HIV cases, teenage pregnancy on the rise in Central Luzon

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Government agencies are raising red flags over the growing health crisis involving Central Luzon’s youth, as new data show a surge in both HIV infections and teenage pregnancies.

The Department of Health (DOH) Central Luzon Center for Health Development (CLCHD) has reported more than 14,000 confirmed cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the region as of January 2025. Alarmingly, nearly 30 percent of these cases are among young people aged 15 to 24.

At the same time, the region continues to grapple with persistently high rates of teenage pregnancy. Following the national trend, births among girls aged 10 to 14 have increased significantly—from 2,411 cases in 2019 to 3,343 in 2023—prompting concern among health and population experts.

“The wellbeing of our young people is at stake if their sexual and reproductive health are not addressed,” said Commission on Population and Development (CPD) Central Luzon Regional Director Lourdes Nacionales in a report by the Philippine Information Agency Region 3. (PIA-3).

CPD and its partner agencies are scaling up programs to educate, empower, and protect the youth. One key initiative is Parent-Teen Talk, which helps parents navigate sensitive conversations with their children about sexuality, relationships, and health.

The region also continues to promote the “I Choose #MalayaAkongMaging” campaign, designed to encourage informed decision-making among adolescents. Meanwhile, the ProtectTeen program is being strengthened to provide adolescent mothers and their children with access to healthcare, psychosocial support, education, and livelihood training. It is currently active in high-priority areas such as Pampanga, Bulacan, and Tarlac.

CPD is also working closely with local government units to establish teen centers—safe spaces where young people can access counseling, peer support, and reproductive health resources. At the national level, the government is advocating for the passage of a law aimed at eliminating adolescent pregnancy, alongside the full enforcement of Republic Act 11166 or the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act.

Nacionales emphasized the need for collective action, urging educators, local leaders, parents, and communities to be proactive. #