MANILA: Officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday clarified that abstinence and other family planning methods are presented as part of factual health and medical discussions within the comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) curriculum. During the public hearing of the Basic Education panel on the rising number of adolescent pregnancies among the youth, education officials also refuted allegations that CSE teaches inappropriate topics to young learners, stressing that all lessons are age-appropriate and developmentally aligned.
According to Philippines News Agency, DepEd Assistant Secretary Janir Datukan assured senators that all competencies are mapped to existing learning objectives appropriate for the students' age and development. This assurance was provided in response to concerns raised about the program's content. This clarification followed Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros's emphasis on the importance of addressing online sexual abuse, exploitation of children, and the role of comprehensive sexuality education in empowering youth and preventing teenage pregnancies.
Hontiveros also raised concerns about how abstinence is incorporated into CSE, urging a clearer discussion on methods of preventing pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 'There should be a progressive discussion of abstinence alongside traditional and modern family planning methods as students mature,' she stated. Hontiveros also questioned whether the Reproductive Health (RH) Law undermines parental authority over children's sexual and reproductive health education.
In response, DepEd Undersecretary Filemon Ray Javier assured the committee that CSE is intended to complement, not replace, parental guidance. 'CSE is supplementary. It does not supplant or override parental authority,' Javier explained. Hontiveros likewise sought details about parent orientations, teacher training, and challenges in implementing CSE as mandated by DepEd Order No. 31, Series of 2018, and the RH Law.
Hontiveros noted DepEd's earlier report of training over 11,000 parent representatives on CSE in various regions, asking for a detailed breakdown of schools and teachers involved. She emphasized the program's inclusivity, stating that it should benefit not only students but also parents, guardians, and teachers. DepEd Assistant Secretary Dexter Galban responded that approximately 400,000 teachers had been trained on CSE, particularly in sensitive topics, to enhance their ability to teach older students.
'The universe of teachers in DepEd is over 800,000, and we've trained roughly half so far,' Galban said. However, he acknowledged gaps in coverage, as DepEd oversees only students within school premises, leaving out-of-school youth unserved. He added that challenges include unfamiliarity with CSE content among teachers, and coordination with other government agencies, such as the Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, to address issues like teenage pregnancy and child exploitation.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of the panel, emphasized the importance of strengthening CSE and integrating preventive measures into the basic education system to better equip students for these challenges. 'We cannot ignore the data showing how early pregnancies and HIV are impacting our youth's health, education, and future. The current gaps in delivering effective sexuality education must be addressed,' Gatchalian said.
The Commission on Population and Development reported a 35.13 percent increase in live births among girls under 15 years old in 2022, with numbers rising to 3,135 from 2,320 in 2021. The surge in teenage pregnancies has also been linked to heightened risks of HIV transmission, posing significant public health and societal challenges.
