Zubiri opposes comprehensive sexual education in Senate bill vs. teenage pregnancies

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri has expressed his opposition to the proposed comprehensive sexual education (CSE) in the Senate bill which seeks to prevent adolescent pregnancies.

Zubiri made the statement in a virtual press conference held days after groups raised their concern about the CSE provision of Senate Bill 1979 or the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill.

"As long as I am there as a conservative legislator, this bill at its face at this point in time talagang I will stand firm with my position not to allow this to pass," Zubiri told reporters.

Like Senator Joel Villanueva, Zubiri is against the alleged teaching of or encouraging masturbation for children aged zero to four years old, and teaching "bodily pleasure" or "sexual rights" to children ages six to nine based on the curriculum set by the UNESCO and the World Health Organization.

"'Pag tuturuan mo ang mga bata na six years old pa lang nitong mga sexual orientation, pati itong sexual pleasure ay talagang  magkakaproblema tayo. Instead of the bill preventing adolescent  pregnancy baka magkaroon pa tayo ng mas maraming adolescent pregnancy because of experimentation," Zubiri said.

But he clarified that he is not against the provisions that aim to provide healthcare access to teenage mothers.

"Sang-ayon ako as a compromise dun sa mga teenage pregnancy healthcare… bigyan natin ng tamang hospitalization, ‘yung gamot ang mga kabataan na nabuntis. 'Yan okay po yan. That can be stand alone measure without the education, without the forceful introduction of sexual orientation and sexual education to kids as early 6 to 8 years old up to 14 years old," he said.

Under the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill, the Comprehensive Sexuality Program will be “a compulsory part of education, integrated at all levels with the end goal of normalizing discussions about adolescent sexuality and reproductive health and to remove stigma at all levels.”

Section 6 of the bill provides that CSE "shall be integrated in the school curriculum, guided by [the Department of Education] and international standards."

Senator Risa Hontiveros, sponsor of SB 1979, earlier clarified that the measure has no provisions about teaching or encouraging masturbation for children aged zero to four years old, and teaching "bodily pleasure" or "sexual rights" to children ages six to nine.

She said the bill was referenced from the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law as she refuted the claim that SB 1979 is unconstitutional.

Former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who is part of the group that questions SB 1979, insisted that the bill provided that the CSE will be in line with "international standards," which she deemed to be the curriculum set by the UNESCO and the World Health Organization.

But Hontiveros said that SB 1979 has no intention to pattern the CSE with any international standards.

"Hindi ibig sabihin ay kokopyahin lang lahat na ang naka-publish sa UNESCO o WHO. Siyempre kung may mga nakasaad diyan na hindi akma sa konteksto at kultura ng Pilipinas, siyempre hindi yan gagamitin. Common sense po iyan," Hontiveros said.  

"DepEd pa rin, kasama ang ibang relevant agencies, at dapat may consultation with various stakeholders, ang mag-iimplement ng CSE. Hindi kung sino-sinong international body. Wala pong magdidikta sa ating gubyerno kundi tayong mga Pilipino," she added. —NB, GMA Integrated News