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Friday, February 14, 2025
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Friday, February 14, 2025

Hontiveros, Sereno at loggerheads over sex education

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes and 39 seconds
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Senator Risa Hontiveros had a heated exchange with former Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Tuesday regarding the Philippines’ reproductive health policies, particularly focusing on comprehensive sexuality education (CSE).

Hontiveros asserted that the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law mandates CSE that extends beyond mere biological facts. The curriculum encompasses various topics, including values formation, gender-based violence, and responsible parenthood.

“You were part of the Supreme Court that upheld the constitutionality of the RPRH’s provision on age- and developmentally-appropriate reproductive health education, on which DepEd based its department order,” Hontiveros told Sereno.

“In your own words…you emphasized the need for education and assistance for minors who have been exposed to sexual matters at an early age. So, how is it now that you do not support initiatives which recognize this very idea, that you yourself used this to decide that the relevant RPRH provisions are constitutional?” she said.

Hontiveros referenced a 2019 Institute of Research and Evaluation (IRE) study cited by Sereno, which questioned the effectiveness of school-based sex education.

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However, she highlighted that a follow-up study published in the National Library of Medicine identified several flaws in the original report, thereby undermining its conclusions regarding the impact of CSE programs.

“The re-analysis revealed several inconsistencies and errors in each of the four elements examined that cast doubt on the validity of the report’s conclusion,” the senator said. 

Additionally, Hontiveros compared the Philippines’ educational framework with Singapore’s CSE curriculum, which is implemented in schools from primary to junior college levels.

She noted that while Singapore emphasizes abstinence, it also addresses contraception, sexual health, and the consequences of casual sex, topics similar to those being introduced in the Philippines.

“Their lessons recognize that temporary methods of birth control are not 100% effective in preventing pregnancy and stopping STIs,” the lawmaker added. 

Hontiveros then reminded Sereno of her previous statements supporting sexual education and reproductive health services for minors.

The former magistrate defended her stance by arguing that while sex education is crucial, specific aspects of CSE, including topics like gender identity, should be addressed through separate legislation. She maintained that CSE does not align with the framework of the RPRH Law.

“We agree that we need to address teen pregnancy and health concerns. But we need to have clear boundaries; I have already enumerated that there are things that cannot be said and justified under the RH Law,” Sereno said.

“Let’s discuss that under another bill, perhaps in the SOGIE Bill or in another type of bill, but this is not justified under the RH law…I am consistent, ma’am,” she told Hontiveros.

Sereno questioned how educational institutions could adequately address issues such as identity crises and multiple gender identities within the confines of a law primarily focused on reproductive health.

Hontiveros countered this perspective by reiterating that comprehensive sex education is vital for assisting young people in navigating complex issues like early pregnancy, sexual abuse, and gender identity.

“This is not just a matter of branding…it is not just physical or biological but encompasses the entirety of a person’s sexuality. And ‘comprehensive’ is an adjective used to describe what kind of sexuality education it is,” the senator said.

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