Eastern Visayas Makes Strides in Reducing Adolescent Pregnancy by Strengthening Youth Leadership and Governance through UN joint efforts

Samar and Southern Leyte have taken important steps to reduce adolescent pregnancies and improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health through the Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Programme (EYGLP), a flagship initiative under the Joint Programme on Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy (JPARAP) implemented by UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund, and the World Health Organization (WHO) with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

The JPARAP which has been piloted in the provinces of Samar and Southern Leyte since 2022, leverages the unique strengths of multiple UN agencies and local partners to deliver comprehensive, youth-centered solutions for adolescent health and empowerment.

Through efforts like the EYLGP, adolescent birth rates have started to decline, contraceptive use among young people has increased, and local government units (LGUs) are committing more budget for adolescent health and development. The EYGLP Colloquium, held on 13 August in Southern Leyte and 15 August in Samar, brought together local leaders, government officials, youth representatives, and UN partners to reflect on lessons, and recognize key achievements in the past two years of the programme.

These results were made possible through close collaboration between the three UN agencies and local partners. The efforts have led to strong, well-funded multisectoral programmes bringing together health, education, social protection and community engagement. In practice, this meant active local bodies meeting every month, robust and evidence-based policies, and bigger budgets for adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRHR). Youth-led efforts, including the TrucKabataan mobile health services and network of peer educators, also played a key role in both provinces’ success. Within just 22 months of programme implementation, project sites in Southern Leyte have cut their adolescent birth rate by 29 per cent--from 35.8 babies born per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 years in 2022, to 25.4 in 2024. This means the province is on track to exceed the JPARAP target of 21 per 1,000 by 2026 if the same rate of progress is maintained. Across the province, LGUs saw declines in adolescent birth rates, while 80 per cent reported more young people using modern contraception.

Budgets for adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Southern Leyte have also increased significantly, from ₱3.8 million in 2022 to ₱6.6 million in 2024, with ₱48.6 million projected as the total for 2025.

In Samar, now on its 23rd month of JPARAP implementation, adolescent birth rates have decreased by 5 per cent — from 38.1 to 36.1 per 1,000 in the 10 participating cities and municipalities. Over the same period, modern contraceptive use rose by 70 per cent. Compared to Southern Leyte, Samar entered the programme with a higher adolescent birth rate in 2022, slower progress in poverty reduction, and lower levels in educational attainment.

At the same time, participating cities and municipalities in Samar expanded their ASRHR budgets more than sixfold—from ₱6 million in 2022 to ₱45.7 million in 2025—with allocations expected to continue increasing in the coming years. This progress comes even as adolescent birth rates continue to rise in other parts of the province, and underscores the need to sustain and even expand the programme to other municipalities. Samar has also introduced innovative approaches, including the “Masayang Pamilya Incorporated” parent engagement programme, to strengthen family support for adolescents.

^{Dr. Exuperia Sabalberino, Regional Director of the Department of Health Region VIII, reflected on the project’s beginnings in Samar and Southern Leyte}

Dr. Exuperia Sabalberino, Regional Director of the Department of Health Region VIII, reflected on the project’s beginnings in Samar and Southern Leyte. “Our regional office had been challenged by health performance indicators in the past few years, and Samar’s baseline data was deeply concerning. But today, I am amazed at the transformation. This progress was made possible through the concerted effort of everyone. 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.”

Both provinces continue to record more births among girls aged 10–14, the youngest and most vulnerable age brackets for adolescents. UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, KOICA, and government partners pledged their continued support to LGUs through stronger governance, wider service coverage in disadvantaged areas, and integration of adolescent health into local development plans.

Progress in Eastern Visayas shows what is possible when local governments, communities, and young people work together. Efforts are now focused on building systems that protect and empower adolescents and ensuring these are sustained over time.