MANILA, Philippines — The comprehensive sexuality education is set to be included in online learning modules this school year, Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) Executive Director Juan Antonio Perez III said Wednesday.
According to Perez, the Department of Education (DepEd) since October has been conducting sessions and discussions with their regional offices regarding the inclusion of sex education in the new learning modalities – especially in Region 1 (Ilocos), Region 7 (Central Visayas), and Region 11 (Davao Region).
“Yun ang priority nila because pinaka-mataas ang adolescent pregnancy sa Region 11 and they are rolling out itong comprehensive sexual education through online learning,” he said.
(That’s their priority since the highest number of adolescent pregnancy was recorded in Region 11.)
The statement came after POPCOM reported that next year’s population may increase to 111.1 million due to inaccessible reproductive health services amid the pandemic.
The commission also noted a 21.04 increase in unplanned pregnancy among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years old by 2021. This is equivalent to 102,000 unintended pregnancies expected in the coming year “as an after-effect by community quarantine-induced service reductions on family planning.”