MANILA (UCAN): “The Catholic Church was right from the very start that teenage pregnancies can be solved through proper education, not merely by giving out condoms and other forms of contraceptives. Instead of practicing restraint, the young were forced to experiment,” Father Melvin Castro, said on September 22 after authorities admitted the country’s reproductive health law has failed to curb unwanted pregnancies among teens.
The Philippine government admitted on September 21 that cases have risen since the law was passed in 2012, with two out of 10 young Filipino women aged between 15- and 19-years-old now falling pregnant.
Father Castro, the former head of the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, said, “A continuous rise in teen pregnancies only proves that the RH law (reproductive health law) was not effective in solving the very problem it was introduced to solve.”
A National Demographic and Health Survey also revealed that more than 50 per cent of adult women aged between 20- and 24-years-old fell pregnant with their first child after the law was introduced.
Father Castro observed that the data revealed that the reproductive health law was not the solution to the country’s overpopulation problem.
The law also allows sex education in government schools and recognises a post-abortion care as part of women’s rights to reproductive health care.
Father Castro stressed that contraceptives alone would not reduce unplanned or unintended pregnancies.
“Responsible parenthood is about love and sacrifice, which includes self-discipline,” he said, calling for greater emphasis to be placed on sex education in schools and at home.
“Preventing teenage pregnancies is not only about giving condoms. It is a matter of morals that parents and teachers must educate the young on,” he said.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
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“We have to educate parents so that they can properly educate their children. It involves personal dialogue with each child. Each child has his or her own individual needs with regard to proper sexual and emotional formation,” Father Castro said.
