Sex is often treated as a taboo topic in the Philippines, where the mere mention of it can trigger people to go on long-winded tirades about moral decay.
When the House of Representatives passed Senate Bill No. 1979, otherwise known as the Prevention Against Adolescent Pregnancy Act of 2023, another battleground arose in this debate. What is troubling, however, is how the conversation has been hijacked by those who have little understanding of what the bill actually entails.
I know this issue intimately. Like many others, pornography was my introduction to sex. My parents never sat me down for “the talk,” believing abstinence was the only lesson I needed. School was only marginally better: we learned about the reproductive system, briefly covered the HIV epidemic, and then spent the rest of the time avoiding the topic altogether.
This is the reality that the bill seeks to change by ushering in comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) across Philippine schools. Despite its goals, critics are up in arms, convinced that this bill will expose children to inappropriate content, promote promiscuity, and dismantle Filipino values. Yet, they are the ones twisting CSE into something obscene.
Many specifically targeted Section 6 of the bill, which initially stated that the CSE will be guided by “international standards.” In a video, former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno argued that this model opens the door to “teaching adolescents how to masturbate,” citing apparent examples from European curricula. Nowhere in the bill does it advocate for teaching sexual acts, making these accusations baseless and even alarmist.
Despite being disproved, Sereno and other detractors continue to condemn the CSE as some foreign agenda, painting it as a Western imposition while ignoring the fact that its principles—such as health and relationships—are universal. We are not dismissing the needs and values of Filipinos by looking into international guidelines; we are simply exploring existing and proven frameworks to protect and empower the youth.
Yet, several people still withdrew their support for the bill, including seven senators and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The latter even vowed to veto the bill if it is not amended, saying that it was full of “woke absurdities.” But what exactly is absurd about a law that ensures young people learn about consent, their bodies, and their relationships?
The opposition often frames CSE as a form of hypersexualization of children and teenagers. They fear that the CSE will encourage the youth to be sexually active—as if people need a lesson plan to develop sexual curiosity. This view is not only misguided but also harmful. In reality, many young people are already having sex. But because these individuals have been kept in the dark, they engage in unsafe practices, which can lead to higher rates of teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and sexual abuse with victims who may not even understand what is happening to them.
CSE is therefore crucial so that people can make informed decisions about topics like emotional health, gender equality, and sexual rights. It will also give students the tools to understand themselves, question societal norms, build healthier relationships, and create more safe spaces in society. These lessons are especially crucial for the youth, who are just beginning to navigate the challenges of growing up.
Studies support this notion. Research from the United Nations Population Fund and the World Health Organization shows that countries with CSE see lower rates of unplanned pregnancies and STDs. In contrast, abstinence-only education, which some Filipino legislators seem to favor, has been linked to higher rates of teen pregnancy and risky sexual behavior.
The statistics also speak for themselves: currently, one in 20 Filipino babies are born to mothers between 15 to 19 years old. From 2010 to 2023, the country has seen a staggering 543 percent increase in new HIV infections. The need for CSE has never been more pressing.
As the bill continues its journey through the legislative process, it’s time to stop treating CSE as the enemy and recognize it for what it is: a vital tool to empower the youth in making informed decisions about their sexual and emotional well-being.
This article was published in The LaSallian‘s January 2025 issue. To read more, visit bit.ly/TLSJanuary2025.
