“The dawn of the new age.” 

“Change is coming.” 

“Nothing is constant but change.” 

Exactly what we need is less than mediocre. But here we are were sleeping is not an option and crazy and wild is “in”. Here we are on the age of no restriction just pure fun. 

Sexual Orientation of teens especially among girls is pretty intense after the emergence of the new millennium. Exploration seems to have lodged higher than usual. Adolescence brought so many experimentation. Always wanting to try something new. One of the few, trying out drugs out of curiosity. Alcohol is a best friend to forgetting things, as claimed but, further has no proof. Anything that’s up for adventure is a must try for our young adults. Eventually, trying out new things does not end up to sober stage.  

What’s even worse with these experiments is to run out of control.  

One in ten young Filipino women age 15-19 has begun childbearing: 8 percent are already mothers and another 2 percent are pregnant with their first child according to the results of the 2013 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). 

This number doesn’t lie. This number explains why it continues to grow. 

A few factors adding to the continued increase in birth rates include having multiple sexual partners as well as low condom use. 

Social attitudes towards family planning in the Philippines are heavily influenced by the Catholic Church. 

“Teenage pregnancy is becoming a great problem in the country. These young mothers are unable to give quality care to their babies, hence these babies usually are sickly and malnourished,” Jacqueline Kitong said, reproductive health adviser in the Philippines for the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). 

Few reasons why these teens are getting pregnant due to poor, inadequate and suppressed awareness on fertility, adolescent sexuality and development. Some of them don’t even know why they got pregnant because they don’t know how their body works. 

Six years ago, sex education was implemented as early in the grade school. New sexuality education modules were tested in 159 schools in the Philippines for the 2010–2011 school year, which began June 15, 2010. The test modules were integrated throughout core subject areas and the goal is that they may be later applied to all schools in the Philippines. 

Schools started giving their students sex education with the resultant alarming progressions in teenage pregnancies and abortions despite information about how to avoid pregnancies through contraceptives. 

Not all agreed to this sex education. Some may choose to be silent on this particular topic. But I think it is not great of an idea. Children will not be able to appreciate it because the topics are too mature for them. It may result to more explorations and curiosity. And then again, it will only create more problems than resolutions. 

Like what is happening now. Seems so unreal, yet the facets are true.  

So, what I think would be the best option and would highly be conducive is to impart to our children much love, life and responsibility. This is the kind of education which will not only give them the “genuine truth of life” but also the entire reality of human endeavor. 

And that context is the calling to marriage, true love, chastity and mature responsibility, things those young students should be taught. So we must not just give information about facts but rather move into the sphere of educating the youth in virtues. 

Parents indeed have the primary duty of carrying out this education because of its very personal and intimate nature. Schools can collaborate with them in this task. 

And lastly, we, as parents should unfailingly guide and support our children. No matter what.

 

Published and Owned by: JANETH F. ALMOGUERRA- Teacher III