a country full of wonderful and clever people. :NoNo:

[sars_notd_virus]

:iagree:

Still far too many "blocks" being raised against the RH bill.
Very worrying.

It is sad to see a baby having a baby,...the RH bill should push through!!
they should not just educate but give the contraceptives/condoms free for all the youngsters

[grahamw48]

Their parents should also know where they are and have them in the house after a certain hour.

A lot of this is down to parental responsibility.

When we lived in the Phils my stepdaughter (then aged between 11 and 14years) was asked for dates by the boys from her school on a few occasions.

My answer was NO.

[lastlid]

Makes very good sense, alas. It's too easy for an outfit like the Church to "get to" a public figure like Pacquiao, who must court popularity because he is, at bottom, an entertainer, like any other professional sportsman.

Conversely, who amongst the politicians who have urged the need for common sense in contraception and sex education has flourished?

I can go back as far as Juan Flavier, Minister of Health under FV Ramos, being called "An agent of Satan" by Cardinal Sin for distributing condoms.

Miriam Defensor Santiago?

[Arthur Little]

Hmm ... I'm no statistician, :nono-1-1: but ... from the figures posted by CBM ... it seems to me :rolleyes: that, if those opposing the Reproductive Health motion [other than simply the priesthood] took out their calculators - instead of all too readily taking out "something ELSE" :icon_tonguew: - then they might better grasp the harsh reality of this highly controversial issue, and vote accordingly.

[lastlid]

Hmm ... I'm no statistician, :nono-1-1: but ... from the figures posted by CBM ... it seems to me that, if those opposing the Reproductive Health motion [other than simply the priesthood] took out their calculators - instead of all too readily taking out "something ELSE" :icon_tonguew: - then they might better grasp the harsh reality of this controversial issue, and vote accordingly.

I know. I find it all so incredible.

[Jamesey]

Without doubt, the blame for this lies with the Catholic Church! :cwm23:

[CBM]

Miriam Defensor Santiago?

OK, I give you Miriam Defensor Santiago, at the moment (she may change her mind next week) but she has been "all over the place" on so many issues that frankly her support for the RH bill means little.

[lastlid]

OK, I give you Miriam Defensor Santiago, at the moment (she may change her mind next week) but she has been "all over the place" on so many issues that frankly her support for the RH bill means little.
The Remullas?

[CBM]

Without doubt, the blame for this lies with the Catholic Church! :cwm23:

Specifically with the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines; who are now the most reactionary bunch of prelates on the planet.

[CBM]

The Remullas?

OK. But I don't recall any Remulla holding Cabinet office (I stand to be corrected, here)

[lastlid]

OK. But I don't recall any Remulla holding Cabinet office (I stand to be corrected, here)

Enrique Ona?

[CBM]

Enrique Ona?

Good one. But I fear I may start to sound cynical, if I say "give the CBCP time - they got to Juan Flavier when he was in the same job.". A pity, because he was really good. I honestly thought the reform would go through., foolish young optimist that I was!

[lastlid]

Do you know how many of the Philippine cabinet are in favour of the bill?

And isnt Aquino in favour?

[CBM]

Do you know how many of the Philippine cabinet are in favour of the bill?

And isnt Aquino in favour?

Oh, a majority of the Cabinet, for sure, and Aquino has been vocal enough in support of the RH Bill to have been threatened with excommunication by the CBCP...

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20101001-295320/Aquino-faces-threat-of-excommunication

but a majority of the Ramos cabinet were in favour of Flavier's legislation and Ramos was beyond excommunication because he is a Methodist!

The real test is - will a majority of the House and a majority of the Senate be willing to fight the Church in their next election campaigns - to put it even more bluntly, will their financial backers support them if they do?

[lastlid]

The real test is - will a majority of the House and a majority of the Senate be willing to fight the Church in their next election campaigns. I hope so....

[CBM]

I hope so....

We are in complete agreement.

If only the CBCP agreed with us, as well.

[lastlid]

The real test is - will a majority of the House and a majority of the Senate be willing to fight the Church in their next election campaigns.

I dont believe that every one of the Senate or the house itself, that suppport the Bill, don't have the courage of their convictions but I guess some may well not....

[CBM]

It's really a question of money. You need a lot to run for the house, and really huge amounts (think tens of millions of US$) to run for the Senate, because of the national franchise.

Because the Philippines does not have either political parties or campaign funding legislation as we in present day Britain understand these things, politicians must ask wealthy backers for support - this support is forthcoming on the sort of terms that applied to MPs sitting for rotten boroughs in the British House of Commons before the 1832 Reform Act - "I'll pay for you to get elected so long as you do my bidding once you are elected!"

So the question becomes - "will those who finance election campaigns take the risk of financing politicians who choose to fight the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines?"

[lastlid]

It's really a question of money. You need a lot to run for the house, and really huge amounts (think tens of millions of US$) to run for the Senate, because of the national franchise.

Because the Philippines does not have either political parties or campaign funding legislation as we in present day Britain understand these things, politicians must ask wealthy backers for support - this support is forthcoming on the sort of terms that applied to MPs sitting for rotten boroughs in the British House of Commons before the 1832 Reform Act - "I'll pay for you to get elected so long as you do my bidding once you are elected!"

So the question becomes - "will those who finance election campaigns take the risk of financing politicians who choose to fight the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines?"

I see. Interesting. Thanks.

[CBM]

You may well have read them already, but may I commend to you the Rosales Novels, by Francesco Sionil Jose?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Sionil_Jos%C3%A9

[lastlid]

You may well have read them already, but may I commend to you the Rosales Novels, by Francesco Sionil Jose?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Sionil_Jos%C3%A9

Thanks. I am not much of a reader. So I wont get much a chance to read them. I am too lazy...:D But I am curious. My wife and her family have a close connection with one of the pro RH Bill senators so it will be interesting to see how it all pans out. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[CBM]

At some point, but not, I think, just yet, the CBCP will face the choice between moderating its stance on contraception, abortion and divorce and losing the support of the middle classes, as has happened in so many other Catholic nations.

It may take another thirty million Filipinos before we get there. I hope I am wrong.

[lastlid]

At some point, but not, I think, just yet, the CBCP will face the choice between moderating its stance on contraception, abortion and divorce and losing the support of the middle classes, as has happened in so many other Catholic nations.

It may take another thirty million Filipinos before we get there. I hope I am wrong.

It surely has to happen eventually....:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[CBM]

It surely has to happen eventually....:xxgrinning--00xx3:

At least - before it is "standing room only" on Luzon and Leyte!:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[lastlid]

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago again called for a vote on the Reproductive Health (RH) bill this August to avoid it becoming a geriatric bill.

“We are amenable to any amendment as long as the senators are willing to put the bill to a vote on second reading,” she said.

“Because of the long delay in passing this bill from Congress to Congress, sometimes it no longer looks like an RH bill but a geriatric bill.”

Santiago and Sen. Pia Cayetano have been engaged in a strong lobby for approval of the bill in the Senate since it was taken up in plenary and more so when the period of interpellations was finally closed earlier this month.

With the decision to end the period of interpellation before Congress adjourned sine die last June 8, the two senators are more optimistic than ever that the controversial bill could finally be voted upon in the Senate.

Santiago said that the RH bill is long overdue and cannot be relegated to the archives just like its predecessors just because of the opposition raised by the Catholic Church.

“Reproductive health is the new wave of the future,” she said.

“The critics are flaying a dead horse. To mix metaphors, the critics are missing the boat.”


http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=821070&publicationSubCategoryId=63

[lastlid]

It's really a question of money. You need a lot to run for the house, and really huge amounts (think tens of millions of US$) to run for the Senate, because of the national franchise.

Because the Philippines does not have either political parties or campaign funding legislation as we in present day Britain understand these things, politicians must ask wealthy backers for support - this support is forthcoming on the sort of terms that applied to MPs sitting for rotten boroughs in the British House of Commons before the 1832 Reform Act - "I'll pay for you to get elected so long as you do my bidding once you are elected!"

So the question becomes - "will those who finance election campaigns take the risk of financing politicians who choose to fight the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines?"

Is it possible that some of these aforementioned supporters of the RH Bill are independently wealthy enough not to be concerned about financing?

[CBM]

Yes, and in particular Miriam Defensor-Santiago (I was probably a bit hard on her, but she has been "all over the place" on various issues!) can do as she likes, because she has just been elected to the International Court at the Hague, so she won't be seeking re-election.

Dick Gordon intends to stand; he is solidly pro-RH. That's not the same as getting elected, of course.

[lastlid]

Yes, and in particular Miriam Defensor-Santiago (I was probably a bit hard on her, but she has been "all over the place" on various issues!) can do as she likes, because she has just been elected to the International Court at the Hague, so she won't be seeking re-election.

Dick Gordon intends to stand; he is solidly pro-RH. That's not the same as getting elected, of course.

Yes. I saw that. What a shame.

[CBM]

Looking on the positive side, it may mean that she is motivated to get the RH Bill through, so that she has a legislative achievement to leave as a legacy?

[lastlid]

Looking on the positive side, it may mean that she is motivated to get the RH Bill through, so that she has a legislative achievement to leave as a legacy?

Yes. And as she wouldn't have to worry about the consequences of going against the church then she may well feel she can act with more freedom.

[CBM]

This seems highly pertinent to this thread:

http://givegirlspower.savethechildren.org.uk/

The underlying problem is that men in the Philippines do seem very insecure about granting women real power and the Church aids them in this.

[CBM]

This column by Juan Mercado, in the Inquirer, is sobering:

"A stagnation in death rates for mothers is obscene. There is a critical need for legislation to address structural barriers, Ona added. These include: overhauling of laws on midwifery and other health professions as well as consolidating health systems for local governments. For universal health care, there is need to pass the reproductive health bill.

Local governments are where the action is. LGUs can reach where most victims cluster: remote upland barangays, coastal fishing villages, or city slums. Often ill-fed school dropouts, these women lack access to what is, at best, patchy health services.

“Giving midwives further training in life-saving skills could prevent up to 80 percent of maternal deaths.” These mothers have “no escape routes,” i.e. options that give them “quality information that would enable them to avoid unwanted pregnancies or space pregnancies, and plan families.”

Look a little closer. Only 6 out of 10 Filipino mothers deliver babies with properly trained birth attendants. In contrast, almost 99 percent of births in Thailand have medical personnel present. Out of every 100 Filipino doctors, 68 practice abroad. Over 164,000 nurses left for “those faraway places with strange-sounding names” over the past four decades. “A health care brain drain is strangling [public] hospitals.”

Underground abortionists account for 12 percent of maternal deaths. The University of the Philippines Population Institute estimates that 560,000 abortions are induced yearly. Only 90,000 mothers get postabortion care. In 2008, about half of 3.4 million pregnancies were unintended."

http://opinion.inquirer.net/32143/obscene-death-rattles

[CBM]

"In 2008, about half of 3.4 million pregnancies were unintended"
- according to the University of the Philippines.

Which suggests that the RH Bill if passed would halve the birth rate - which would give the Philippines a hope of getting out of the Slough of Despond.

[lastlid]

"In 2008, about half of 3.4 million pregnancies were unintended"
- according to the University of the Philippines.

Which suggests that the RH Bill if passed would halve the birth rate - which would give the Philippines a hope of getting out of the Slough of Despond.

Exactly.

[CBM]

This should set the cat amongst the pigeons.

Melinda Gates, a practising Catholic and mother of three, sets out to challenge the Bishops in Asia and Africa:

Gates, who was a speaker at the London Summit on Family Planning organised by her foundation in conjunction with the UK government and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said that since she announced her new direction a few weeks ago she had been inundated with messages of support from Catholic women, including nuns.

"A church is made up of its members, and one of the things this campaign might do is help women speak out. I've had thousands of women come on to websites and say" 'I'm a Catholic, but I believe in contraception.' It's going to be women voting with their feet."

Gates said that in the west the bishops said one thing, but ordinary Catholics did another. "In my country 82% of Catholics say contraception is morally acceptable. So let the women in Africa decide. The choice is up to them."

She admitted, though, that she had agonised over whether to speak out in defiance of the church hierarchy. "Of course I wrestled with this. As a Catholic I believe in this religion, there are amazing things about this religion, amazing moral teachings that I do believe in, but I also have to think about how we keep women alive. I believe in not letting women die, I believe in not letting babies die, and to me that's more important than arguing about what method of contraception [is right]."

Being a woman and a mother were at the heart of her decision to focus on family planning, said Gates, who has three children aged 16, 13 and 10. "It would have been nice to stay as a private citizen but part of the reason why I'm so public is that it does take a woman to speak out about these issues.





http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/11/melinda-gates-challenges-vatican-contraception

[lastlid]

This should set the cat amongst the pigeons.

Melinda Gates, a practising Catholic and mother of three, sets out to challenge the Bishops in Asia and Africa:

Gates, who was a speaker at the London Summit on Family Planning organised by her foundation in conjunction with the UK government and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said that since she announced her new direction a few weeks ago she had been inundated with messages of support from Catholic women, including nuns.

"A church is made up of its members, and one of the things this campaign might do is help women speak out. I've had thousands of women come on to websites and say" 'I'm a Catholic, but I believe in contraception.' It's going to be women voting with their feet."

Gates said that in the west the bishops said one thing, but ordinary Catholics did another. "In my country 82% of Catholics say contraception is morally acceptable. So let the women in Africa decide. The choice is up to them."

She admitted, though, that she had agonised over whether to speak out in defiance of the church hierarchy. "Of course I wrestled with this. As a Catholic I believe in this religion, there are amazing things about this religion, amazing moral teachings that I do believe in, but I also have to think about how we keep women alive. I believe in not letting women die, I believe in not letting babies die, and to me that's more important than arguing about what method of contraception [is right]."

Being a woman and a mother were at the heart of her decision to focus on family planning, said Gates, who has three children aged 16, 13 and 10. "It would have been nice to stay as a private citizen but part of the reason why I'm so public is that it does take a woman to speak out about these issues.





http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/11/melinda-gates-challenges-vatican-contraception

Good post. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[CBM]

another brick in the wall..

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/227241/pia-cayetano-stop-maternal-deaths-pass-the-rh-bill

[Doc Alan]

• At least the London Summit on Family Planning is renewing attention and hopefully global commitment to family planning and access to contraceptives, underwritten by the financial power of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Philippines is one of the countries which had a delegation at the Summit. All we as forum members can do is watch and wait – well done Lastlid and CBM for raising the topic, also Terpe, Graham, Arthur, Jamesey, and Sars_notd_virus for contributing ! As far as I’m aware it has not been discussed previously here.
• My separate thread on Mums and kids (http://filipinaroses.com/showthread.php/39689-Health-of-mums-and-kids-Philippines-and-UK ) hopefully complements this, and reminds interested members that there are other factors in improving their health – I’ve tried to keep it free of politics and religion as that’s beyond my expertise.