SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – Presidential candidate and Vice President Leni Robredo said education and Church partnerships play a big role in helping combat the rising cases of teenage pregnancy.
Robredo highlighted the importance of partnerships with the Church when asked about addressing teenage pregnancy during the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) presidential forum on Friday, March 25.
The lone female presidential candidate said the government must work with communities, schools, and most importantly the Church, to help raise awareness about what she has described as a “crisis” confronting adolescents.
“Natutunan namin ito as we were doing our Angat Buhay program: Hindi talaga kaya ng gobyerno na siya lang. Napakahalaga ‘yung partnership with the community and in this case, ‘yung partnership with the Church dahil malaking bagay ‘yung faith sa pagsugpo ng ganitong mga problema,” said Robredo.
(And this is what we learned as we were doing our Angat Buhay program: The government cannot do it alone. Partnerships with the community is important, and in this case, the partnership with the church is a big thing because faith plays a crucial role in fighting a problem like this.)
The Vice President cited her office’s ongoing program with the United Nations Population Fund and other civil society groups, where they are aim to provide education, health, and economic opportunities to adolescent girls.
The project also aims to raise awareness about teenage pregnancy and help the youth make informed choices for their future.
“Kailangan conscious din ‘yung effort to enter into partnerships na ang in mind mo talaga papaano siya hihinto. Kabahagi nito ‘yung pag-institutionalize ng mga programa para hindi lang sila natututo pero nabibigyan sila ng maraming activities na productive na mag-ooccupy ng panahon nila,” said Robredo.
(There must be a conscious effort to enter into partnerships where your mindset is that you would sustain this project in the longterm. Part of this is instutitonalizing programs where you don’t just educate them, but you give activities that would make them productive and occupy their day-to-day lives.)
A known advocate for women empowerment, Robredo also said it is important that the government’s support system for young pregnant women is readily accessible.
“Halimbawa nabuntis na ‘yung bata, kailangan alam niya na meron sa kanyang sasalo, dahil kung wala sa kanyang sasalo baka pumapasok ‘yung pagkitil ng buhay,” said Robredo.
(For example, when a minor becomes pregnant, she needs to know someone would support her. Because if no one will, then that’s when she would possibly consider ending a life.)
For Robredo, accessibility of government programs would help prevent cases of teenagers opting to abort their babies instead, something the Vice President is personally against as a devout Catholic. She is, however, open to decriminalizing abortion for extreme cases. – Rappler.com
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