File photo.
Celebrating along with the rest of the world an estimated two thousand youth and students participated the World Population Day in the Philippines this afternoon at Rizal Stadium with the theme “Investing in Adolescent Girls.”
The celebration in the country is called Babaenihan, derived from the words ‘babae’ and ‘bayanihan’ for the campaign to raise the awareness and rights of adolescent women in the country.
According to United Nations Population Fund, the preparation for the future of the youth is essential.
“Without education, in poor health, and with little or no control over your own body, your future can be derailed and you may never realize your full potential. A life in poverty may follow because without education the income you make is much less,” said United Nations Population Fund country representative Klaus Beck.
The partnership of UNFPA with stakeholders is a way to support youth and to give them proper knowledge about comprehensive sexuality education and reproductive health of the youth.
In the message of Vice President Leni Robredo delivered by her daughter Aika, she said that one of the solutions to prevent poverty in the country is education for the youth especially women.
The Vice President fully supports the K-12 program which is being implemented in the country.
“Remember what our youth need to be so that we can harvest this demographic dividend. You need to be educated well. Get a good job and marry at the right time,” Aika Robredo said. “It is alarming that our country’s unwanted and teenage pregnancies have been increasing in ptevious years. To address this issue, we must ensure that the proper knowledge is given to our adolescents.”
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian also gave his message. He explained the importance of the free college education for youth in getting a decent job.
According to Usec. Gerardo Bayugo of the Department of Health, the dissemination of proper knowledge about the health of the youth is also a solution to prevent the increasing number of teenage pregnancies and risks caused by premarital sex.
The representatives and the guest speakers also gave their pledges as their contribution to solve the increasing number of teenage pregnancies and HIV cases in the country.
(AIKO MIGUEL/UNTV NEWS)
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