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Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on refuted Monday Health Secretary Ted Herbosa 's position that there is no need for a new law to address adolescent pregnancies in the Philippines.Hontiveros, sponsor of Senate Bill 1979 or the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bil l, said the measure being pushed in the Senate is meant to strengthen the currently implemented Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law .
"Pinapaalala ko po sa Department of Health Secretary na pinapalakas ng Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Bill ang Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law," she said."Ngayon pa at national emergency pa rin ang teen pregnancy, it is only right that we strengthen the RPRH Law. It is only right that we pass a measure that mandates the government to direct our attention and resources to this particular issue of teen pregnancy," she added.The lawmaker said "whether we like it or not" data showed that there are teenagers who are "sexually active and are currently facing the consequences of their actions."The same fact is the reason why adolescents can access HIV testing and treatment even without parental consent under the law and the age of sexual consent was raised to 16, she added."Kailangan nila ng angkop na impormasyon at serbisyo, dagdag sa nakatakda sa RPRH. Hindi dapat ipinagkakait sa kanila ang magproprotekta sa kalusugan nila...The PAP Bill is needed to empower adolescents to protect themselves," Hontiveros stressed.On Sunday, Herbosa said there is no need to tackle SB 1979, saying RH Law simply needs to be properly implemented.“Meron naman tayong Reproductive Health Law at hindi naman tayo kailangang magpasa ng panibagong batas. Ang importante ay maturuan natin ang lahat ng ating mamamayan na ang problema ay ‘yung unplanned pregnancy at ang pagtaas ng mga namamatay dahil sa panganganak,” Herbosa said.SB 1979 became controversial as several groups expressed concern on the provision of the bill on Comprehensive Sexual Education which crafting was originally proposed to be "guided by international standards."As the call of the groups reached the attention of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., Hontiveros has filed a substitute bill that would address the opposition of the measure's critics.Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed that 2,113 babies were born to mothers under 15 in 2020. This figure increased to 2,320 in 2021 and further to 3,135 in 2022. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Risa Hontiveros Anti-Teenage Pregnancy Bill Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bil SB 1979 Ted Herbosa Reproductive Health Law
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