By NITZ ARANCON Correspondent THE Commission on Population (Popcom) yesterday sounded alarm bells over what it said was the rising rate of teenage pregnancy in northern Mindanao. Jeremias Gupit, the Commission’s director for Region 10, told a news conference called in time for the celebration of World Population Day: “The proportion of female teenagers in Region 10 who have begun child-bearing sharply increases... there is an alarming percentage of teenagers who have also given birth to their second and third child.” Gupit called the problem on teen pergnancy in the region  “alarming.” He said that of 200 young mothers in an actual survey in the region during the first quarter, 3.5 percent gave birth at the age of 14 years, 10 percent at 15 years, 23.5 percent at 16 years, 32.5 percent at 17 years, and 30 percent at 19 years old. These are the mothers who only have one child each. Gupit said some 10 percent had three children during their adolescence; 25 percent had children at the age of 17 years; and 35 percent had their second child at 18. He said the Popcom attributes the rise in teenage pregnancy in Region 10 to easy Internet access, cellphones, information communication technology, and other gadgets. Gupit said this even as he revealed that the Popcom would strengthen the government’s advocacy and information  campaign against teenage pregnancy with the help of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education (Deped) and the media. The Popcom actual survey covered the towns of Sumilao, Quezon, Maramag, Manolo Fortich, Kibawe, Don  Carlos, Cabanglasan, and Baungon in Bukidnon; Guinsiliban, Mahinog and Mambajao in Camiguin; Villanueva, Manticao, Lugait, Jasaan and El Salvador  City in Misamis Oriental; Bonifacio, Plaridel and Aloran in Misamis Occidental; Tubod, Sapad, Maigo, Lala, Kolambogan, Kapatagan, Baroy and Bacolod in Lanao del Norte.