MANILA, Philippines — Some senators have expressed concern about the version of a teenage pregnancy prevention bill in the Senate, following pressure from conservative groups opposed to a comprehensive sexuality education (sex-ed) program in the country.
During the Kapihan sa Senado forum yesterday, Sen. Joel Villanueva revealed that some senators who were previously co-authors of the measure plan to withdraw support from the bill authored by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
The proposed Senate Bill 1979 or “Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy” act seeks to craft a national program to address the alarming cases of adolescent pregnancies, some as young as 10 years old.
The co-authors of the bill are Senators Imee Marcos, Ramon Revilla Jr., Bong Go, Cynthia Villar, Raffy Tulfo and then senator now Education Secretary Sonny Angara.
Villanueva – of the charismatic group Jesus Is Lord – joined faith-based group National Coalition for the Family and the Constitution, led by ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, in opposing the bill.
Villanueva expressed alarm at the group’s claim that the bill would remove parental consent in sex-ed by integrating it in the school curriculum.
“If I’m the last one standing here in the Senate, so be it. I will oppose this measure. I also have children. We should not give up our rights as parents to guide them,” Villanueva said. “I do not believe in ‘my body, my right.’ Because I believe that I am a creation of God.”
Senate President Francis Escudero said he opposed portions of the bill even before the religious community raised alarm at its sex-positive provisions.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said he, as Senate basic education committee chairman, plans to hold an inquiry in aid of legislation on the church group’s claim that the bill as well as the Department of Education’s sex-ed curriculum is based on “Western” and “liberal” standards of sexuality under the World Health Organization and UNESCO guidelines.
Hontiveros defends program
For her part, Hontiveros denied the Christian group’s claims that her bill teaches sex-ed to as young as kindergarten and that parental consent would be removed under the sex-ed program.
The Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) as espoused in the bill would be “age-appropriate” in tackling sensitive topics such as informed consent, contraception, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, gender-based violence and pornography.
She also denied that the sex-ed program is based on Western and liberal standards. “There is no intention to adopt the thinking of any international standard. The bill will not copy the guidelines of UNESCO and WHO. It is common sense that provisions there not aligned with our context and culture would not apply here,” Hontiveros said. – Delon Porcalla, Evelyn Macairan, Jose Rodel Clapano