Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. on Tuesday, January 21 called on lawmakers to consider a different version of an anti-teenage pregnancy bill, one that would not provide or introduce risky policies in the country’s sexuality education.
Revilla said Senate Bill No. 1209, or the proposed Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act of 2022, which he filed, primarily aims to protect children and provide support to adolescent parents.
Senate Bill No. 1979 or the controversial Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Act of 2023, a consolidated version of all other anti-teenage pregnancy bills pending in the Senate, contains provisions not present in SB 1209.
“SBN 1209, which I filed, primarily aims to protect children and provide support to adolescent parents. SBN 1979 contains provisions that were not in my bill,” Revilla said in a statement.
“The purpose of the version I filed is to provide an institutional framework to ensure that children are not exposed to bastardized concepts of sex; perversity and vulgarity – all that lead to adolescent pregnancy; and for the State to provide support to adolescent parents so that their children grow up healthy and sound,” the senator added.
As far as he is concerned, Revilla said he hopes to push an anti-teenage pregnancy measure with a concept that once “these children grow up and become parents themselves, maakay nila nang tama ang kanilang magiging mga anak (they can raise up their children in the right path).”
“We need to put an end to the vicious cycle of children bearing children,” Revilla said.
Kailangang tugunan ang lumalalang problema ng mga batang nangre-rape ng kapwa bata, ang mga batang nagiging magulang sa murang edad, at ang nagiging kapabayaan sa mga anak ng mga batang ina. Kailangan natin protektahan ang mga bata at siguruhin ang kanilang kinabukasan (It is necessary to address the worsening problem of children raping fellow children, children becoming parents at a young age, and child neglect by young mothers. We need to protect children and secure their future),” the senator said.
“I will do everything in my power to protect our kids and all our children from obscenity and lewdness. We have to preserve the sanctity of procreation.
“Walang lugar dyan para sa kababuyan. Magulang ako - mayroon akong mga anak at mga apo. There should be no place for depravity. I am a parent - I have children and grandchildren,” he said.
“Kung totoong itutulak ‘yung mga pinangangambahan ng ilan sa ating mga kababayan, ako mismo, I will vote against it at haharangin ko na maipasa (If the fears of some of our countrymen are really going to be pushed, I myself will vote against it and I will block it from being passed),” Revilla said.