Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski started working with PLAN Philippines in the year 2008 for the anti-bullying campaign called "Learn Without Fear." Since then, she's been a part of the company's endeavors to promote child rights and end child poverty in the country.

During the International Day of the Girl Child last October 11, Plan International Philippines–a non government organization promoting child rights–held two activities to raise awareness on the problems and challenges the Filipino youth (specially the girls) are facing today. In the morning, the “Bike Ride for Girls’ Rights” was held in Marikina City and in the afternoon, the “Because I Am A Girl Mini-Concert” was staged at the Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa City.

Spearheaded by Plan International Philippines Country Director Carin Van Der Hor, Plan International Philippines Deputy Country Director for Programs Marco Savio and Dubai Cares CEO Tariq Al Gurg, these meaningful events were participated by the Miss Earth Philippines 2014 titlists and philanthropist Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski.

Mikee started working with PLAN Philippines in the year 2008 for the anti-bullying campaign called “Learn Without Fear.” Since then, she’s been a part of the company’s endeavors to promote child rights and end child poverty in the country. After the event, bloggers were able to interview the former actress about her take on gender equality and teenage pregnancy in the Philippines.

“In many ways, I find that we in the Philippines are actually very fortunate because we know that the men in the Philippines, if we were to speak in a generalize way, respect the women. You know, if we value the traits of a gentleman di ba? Ganun tayo dito sa Pilipinas e pero sa pagbiyahe ko sa ibang bansa, nakikita ko iba talaga.

“There’s a big difference with what I see here and what I see in other countries but gender equality goes beyond than just how women are treated, also the kind of opportunities women have and more than that. When there are more opportunities for women then women themselves know that they can take advantage of the opportunities, that they should grab these opportunities.

“I think it could be very hard for a woman to raise children properly and children that will respect them beyond the years that a child feels that they need their parents there. Siguro nasasabi ko ‘yan kasi may teenager ako ngayon, nakikita ko ‘yung stage na parang nagrerebelde siya, ‘yung parang kulang na lang sabihin niya ‘ano bang alam niyo matanda na kayo?’ ‘yung ganun ba di ba so I think it’s important that the children of our society can look up to anybody, not just men, or not just women, and say that they have the knowledge, they have the wisdom, and that we should respect them, learn from them, learn from the right things, learn from the wrong things, and be able to discern.

“Pero hindi mangyayari yun kung hindi matuturuan ang mga bata sa tahanan pa lang na kung ano ba ‘yung tamang paraan kasi mali naman ata, sa opinyon ko, na dinidiktahan ang mga bata this is what you should know. ‘Yun lang ‘yon. We were supposed to teach young people how to think, not what to think, how to make responsible decisions, how to make unselfish decisions, because ultimately an unselfish decision will also benefit us. Kapag gumawa tayo ng desisyon para sa bansa natin tapos may magandang kalalabasan ‘yun di ba ang mga Pilipino will also benefit from that but mahirap mag-isip ng ganun kasi tao lang tayo,” she said about gender equality and women empowerment.

As for the problem of Teenage Pregnancy which is more rampant in the Philippines compared with other Southeast Asian countries, Mikee pointed out that aside from poverty, education contributes a huge factor.

“I think its extremely sad and tragic because teenagers are not ready to have children because they themselves have not lived their lives yet. Kahit na a human being is capable of loving, pa’no naman din ‘yung sa part ng babae na magdadala ng bata for nine months, maglalabas ng bata sa mundo na ‘to siyempre ga’no katagal mong nasa tabi mo ‘yung bata tuwing nagugutom, tuwing umiiyak bilang ina, trabaho natin ‘yun. So ano ngayon ang kailangang gawin ng isang babae to responsibly bring up a child.

“What does she have to give up of herself to do that properly. A young girl is supposed to be in school, learning still. E sa tanda kong ‘to natututo pa rin ako ng pagkaramiraming bagay e ano pa kaya ‘yung ganung age na babae. A young girl is supposed to be learning about the world. So ‘yung mga nangyayari na ganyan unfortunately siguro di rin nila alam kung ano ang nagiging responsibility nila.

“Siguro sinasabi nila kaya ko naman e. Dapat kaya mo. E kung gagawin mo ang gagawin mo para mabuntis ka pero hindi mo iisipin kung ano ang pwedeng mangyari sa ‘yo? Bakit hindi nila naiisip ‘yon? Because they’re not educated. They don’t realize it. I believe everybody has a choice. But do these girls when they’re in that position realize that they have a choice and what makes them feel that they don’t have a choice so ano ‘yun?”

PLAN International Philippines reported that in the past year, 24 babies are born to teenage moms every hour in the country. This makes the Philippines on top of the chart with the most number of teenage pregnancies in Southeast Asia.

With the observation of the International Day of the Girl Child with the theme “Empowering Adolescent Girls, Ending the Cycle of Poverty and Violence,” PLAN International Philippines aims to eradicate the growing cases of teenage pregnancy in the country in the next 5 years.

If you want to help in this meaningful endeavor, you can do two things: (1st) Support the foundation’s long-term community development projects by sponsoring a child or (2nd) give a one-off donation to Plan.

For more information, visit the official website of PLAN International Philippines.

Watch our full interview with Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski here: