Condom distribution in schools already piloted in QC –DOH

The Department of Health is in the final stages of planning for the distribution of condoms in schools as part of its campaign against HIV/AIDS among the youth.

"We're actually in discussion with the Department of Education and we're finalizing the guidelines," Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial said during a press briefing at the DOH headquarters in Tayuman, Sta. Cruz, Manila on Tuesday.

"I was also informed by our program managers that this was actually piloted already in Quezon City. We're getting the data from that pilot study and titingnan nga natin how to move this forward," she added.

No definite timeline has been set for the program as the DOH wants to earn the support of educators opposed to the distribution of prophylactics and train them in counseling youths with regards to sexual health.

"We're taking this a step at a time to also win the cooperation of the teachers and the school help professionals kasi we cannot do this alone in the Department of Health. Kailangan meron talagang cooperation, and in fact the DepEd is also clamoring for training of their teachers kasi this is one thing that I think the school system is not prepared for," Ubial explained.

The department also wishes to prepare "Philippine culture and the Philippine society to talk about sexuality and sex and of course reproductive health in general because it is considered taboo in the Philippines, especially for very young children," said Ubial.

"We really have to prepare the entire system and the entire community for this particular intervention," she added.

Once guidelines have been set, training teachers and professionals involved in the program will follow along with capacity-building to effectively relay the information to students.

Ubial in 2016 said the DOH's main advocacy to reduce the occurrence of HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancy is still abstinence, in accordance with late senator Juan Flavier's advocacy of the ABCs of safe sex.

This strategy is "evidence-based," said Ubial. "Marami na pong pagsusuri sa ibang bansa, na even in Catholic schools ginawa po nila itong strategy na ito. Hindi po dumami ang nagse-sex, kung hindi kumonti 'yung teenage pregnancies at kumonti ang nagkakaroon ng sexually-transmitted infection."

Education Secretary Leonor Briones in December said the "very sensitive issue" was still in discussions and should not turn into an "instrument for inapt promotion of promiscuity and debasement of moral values."

Pro-life groups are opposed to the distribution of condoms in schools, saying they are not "surefire" means of protecting students from sexual diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza also believes that giving out free condoms to youth will only make them more "sexually-conscious" and increase teenage pregnancies. — BM, GMA News