Chapter I

Background

Teenage pregnancy, also known as adolescent pregnancy, is pregnancy in a

female under the age of 20. This case has been a worldwide issue. The rising number

in percentage of teenagers who got pregnant in early age become alarming in the

country and it is increasing annually. So much for that base on the report, the fast

arising number of teenage pregnancy happen in 3 regions in Mindanao, including the

region XII with an average of 14.7% compared with the national average 8.6% (2017

report). In the study conducted by the National Demographic and Health Survey in

2013, one out of every young Filipino Women age 15-19 are already a mother or

pregnant with their first child, it was release by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Recently some factors that systematically reviewed with teenage pregnancy in South

Asia, the study reported with the low education, socioeconomic status become some

factors of teenage pregnancy. In some research study they indicate the lack of

contraceptives knowledge to the teenagers.

The adolescents, at this point in time, are born into a society equipped with

technology and provided massive amount of data. Many teens feel isolated and

unappreciated which most likely increase the habit in dealing with their curiosities, and

pains. they will feed their curiosity and experiment. Their engagement to the forbidden

act is often based on their impulsivity and immaturity. Their behavior and poor decision

making prowess most likely led them to break rules. Also the connection to the
pornographic materials through the television, magazines, and internet makes all the

media the portal to influence the lives of youth. Even at home, the taboos of the family

might lead to an adolescent explore her/ his curiosity in mind.

This study aims to re-locate the factors in sociocultural context that lead to

teenage pregnancy in Brgy. Danlag Tampakan South Cotabato. Also the study tends to

answer the question given, to clearly explain the connectedness of the sociocultural

context to the phenomenal situation, the teen age pregnancy. In addition to this, the

study will serve as awareness to the beneficiaries of their action and decision to be

taken, the programs and activities to be conduct.

Statement of the Problem

1. How secondary school image, and learning references affect the inflating number

of teenage pregnancy in Danlag, Tampakan South Cotabato? If necessary.

2. How the society, religion, peer relationship, ethnicity specifically “Blaan” involve/

influence teenagers to involve their selves in pre-marital sex and contribute to the

inflating number of teenage pregnancy?

3. How family member plays the role of being a good model to the teenagers, or do

they contribute some factors that might lead to a risen percentage of teenage

pregnancy?
Scope and Delimitation

The way of gathering data, is using a convenient sampling with the participant of

not more than five including participant with an ethnicity of Blaan. Participants included

must be pregnant or be come a mother at the age between 13-19 years Old. The

geographic area of the study will be in Brgy. Danlag, Tampakan, South Cotabato.

Benefits and Beneficiaries of the study

1. For the decision to be taken, the treatment applied to theirchildren,

theParentswill be the first beneficiary of this study. The parents will aware of

their action as will as the factors will be given by this study will be their guide/

bases.

2. Government will also be the beneficiary of this study, it can be a bases to the

programs and activities to be implemented in a society or community.

3. For the learning of the teens specifically school youth it will be a great help for

the Teachers to the learning program that they will be implemented in Danlag

National High School for more effectively learning to happen and to ease the

case of early pregnancy of the students. Some factors given by the study can be

use as the bases of the new projects and rules to be implemented inside the

campus to protect the students and promote child friendly school without

pregnancy cases on the students.

 4. The study to be conduct will be more effecient to the Society, Community to set

free the fear that those teenagers who got pregnant earlier will be a negative

model of motherhood to the younger children. Also it might lessen the poverty in

the geographic area if the recidents of a community/ society will be aware of the

taboos they are exercising towarsd the children. Using the factors to be identify

on this study, it will be benificial to the mentioned beneficiaries of the study.

DIFINATION OF TERMS

1. Teenage Pregnancy is pregnancy of a woman 19 years of age or younger.

According to American Pregnancy Association(APA) it is a pregnancy that occurs

for a woman under the age of 19. Although technically not a teenager, a young

woman 12 or under who is pregnant falls into this definition of teenage

pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy also defines as occurring between thirteen and

nineteen years of age. There are, however, girls as young as ten who are

sexually active and occasionally become pregnant and give birth. (Medical

School)

2. Sociocultural isdescribe as the differences between groups of people relating to

the social class and culture in which they live. It is the belief that social and

cultural factors like social class, race, age, ethnicity, gender, religion, family and

friends according to some Psychology.

3. Ethnicity in a simple deffination it relates to a large groups of people who have

certain racial, cultural, religious, or other traits in common. It shares a common

 identity-based ancestry, language, or culture. It is often based on religion, beliefs,

and customs as well as memories of migration or colonization (Cornell &

Hartmann, 2007).

4. Bilaan or Blaan are a tribal community of Southern Mindanao, the name of this

indigenous group comes from the words Bla and an, meaning Opponent People.

The Blaans in South Cotabato were renowned hunters and food gathering, they

hunted animals and planting grains, root crops, fruits and herbs in the open

space of cogonal land, known as Kolon Datal, now knownas Koronadal City. The

Bilaan live in in Lake Sebu and other municipalities of South Cotabato are one of

the major non-Islamic tribal groups in the Philippines.They are famous for their

rich and colorful cultural heritage, ethnic art and handcrafts like the brass

ornaments and traditional beadwork. Colorful native costumes woven from abaca

and decorated with embroidery, buttons, beads and heavy brass belts with

numerous tiny bells are worn by the women of the Bilaan, making their approach

heard, even from a far distance (Ronald de Jong, Dec 31, 2009). Addition for this

Bilaan or B'laan is rich in culture and unique because of the beliefs to theor

suppremacy called Dwata or Malu, everything they did come from a single

Dreams.

5. Pre-marital Sex is a sexual activity practiced by the persons who are unmarried.

According to the Bible it is define as sexual emorallity. Also according to Wulters

Klower premarital sex is a sexual behavior in teenagers and youth mostly due to

the effect of sexual hormones, the role of psychosocial factors such as media,

friends and peer group, drugs and alcohol, and family.

 Chapter II

Review of Related Literature

Social analysts and researchers enumerated some of the reason why pregnacies

among adolescents have been increasing in spite of interventions from government

health agencies and NGOs. Thus, the reasons vary from socio-economic status (Dulita,

Nalika, Upul, Crishantha & De Alwis, 2013), lack of education (Eloundou-Enyegue,

2004), teenagers’ initiation to sexual activity (Grace, Ihuoma & Temitope, 2013), family

history of teenage births (Wall-Wieler, Ross & Nickel, 2016), and many more. The

incidence of mortality in teenage pregnacies and adverse birth outcomes is increasing

every year due to socio-economical challenges, (Xi-Kuan, Shi Wu, Flemming Demissie

& Rhoads, 2007). Adolecent sometime feels confuse to what is right from wrong. People

keep on doing wrong things as if it is right (Jordan Tovera Salvador). Other studies have

identified sexual health knowledge, attitude, behavior, and health service accessibility,

and acceptability as broad risk factors for pregnancy among adolescents (16, 17).

Besides, other researchers have identified diverse socio-cultural factors such as family

structure, peer group influence, cultural permissiveness, family instability, early age of

marriage, lack of knowledge of sexuality, lack of knowledge, and/or ineffective use of

contraceptives to influence pregnancy among adolescents. Other studies found varied

socio-cultural risk factors associated with high pregnancy rate among adolescents. The

level of strictness of rules and regulations in the family, level of freedom within the

family to discuss problems regarding love affairs; level of freedom within the family to

discuss issues related to sexuality, parental attitudes toward sex. According to (Kim
2008) Several themes which were found across various literatures include the following:

(1) The intact family structure is associated with delayed and reduced levels of teen

sexual activity and reduced risk of teen pregnancy, (2) Parental disapproval of teen sex,

specifically teens' perceptions of their mothers' disapproval, is linked to delayed sexual

activity and reduced risk of teen pregnancy, (3) Higher levels of parent-teen relationship

satisfaction and a strong connection between teens and their mothers are associated

with delayed sexual initiation. (4) Greater parental monitoring and rules which appears

to be correlated with reduced teen sexual activity, though the evidence is mixed, and (5)

The evidence on parent-child communication, in general or specifically about sexual

issues, is mixed.

To feed the curiosity of their mind it becomes "curiosity exploring", their

engagement to forbidden act is base on their impulsivity and imaturity that that become

blind reason to the parents and society. According to (Kim,2008) Teen sexual activity is

usually associated with negative outcomes “physical, emotional, social, and economic

impacts on the lives of young people, but much more for the young women.
 Chapter III

Methodology

This research will focus on gathering data through one on one interview, using

recorder as well as take notes if needed. Through the recorded statement of the

participant it will undergo to analyzing the statemwnt re-state in the research paper.

For the methods of this research, it must be agreed or has the consent from the

teacher before proceeding to the next step of gathering information. As well as the

personal interaction of asking a permission the the respondent and if underage it must

have the consent from her parents. Then, the question to be ask to the respondent must

be checked by the teacher first before applying to the respondent of the study. Leading

question must be avoiding(yes, no) answers, question will focus on the experiences, the

phenomenological factors of teenage pregnancy. After gathering data, it will proceed in

doing the analytical stage which Identified, Inderstand the sociological factors of

teenage pregnancy.

This study will be using a Convenient sampling for the 3-5 respondent of the

research. The respondent’s qualification: must be pregnant at the age Under 19 years

old, including to this is blaan ethnic group and Cebuano. The study duration is from

September to March
 Chapter IV

Upon utilizing the intended data analysis approach, 5 emergement themes are

generated: "Family", " Peers", " Religion"," School", and "Tribe". Additional, some

emergement theme will be discuss in relation to the personal reasons of the participants

supported to the view of the literature.

Family Relationship

Parents serve many essential roles toward their children. According to American

College of Pediatricians (2013), "parents provide the foundational role of support,

nurturance, and guidance for their children." Such role of the parents toward their

children is seen as a fundamental right of the children in the society. This right is

directed towards their welfare, and so that they might be protected from different

abuses. In preventing teenage pregnancy, parents should observe different measures in

providing guidance and directions to their adolescent children.

The first emergement theme is entitled "Family" which in connect to the parents

whom the people thought "the first teacher of children". For some people a perfect

family can be vision as happy, as a whole, a perfect combination of love, peace,

harmony, and such relationship like a friends. But for some childrem and families, it is

the opposite characteristics and treats. A participant attured that:

"They are not showy, but showing their love and care through anger (violent) that made

me thought Im not appreciated, and it lead me to rebel".

 Kim (2008) indicated that parental influence is an integral force in preventing

teenage pregnancy. Here, the relationship may vary by the content and the degree of

discussion as well as other factors. Therefore, these show that the following are crucial:

the intact family structure, parental disapproval of teen sex, parent-teen relationship

satisfaction, and a greater parental monitoring in reducing the incidence of teenage

pregnancy. In line with the relationship to their parents, two situational statement from

the participants, stated that:

" Pre-marital sex, sexual intercurses, and immoralities are the taboos in my family,

which open my curiosity and pushed me to explore the other world’’

” Talking about sex become normal in my family, a joke. And advices me in a joke

manner. It became my reasons why curiosity played in my mind and pushed me near

to temptation. Being so aggressive in words but so much ignorant in deeds.”

Based on the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy as cited by the

Ohioline, there are ten tips for children to avoid teen pregnancy. These tips are as

follows: a) Be clear about your own values and attitudes; b)Talk with your children early

and often and be specific; c) Establish rules, curfews, and expectations behavior; d)

Know your youth's friends and their families; e) Encourage group activities and limit

one-on-one dating at an early age; f) Set limits of two- or three-year age difference while

your child is a teen; g) Talk with your teenager about the goals for the future; h)
Encourage high and achievable expectations for school performance; i) Know what your

teen is watching, reading, and listening to; j) Strive for a positive relationship with your

teen. Many teens feel isolated and unappreciated in their homes which most likely

increase the habit among them to battle in dealing with their curiosities, outrages, or

pains. A participant uttered this statement:

"My family are so strict, even getting along with my friends or going somewhere they

always doubted me. Everywhere i go there is always eyes following me and observing

my actions. But in terms of sharing like my problems, and the happenings in my life

specially having a boyfriend I always have this fear that they will scold me and throw

away from our home, that’s why I keep silenced.

Peer Relationship

Peer pressure and teenage pregnancy is a common problem that influence teens

to involve in a relationship or sexual activity. During this stage of teens, they may suffer

the pressure to make more friends and tried to be similar with others. Some teenagers

also are looking or relying with their peers cause of lack of parent’s attention, broken

family, misunderstanding, and lock of support from the parents or too much bounded by

rules in the family. In my research I found cluster themes under the Peer Relationship

theme that can be a factor that influence teenage pregnancy.

The first cluster theme is the Unhealthy Relationship of Teens. Through peer pressure

and influence of peer group, a teen would have the greater possibility of having
relationship with an opposite sex because other in their friends group are into a

relationship.

“it was my friends, the reason why I found a boyfriend before. Whenever my friends

partner visit in our place they always brought their company with them and that’s the

time the two group of peers met and knew each other. And big possibility that among

those peer group there will be new bare couple.”

Teen may get involve in sexual activity or any sexual relationship with her partner

through the influence of the friends. A participant uttered that;

“when I’m with the group we always talk about the experiences having a boyfriend or

telling jokes in line with sex experiences of my friends or other people. Sometimes me

and my friends watch pornography and act it in a joke manner. This open my curiosity

and put me in an eager emotion to try or taste the feeling of being sexually active.”

Being misguided by the parents and lack of knowledge about relationship a teen

may end up in an unready relationship. And even not knowing the history, family

background, and other details of her partner, and get in to a relationship with an

inappropriate guy under peer pressure. Careless involvement in sex with her partner

under peer pressure can lead to intended pregnancy in teens.

 Influence of peer to have sex is another cluster of peer relationship. When a teen

is so much bounded by her friends we will find that a teen may let her friends in a group

influence her decision making or rely to them each of her emotion.

“whenever I have a problem in my relationship with my partner my friends were there to

comfort me and advices me under the absence of my parents.”

While exploring the curiosities and question in mind a teen will find her way out.

Through peer group it may influence also the decision of the teen involving sexual

activities even though she lacks of understanding the consequences of her act.

According to some journals; often teens have sex just to project that they are cool and

sophisticated and end up with unintended teenage pregnancy. But base on our

geological location and community here in the Municipality of Tampakan,as an

observation and interview with some citizens we have a numerous social groups of

teens both female, male and other genders. These social groups of teens with an

influence value of SUKARAP gang in other municipalities influence the way and

techniques of teens in using contraceptives and preventing pregnancy among women.

Two of my participants prove this;

“it was my boyfriends and girlfriends from other barangay who teaches me or told me

the prevention of pregnancy”

 “my boyfriend before has his technique or way of preventing my pregnancy. But after

our break up I found my lust to other guy thinking that I wouldn’t get pregnant at all.”

Ethnic Group

South Cotabato land of indigenous people known as Bla’an, has a rich culture which

concur the whole South Cotabato. Bla’ans are very known in T’boli, Lake Cebu,Tupi and

some of them live in neighboring municipalities and some also migrated in other places

and provinces. It’s a review of their culture, Blaan people are waver, waving beautiful

clothes and making jewels. But behind the jewels and silk design is a might dream of a

blaan person. The designs of silk jewels they made is based on their rare might dream.

It is also their culture to fix the marriages of their children, and followed some

rituals including “dowry”. According to some elders of blaan in Tampakan, there are

different ways of fixing the marriage of their children, some due to financial Leeds, deal

of two families, or an ancestral promise. But in this section of analysis, not all blaans

used to do this kind of practice, some educated parent and Christian blaan’s believe on

love marriage rather than fix. One of my participant uttered that:

 “Mama and papa doesn’t like fix marriage because for them, it was it was just like

selling your child or doing partner. They will take you and as a return you’ll take their

‘downy’ such as cow, land and etc...’’

But because it is part of their culture, there are many families do this practice and one of

my participant in this research prove this hypothesis.

“I was very good in my class before I am an honor student but due to financial need and

of financial income, my parents look for a man to be my husband and at my young a

wife and a mother.’’

Several municipalities of south Cotabato, culture has also played important role

in the arising teenage pregnancy incidence. According to population program officer II

Romulo Palomo the province of south Cotabato, they have intensified their campaigns

to educate both teenagers and parent. This campaign, orientation specially targeting

teenagers in the third and fourth year levels in private and high school level. But

according to our tribal participant side become side become a mother in her elementary

year with the absence of participating campaign program.

In the province of south Cotabato the youngest record mother is a ten-year-old

T’boli girl from Tupi and this is due to her marriage to an older man that was arranged

by their parents. According to some journal joy laundress also the provincial population

office. Explained that in their GAD orientations they emphasize gender equality and
women empowerment through helping the community tribal, leaders, understand that

women are not born only to marry, bear children and stay at home.

In our barangay, the community was oriented through the Brgy. Center, the

midwife, nurses, doctors and other seminar from the high office. But we cannot hide the

fact that there is still tribal family on Brgy. Danlag continually doing this practice and still

luck of education about its risk.

Religion

Free contraception offered in the Philippines has set the Catholic Church and

conservatives at odds with the government there. The separation of the state and the

church, although explicitly stated in the Philippine Constitution, has traditionally not

been followed. The Philippine government and politician have always place on the

Church’s position on key political issues and event. In other term, our country

characterized with a soft state and hard church ( Pernia, 2007).Historically, the church

has also been in the forefront of many political movement.

The Catholic Church’s objection to the use of artificial forms of contraception is

traced from the way the church views human sexuality and morality. Sex is viewed in

two ways “procreative “ or the live giving and “ unitive “ or love sharing, and any act that

interferes with the procreative potential of the sexual act is vehemently prohibited

( Ganilo, 2007; Genovesi, 2003). The impact of religion and religiosity in various
attitudes and behaviors, especially of adolescents, has been subjected to various

examination. While religiosity has been found to have a protective factor against risk

behaviors such as sexual initiation and premarital sex ( Lacson, et. Al, 1997: Meier,

2003), as well as substances use ( Wallance, et. Al, 2007) among young people, there

has been little work done to study the effect of religiosity on contraceptive use.

“I’m a catholic. We knew that pre-marital sex is not allowed but there are no direct

teachings to the members about it. It is our own perception about the thing. knowing the

good and bad.”

Studer and Thornton ( 1989) clarified that the impact of religiosity on

contraceptive usage among adolescents is multi-dimensional and complex, and that it

differs at differentstages of decision-making. Strayhorn wrote “a possible explanation for

this is teens in more religious communities may be less likely to use contraception”.

“I was grown up in a Christian family with the belief of morality. No sexual talks. And no

knowledge about contraceptives.”

For one thing, it suggests that lawmaker knows that sex education is effective at

addressing teen pregnancy rates, that’s why they’re willing to deploy it if the necessity

arises. In 2012, official passed the responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health

Law. It required free birth control distribution, reproductive health services offered at
public school. But supreme court temporary restraining order prevented full

implementation of the reproductive health law. The mandate has not been sitting well

with the large religious population in the country, as the Catholic Churches opposes

birth control. 80 percent of Filipino people identify as Roman Catholic. Yet the president

“claim that religion is not attuned to currents realities” (Philippine Star)

School

“The number showed that the reason for the high number of dropout rate of girls

is marriage and family matter, which can be treated also as teenage pregnancy,” said

Education Secretary Leonor Briones, citing data from the Philippine Statistic Authority

(PSA). Base on the Manila Philippines news – the spike in the number of out of school

youths can be traced to the teenager who are forced into marriage due to underage

pregnancy, the Department of Education (DepEd) said. But as a matter of policy,

Briones noted that the Department of Education (DepEd) allows pregnant learners-

particularly in public schools to continue their studies. “we do not encourage schools to

expel them,” she said. But as the question strike to the participants she uttered that;

“pregnant student in campus destroyed the image of the school. And influence other

students to the same. As we thought it is okay and legal”

DepEd was trying to put a “liberating kind of education’ and adjusting the curriculum to

the generation – the generation Z.

 DepEd Order No. 031, s. 2018 or ‘The Policy Guidelines on the Implementation

of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education’ that aim to establish a common

understanding of CSE key concept and message, and to ensure clear implementation of

protocols in the CSE. ThisDepEd order also aim to promote healthy and responsible

sexual and social behavior among adolescents and many more. A participant uttered

her statement about the sexuality education in high school;

“for me it’s good. It can educate teens and make them aware to the consequences of

teenage pregnancy.”

In other hand, as I ask my participant about the programs and activity of school to

prevent the increasing case of teenage pregnancy there are number of statements I

received;

“Ican’t see activities or programs in school conducted to prevent teenage pregnancy

among high school students”

“I was elementary pupil when my parent arranged my marriage. I can’t remember any

activities and programs about preventing teenage pregnancy.” ~ tribe participant

“I think there are programs conducted in school about teenage pregnancy, but very

rare.”