Senator Bong Go has opposed the comprehensive sexual education (CSE) provision in the proposed anti-teenage pregnancy bill as he believes that such sensitive topics must be taught within the family and not by the schools.

Although the proposed CSE in the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill is based on international standards, applying it in the Philippines would be hardly acceptable due to local culture, according to Go.

He added that Filipino people are "deeply religious", so sensitive matters like sexuality-related education must come from within the family.

"Yung itong pagtuturo ay hindi dapat diktahan. Dapat po manggagaling talaga ito sa bahay, sa pamilya... hindi lang sa eskwelahan… at sa murang edad, hindi handa ‘yung Pilipino (Educating the children about sexuality must not be imposed. It must come from the family and not from the schools. And at an early age, Filipinos are not ready for it)," Go told reporters in Isabela on Thursday, Jan. 23.

He was concerned about introducing CSE for Filipinos at an early age because it might contradict the country’s religious and cultural principles.

“Medyo kasalungat po ito sa paniniwala natin sa ating relihiyon... Sa murang edad ay ganoon ang ituturo sa kanila kaya hindi po ako sumang-ayon (It is against my religious beliefs, that at an early age, Filipino children must be taught about it. So I'm against it)," he said.

Senate Bill (SB) No.1979 stated that "age and development-appropriate" CSE shall be standardized and implemented in all public and private basic education institutions in a bid to prevent adolescent pregnancy in the country.

Such education shall include topics such as human sexuality, informed consent, effective contraceptive use, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, sexual abuse and exploitation, gender equality and equity, and gender-based violence, among others, the bill stated.

It shall also be integrated into the school curriculum, guided by the Department of Education (DepEd) and international standards, it added.

The lawmaker expressed openness to listening to the advise of stakeholders in a bid to address contentions about the measure.