MANILA, Philippines — Senator Raffy Tulfo wants liquor licenses for sellers in a bid to curb teenage pregnancies.
During the Senate committee on women, family relations, and gender equality hearing, Tulfo said that he knew of several cases of teenagers becoming pregnant after a liquor-drinking session.
“Siguro po isa-suggest ko, i-legislate natin ‘to na magkaroon ng liquor license ang lahat ng tindahan na nagtitinda ng liquor,” he said.
(Maybe I would suggest, let’s legislate this, to have a liquor license in all stores selling liquor.)
“Kapag nag-violate ka, nagbenta ka ng liquor sa minor, kakanselahin ‘yung lisensya mo forever. Hindi ka na pwede magtinda ng liquor. Kapag nagpumilit ka, pwede ka makulong,” added Tulfo.
(When you violate it by selling liquor to a minor, your license will be canceled forever. You will not be allowed to sell liquor. If you still insist, you may be jailed.)
He also pushed for stiffer penalties for adults purchasing liquor on a minor’s behalf.
Tulfo likewise brought up the strict observance of the distance between hotels, motels, and schools.
“Dapat po hindi malapit sa school. In fact, in Manila is 200 meters. So, why not make it 400 meters away from the schools to make sure na hindi po matutukso ‘yung mga kabataan na tumakas at makipag-inuman dahil malapit lang po ‘yung inuman?” he said.
(Hotels and motels should not be near schools. In fact, in Manila, it is 200 meters. So, why not make it 400 meters away from the schools to make sure that the youth will not be tempted to escape school because the drinking place is near?)
The neophyte senator likewise pushed for prohibiting students, especially those in high school, from going out of the learning institution during school hours.
He added that there should also be a list of individuals who are registered to pick the learners up from school as there are instances in which students’ suitors or other men would fetch them.
“So, dapat naka-register doon sa school kung sino ‘yung sundo ng bata at kapag hindi ‘yun nasa listahan, then dapat tatanungin kung sino ka, bakit ikaw nagsusundo. Tatanungin din ‘yung bata kung willing ba siyang sumama doon,” Tulfo said.
(So, only those registered should be allowed to pick up the child. If he/she is not on the list, he should be asked who he is and why he is fetching the student. The child will also be asked if he/she is willing to come with the one fetching him/her.)
Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos pushed for a task force that will monitor laws concerning the welfare of the youth.
“Baka pwede rin task force na muna kasi kahit papa’no less budget ‘yun. At saka a task force presupposes that it will be in existence six months to two years lang hanggang masugpo ‘yung problema,” Marcos said.
(A task force will require less budget. A task force presupposes that it will be in existence for six months to two years only until the problem is resolved.)
“Mukha namang nababawasan [‘yung teenage pregnancies]. Baka naman task force ‘yung naaangkop, not a permanent council,” she went on.
(Teenage pregnancies seem to be lower. Maybe a task force is more appropriate, not a permanent council.)
The Philippine Statistics Authority earlier reported that teenage pregnancies among Filipino women aged 15 to 19 declined from 8.6 percent in 2017 to 5.4 percent last year.
However, the Commission on Population and Development noted that pregnancies among 10- to 14-year-olds swelled.