Two senators on Thursday, January 16 have expressed their reservation on the bill seeking to prevent adolescent pregnancy in the country.
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Thursday, January 16 said he is wary over the provisions of Senate Bill No. 1979 or the proposed Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act of 2023, saying he has actually proposed several amendments to the proposed law and is not supporting the bill in its current form.
“As it was originally reported, no. At least not in its entirety. In fact, I have relayed to the author several proposed amendments to it,” Escudero said.
“It’s still undergoing the ‘rigors of legislation’ and is currently in the period of interpellation… will await the final version that will be put to a vote where, hopefully, most of my proposed amendments will be carried,” the Senate leader stressed.
Escudero also denied that he was influenced by former chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. Sereno is part of a family rights group that has expressed concerns over the measure saying some of its provisions have inappropriate concepts and threaten “moral, societal and spiritual values.”
The group also opposed the supposed implementation of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) program under the measure.
“She did not (tell me not to support it). She just expressed concerns over it. When I spoke to her she said that their group is against the bill per se,” Escudero said.
Sen. Joel Villanueva also said he is against the bill, noting that the title of the bill itself is misleading, and said it has similarities to the proposed sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression (SOGIE) bill.
“Nakakagimbal yung mga concerns, valid concerns, ng iba’t ibang grupo na ito ay (There is massive concern, valid concern of different groups that this is) radical, inappropriate, damaging to children,” Villanueva said during a Kapihan sa Senado forum.
“Nakaka budol ang title…Preventing teenage pregnancies, meron pa bang grupo dito sa mundo na ayaw yan? But if you read the bill, as they say, the devil is on the details,” he pointed out.
“It’s like SOGIE bill, yes anti-discrimination but it’s like a prelude to same sex marriage. This bill, is also like a prelude to abortion,” Villanueva remarked.
Villanueva also expressed concern that the group that is supporting the measure is also the same group that has been pushing to legalize abortion.
Moreover, he noted that the bill itself is removing from the parents the authority to educate their own children about sex, by activating schools, village officials, other government agencies to teach minors about sexual education.
Villanueva also said he is opposed to the idea that the government’s own sexual education program would be patterned after other countries’ policies.
“Of course, it should be based on our culture and beliefs. We are taking care of our youth. We need to guide them. That’s why I don’t see any national emergency for sexuality education,” said the senator.
“I won’t deny my opinion about this, and I will continue to say it, I am rejecting this bill,” he said.
According to Villanueva, some senators are reportedly planning to withdraw co-authorship on the measure.
Villanueva also said even former senator and now Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara is also not keen on the passage of the measure.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, sponsor of the measure, on Wednesday, strongly refuted claims of the critics of SB 1979, insisting there were no provisions in the bill regarding the teaching or encouragement of masturbation to children aged zero to four years old, or any instruction that supposedly teaches “bodily pleasure” to children aged six to nine years old, or that they will be taught their “sexual rights.”
“Absolutely none of those concepts exist in our bill. Those lines in their supposed rebuttal are complete and total fabrication,” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros also debunked claims the measure adheres to the policies of other countries amidst claim that SB 1979 is unconstitutional.