CBCP: Sex ed will cause 'developmental harm'

(Updated July 21, 2:17 p.m.) The bishops’ lawyer Josephine Imbong leafs through the pages of the sex education modules that the Department of Education (DepEd) proposes to teach in public schools. The 62-year-old mother of eight and self-styled pro-life advocate seems particularly bothered by what she’s reading. Imbong points to a lesson for fifth-grade students about puberty, which features drawings of the male and female anatomy. Showing these images to children will “remove their sense of modesty," she argues. “[It suggests that], okay lang naman pala mag-expose ng body. Dati, reproductive system. Ngayon, reproductive rights. Noon, biology lang. Ngayon, may rights-based na. It leads now to a concept of creating in the concept of a young mind of ‘Ah, may right pala ako sa aking katawan' (I have a right to my own body)." She flips through the teaching manual on mathematics and points to the description of a classroom activity that requires 4th year high school students to analyze statistics about pre-marital sex among Filipino teenagers. “Imagine, you construct an algebraic equation out of statistics telling you that 30 percent of teens from 16 to 18 have had premarital sex?" she bristles. “I mean, this goes to the subconscious of the child na, ‘Uy, ang dami pala (that there are a lot of teens having sex)." Imbong speaks for the CBCP, the most vocal opponent of sex education in public schools. The DepEd is currently pilot-testing in 80 elementary schools and 79 high schools a set of teaching modules that integrate adolescent reproductive health (ARH) into the regular curriculum of 4th grade to 4th year high school students. The modules integrate topics like personal hygiene and nutrition, reproductive biology, and human rights into regular subjects like English, Filipino, math, science, and social studies. But if the CBCP had its way, the program would be scrapped completely. Last month, Imbong and her fellow-advocates filed for a temporary restraining order against the pilot testing, arguing that it violated parents’ “primary and fundamental right" to teach human sexuality to their own children. “The modules in the manner that they are being presented, the content and the methodology, will only cause developmental harm to young people, adolescents and children," explains Imbong. However, they weren’t able to prove this point to the Quezon City court that junked the motion last July 5. This recent tussle between the DepEd and CBCP has put the spotlight once again on sex ed, but in reality, the modules are nothing new, says Celia Eugenio. Eugenio helps oversee the ARH program as project technical coordinator with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which has been working on the project with DepEd since 2005. In 2007, ARH teaching modules had already been developed and were about to begin pilot-testing--but this was put on hold pending a review of the materials by the Presidential Commission on Values Formation. "Pilot-testing has actually began in 2008," explains Eugenio. She says 32 elementary and 32 high schools began trial use of the sex ed modules two years ago under the term of former education secretary Jesli Lapus. Last school year, the number of pilot schools increased to 80 elementary and 79 high schools. This school year, pilot-testing would have been expanded to even more schools, but the project was hampered by renewed opposition from conservative groups. "Kaya lang nagka-controversy ulit kasi ginamit na ang term na 'sex education' (The only reason why the controversy erupted was because some started using the term 'sex education' to describe it)," says Eugenio, explaining that previously, DepEd and UNFPA consistently used "adolescent reproductive health" when referring to the project. In an interview with Arnold Clavio on QTV last June 24, then Education Secretary Mona Valisno asserted that opponents to pilot-testing of the modules have a basic misunderstanding of the content. She said that the modules aim to teach students about “wellness" and “life skills." “Sabi nila, [kasama dito] 'yung paggamit ng condoms o use of contraceptives. Wala po 'yung ganun (They say the use of condoms or contraceptives is included in the modules. That is not included). We want to prepare [the students] so they make good decisions for themselves," she explained, adding that the modules have been carefully prepared by a team of clinical psychologists, educational psychologists, research-oriented educators, and medical practitioners. After assuming office last July 1, new education secretary Bro. Armin Luistro initially said that he would review the sex ed program. Luistro met with the CBCP about the sex ed issue last July 12, but has not yet released any final decision or stance on the issue. “We are considering the concerns and reservations of our stakeholders in the interest of public support, public opinion, and the rights of the children," says Kenneth Tirado, DepED communications officer. But the CBCP is unlikely to support the program any time soon. Going through the modules, Imbong described its content as “corrupted." She argues that the real danger behind the DepEd modules is that they teach children to make decisions for themselves while bypassing the authority of parents and religion. “They're being trained to make choices, how to make decisions. The criteria in making personal decisions is the child's own personal preferences, his own rationalization of things around him … with no objective moral criteria," she says. “Supposing [a girl] says, ‘I think I love this guy, He’s my crush. He wants to be more intimate with me,’ and then she gets abused. That was her decision. She entered into it. There is already consent, therefore you cannot anymore charge the other person. See how dangerous it is?" Meanwhile, sex education advocates like Beth Angsioco of the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network believe that young people need good information in order to make responsible choices about their own reproductive behavior and health. She asserts that parents are not always the right people to provide this information to kids. “Many girls learn the same things that our own mothers and grandmothers learned, especially outside Metro Manila," she says. She talks about encounters that her NGO had with young girls while conducting reproductive health workshops in poor communities. “We asked them, ‘ano ang regla?’ Ang sagot nila, ‘maduming dugo." Dapat daw tatalon sa pangatlong hagdan para talong araw lang ang menstruation mo. (We asked them, 'what is menstruation?' Their answer is 'dirty blood.' They say you should jump from the third step of the stairs so your menstruation will only last for three days.) In this day and age, our young people still learn things like this." Angsioco even believes that the DepEd modules are too careful about confronting the realities of adolescent sexual behavior. “Sobrang ingat nga eh (They're being too careful)," she says. “If you look at the data with regard to our young people there's no question that young people are getting active at a young age. We did a survey a few years back. There was an affirmation from young people themselves that they would want balanced, objective, non-judgmental education about sex." But it will take some time and effort before sex ed become standard in all public schools. Celia Eugenio says that before DepEd can consider nationwide implementation of the program, the modules will have to be pilot-tested in more schools and undergo final revisions: "But this will depend on whether the new secretary decides to continue the program." -HS, GMANews.TV