Mothers aged 14 and below increasing – CPD

March 14, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Young mothers aged 14 and below in the country have been increasing, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) reported yesterday.

Citing data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the CPD said 3,612 young mothers – below 15 years old – have been recorded across the country.

“The trend of births from girls aged 10-14 years old has continued to increase. That is 8.9 percent from 3,324 in 2023 to 3,612 in 2024,” the CPD said in a statement.

“This is a worrying trend that highlights the growing vulnerability of young Filipino girls to sexual abuse, exploitation and early pregnancy,” it added.

Data also showed that this trend is most prevalent in regions with large populations, including Calabarzon (474), the most populous region in the country; Central Luzon (445); National Capital Region (374) and Soccsksargen (302).

“Even more alarming, two of the youngest mothers recorded last year were only 10 years old, one from the Bicol Region and another from Western Visayas,” the agency noted.

According to the CPD, these areas face significant challenges in reaching young people with age-appropriate information and services.

“When a child becomes a mother, something has gone terribly wrong. She loses the opportunity to fully grow into her potential. These are girls who should be in school, discovering their dreams – not raising children before they even understand adulthood,” CPD executive director Lisa Grace Bersales said.

“Preventing adolescent pregnancy is about protecting the future of young Filipinas – ensuring that they can become the leaders, professionals and changemakers our nation needs,” she added.

Bersales emphasized that preventing adolescent pregnancy requires action not only from government but from families, schools and communities.

“We need parents who can talk openly with their children. We need teachers who are trained and supported. We need communities that choose to protect their young people,” she said.

The CPD also urged Congress to pass and enact the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill that was filed in the 20th Congress.

The commission said it is also supporting the proposal made by Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Alyssa Michaela Gonzales to create a quinta committee that will harmonize the different versions of the bill filed in the 20th Congress and fast-track its passage.

The proposed law seeks to institutionalize comprehensive reproductive health education, expand adolescent-friendly health services, establish integrated service delivery networks, social protection programs for adolescent parents and their families and strengthen national coordination to prevent adolescent pregnancies.

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