SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian is calling for the active involvement of parents and local government units to address the increasing cases of teenage pregnancies and HIV infections across the country.

Gatchalian emphasized the need for full implementation of the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) Program Act, which he authored and co-sponsored.

In a hearing on the Department of Education’s comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) program, Gatchalian highlighted that parents should play a leading role in promoting responsible behavior among adolescents to prevent risky behaviors.

While pregnancies among adolescents aged 15 to 19 have been declining, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show a rise in pregnancies among very young adolescents, aged 10-14. The number of pregnancies in this group has more than doubled, from 1,629 in 2013 to 3,342 in 2023.

Gatchalian also pointed to alarming data from the Department of Health, showing that the average number of newly reported HIV cases per month rose to 1,470 in the first half of 2023. Of the total reported HIV cases, 29% (34,415) were among youth aged 15-24.

“We must mobilize parents, not only through regular meetings but by actively engaging them in these issues and empowering them to have open conversations with their children,” Gatchalian said.

To effectively implement the PES Program Act, Gatchalian emphasized the need for collaboration between the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Education (DepEd), especially in working with Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs). He suggested that DSWD help distribute the modules developed under the PES program.

The PES Program, which aims to enhance parents’ skills and knowledge in fulfilling their responsibilities, will be implemented in every city and municipality.