A senator yesterday proposed involving the women’s and children’s protection desk of the Philippine National Police in looking at the upward trend in pregnancies in the country among young adolescents aged 10 to 14.
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic when most Filipinos were staying at home, pregnancies in the 10-14 age bracket increased from 2,113 in 2020 to 2,299 in 2021, data from Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
The specialized PNP unit, represented in most police stations across the country, deals with cases involving violence against women and children, including rape within households.
“I think we should involve the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the PNP’s women and children protection desk,” Sen. Raffy Tulfo said.
Tulfo pushed for the strict monitoring of children by school authorities, penalizing the sale of liquor to minors, mandating bars and restaurants to take care of young female customers, and strictly monitoring the entry of minors in hotels and motels.
The measures could prevent date and gang rape incidents, he said.
PNP data showed that at least 22 rape cases were reported in the country daily from 1 January to 13 November 2022, for a total of 7,197 for the period.
“Teenagers are getting pregnant at drinking parties. I think I will suggest legislating to have a liquor license in all of the stores that sell liquors,” Tulfo added.
Household rape
Meanwhile, Dr. Lilian Gui, a registered psychologist, said late last year that rape suspects were oftentimes related to the victims, including those living with them like fathers, uncles, and other relatives.
“I have also worked with perpetrators. They feel no guilt because, from their point of view, they are right, that they should prevail as the head of the family,” she had said.
The Senate Committee on Women, Family Relations, and Gender Equality yesterday looked at the proposed bills and resolutions seeking to address “increasing” teenage pregnancies in the country.
The pregnancy figure in 2021 for early adolescents aged 10 to 14 paled in comparison to the 386,000 Filipinos aged 15 to 19 who got pregnant that same year based on data from the University of the Philippines Population Institute.
The 386,000 represented 6.8 percent of those in the 15-19 age bracket, and a 50 percent drop in the childbearing rate compared to the figure recorded in 2013 for the age bracket.
Meanwhile, Senator Robin Padilla sees social media playing a role in minors getting pregnant with their exposure to unregulated Internet content.
He said influencers and bloggers also openly share their sexual experiences on social media, thus promoting promiscuity and sexual exploitation.