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Friday, March 29, 2024

Population not likely to increase — POPCom

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The Commission on Population and Development has said the number of pregnancies reported in the country yearly will not likely increase from 1.7 million to 2.5 million despite the lockdowns imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a recent  interview on “Balitanghali,” POPCOM undersecretary Juan Antonio Perez III said that the UP Population Institute’s estimate that pregnancies would increase by 750,000 was based on a 100 percent lockdown scenario across the country.

“So ang mangyayari dahil sa pandemic na nag lockdown ang ating transportation, ang mga health services natin nakatutok sa COVID ay maaring bumaba ang serbisyo ng family planning,” Perez said.

“Since about 30 percent are naka lockdown ngayon particularly dito sa NCR, Region III, CALABARZON, at ibang lugar, sa palagay namin hindi naman ganoon kataas ang magiging dagdag sa population. Baka nasa 200,000 plus,” he added.

However, Perez said that should the number of pregnancies increase to two million, this will be the highest number of pregnancies to be recorded in the country.

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“‘Yun ang pinag-hahandaan namin. Tina-try din namin ma-avoid by daily providing family planning and other services,” he said.

Citing the UP Population Institute, the undersecretary said that teenage pregnancies may, meanwhile, increase by 20,000 from the 60,000 teenage pregnancies reported yearly.

“So malaking impact rin ‘yan kasi ang pinaka-apektado ‘yung menor de edad na nanganganak, below 18. And annually, 60,000 ‘yan so dagdagan mo ng mga 10,000 to 15,000 which is around 10 to 15 percent ay magiging 75,000 na menor de edad na manganganak,” Perez said.

“So that is very troubling, no, na ang dami, parami ng parami pa rin ‘yung teen pregnancy natin. At nakikikita na namin yan sa lugar katulad ng Zamboanga City. Nag rereport yung health service doon na mas mataas talaga, 500 plus yung nabuntis na adolescent sa city so far this year,” he added.

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