Comprehensive Sexuality Education is ‘very, very, very important’ – Marcos
(Screenshot from RTVM/LIVE)
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday stressed that teaching Comprehensive Sexuality Education in schools is “very, very, very important.”
In an ambush interview in Leyte, Marcos was asked whether or not the controversial Comprehensive Sexuality Education being implemented by schools under Department of Education Order (DO) No. 31 should continue.
“Well, as long as—‘yun na nga, because you know what, I think what you are talking about [is] dumadami ang teenage pregnancy. Dumadami ang single mothers. Dumadami ang sakit,”Marcos told reporters.
(I think what you’re talking about is the increasing cases of teenage pregnancy, the rise in the number of single mothers, and the growing number of illnesses.)
He reiterated that lack of proper knowledge about pregnancy, childcare and adequate nutrition are some of the challenges that teenage mothers face due to insufficient sex education.
Article continues after this advertisement“These are all of the things that we need to address. And so, the teaching of this in our schools is very, very, very important,” Marcos said.
Article continues after this advertisement“And to make young people, especially, knowledgeable about what are the options that are truly available to us, and what the consequences are – what the consequences are of having a child too soon, too early,” the president explained.
“Children having children is a very difficult situation for both the child and the parent,” he added.
READ: Gatchalian to start inquiry on comprehensive sexuality education
In an interview last Wednesday, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said he will launch an investigation into the Comprehensive Sexuality Education as well as on Senate Bill No. (SBN) 1979, otherwise known as the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnant Act of 2023.
Gatchalian chairs the chamber’s panel on basic education.
He pointed out that one of the concerns raised by the Christian community was that students at any level—even those in kindergarten—would be subjected to comprehensive sex education.
The senator also said the group is worried that SBN 1979 may be too “attuned” to international standards, noting that Westerners are more liberal when it comes to sex education.