Press Release
April 8, 2021

Study finds gaps in RH education; Gatchalian seeks to stop increasing teenage moms amid COVID-19

While Republic Act 10354 or the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (RPRH Law) mandates age and development-appropriate reproductive health education, a March study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) reveals the lack of adequate materials and accessible teacher trainings for its effective implementation. For Senator Win Gatchalian, this should prompt the Department of Education (DepEd) to urgently address these gaps, especially as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to increase the number of teenage mothers nationwide.

In a recent news report, the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) revealed the 46.43 percent spike in the number of teenage pregnancies in the Cordilleras, warning that lockdown measures could exacerbate the surge of teenage pregnancy in the country. In 2020, there were 2,422 babies born to teenage parents in the Cordilleras from 1,654 in 2019. On a national scale, pregnancies among minors aged 15 and below was up by 7 percent in 2019 compared to the previous year, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

DepEd had issued DO 31 s. 2018 to guide the delivery of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). The PIDS study pointed out, however, that when it comes to RPRH education, "there is an apparent lack of qualified manpower, facilities, trainings, instructional materials, coordination, and monitoring system."

"Lalo nating dapat paigtingin ang pagtugon sa mga kakulangang ito, lalo na't ang pagdami ng mga batang ina ay isa sa mga nakita nating epekto ng pandemya," Gatchalian said.

The PIDS' focus group discussions (FGD) with teachers of different subject groups revealed that trainings on CSE curriculum integration were so far inadequate and inaccessible. While most of the provisions of the law have been complied with, there is still a need for strengthened programs to realize the goals of the RPRH Law, the state think tank added.

"Bagama't ilang taon na ang lumipas simula nang magkaroon tayo ng batas sa Reproductive Health Law at magkaroon ng polisiya ang DepEd sa usapin ng CSE, may mga kakulangan pa rin tayong nakikita tulad ng sapat na teacher trainings at learning materials upang maging mas mabisa ang pagtuturo ng Comprehensive Sexual Education sa ating mga paaralan," said the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

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Gatchalian: Kakulangan sa RH education punan; labanan ang teenage pregnancy sa gitna ng pandemya

Sa kabila ng Republic Act 10354 o Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (RPRH Law) na nagmamandato ng angkop na reproductive health education, lumabas sa isang pag-aaral ng Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) nitong nakaraang Marso na may mga kakulangan ang programang health education ng gobyerno tulad ng pagkakaroon ng sapat na teacher training at learning materials para sa pagtuturo.

Para kay Senador Win Gatchalian, dapat tutukan ng Department of Education (DepEd) ang mga kakulangang ito lalo na't kinatatakutang dumami pa ang bilang ng mga batang ina sa bansa dahil sa lockdown measures bunga ng pandemya.

Kamakailan lang ay iniulat ng Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) na may mahigit dalawang libo at apat na raang (2,422) sanggol sa Cordillera na ipinanganak mula sa teenage parents noong 2020, mas mataas ng halos limampung (46.43) porsyento mula sa mahigit isang libo at anim na raang (1,654) naitala noong 2019. Ayon sa datos ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), tumaas ng pitong porsiyento ang bilang ng mga batang inang may edad 15 pababa sa buong bansa noong 2019 kung ikukumpara noong 2018.

Nagpalabas na noon pa lang ang DepEd ng Department Order (DO) 31 s. 2018 upang gabayan ang pagpapatupad ng sexuality education. Ngunit ayon sa pag-aaral ng PIDS, lumalabas na may kakulangan pa rin sa manpower, mga pasilidad, pagsasanay, instructional materials, pakikipag-ugnayan, at sistema ng pag-monitor.

"Lalo nating dapat paigtingin ang pagtugon sa mga kakulangang ito, lalo na't ang pagdami ng mga batang ina ay isa sa mga nakita nating epekto ng pandemya," ani Gatchalian.

Sa isinagawang focus group discussions (FGD) ng PIDS kasama ang mga guro, lumalabas na hindi sapat ang mga pagsasanay na isinigawa na may kaugnayan sa sexuality education. Bagama't ang DepEd ay sumusunod naman sa karamihan ng mga probisyon ng batas, sinabi ng PIDS sa pag-aaral nito na kailangang paigtingin pa ang programa upang maisakatuparan ang RPRH Law.

"Bagama't ilang taon na ang lumipas simula nang magkaroon tayo ng batas sa Reproductive Health Law at magkaroon ng polisiya ang DepEd sa usapin ng Comprehensive Sexuality Education o CSE, may mga kakulangan pa rin tayong nakikita tulad ng sapat na teacher trainings at learning materials upang maging mas mabisa ang pagtuturo ng CSE sa ating mga paaralan," pahayag ng Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

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