Press Release - Gatchalian: Mobilize parents, LGUs to address teenage pregnancies, HIV infections

Senator Win Gatchalian is seeking the active involvement of parents and local government units (LGUs) to curb the cases of teenage pregnancies and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections nationwide.

Gatchalian's call entails the full and effective implementation of the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) Program Act (Republic Act No. 11908), which he authored and co-sponsored. In a hearing on the Department of Education's (DepEd) implementation of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), Gatchalian emphasized that parents should take the lead in instilling responsible behavior among adolescents to protect them from the consequences of risky behaviors.

While pregnancies among adolescents aged 15 to 19 have been declining, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) shows an increase in pregnancies among very young adolescents aged 10-14. From 1,629 in 2013, pregnancies among very young adolescents more than doubled to 3,342 in 2023.

What is even more alarming, Gatchalian said, is the Department of Health (DOH) data showing the average number of newly reported HIV cases per month rising to 1,470 in the first half of 2023. Among the total reported cases of HIV, 34,415 (29%) were among the youth aged 15-24.

"We have to also focus on getting the parents more involved, not just by meeting them regularly but by really mobilizing them," said Gatchalian.

"I really believe that mobilizing the parents is another way of curbing teenage pregnancies. When we mobilize the parents, we make them aware of these issues, and empower them by educating them on how to talk to their kids," Gatchalian added.

To operationalize the PES Program Act effectively, Gatchalian emphasized the importance of collaboration between the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the DepEd in engaging Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs). The lawmaker suggested that the DSWD coordinate with the PTAs to help distribute the modules developed under the PES program. The DSWD is the lead agency in the implementation of the PES Program.

The law establishes the PES Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) Program to assist all parents and parent-substitutes strengthen their knowledge and