‘Higher risk’ of pregnancies, pre-marital sex in youth with greater Internet use

CEBU, Philippines - Overexposure to the Internet and social media may cause an increase in incidence of teenage pregnancies and in the number of youth engaging in pre-marital sex.

That is  why  Cebu  Provincial Board Member Miguel Magpale is proposing a measure regulating Internet access in the province.

“Ang mga internetan labi na kanang mga hulog-hulog piso mas ipaduol na sa barangay hall para ma-monitor ang mga estudyante nga mag-Internet,” said Enrique Felisario, Magpale’s senior administrative officer.

Magpale would present his “Ordinance Regulating Internet Access as Deterrence Against Pornographic Exposure Related to Addiction, Violence and Absenteeism” to the PB in September.

He would also propose next month another measure titled “Adolescent Health and Youth Development Program” designed to create a youth organization, create programs for youth development, and set aside funds for the programs created.

Felisario, a psychologist, said in a forum yesterday in the celebration of 6th World Population Day that too much Internet use affects the behavior of the youth.

“Overexposure to the Internet would somehow give (the youth) an idea on how to behave and it influences the young generation, especially today nga ang mga (it is available on) social media naay mga videos nga di maayo (that are not wholesome),” he said.

A recent survey conducted by the Demographic Research and Development foundation and the University of the Philippines Population Institute showed that in 2013, six in 10 young people ages 15 to 24 are regular Internet users, with more than half having social network and email accounts.

On average, they spend six hours online each week, but some “Internet addicts” spend 35 hours a week online.

The survey also showed that the number of youth who read sexually-explicit books have declined from 38.5 percent to 35.6 percent.  However, the number of those who watch pornographic videos have increased, with 15.5 percent of the youth population visiting porn websites.

The same survey likewise showed that one in 100 young people recorded themselves while doing sex and sent the recording using phones or online, while four in 100 engage sex with people they met online.

On sexual practices, pre-marital sex cases have also ballooned, with one in every three Filipinos engaging in pre-marital sex.

The male youth who engage in pre-marital sex were at 31.2 percent in 2002, but the figure rose to 35.5 percent in 2013; for the female population, the number was at 23.35 percent in 2002, which rose to 28.7 percent in 2013.

The same survey reported that three percent of the youth engage in casual sex, 3.5 percent in FUBU, and 20 percent in male-to-male sexual intercourse.

Also, 11 percent of the youth with ages 15 to 19 in 2013 experienced teenage pregnancy, which is almost triple the percentage in 2002, which was only 4.4 percent.

The same survey recorded that that of the 1,100 infected with HIV in Cebu City, 440 are still 15 to 24 years old.

Atty. Bruce Ragas, Commission on Population (POPCOM)-7 director, said they are focusing on the youth in celebrating World Population Day since they comprise 33 percent, or 19.2 million, of the population.

“A good number of that young population is part of the growing and disturbing trend of engaging into risky sexual behaviors and teenage pregnancy,” Ragas said.

He said they have already established a comprehensive youth program and youth friendly services in the region.

“Our program on Adolescent Health and Youth Development (AHYD) is geared towards helping our adolescents and youth to understand their sexuality, delay and sexual debut and reduce teenage pregnancies, early marriages and sexually transmitted infections,” Ragas said.

“Our key strategy is peer approach which involves peer support and peer counseling,” he added.

He also said that his office has proposed seven ordinances and 12 laws on youth development.

“They need guidance. And us in government need to regulate laws para ani nila kay mga bata pa ni sila ug (covering them, as they are still young and) curious pa. Og kaning mga bata-a ra ba (And the youths) are the future leaders in the country,” he said. — RHM (FREEMAN)