Awakening. Behind every young mother is a story the world must hear. A real life story of adolescent pregnancy. Feb 19, 2025. Photo Courtesy: More to Her Story
At just 14 years old, Sang became a mother. She dropped out of school, not because she wanted to, but because she had no choice. “It was sad to see my friends graduate without me because I had to stop school,” said Sang. Realizing the need to earn a living wage for her baby, her partner dropped out of school in 6th grade. Without even a high school diploma, he struggles to find a permanent job. There have been days when he couldn’t find work, and when that happens, they go hungry, she said.
With a baby she’s carrying and dreams, she was too young to understand slowly fading in the background, Sang’s story became one of the many silent realities of young Filipina girls trapped in the cycle of adolescent pregnancy.
Sadly, Sang’s story is not unique. In communities across the Philippines, young girls are becoming mothers before they fully understand their own bodies, let alone the responsibilities of raising a child. A major reason behind this? Lack of access to reproductive health information, education, and services.
But this can change. And it starts with Senate Bill 1979.
The Gendered Impact of Adolescent Pregnancy
Adolescent pregnancy is more than a health issue, it’s a gender justice crisis. It disproportionately affects young girls, who are often left to carry the burden alone emotionally, financially, and socially. These girls face higher risks of complications during childbirth, are more likely to drop out of school, and are less likely to find stable employment later in life.
For girls like Sang, early pregnancy means giving up their chance at education, independence, and self-empowerment. It locks them into cycles of poverty, inequality, and silence.
Empowering Through Knowledge and Access
This is why Senate Bill 1979, also known as the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act, is more than just a proposed policy, it is a long-overdue lifeline. It is a powerful step toward gender justice, giving girls the right to know, the right to choose, and the right to dream beyond their circumstances.
For years, adolescent pregnancies with girls have often been blamed for becoming pregnant, shamed into silence, and excluded from school. Their male counterparts are rarely held to the same standard. And so the cycle continues unfair, unspoken, and unbroken.
But with Senate Bill 1979, it breaks that cycle.
It calls for the integration of comprehensive sexuality education in both public and private schools. This education isn’t about encouraging teens to become sexually active—it’s about empowering them with facts, consent, responsibility, and awareness of their own rights. It teaches young people not just about sex, but about self-respect, healthy relationships, and informed decision-making.
The bill also mandates accessible adolescent-friendly health services, making sure that girls like Sang are not left in the dark. If she had known where to go, whom to ask, or what options she had, maybe her story would have unfolded differently. Maybe she wouldn’t have had to give up school or rely on a partner who himself was a child. Maybe she could have had a choice.
But Bill 1979 doesn’t stop there. It recognizes the need to include families and communities in these conversations. It envisions a society where parents are trained to talk to their children about reproductive health with compassion and clarity. Where teachers and barangay officials don’t avoid the topic out of discomfort but embrace it with urgency and openness.
Sang’s voice, though quiet, echoes the cry of so many: “If only I had known.” That haunting phrase becomes a call to action. Girls shouldn’t have to say it anymore. With Senate Bill 1979, we have a chance to replace regret with readiness, silence with support, and lost dreams with new beginnings.
This bill is not just about preventing pregnancy. It is about protecting futures. It is about recognizing that when a girl is educated, informed, and supported, she is powerful.
From Silence to Strength
Sang, and girls like her, deserved better. They deserved a system that protected their rights, taught them how to make empowered choices, and supported them regardless of their circumstances.
Senate Bill 1979 is a step toward that future. It’s a recognition that girls are not just mothers-in-waiting, they are students, leaders, and dreamers. And to protect those dreams, we must give them the tools to thrive. Because by protecting girls, you don’t just prevent pregnancies you preserve futures.
