MANILA, Philippines – One in every three Filipino teenagers has engaged in premarital sex, the National Youth Commission head said, citing a study.
During an interview with Inquirer Radio 990AM on Friday, youth commissioner Perci Cendaña said the situation was worse in Metro Manila, where 40 percent of the youth had an early sexual encounter.
Cendaña cited the findings of the 2013 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study which shows that 35.5 percent of males and 28.7 percent of females who are 15 to 24 years old had an early encounter with sex.
Even more surprising, one in every ten Filipina teenager aged 15 to 19 years old is already a mother, according to the study cited in a Philippine Information Agency report.
The study also said 2.6 percent of Filipina teenagers in the same age group are already pregnant with her first child, while 13.6 percent had experienced childbirth.
The study also showed that three out of four males (15 to 24 years old) and two of five females of the same age group have watched pornographic videos.
Cendaña said the youth should not be solely blamed for their early engagement to sex.
“I think the whole society is at fault. We have a fault to the youth sector because of this incident,” Cendaña said in Filipino.
Cendaña said the youth should be guided through proper sex education.
The study was done by the University of the Philippines Population Institute and Demographic Research Development Foundation and released by the Philippine Statistics Authority – National Statistical Coordination Board.
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