THE COMMITTEE on Youth and Sports Development in the House of Representatives approved several measures that will curb adolescent pregnancy.

The panel chaired by Isabela Rep. Faustino Michael Dy III approved subject to style and amendments House Bill 79 authored by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman; House Bill 2062 by Rizal Rep. Juan Fidel Felipe Nograles; House Bill 2524 by Calamba City Rep. Charisse Anne Hernandez; House Bill 3211 by Samar Rep Stephen James Tan; House Bill 5559 by Quezon City Rep. Patrick Vargas; House Bill 6901 by La Union Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega and House Bill 6964 by Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel.

The measures seek to provide a national policy on preventing adolescent pregnancies.

In his sponsorship speech, Lagman said that adolescent pregnancies and childbirth account for the high rate of maternal mortality.

Dy said that in 2019, the Philippines had the second highest adolescent birth rate in Southeast Asia at 5.9 percent. In that year, 2,411 girls with ages 10 to 14 gave birth.