Rather than implementing Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), schools should instead teach Reproductive Health (RH) Education in line with The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law aimed at reducing teenage pregnancies, said a congressman.
To make matters clear, Congressman Roman Romulo, District Representative of the City of Pasig and, more importantly, Chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture, differentiated the Comprehensive Sexuality Education Act and CSE.
The Act, which has caused quite a stir among both officials and the public, is in its second hearing in the Senate. On the other hand, CSE has been in implementation since Department Order (DO) 31, series of 2018 was issued under Leonor “Liling” Magtolis-Briones’ term as Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary during the Duterte administration.
Owing to the sweeping attention surrounding the CSE Act, the Committee on Basic Education has come to question the term “Comprehensive Sexuality Education,” which has not been defined under Philippine law.
“Ang pinagtatakahan nung Committee, ay bakit, noong in-issue ‘yung (DO 31), ay biglang ‘yung term na ginamit, ay ‘Comprehensive Sexuality Education.’ Samantala sa batas, sa RH Law of 2012, ang term ay Reproductive Health Education,” Romulo said.
This, as it was explained, covered “all matters pertaining to reproductive health.”
He clarified that only the Committee on Youth and Sports was consulted regarding CSE, and not the Committee on Basic Education or other concerned committees.
“‘Yung mga maselang subject matter na katulad ng Comprehensive Sexuality Education na hindi defined under Philippine law, hindi po pupuwede na bigla nalang maga-appear ‘yan at ituturo,” Romulo said.
“Kailangan naman, ay napag-usapan ‘yan, nakonsulta ang mga magulang, ang teachers, ang interested groups. para maintindihan nating lahat. Malay natin, pag na-explain ng mabuti, na-clarify, ay masabi natin, ‘Ah ito lang pala yan, hindi ‘yung naririnig natin kung ano ‘yung sakop niya,’” he explained, referring to the controversy the CSE Act had sparked.
“Alam nating mayroon talagang rising cases of teenage pregnancies, at ito yung sagot: 'yung maayos, proper na pagturo ng sex education. 'Yung reproductive health lang,” the Congressman said firmly.
Earlier, Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian expressed similar sentiments, pushing to abolish CSE in favor of RH Education, which better adheres to RH Law and sufficiently addresses the country’s problem of high teenage pregnancy rates.
