Mothers at the age of 14. The intense discussion regarding sex education in a profoundly Catholic country.

 

A boundary wall divides the residents of Baseco from Manila Bay, a natural harbor located in the center of the Philippine capital. More than 64,000 individuals reside in this densely populated area, where their homes are constructed from concrete blocks and scrap materials, topped with corrugated roofs supported by tarpaulin, rendering them susceptible to flooding.

Among these residents is 14-year-old Clara, who lives on the outskirts of the informal settlement. Dressed in an oversized black T-shirt adorned with graffiti, Clara’s petite figure subtly indicates the bulge around her waist. Now six months into her pregnancy, the young expectant mother hopes to have a son. "I want him to be like my older brother. I don’t want him to end up like me," she shares with CNN.

Clara mentions that in school, sex education "wasn’t taught in our class… we had different topics in science class." She believes that had she been more informed about reproductive health, she could have prevented becoming pregnant at such a young age.

Clara is among a growing number of girls aged 10 to 14 who have experienced pregnancy during their early teenage years. Her story exemplifies the intense debate involving lawmakers, health professionals, and religious organizations regarding the future direction of sex education in this predominantly Catholic nation.

CNN interviewed several Filipino girls and young women aged 14 to 23, including mothers, who reported that they either received no sex education in school or, if they did, it was insufficient in providing essential information about consent and contraceptives. One of the women, Sam, 23, recalls being taught about contraceptives in an 8th-grade class, accompanied by a warning against their use.

Doctor Aileen Marie Rubio from Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila stated that the majority of teenagers possess "very limited knowledge regarding reproductive health, consent, and what constitutes abuse." Rubio, who is affiliated with the hospital's specialized clinic for adolescent mothers, noted that many teenagers are unaware that they can become pregnant if they engage in sexual intercourse.

Clara met her boyfriend through mutual friends and found herself pregnant just six months into their relationship. Although she is expected to give birth in three months, she has not attended any antenatal appointments and is largely uninformed about the health of her baby. "I do not have the financial means yet... to visit the hospital."

However, experts indicate that young mothers encounter significantly greater health risks during both pregnancy and labor, as do their infants.