Teens in Agusan Norte town thankful for Parent-Teen Talk
By Mariesh F. Celedeña
AGUSAN DEL NORTE (PIA) - “We are very thankful to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga Information Center for conducting the Panagtigum sa Barangay, a timely initiative to prevent teenage pregnancy in our barangay. The teenagers in our community were enlightened of its negative effects. We are blessed that out of the 167 barangays in the province, PIA chose Lingayao for this activity,” said Reyjil C. Calaga, Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson.
PIA recently conducted a community engagement dubbed Panagtigum sa Barangay: Parent-Teen talk in Barangay Lingayao, Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte to educate the teenagers on safe sex practices and share the actual experience of teenage parents. It also strengthened the barangay’s awareness campaign on the negative effects of teenage pregnancy and reinforced the importance of family and community support.
“From 2022 to 2024, the barangay local government unit (BLGU) of Lingayao recorded 30 cases of teenage pregnancy, making it a social pressing issue of the place. This prompted the local officials to come up with youth engagement activities in the barangay and schools, aiming to decrease the cases of teenage pregnancy in the area,” added Calaga. “As of March 31, 2025 no case of teenage pregnancy has been received and we want to keep this momentum. The BLGU is hoping that the positive outcome of their efforts will continue with the help of PIA and other government agencies.”
Meanwhile, Jane Floria Olayaan, a parent, shared her real-life experience and struggles in supporting her daughter who got pregnant at an early age, saying, “It is very difficult if your child gets pregnant at a young age because education is compromised. It is in this situation that we display resilience as parents that is why our family is trying our best for her to continue with her schooling and support the needs of her child. She learned her lessons and with our guidance, she can recover and fulfill her dreams to have a better future for herself and her child.”
According to the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) Caraga, the Annual Poverty Indicator Survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that 10.7 percent of teenagers failed to finish their education because of early marriage, including teenage pregnancy, To address this social concern, CPD through the local government units has strengthened its efforts to come up with policies and empower the LGUs with strategies to address teenage pregnancy and nourish family and community support to the youth. (MFC, PIA Butuan City)
