31/07/2025
𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 𝙁𝙀𝘼𝙏𝙐𝙍𝙀 | Your Body, Your Care: BCPC Sparks Open Conversation on ARH and Teenage Pregnancy
As the clock struck one and students slowly filed into the covered court of Doña Rosario High School, the usual classroom silence was replaced by anticipation. It wasn’t just another Tuesday. It was an afternoon that promised clarity about topics often shrouded in taboo, whispered about behind locker doors, or never talked about at all.
Thanks to the initiative of the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC), selected students from all grade levels gathered for a timely and transformative Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) Seminar, with a focused spotlight on the realities of teenage pregnancy.
𝙁𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙐𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 "𝙒𝙝𝙮"
Dr. Leafat Marie Acorda, the first speaker, did more than just present statistics—though the numbers alone were striking. She outlined the rising cases of teenage pregnancy in Quezon City, offering a sobering look at local data. But what made her talk resonate deeply was her effort to go beyond the figures.
Instead of stopping at “how many,” she delved into the “why.” Her discussion peeled back the layers, touching on societal pressures, gaps in reproductive education, lack of access to safe resources, and the silence that often surrounds the topic in homes and schools. She emphasized the importance of awareness, agency, and early intervention—not as a lecture, but as a necessity.
𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙃𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙉𝙤 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙚
Following her was Ma’am Cielo Ann Guzman, who guided the audience through a topic that hits much closer to the hearts of teenagers...relationships.
Her session tackled teenage romantic involvement—how it begins, how it develops, and how, without proper guidance, it can lead to life-changing consequences. More than identifying it as a cause of teenage pregnancy, she reframed the conversation around emotional maturity, respect, and the difference between real love and impulsive affection.
Students were encouraged to reflect on their own values and the ways relationships are portrayed around them, from peer influence to pop culture. Her talk balanced empathy with honesty, providing students with tools to assess their own choices without shame.
𝘼𝙣 𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝘼𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙢
What made the seminar striking wasn’t just the sensitive topics it addressed, but how it created a safe, stigma-free space for students to listen, learn, and think. It didn’t aim to instill fear, it aimed to offer facts, understanding, and remind students that knowledge is not something to be ashamed of.
Visuals, real-life case studies, and interactive discussions turned what could have been an awkward session into an eye-opening discussion. The language was age-appropriate, the tone respectful, and the intention clear: to empower.
The success of the event was made possible through the strong support of Dr. Arliana A. Arboleda, principal of Doña Rosario High School, whose commitment to student welfare helped open the doors for such vital conversations to take place.
𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙥 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙, 𝙏𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧
Held under the guidance of BCPC and in partnership with Doña Rosario High School, the July 29 seminar was more than just a moment on the calendar, it was a starting point. A chance to interrupt the cycle of misinformation with facts, compassion, and courage.
As the students dispersed after the event, there was a quiet sense of shift...a ripple. Not of fear, but of awareness.
And in that, the goal was already being met.
Because the first step to protecting the youth isn’t silence—it’s starting the conversation.
✒️: Jefferson G. Musa
🎨: Zaijan Alexis A. Laride
📸: Mam Milane Manaog
