Teaching sex education in schools is "very important" as it is meant to address issues that come with early pregnancy such as the mother and child's health and welfare, President Marcos said.
In an ambush interview, Marcos stressed that with the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in public schools, teenage pregnancy, increasing number of single mothers, and diseases related to early pregnancy would be addressed.
"These are all of the things that we need to address. And so, the teaching of this in our schools is very, very, very important," Marcos said in an interview on the sidelines of the turnover of housing units to Yolanda victims in Burauen, Leyte on Friday, Jan. 17.
"And to make young people, especially, knowledgeable about what are the options that are truly available to us, and what the consequences are – what the consequences are of having a child too soon, too early. Children having children is a very difficult situation for both the child and the parent," Marcos added.
The President articulated that the widely opposed program would also stop the cycle of young mothers who are not knowledgeable in taking care of themselves and their children, which could also lead to malnutrition among kids.
"Kasama na rin diyan, pagka teenager yung nanay, hindi marunong alagaan yung bata. Hindi nila alam – marunong alagaan ang sarili nila ‘pag buntis sila. Kung anong kakainin; kung nanganak na, kung ano ang ipapakain doon sa bata (It also includes issued such as a teen mother does not know how to take care of themselves during pregnancy and their child. They do not know what must they eat during pregnancy and when the baby is born, and what to feed the baby)," Marcos said.
The Department of Education (DepEd) has assured the public that they have been working with experts to ensure that the program is effective and culturally sensitive, and reiterated that the CSE seeks to address teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and gender-based violence.