BY NELJOY GALIGAO
ILOILO City – Western Visayas has reached one of its highest-ever levels of women’s reproductive empowerment, with 83.8% of women aged 15–49 now able to make informed decisions about their reproductive health, yet the region is simultaneously grappling with a spike in pregnancies among very young adolescents — a disconnect that health officials say demands urgent intervention.
The Commission on Population and Development (CPD) said Western Visayas has already achieved 93% of its target toward the 90% women’s informed decision-making benchmark, reflecting significant gains in education access, contraceptive awareness, and women’s autonomy.
“The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is stable at 2.2, close to the 2028 target of 2.1… Additionally, 83.8% of women aged 15-49 can make informed reproductive decisions,” said CPD regional director Harold Alfred Marshall.
But alongside this progress, CPD flagged a worrying reversal among minors: live births among very young adolescents aged 10–14 jumped by 29%, from 80 cases in 2021 to 103 in 2023. The cases were recorded in Aklan (15), Antique (5), Capiz (18), Guimaras (4), Iloilo Province (49), and Iloilo City (12).
Overall adolescent childbearing remains unchanged at 6.6%.
Births Decline Across Region Despite Teen Spike
The region registered 77,000 live births in 2024, an 11.7% drop from 2023’s 87,204 — continuing a downward trajectory attributed to improved family planning uptake and shifting socioeconomic priorities.
Capiz posted the steepest decline at 16%, followed by Antique at 15.8%.
Officials warn the trend mirrors aging societies abroad. While fewer births temporarily ease pressure on households and local budgets, a sustained decline risks future labor shortages and slowed economic growth.
Adolescent Vulnerability Now the Biggest Gap
CPD said that while adult women are increasingly empowered to control their reproductive lives, adolescents remain underserved — lacking access to teen-friendly clinics, peer support, and age-appropriate sex education.
“We still need to strengthen our efforts in combating adolescent pregnancies… findings highlight the vulnerabilities faced by young people,” said CPD Region 6 Population Program Officer Roilo Vincent Laguna.
He emphasized the need for “enhanced school- and community-based interventions, including improved functionality of teen centers and the establishment of peer education networks.”
Women’s Empowerment Continues to Advance
CPD-6 attributes the region’s improving indicators to sustained government and community initiatives focusing on reproductive health awareness, contraceptive access, and family planning education. These have helped stabilize fertility patterns and foster healthier families.
Marshall said the region’s progress reflects “increased women’s empowerment in personal and health choices,” bolstered by local government unit partnerships and reproductive health programs.
Laguna added that Western Visayas aims to become a national model for integrating reproductive health into community systems: “By doing this, the region positions itself as a leading example for others to follow… ensuring that informed reproductive decision-making becomes a fundamental right for all women.”/PN
