The Philippines has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates among the ASEAN member states and more than 500 adolescents are becoming pregnant and giving birth every day. The overwhelming literature on adolescent pregnancy as a health and social issue gives the impression that much has already been done. However, it remains among the most prevalent problem in the world and the country. Numbers tell that it has been persistent and has an increasing trend in the country in ages 15-19 years old, and recently, in ages 10-14 years old who are considered as very young adolescents. The issue was labeled “alarming” and a “national and social emergency” in 2018 by the Population Commission, a government agency mandated as the overall coordinating, monitoring, and policy-making body of the population program.

The Commission on Human Rights as the country’s Gender Ombud included the situation of adolescent pregnancy in this year’s monitoring endeavor. Diverse stakeholders including the national government agencies, local government units, academe, non-government organizations, and adolescent boys and girls were engaged in the process. Hence, this report features a wide-range of issues, gaps, and challenges, as well as recommendations that give light to the issue of adolescent pregnancy in the country.

Moreover, this situation report particularly focuses on the interplay of gender inequality and adolescent pregnancy. It endeavors to factor gender as a primary dimension of the issue of adolescent pregnancy with gender inequality as the main social determinant of women and girls, and men and boys’ health and social conditions.