A LEGISLATOR has criticized the Matatag curriculum of the Department of Education (DepEd), saying it introduces sex to children at an early age.
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said the teaching of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is contrary to the Reproductive Health (RH) Law.
“Unfortunately, the MATATAG DepEd curriculum, which integrated CSE, is unfaithful to the law because it included topics that are not legislated and has made use of more sexually-charged topics, as well as gender ideology, teaching kids to be gender activists and encouraging more sex,” he said.
“In fact, the term ‘sexual right’ is already introduced in Grade 4 as a ‘basic health right for active living’,” Rodriguez noted.
He pointed out that the Matatag curriculum “scarcely discusses the important topics of teenage pregnancy, HIV/STD (human inmmunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted diseases) and life skills in self-protection.”
“Therefore, the rare mention of the important topics and the repeated mention of gender and sexuality topics reveal the hidden intentions of CSE,” the lawmaker added.
Rodriguez revealed that his staff has obtained Matatag curriculum and DepEd workshops presentation materials that include lessons on masturbation, penetrative and non-penetrative sexual activities, and describing sexual parts using sense organs.
“The present CSE curriculum only has one lesson each on early teen pregnancy and STI’s, while there are multiple lessons promoting sexual rights and gender fluidity,” the Mindanao lawmaker said.
He said both the Senate and House of Representatives have instructed DepEd to stop its CSE curriculum and instead implement an RHE-aligned curriculum.
“We believe that the faithful implementation of the current law should be observed and this is what parents want as well. We lament the refusal of certain sectors to accept that CSE has been soundly rejected after it was shown that it is not age-appropriate and culturally-sensitive,” he said.
He added that the RH Law already incorporates sex education in Section 14, including topics like values formation; knowledge and skills in self-protection against discrimination; sexual abuse and violence against women and children and other forms of gender-based violence and teen pregnancy; physical, social, and emotional changes in adolescents; women’s rights and children’s rights; responsible teenage behavior; gender and development; and responsible parenthood.
Rodriguez also questioned a Pulse Asia survey conducted last March showing that 73 percent of Filipinos support CSE.
“Until now, the details of the survey have not been made publicly available for scrutiny. What were the questions asked? Who were the respondents? How many? How was the survey conducted?” Rodriguez said..
He charged that the survey was commissioned by Philippine Legislators Committee on Population Development, which he claimed is “a chief promoter of CSE.”
“That makes us wonder about whether the survey results are biased,” he said.
