KABATAAN Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel lauded the passage of the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention bill by the Committee on Youth and Sports.

Manuel urged the House of Representatives to speed up the reading of the measure at the plenary before lawmakers take their break in June.

The bill seeks to provide a framework for the provision of education and access to Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Care for the Filipino youth.

It will also institute programs for the provision of medical, legal and social services for adolescent mothers.

“Ito ay mahalagang hakbang hindi lang para sa mga adolescent mothers, pero para sa mga at-risk na kabataang kababaihan. Sa pagpapalakas ng edukasyon at serbisyo, mapipigilan natin ang patuloy na pagdami ng mga ina na hindi handa mentally, physically, financially, at socially,” Manuel said.

He urged the Senate to pass a counterpart bill “which will expedite the passage of this much needed policy into law.”