68 Addressing Inequality During the Pandemic Jhenice’s family brought her to a hospital where she was in a coma for one day, and the next few days were critical for her. 282 A relative of the victim described that her granddaughter underwent an operation on her private part because of what happened. Jhenice died eight days after the family found her body.256 283 The Commission on Population and Development (Popcom) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are crafting a new social protection program to support teenage mothers and their children. Popcom Executive Director and Undersecretary of Population and Development Juan Antonio Perez III said that the program will be rolled out toward the end of the year. 284 The decision to create the program stemmed from the increasing trend in teenage pregnancies nationwide. The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicated the trend continues. PSA data showed that births among girls ages 15 years old and below increased 7 percent compared to 2018. Popcom said in a statement that this is the ninth consecutive trend of increase since 2011.257 285 The records of the case handled by CHR Regional Office II show that minor victims, CN and CN2, were lured by the respondent that there is a lucrative job awaiting them at Ilocos Norte and because of this misrepresentation by the respondent, the minor victims acceded and boarded a bus with the respondent going to Ilocos Norte. Upon arrival there, the two minors were made to serve as entertainers in a Kambingan restaurant. Meanwhile the parents after searching for their children were able to find out that they were in Ilocos Norte, they reported immediately to the Ballesteros Cagayan Police Station which in turn coordinated with the Bacarra Ilocos PNP that resulted in the rescue of the two minors and the arrest of the respondent. 258 286 For the 2nd semester of 2020, physical monitoring of Bahay Pag-asa and other Youth Care Facilities were suspended in compliance to the “Guidance for Bahay Pag-asa and other Youth Care and Rehabilitation Facilities handling CAR and CICL During the COVID-19 Pandemic Situation” of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council ( JJWC). Nonetheless, monitoring was still undertaken through letters and attaching a copy of the Liham Mula Kay Tantan for the children and CHR Monitoring BPA Form-COVID 19 for the Center Head.259 287 Most of the provinces in Region I opted for Modified General Community Quarantine, (MGCQ). But still, implementation of border protocols remains strict. They would require Swab Results or even AntiGen which come with a price. This has become a great burden to the parents of the children in Bahay Pag-asa in addition to the JJWC Guidelines prohibiting face-to-face visits to the Center. The result of the Liham Mula Kay Tantan would reveal that many of the children are worried or sad. Some of the reasons mentioned are: “Due to the threat of COVID-19 Pandemic and they worry for the safety of their families; For not seeing their families for how many months; No visit from family; Hearing of their cases is taking too long; and Unsure when they will be able to go home.” We can infer 256 Commission on Human Rights Regional Office III. (2021, January). Human Rights Regional Situationer Report Region III – Central Luzon January to December 2020. 257 Ordinario, C. (2021). Popcom to launch activities to protect teenage mothers. Retrieved February 08, 2021 from https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2021/02/08/popcom-to-launch-activities-to-protect-teenage-mothers/ 258 (2021). Regional Human Rights Situationer Report – CHR Region 02 July – December 2020. Tuguegarao City: CHR Regional Office II 259 (2021). Regional HR Situation Report July to December 2020. San Fernando City: CHR Regional Office I