Unwanted

                                              (photo: The Coverage)

Teenage pregnancy in the Philippines is on the rise. In fact, the data derived from the Certificates of Live Births submitted by the Local Civil Registry Offices from 2011 to 2014 show that about one in every ten women of child-bearing age was a teenager, and there were 24 babies born every hour by teenage mothers. This is according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

This unsettling reality often slap a parent in the face once the daughter will announce that the pregnancy test kit turned pink. Yet a lot seem to look at this as sort of a "trend" among the young. There are more adolescents in the schools who are pregnant and the public schools could not help but find ways and means in helping them continue with their schooling through the alternative delivery modes. This is to make inclusive education take effect in all parts of the country.

There are different factors to examine this situation. Some parents blame themselves for trusting too much. There are those who point the finger to the type of friends the daughter is exposed with. Some would put the blame on dysfunctional families. The teachers sometimes think that the curriculum must have a teeth on the lessons focusing on reproductive functions. The church wants the moral foundation of the young to be sturdy ... and many things more.

But what must be done? Of course, the young kid must be given the opportunity to go on with her life. Yet, she has to be strong in facing the consequences like bullying, gossips and labels by the society which could be self-righteously harsh. A strong support system must be created for the young woman to be able to cope with the pressures around.

This writer thinks that self-empowerment must be instilled to the young girl when she reaches the fragile age of adolescence. I observe a lot of young girls at school and they seem to be victimized by the things they see on media platforms. They fantasize to be like that of Nadine and Kathryn with good-looking love teams that they opt to have boyfriends and won't be ashamed to show them off to their friends as if it is an achievement of sorts.

In the afternoons, we see young couples going home indifferent to the stares from their schoolmates. They look so proud having someone to be with them to the point that they even take pictures to be uploaded on social media sites to the chagrin of their parents and relatives. Their emotions are so important that the lessons they must learn in school is put on the sidelines. There are even some who go to school not to learn but to see their "love teams."

Emotional entanglement is a distraction. According to studies, when a person spend a lot of time and resources dwelling on a certain thing, it would become a habit and eventually become his or her destiny. The role of parents and teachers is to facilitate their needs for the young person to understand how to prioritize. Yet, we adults seem to be busy dealing with our own needs especially those unsatisfied ones...

Better dwell on the tasks at hand first. According to M. Scott Peck, one key in realizing dreams is to DELAY GRATIFICATION. It is difficult to do, I admit. But cultures could be instilled in small communities like the family. A positive outlook paired with a reasonable set of discipline is a good one. Efforts on leading towards self-actualization from the adults will really help. We could be the walking self-help books the people around us might read through our actions.

But who am I to rant? The life we want is how we live it. What if we are not happy being successful? What if we are not concerned about personal achievements? What if we just want to live the day like that of a  bird? 

Still, there are young children who suffer. Most of the young mothers are products of unstable emotional foundations. Why can't I tell stories to the young girls too? These might erase the fantasies of being a princess waiting for the prince to save her but she will become strong warrior: A young woman ready to wage war against a bleak future.

I will light a torch. This might be of use in a young girl's dark night.