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Philippines Losing P33 Billion Yearly To Teenage Pregnancy
Philippines Losing P33 Billion Yearly To Teenage Pregnancy
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is losing P33 billion in potential income yearly
due to problems brought by teenage pregnancy, according to the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA).
During the launch of the Joint Program on Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent
Pregnancy in the Philippines on Monday, UNFPA country representative Leila Joudane
said the figure was based on a study that the agency conducted in the country
recently.
Joudane said adolescent pregnancy affects the life cycle as well as the cycle of poverty.
“Adolescents who get pregnant usually drop out of school. When they do, they have
fewer chances of becoming active and productive members of society,” Joudane said.
She said these girls would earn less than those who continued and finished their
studies.
“Teenage girls who get pregnant and do not finish high school may lose earnings of up
to P83,000 per year,” Joudane said.
In a speech read during the event held in Tacloban, Leyte, Department of Health
officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the UNFPA study showed that adolescent
mothers who did not finish high school or college are more likely to become
unemployed or poor.
She said that adolescent pregnancy remains an issue, especially among disadvantaged
groups