Eastern Visayas has made significant strides in reducing adolescent pregnancies through the Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Programme (EYLGP), part of the Joint Programme on Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy (JPARAP). In a Monday news release, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) highlighted progress in Samar and Southern Leyte, where the initiative—implemented with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)—empowers youth leaders and boosts local governance for better adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
Since launching in 2022, results are notable. In Southern Leyte, adolescent birth rates fell 29 percent—from 35.8 to 25.4 births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19—in 22 months, potentially exceeding the 2026 target of 21 births per 1,000. Contraceptive use among youth rose, and local budgets for adolescent health doubled from PHP3.8 million in 2022 to PHP6.6 million in 2024, with PHP48.6 million projected for 2025.
In Samar, after 23 months, birth rates dropped 5 percent, while modern contraceptive use increased 70 percent. Despite higher baseline rates and challenges, local governments raised adolescent health funding sixfold—from PHP6 million in 2022 to PHP45.7 million in 2025.
Department of Health Eastern Visayas Regional Director Exuperia Sabalberino noted that teenage pregnancy demands a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, with youth involvement driving change. “Teenage pregnancy is a complex problem that requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, and the involvement of youth leaders has truly accelerated change.”
Key initiatives include TrucKabataan, a youth-led mobile health service, and Masayang Pamilya Incorporated, a parent engagement program in Samar, combining education, social protection, and community participation.
Despite rising births among girls aged 10 to 14, the program’s success underscores local action backed by international partnerships. The UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, and KOICA pledged to help local government units sustain gains through improved governance, expanded services, and integration into development plans.