By: Aliahcorr Balanon
Photo by: Inquirer.Net
Senator Risa Hontiveros, the principal author of the bill preventing teenage pregnancy, appealed to give the amended version of Senate Bill No. 1979 also known as the Prevention of the Adolescent Pregnancy Act of 2023.
The proposed bill highlights the discussions surrounding adolescent sexuality and reproductive health to be a mandatory part of education among all levels while also working to remove the stigma.
Among the key revisions are the removal of “guided by international standards” in relation to the implementation of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), limit mandatory CSE to adolescents aged 10 years old and above, and the inclusion of a provision guaranteeing academic and religious freedom.
Meanwhile, seven senators withdrew their signatures from the committee report of Senate Bill No. 1979 which was backed by the Council for the Welfare of Children, health advocates, and other state agencies.
In a letter to Senate President Francis Escudero, President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada announced his decision to distance himself from the measure.
“I arrived at this decision after I have carefully evaluated the sentiments and grave concerns of various private organizations that have expressed strong opposition to the proposed legislation,” Estrada said.
Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. said the same sentiments in separate letter saying "While I remain committed to addressing critical issues like adolescent pregnancy, I believe certain aspects of the proposed legislation require further alignment with my advocacies and the interests of our constituents,"
In an interview, Senator Nancy Binay also voiced her concerns about the bill.
"Syempre as a mother, concern ko din yung baka hindi nga talaga age-appropriate ang tinuturo sa ating mga kabataan. And at the same time, I also agree that talagang may problema tayo sa teen pregnancy. But siguro kailangan pag-aralan. Will this bill really solve the problem?” Binay stated.
Senators Cynthia Villar and Joseph Ejercito emphasized further consultation on the bill.
Villar highlighted the importance of respecting public sentiments while Ejercito addressed the misconceptions that could cause confusion.
Senators Loren Legarda and Christopher Lawrence Go also withdrew their signatures from the bill.
“To my understanding, this substitute bill will soon undergo our interpellations in the plenary. This matter is already in plenary, and the withdrawal of signatures doesn’t have the effect of reverting it back to the committee level,” Hontiveros said at the Kapihan sa Senado forum on Thursday.
Despite the withdrawals, Hontiveros acknowledged the disinformation surrounding the bill and proposed an amendment to address objections.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. threatened to veto the bill expressing shock and disapproval over some of its alleged provisions, including teaching “4-year-olds how to masturbate.”
“I need to read the substitute bill first,” Marcos said.
In an interview with StoryCon, executive director Amina Evangelista advised Marcos to review the substitute bill thoroughly as it does not include teaching young children to masturbate.
According to a CSE advocate, the bill focuses to protect the Filipino children from ignorance about sex and not to “hypersexualize them”.