Editorial note: this story addresses issues of gender inequality and the role of sex education in the context of the Philippines. Do not focus on funding details and FAQs in this material.
All names of minors have been changed for privacy.
Manila, Philippines – the boundary between Baseco, an informal settlement, and Manila Bay separates residents from the watery inlet, where dense blocks of concrete and tarps cover roofs, and garbage collection creates flood risks during downpours. This environment shapes the daily life of more than 64,000 people living in close proximity to the water.
Among the residents is 14-year-old Clara, who lives on the edge of the settlement. In a loose black T-shirt with graffiti, her slender figure is accentuated by the six-month pregnancy. The expectant mother dreams of a boy and says she hopes he will be like her older brother. “I don’t want him to end up like me,” she says.
Clara notes that at school “sex education wasn’t taught in our class… we had different topics in science class.” If knowledge about reproductive health had been more thorough, the likelihood of early pregnancy could have decreased.
Clara is one of a growing number of girls aged 10 to 14 who become mothers early. Such stories fuel a heated debate among lawmakers, medical professionals, and religious groups about the future of sex education in a deeply Catholic country.
Repeated conversations with young girls and women aged 14 to 23 confirm that many of them have not received comprehensive sex education at school, or its content is limited to consent and contraception.
Education, religion, and politics: the fight for the future of sex education
Dr. Eileen Marie Ruibo of Joe Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila notes that most teens have “very limited knowledge of reproductive health, consent, and what constitutes abuse.” Ruibo works with a clinic for teen mothers and warns that many teens did not know they could become pregnant during sexual activity.
“Someone needs to learn to protect themselves.”
Clara met her partner through mutual friends; the pregnancy occurred after six months of dating. Although she is due to give birth in three months, she has not attended prenatal checkups and knows little about the baby’s status. “I don’t have money yet to go to the hospital,” she shares.
Teen pregnancy in the Philippines remains one of the highest in the region. Data from 2019–2023 show a slight decrease in pregnancies among 15–19-year-olds, but a sharp rise in cases among very young girls – 14 years and younger – compared with 2019 by 38%.
The government long called teen pregnancy a “national social emergency.” In 2022, a bill titled the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill was introduced to standardize comprehensive sex education (CSE) in schools and improve access to sexual health services. The bill is currently under discussion after numerous amendments and opposition from conservative groups. Under the current draft, children under 18 would require parental consent to access contraception, with exceptions.
“As much as we like it or not, the data show that there are teenagers who are sexually active.”
The initial version of the bill faced opposition from church groups in a country with a strong Catholic tradition. The Catholic Church notes that childbirth should occur only within marriage and calls for restraint. Abortion is prohibited under any circumstances, and some conservative forces oppose artificial contraception and the broad CSE system.
One of the key forces of opposition was a coalition of at least eight evangelical and Catholic organizations called Project Dalisay (The Immaculate Project). Its activists argue that CSE leads to “culture distortions” and changes in rigid fatherhood and child-rearing roles. Maria Lourdes Sereno, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, said that CSE “is intended to normalize discussions about sexuality that do not reflect Philippine culture.”
In January Project Dalisay launched a website with a petition against the bill and an explanatory video “Unmasking the Perils of CSE,” which they say outlines “15 harmful effects” of CSE, allegedly taken from materials of the American anti-abortion organization Family Watch International (FWI), including “the sexualization of condom use” and the promotion of “gender confusion.”
“The sexualization of condom use and the promotion of ‘gender confusion’.”
FWI notes that their studies of CSE programs in various regions show “age-inappropriate content, scientific and medical inaccuracies… and ineffectiveness in preventing teen pregnancy.”
Another American anti-abortion group, Human Life International (HLI), supported Project Dalisay. The president of HLI in the Philippines, Dr. Rene Bullecer, called the bill “a significant threat to the societal, moral, and spiritual foundations of the Philippines,” stressing that parents have direct influence on their children, and that the state should help them rather than diminish their role.
Sereno of Project Dalisay told CNN that they rely on information from the United States, denying financial ties. “We seek information, technical data, science from the United States,” she emphasizes.
If the counter-propaganda against CSE gains support, some senators may withdraw their support, and the president continues to consider a veto. Meanwhile, amendments to the bill are being made, including removing the phrase “according to international standards” and adding a line that guarantees parental authority and academic or religious freedom.
The latest version of the bill was recently filed and will go through several rounds of committee discussions and plenary readings.
While the political battle unfolds, 15-year-old Jud has faced a new identity as a young mother. She said she first learned about sex from her significantly older partner. The girl left school at 14, when she was eight months pregnant, and moved in with the family of her then 21-year-old partner. This gap in societal expectations is often noted among teen mothers – the average age difference with their parents is about seven years, according to studies.
The nonprofit Family Planning Organisation of the Philippines (FPOP) is now supporting Jud with family planning and other resources, enabling her to continue her education. They say Jud’s case highlights critical issues of consent, power dynamics, and decision-making in young relationships.
According to the World Health Organization, pregnancy among girls under 16 carries three times greater health risks than pregnancy among adults. Risks include preeclampsia, postpartum infection, and other complications. NGO initiatives and partners are working to address gaps in access to sexual and reproductive health in communities.
CNN accompanied a team of young volunteers in the underserved neighborhoods of Malabon near Manila, where children play on the streets and teens gather near snack bars. Volunteers talk with youth about sex and relationships, distribute brochures to parents and children, and provide safe-sex kits, including condoms, to help reduce risks and support staying in school.
For Clara, financial support could mean a chance to continue her education and preserve childhood for her future child. She dreams of a hospital birth experience and says she wants to be able to return to school, but she feels the weight of shame and financial constraints.
Correspondent: Sashikala VP
