Hontiveros: Bill boosts reproductive health law

SEN. Risa Hontiveros on Monday said the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy (PAP) Bill (Senate Bill 1979) will complement the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law. Hontiveros was reacting to the statement of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa that the reproductive health law is "enough" to address teen pregnancy. "Now that the teen pregnancy is still a national emergency, it is only right that we strengthen the RPRH Law," Hontiveros said. "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." The chairman of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality said the PAP bill "is needed to empower adolescents to protect themselves." "Whether we like it or not, data showed that there are young people who are sexually active and now face its consequences," she said. They need sufficient information and services being offered under the PAP bill — on top of the mandated benefits provided under the RPRH law, the senator said. "This is also why the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) Law we passed specifies that adolescents can access HIV testing and treatment even without the consent of parents," Hontiveros said. She said the Raising the Age of Sexual Consent Law also recognized that "adolescents have agency to give consent at 16, so we must also recognize their abilities to make decisions on their health." Seven senators have withdrawn their signatures from SB 1979 amid perceived "objectionable" provisions in the proposed measure. Sens. Nancy Binay, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, Christopher Go, Loren Legarda, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Cynthia Villar separately wrote Senate President Francis Escudero to formalize the withdrawal of their signatures from SB 1979 under Committee Report 41. The bill seeks to provide for a national policy in preventing adolescent pregnancies and institutionalize social protection for adolescent parents. Critics of SB 1979 question the mandatory comprehensive sexuality education proposed under the measure, which includes teaching sex education to children as young as 4 years old or those in kindergarten. Hontiveros has filed a substitute bill to address her colleagues' concerns. Meanwhile, officials of the Department of Education said they are reviewing a department order issued in 2018, which contains the policy guidelines on the implementation of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE). DepEd officials on Monday briefed members of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture on the CSE program. Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman asked whether DepEd Order (DO) 31 has been reviewed by Education Secretary Sonny Angara. Education Undersecretary Filemon Ray Javier answered in the affirmative. "Currently, it (DO 31) still stands. But the directive to us, Your Honor, is to continue to review it and ensure that the implementation would be appropriate," Javier said. "At the moment, there is no direction, Your Honor, to suspend it because as we have initially reviewed, the text of Department Order 31 is consistent with law and the contents of the curriculum [are] age-appropriate and culturally relevant," he said. Roman asked the DepEd whether the review team included psychologists. Javier said that "the directive is for us to ensure that the review is comprehensive and the plan is to include also the experts." WITH REINA TOLENTINO