The Philippines is projected to record the highest number of births next year, with 2 million babies expected to be born due to the lackdown, according to Dr. Juan Antonio Perez III, the executive director of the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM).
"The regular number of births in the Philippines, like in 2018, was 1.7 million actually. Now the UP Population Institute together with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) made the projection that there will be 214,000 additional birth. So it would appear that 1.9 or almost 2 million babies are most likely to be born next year in the Philippines,” Antonio said in English and Filipino during an interview with ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.
He said that Filipinos could hardly get their contraceptive supplies in the nearest health centers due to the lockdown. At the same time, some clinics had to be closed temporarily possibly due to under staffed.
"So we’re asking the local government if they could deliver family planning supplies to each home,” Antonio said.
Antonio said, experts also saw the spike of unplanned pregnancies to atleast 200,000 - if 600,000 women wont be able to get the family planning supplies. Teenage pregnancy might increase also to 200,000 if the family planning services will be limited only.
At present, the country has an estimated 110 million population this year.
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