In line with the annual celebration of International Women’s Month, the Philippine Nursing Students Association, Samahan Welfare Desk, and the Office of Students Affairs conducted a forum on teenage pregnancy and single parenthood at Third  floor Community Center last Friday March 9.

Grace Guitguiten from the Philippine Nursing Students Association discussed the risks of unprotected sex and the repercussions of engaging in an unhealthy relationship which is a common issue amongst Filipino teenagers.

The forum also dealt on educating students with regard to the risks of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) spread through unprotected sex. It also conveyed a message of awareness to young women in making rational decisions and informed choices.

“We want to actually help women make informed choices. You empower yourselves by knowing the effects of what you do and the decisions that you make. A woman is not all about being pregnant and bearing a child, you can do more than that. Be educated and be successful in your life,” OSA Assistant Director Atty. Ira Valenzuela, said.

Guitguiten shared her thoughts on the value of sex education for teenagers.

“In the essence of sex not just a physiologic need but sex as a drive to become more valuable as a person. Once they are educated it will give them an armor against self-discrimination,” she explained.

Davao City is one of the places in the Philippines which is facing a growing threat of the STI as it recorded 414 HIV-AIDS cases for 2017.