Senator Risa Hontiveros addresses false claims circulating online regarding her proposed bill aimed at preventing adolescent pregnancy. She emphasizes the bill's focus on supporting youth and clarifies that it does not promote any inappropriate content for children. The senator, alongside child welfare and population experts, urges the public to combat the spread of misinformation and support evidence-based solutions.
Council for the Welfare of Children Undersecretary Angelo Tapales, Senator Risa Hontiveros, and former Executive Director of the Commission on Population Dr. Jeepy Perez hold a press conference to publicly address ongoing disinformation about the proposed Senate Bill on Comprehensive Sexual Education on January 15, 2025.
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday expressed her frustration over the disinformation circulating on social media surrounding a piece of legislation she authored addressing the critical issue of adolescent pregnancy. Hontiveros as chairperson of the Senate committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality reminded the public that the National Economic and Development Authority has classified early pregnancy as a “national and social emergency” since 2019. This alarming designation prompted the urgent development of the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Bill, aimed at supporting and protecting the youth in the Philippines, she explained in a press conference. “The lies spreading on social media against this proposed legislation are shocking and infuriating. We all want what’s best for our children, but outright lies, misinformation, disinformation, and promoting fear can lead to more harmful decisions about our teens’ lives,” Hontiveros said. The senator clarified that there are no provisions regarding the teaching or encouragement of masturbation for children aged 0 to 4 years old, nor does it propose to teach “bodily pleasure” to children aged 6 to 9 years old, or that children have “sexual rights.” “Absolutely none of these concepts exist in our bill. Those lines in their supposed rebuttal are complete and total fabrications,” she pointed out. Hontiveros also said that the so-called “Standards for Sexuality Education in Europe” will not be utilized in the Philippines and is not the reference for Comprehensive Sexual Education ; instead, it is based on the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law. “The bill does not stipulate that we must adhere to regulations from other countries. Therefore, their assertions that the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Bill is unconstitutional are utterly misguided,” the senator stressed. Hontiveros also denied claims that if a child is sexually active, “parents can no longer be informed.” “I do not know where they derived that notion. There is no law or policy in the Philippines that would attempt to prohibit parents from guiding their children,” she said. “As a mother of four, three of whom are daughters, and as a lifelong believer, I will not allow lies to envelop our children. Let us stand for what is right. I also encourage our allies and stakeholders to raise their voices to combat the spread of this fake news,” Hontiveros added. To counter these misconceptions, Hontiveros was joined by Council for the Welfare of Children Undersecretary Angelo Tapales and former Executive Director of the Commission on Population Dr. Jeepy Perez. “Traditionally, the primary source of information for the youth has been their parents. However, surveys conducted repeatedly show that young people increasingly turn to their peers or the internet as their main sources of information,” Perez explained. Perez also said that parents and schools are being left behind this trend, which when continued and remain dominant among the youth, will worsen the situation. Meanwhile, Tapales emphasized that if Senate Bill No. 1979 does not pass into law, the cost will be “incalculable.” “We will lose the opportunity to protect this generation from abuse, violence, neglect, and all forms of maltreatment. I hope we do not reach that point,” he warned. Former senator and now Department of Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara also addressed concerns regarding the department’s current implementation of CSE.He clarified that he has not filed any version of SBN 1979 and was only included as a co-author since the bill includes a section on appropriation and he chaired the Finance Committee at the time. According to Angara, his office filed its own resolution aimed at developing a comprehensive policy framework seeking to prevent early childbearing and mitigate its negative consequences, such as school dropouts. “As an implementing agency, we follow legislative developments that might impact our policies. We ensure that our perspectives and implementations are balanced,” the DepEd chief said. “We are actively collaborating with various stakeholders, including health service providers and community organizations, to ensure that our programs are effective and culturally sensitive,” Angara added.
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