More than 140 000 Filipinas aged 10–19 years had babies in 2023, placing the Philippines among those with the highest adolescent birth rates in Southeast Asia. These early pregnancies affect the health, learning, and future paths of young parents and their children alike.
The Joint Programme on Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy (JPARAP) – implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO), with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and in partnership with national and local institutions – is enabling communities in Southern Leyte and Samar to address the high rate of adolescent pregnancies.
The adolescent pregnancy rate in Southern Leyte is above the national average, particularly in rural areas where access to information and health services is more limited. Being one of the Philippines’ most typhoon-prone areas also compounds challenges.
“JPARAP was conceptualized because after Typhoon Odette, we found out through the statistics that the teenage pregnancy is high…” said Dr Feliciano John Matibag, Provincial Health Officer II in Southern Leyte.
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TrucKABATAAN parked at the medical mission venue in Sogod, Southern Leyte, in September 2025. © UNICEF Philippines / Iya Forbes
As one of the flagship interventions under JPARAP, TrucKABATAAN, a mobile health clinic, has been deployed in Southern Leyte to bring essential adolescent-friendly services directly to geographically isolated and disadvantaged communities. TrucKABATAAN brings a medical team that provides free comprehensive services to meet local adolescents’ physical, mental, sexual and reproductive, and nutritional health needs.
During a recent mobile medical mission in Sogod, Southern Leyte, around 150 10–19-year-olds received counselling, medical consultations, and essential health commodities in a safe and adolescent-friendly environment.
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Ms Bianca Gonzalez addresses local youth participating in the TrucKABATAAN medical mission activity in Sogod, Southern Leyte. © UNICEF Philippines / Iya Forbes
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Ms Bianca Gonzalez meets doctors at an adolescent-friendly health facility in Sogod, Southern Leyte. © UNICEF Philippines / Iya Forbes
Ms Bianca Gonzalez, a national public figure and UN Women volunteer who supports issues espoused by the wider UN family as well, joined the agencies implementing JPARAP to help raise awareness of the health issues affecting adolescents, including their sexual and reproductive health, and foster support for them to access safe, respectful, and quality care.
On her experience with JPARAP, Ms Gonzalez shared, “Teen pregnancy is still considered a taboo topic here in the Philippines, and it’s often not talked about openly within families and communities. A programme like JPARAP creates a safe space for teens to take charge and learn more about their bodies, and you always see many young people willing to join and benefit from it.”
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Peer educators greet the local youth participating in the TrucKABATAAN medical mission activity in Sogod, Southern Leyte. © UNICEF Philippines / Iya Forbes
The JPARAP activities include the engagement of peer educators, teachers, and youth leaders to deliver accurate, rights-based sexual and reproductive health information to adolescents. By equipping young people with the skills to educate and support their peers, the initiative helps them make more informed decisions about their bodies and access to services.
Participating in the mission in Sogod, a JPARAP peer educator, Ami, 17, said, “It was really helpful, because when you’re aware of your reproductive health, you can prevent things that could harm you, right? That’s why I’m really thankful that we have a session like this today. It helps everyone become aware of what they should and shouldn’t do.”
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Dr Feliciano Matibag, Jr, Provincial Health Officer, speaks with Ms Olivia Lawe Davies, acting WHO Deputy Representative to the Philippines, at the TrucKABATAAN medical mission activity in Sogod, Southern Leyte. © UNICEF Philippines / Iya Forbes
Dr Eunyoung Ko, Acting WHO Representative to the Philippines, highlighted the importance of the programme. “Since its launch in 2022, TrucKABATAAN has reached more than 1800 adolescents and continues to serve as a bridge between the health system and young people who face barriers in accessing care. In Southern Leyte, the programme has contributed to a 29% decline in adolescent birth rates within just 22 months. These gains highlight how strong collaboration among UN agencies, KOICA and national and local governments can accelerate progress and ensure that more adolescents receive the continuous care they deserve.”