Students from the Araullo Highschool read materials containing sex health education during the Health Information Dissemination Program held on October 01, 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/FileMANILA (UPDATED) — Nearly half of the 17 Senators who signed Committee Report No. 41 endorsing Senate Bill 1979, or the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Bill, to the full Senate for action have withdrawn their signatures after opponents of the bill raised objections to supposedly immoral provisions in the proposal.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros and civil society groups supportive of the bill have pointed out that the supposedly offensive aspects of the bill are not in the text of SB 1979.

Critics of the bill claim that it will mandate the teaching of masturbation to young learners despite the bill not having any provisions on that.

WRAP: Bill to prevent teen pregnancies births questions on morality, masturbation

They have also said the comprehensive sexuality education that will be required by the bill will sexualize children, “[teach them] to consent to sex” and “[promote] homosexual/bisexual behavior”. 

GO: I HAD NO INTENTIONS OF SUPPORTING IT

In separate letters, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Sens. Bong Revilla, Loren Legarda, JV Ejercito, Nancy Binay, Cynthia Villar and Christopher Lawrence Go distanced themselves from the bill, with some saying they had never intended to support it.

"Based on Senate records, my name was included because the Senate Committee on Health, which I chair, was assigned as a secondary committee due to the health-related aspects of the measure. My office has already coordinated with the Senate Secretary to clarify this matter," Go said.

"Hindi ako sang-ayon sa anumang panukala na makakasira sa halaga ng pamilya at salungat sa pananampalataya ng ating mga kababayan (I am against any proposal that destroys the value of the family and that is against the faith of our people)," Go also said, referring to criticism of the bill that it allegedly removes parent's authority over their children and would teach children to masturbate.

ESTRADA: 'TEACHING CHILDREN TO MASTURBATE' WAS LAST STRAW

Revilla and Estrada wrote separate letters dissociating themselves from the controversial measure.

"Upon further study and taking into consideration the recent sentiments and information voiced by our kababayans, I find myself in conflict with the possible outcomes should the said legislative measure be enacted into law," Revilla wrote.

He said he remains committed to addressing the problem of adolescent pregnancy but that "certain aspects of the proposed legislation require further refinement ."

Estrada, meanwhile, said he reached the decision to withdraw after evaluating "the sentiments and grave concerns" of the bill's opponents.

"What the last straw was, yung nakalagay na based on international standards so, and I ask my staff, ano itong mga international standards? Nag-research sa WHO saka UNESCO na pwedeng turuan yung mga bata na mag masturbate...0 to 4 years old and that is against our Filipino culture," he said.

(What the last straw was the international standards.  I asked my staff to research, and they foudn that the World Health Organization and UNESCO said yougn children can be taught to masturbate. At the age of 0 to 4 years old, and that is against our Filipino culture)

The Department of Education, in a fact sheet, has made clear that its Comprehensive Sexuality Education curriculum is not taken wholesale from the standards of sex education in Europe and that masturbation is not taught at all.

Estrada also said that the bill would remove parental authority over their children, a claim not supported by the text of the bill.

"I do not agree with it. Ibig sabihin wala na akong control sa mga anak ko (That means I have no control over my chidlren)," Estrada said in his own interview. 

"That's against our Filipino culture." 

'FURTHER DIALOGUES ESSENTIAL'

"While we believe that the prevalence of adolescent pregnancy is an issue that must be urgently addressed, it is our position that further dialogues with stakeholders [are] essential, in order to accurately dispel misconceptions and remove objectionable portions from the bill." Ejercito, Binay, Go and Villar said in their letter.

"Siyempre, as a mother, concern ko din yung baka hindi nga talaga age-appropriate yung ituturo sa ating mga kabataan. And I also agree at the same time na talaga may problema din tayo sa teenage pregnancy," Binay said.

(Of course, as a mother, I am concerned whether what will be taught will be age-appropriate. I also agree that teenage pregnancy is a problem)

She said she want further study to see if the bill would really address the rise in adolescent pregnancies.

Villar said senators have to consider how multiple sectors view proposed legislation and that a measure will be more effective if it is acceptable to and reflects the sentiments of each sector.

Sen. Marcos, whose brother President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr said he will veto the bill if approve in its current form, however thinks it is premature to withdraw support from the bill while it is still under consideration.

Marcos Jr. threatens to veto bill promoting sex education in PH

"Mahaba pa yung proseso para matanggal yung mga bahagi na tinatawag natin controversial o di kaya objectionable," she said.

(This is still a long process and the parts that are controversial or objectionable can be removed)

Sen. Marcos said that the issue of teenage pregnancy is not just a moral or social problem but also affects economic development.

"Pagkat yung mga kababaihan ay nawawalan ng edukasyon, ang pagkakataon magtrabaho. At ito, napakalaki ng pinsala sa ating lipunan... One in ten girls are pregnant or are already mothers. Sobrang laki nun." Marcos also said.

(Girls lose the opportunity to study or to work. And that has a large effect on society. One in ten girls is pregnanrt or is already a mother. That is a huge number)

HONTIVEROS TO FILE SUBSTITUTE BILL

Hontiveros said in a statement she understands her colleagues' withdrawal of support from the bill 

"May ihahain akong substitute bill bilang tugon sa tunay at sinserong concerns ng iba't-ibang sektor at grupo. Umaasa ako na pag-aaralan nila," Hontiveros also said.

(I will file a substitute bill to address the genuine and sincere concerns of different groups and sectors. I trust they will study it)

She added: "I cannot in good conscience support the complete removal of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) from our policy landscape, not just for the Filipino youth, but also for their parents, guardians, and teachers that find it hard to discuss these topics with their children."

The 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Survey has shown that Filipino youth would rather ask no one rather than ask any of their parents about sexual and reproductive health.

Hontiveros hit back at what she said was disinformation regarding the bill.

"Sinabi nila na nasa bill yung 0-4 masturbation, anal sex, oral sex, at kung anu-ano pang mga konsepto na hindi akma sa mga bata, natakot ang sambayanan. Pero uulitin ko, wala naman ang mga ito sa bill. At kailanman ay hindi ito makakapasok sa anumang panukala na aking sinusulong." Hontiveros said.

(They said that the bill will teach masturbation, anal sex, oral sex and other concepts that are not appropriate for children, so people became afraid. But, I repeat, those are not in the bill. And those can never be part of any bill that I will push for)