At 14, Karie is preparing for motherhood while trying to keep up with her Grade 9 studies, facing responsibilities she never expected to take on so early in life.
Eight months pregnant, the student from Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City, recalled crying after seeing two red lines on her pregnancy test.
“Nihilak ko kay unexpected nga mabuntis ko og sayo,” she said.
Karie said she met her 16-year-old boyfriend through social media. Although her mother had reminded her to be careful, she eventually became pregnant. The couple separated when she was five months into the pregnancy.
“Nasayangan nako kay bata pa kaayo ko, sayo kaayo ko nabuntis,” she said.
Her experience comes amid renewed concern among Mandaue health officials, as the city recorded 185 teenage pregnancies from January to June 2026, nearly matching the 190 cases reported throughout 2025.
Dr. Irah Flores, coordinator of the Mandaue City Health Office (MCHO) Safe Motherhood Program, said some pregnant teenagers are only 12 to 13 years old, prompting the office to strengthen reproductive health education among adolescents.
“Nagkaanam gyud siyag ka-increase. It’s quite alarming,” Flores said.
She noted that teenage pregnancy cases declined after the Covid-19 pandemic but have since started rising again.
The MCHO has been working with barangays to conduct information campaigns and provide guidance to pregnant women, particularly minors.
One of these efforts is the Buntis Congress organized by Barangay Banilad, which gives expectant mothers information on prenatal care, pregnancy planning and family planning after childbirth.
Flores said community activities also allow health workers to discuss adolescent reproductive health and help young people understand their rights and responsibilities.
The city health office is also considering a citywide caravan that would offer free services on safe motherhood, adolescent health, mental health and family planning.
The Department of Health-Central Visayas (DOH 7), meanwhile, continues to support barangay health workers through community outreach, including house-to-house visits in different sitios and puroks.
DOH 7 nurse Clint Joseph Caritan, who is assigned to the Banilad Health Center, said the Buntis Congress is part of the agency’s Purok Kalusugan Program, which brings health services closer to residents.
Banilad Health Center midwife Evelyn Sanchez said health workers guide pregnant women on regular prenatal checkups, proper nutrition, prescribed vitamins and scheduled immunizations.
The barangay also provides vitamins and counseling to help expectant mothers prepare for safer pregnancies and deliveries.
Sanchez said Banilad recorded no maternal or infant deaths related to childbirth from 2025 to 2026, which she partly attributed to regular monitoring and health education.
However, she said teenage pregnancy remains a concern, with health workers also reaching out to the parents of young mothers to ensure they receive adequate support.
“Kinahanglan ila gyud supportahan. Mao gyud na akong gi-remind sa ilaha nga dili pasagdan ang magbuntis,” Sanchez said.
She also encouraged pregnant women who consult private doctors to coordinate with their local health centers so their pregnancies can be monitored and properly documented.
For Karie, support from her mother and barangay health workers has helped her manage the physical and emotional challenges of pregnancy.
She currently attends classes through modular learning and hopes to avoid losing an academic year despite her condition.
Karie said she wants to finish her education and make her child her motivation to work harder and provide a better future for the baby.
Drawing from her experience, she advised other teenagers against rushing into pregnancy, saying young people may not be ready for the responsibilities and sacrifices that come with raising a child.
“Ayaw mo sayo pagpabuntis kay dili gyud lalim, kay kapoy sa lawas ug di ma-enjoy ang pagkabatan-on,” she said.
Sanchez said Karie is among the teenage mothers monitored by the health center through the Buntis Congress.
Other young mothers in the barangay have also continued their education through modular classes, particularly during the later stages of pregnancy, with support from their families and the community.
📷 Getty Images
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