By Gabriel Kim Leal
(January 17, 2025) – Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri on Friday voiced his opposition to certain provisions in the proposed Senate Bill No. 1979 or the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act.
Zubiri pointed to Section 6 of the bill, which requires the Department of Education to implement comprehensive sexuality education across all levels.
“Bilang isang magulang, ‘di ako sang-ayon. Ako ay magagalit sa ganoong klaseng pagtuturo. It will push experimentation with our children. In Europe, the average age of having sex is 12 years old, may sexual experimentation. Sa ating bansa we still consider ourselves to be a very conservative country,” claimed Zubiri.
He added that the proposal reflects trends from international organizations like the United Nations and the European Union, where children as young as six or eight years old are introduced to topics such as condom use, sexual activities, self-pleasure, and bodily exploration.
He expressed concern that such education could lead to unintended consequences.
“Instead of preventing adolescent pregnancies, baka mas magkaron pa ng mas marami because of experimentation. Trend sa buong mundo is going back to conservatism. Ayaw natin na pabaliktad ang ating polisiya sa ating bansa,” added Zubiri.
On Thursday, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who authored the measure, fired back at critics after allegations circulating on social media said the bill would teach children the concepts of masturbation, bodily pleasure, and sexual rights because of the international standards it is based on.
Hontiveros maintained the claims are all “fabrications” as the international provisions would only serve as guides and should not be interpreted literally.
Zubiri, meanwhile, said he is willing to support the bill if comprehensive sexual education for children, sexual orientation education, and references to abortion are removed.
“What does sexual orientation have to do with adolescent pregnancy? And of course, ‘yung pagtuturo ng LGBTQ sa mga kabataan? That has nothing to do with adolescent pregnancies,” claimed Zubiri.
(With reports from Maeanne Los Baños-Oroceo, News5)
(PM)
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