Department of Education Central office in Pasig City—INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is currently under scrutiny from a House of Representatives panel after it was discovered that the proposed comprehensive sexual education (CSE) program is already being implemented under the K-12 system, even if a specific law has not been passed yet.

In an online interview on Friday, House committee on basic education and culture chairperson and Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo was asked about the controversial Senate Bill (SB) No. 1979 or the proposed Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act of 2023, which contains provisions about the teaching of CSE to all grade levels.

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Romulo said his panel conducted a hearing on the matter two weeks ago, as the House version of the SB No. 1979 did not pass through the committee on basic education.  During the discussions, it was revealed that DepEd already implements the CSE, using Republic Act No. 10354 or the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, more commonly known as the RH (Reproductive Health) law.

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“To put it in proper context also, in the House of Representatives, it has been approved on third and final reading but it did not pass through the committee on basic education […] That’s why if you would look at the records, two weeks ago, we conducted a hearing about this matter because it did not go through us, but we know that this will affect our education system, as they want it in K-12,” he said.

“So since it did not go through our committee, I said maybe we can exercise oversight functions […] The truth is, DepEd admitted that there is no CSE law yet as it has not passed through the Senate, but they are implementing it in the K to 12 program. During the committee meeting, they said their basis was Section 14 of the Reproductive Health, the RH law of 2012,” he added.

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Section 14 of the RH Law speaks about the development and implementation of an age-appropriate reproductive health education, where sex education would cover adolescents, “which shall be taught by adequately trained teachers informal and nonformal educational system and integrated in relevant subjects.”

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However, Romulo said that when they asked DepEd about the issue, it seems the department is including CSE on all grade levels, when the law clearly states that it will be catered to adolescents, or those aged 10 to 19 years.

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“That’s why we asked them during the committee meeting, if your basis is RH Law 2012, why are students from the entire K-12 system included?  Because it is stated there, it is clear, you should teach that to adolescent learners, it is also defined in the law who can be considered an adolescent — adolescent is ages 10-19 but they are implemented for K to 12, that’s what they told us,” he said.

“But under the law which they said was used as a basis, it should be ages 10-19 only, I think we do not have kindergarten students who are in Grade 10 too, there are no Grade 3 students who are 10 years old.  So we told them, I hope they check if what they are doing is correct because we’re not sure if this is their basis or they are using a different one,” he added.

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Romulo also said that the RH Law also states that proper consultation must be made with interested groups, but the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) said they were not consulted.

“Second, it was also stated that there has to be proper consultation to all interested groups.  During that hearing, it was recorded so you can check, TDC was there, Mr. Benjo Basas, he said that they were not invited there, they were not aware.  So how did DepEd comply with the requirement of having all interest groups?” he asked.

SB No. 1979 gained controversy recently after concerns were raised about the CSE program, which is part of the Senate and House of Representatives versions of the adolescent pregnancy prevention bill.  According to several groups, the CSE aims to discuss sexual concepts to children who may not yet be able to grasp these issues properly.

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Project Dalisay, a pro-children wing of the National Coalition for the Family and the Constitution, has submitted an online petition seeking to junk SB No. 1979, claiming that the legislation poses a significant threat to the country’s societal, moral, and spiritual foundations.

The issue raised by these groups appeared to stem from Section 6 of the bill, which makes CSE a “compulsory part of education, integrated at all levels with the end goal of normalizing discussions about adolescent sexuality and reproductive health and to remove stigma at all levels.”

But Senator Risa Hontiveros, an author of the bill, claimed that criticisms towards the bill are mere fabrications and lies, saying that the proposed measure does not contain any provision seeking to encourage masturbation to children aged 0 to 4 or teach bodily pleasure to children aged six to nine.

READ: Hontiveros refutes critics of prevention of adolescent pregnancy bill 

Marcos initially supported the bill, saying that Filipinos need to understand how detrimental to health and to society as a whole teenage pregnancies are.  However, the President on Monday said he is shocked and appalled by some of the details of the proposed law.

READ: Marcos ‘shocked, appalled’ by anti-adolescent pregnancy bill’s contents 

Hontiveros meanwhile assured Marcos that there are no problematic provisions in the bill.

READ: Hontiveros assures Marcos: No risky clauses in anti-teen pregnancy bill 

At the House, Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez recently filed a resolution urging the chamber to recall the approval of the bill, which was passed on third reading last September 5, 2023.  According to the lawmaker, the Senate version is “deceptive” and violates several provisions of the Constitution and the Family Code.

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For DepEd’s part, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the department will review its existing program on CSEw500, as well as its rules and guidelines.

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