From “Normal” to Taking Action: How EYLGP Changed a Barangay Leader’s Perspective on Adolescent Pregnancy
Stories
Jonathan Cabugao
Barangay Kagawad, Barangay Poblacion, Liloan, Southern Leyte
“No’ng hindi ko pa alam ang mga programa ng ZFF (Zuellig Family Foundation) about EYLGP (Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program), sa amin parang normal lang. May nabubuntis nang maaga, pero hindi namin alam na hindi pala ito maganda,” Jonathan Cabugao admitted.
For him, early pregnancy was initially viewed as an ordinary occurrence in the community. However, his participation in EYLGP Modules 1 and 2 changed his perspective and helped him recognize the important role of barangay officials in preventing adolescent pregnancy and supporting young people.
Through the EYLGP sessions, he realized that addressing adolescent pregnancy requires more than simply responding when a case occurs. It requires prevention, education, youth participation, supportive policies, access to health information, and collective action from the community.
Barangay officials and youth leaders from Liloan, Southern Leyte, discuss local efforts and plans to address adolescent pregnancy during the Barangay EYLGP Colloquium on September 30, 2026.
After completing the EYLGP training sessions, Cabugao and the barangay team began translating their learning into concrete actions. The barangay conducted youth forums and symposiums, coordinated with the Rural Health Unit (RHU) to provide appropriate information, education, and communication (IEC) materials and adolescent health information, and implemented a barangay curfew policy. They also adopted the Key Assistance for Developing Adolescents (KADA) Network Ordinance and allocated an annual budget for activities focused on adolescents and youth, particularly through the Sangguniang Kabataan.
Recognizing that parents also play an important role in preventing adolescent pregnancy, the barangay strengthened its coordination with the Municipal Link to involve parents through Family Development Sessions (FDS).
These efforts were accompanied by a notable decline in reported adolescent pregnancy cases in Barangay Poblacion. From six cases in 2023, the number decreased to four in 2024, two in 2025, and only one case in 2026, involving a 17-year-old adolescent.
For Cabugao, the goal is not simply to reduce the number of cases but to sustain the interventions and eventually achieve zero adolescent pregnancy cases in the barangay. “Mahirap ma-zero, pero ginagawa namin ang aming makakaya para ma-sustain ang programa.”
His experience demonstrates how capacity-building can transform the perspective of local leaders, from seeing adolescent pregnancy as a normal occurrence to recognizing it as an issue that requires proactive leadership, community action, and sustained intervention.
Participants of the Branagay EYLGP Colloquium in Liloan, Southern Leyte, stand together in support of local efforts to prevent adolescent pregnancy and promote youth well-being.
Cabugao’s story also highlights the importance of empowering barangay officials with the knowledge and tools to act. Through EYLGP, the barangay has strengthened its youth programs, policies, partnerships, and resource allocation to create a more supportive environment for adolescents.
For Jonathan Cabugao, the journey is a continuing commitment: to learn, to act, and to ensure that young people in the community have the right information, support, and opportunities they need to make informed decisions about their health and future.
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The Expanded Youth Leadership and Governance Program is a 24-month capability development initiative launched by the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) in partnership with UNFPA under the Joint Program on Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy (JPARAP). Operating in Samar and Southern Leyte since 2023, EYLGP trains local leaders to strengthen adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH) systems.