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Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Marcos not closing door on Teen Pregnancy Bill

President to review revised measure filed by Hontiveros

President  Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. expressed openness in reviewing the proposed substitute Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill and made it clear that he believes sex education is “extremely important.”

The President’s statement came after Sen. Risa Hontiveros, the primary sponsor of the measure, filed a substitute bill immediately following several of her colleagues’ withdrawal of support for its original version.

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”I need to read the substitute bill first,” Mr. Marcos said Thursday.

”So, let me be very, very clear, I still believe that sex education in terms of teaching kids the anatomy of the reproductive systems of male and female is extremely important,” he added.

Meanwhile, Senate President Francis Escudero added his name to the list of Senators opposed to the current version of Senate Bill 1979 but emphasized that it is still undergoing the legislative process.

This came after seven senators withdrew their support for the proposed law’s original version.

“It’s still subject to the procedure of legislation, the rigors of legislation which, among other things, include debate, interpellation, and amendment.

So there has not yet been a vote on the final version,” he said.

“The one being withdrawn is the old version that is being replaced.

But can it still be changed if it has already been withdrawn? That is one of the things that the Committee on Rules will discuss if necessary. It seems like both actions happened simultaneously or in reaction to each other. I just don’t know which came first, the chicken or the egg,” Escudero explained.

The Senate President noted that he submitted several proposed amendments to Hontiveros and while he acknowledged her willingness to listen, he has yet to review the revised version of the bill.

For her part, Hontiveros said she has filed a substitute bill to address some of the “legitimate” concerns on the proposed measure seeking to prevent adolescent pregnancy, following backlash from her colleagues and other sectors.

“Because of the heated discussion about the contents of Senate Bill No.

1979, I saw it fit to just file a substitute bill… This time I hope the Senate gives this a fair chance,” she said in a press conference.

The lady lawmaker said she has no problems with “true and sincere” concerns raised by opponents of the bill, adding she and her office have taken note of and have studied these concerns.

Still, Hontiveros called out the spread of disinformation surrounding the proposed Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act, urging the public to focus on its true purpose.

“From the very beginning, it has been clear that what we are concerned about is fake news, disinformation, and outright lies,” she pointed out.

As this developed, the chair of the House of Representatives committee on basic education and culture panel supported the Department of Education’s (DepEd) plan to review the comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) currently integrated in the curriculum.

“I am for its review because according to DepEd, the basis for the implementation at this time is Section 14 of the Reproductive Health Law 2012 (which) provides that the State shall provide age and development appropriate reproductive health education to adolescents, and the term adolescent is defined as ages 10 to 19,” Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, the panel’s chair, said in an interview in the wake of controversies surrounding Senate Bill 1979 or the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill.

“That does not include Key stage 1 (Kinder 1 to Grade 3),” he added.

Romulo also said that DepEd must ensure having competent teachers to teach the CSE as RH Law of 2012 requires.

“Section 14 provides that CSE should be taught by adequately trained teachers. Based on the last committee meeting, the training was not more than five days and it is unclear if all teachers were adequately trained,” he said.

Earlier this week, Mr. Marcos committed to vetoing the bill if passed in its original form, saying it was laden with “woke absurdities.”

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