Gatchalian to pursue inquiry on implementation of sexuality education in schools

As the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) raises concerns on teenage pregnancies among minors aged 10 to 14, Senator Win Gatchalian said he will pursue a Senate inquiry to help strengthen the Department of Education's implementation of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE).

Despite the decline of early pregnancies in the 15 to 19 age group, the POPCOM is now alarmed by the number of pregnancies in the 10 to 14 age group. Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority's Civil Registry of Statistics, POPCOM director Lisa Grace Bersales said there were 2,113 births recorded from the 10 to 14 age group in 2020. Data from the Field Health Service Information System of the Department of Health (DOH), for its part, reveals that 2,354 girls in the age group gave birth in 2020, while 2,299 gave birth in 2021.

Gatchalian last year filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 13, which seeks a Senate inquiry on the number of adolescent pregnancies and the rise of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections among the youth. The inquiry will review the existing CSE policy to assess the comprehensiveness of its scope and the effectiveness of its implementation.

The implementation of CSE is guided by DepEd Order No. 31 s. 2018, which was issued in compliance with the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act (RPRH) of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10354). The law provides that age and development-appropriate reproductive health education shall be taught in basic education institutions. It also directs the DepEd to formulate a curriculum for the use of public schools.

The United Nations and Population Fund (UNFPA), however, has flagged that there has been a long delay in the integration and implementation of the CSE in the K to 12 curriculum. A March 2021 discussion paper by state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) also revealed challenges hounding the implementation of CSE, which includes the lack of sufficient materials and facilities. Trainings on sexuality curriculum integration have also been inadequate and inaccessible, the study said.

"Napagkakaitan ng oportunidad na makapag-aral at magkaroon ng magandang kinabukasan ang mga batang nagiging ina. Sa gitna ng nakakaalarmang bilang ng mga batang 10 hanggang 14 taong gulang na nagiging ina, napapanahong suriin natin nang mabuti kung epektibo nga ba ang polisiya ng ating mga paaralan sa pagpapatupad ng comprehensive sexuality education," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Pagpapatupad ng sexuality education sa mga paaralan pinasusuri ni Gatchalian

Habang naaalarma ang Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) sa bilang ng mga maagang nagbubuntis sa mga kabataang 10 hanggang 14 taong gulang, magsasagawa naman si Senador Win Gatchalian ng isang pagdinig upang patatagin ang pagpapatupad ng Department of Education ng Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE).

Bumaba naman ang kaso ng maagang pagbubuntis sa mga kabataang 15 hanggang 19 taong gulang. Gamit ang datos mula sa Civil Registry of Statistics ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), iniulat ni POPCOM director Lisa Grace Bersales na may 2,113 na mga kabataang 10 hanggang 14 taong gulang ang nanganak noong 2020.

Ayon naman sa datos ng Field Health Service Information System ng Department of Education (DepEd), 2,354 ng mga batang babae mula sa naturang age group ang nanganak noong 2020 at 2,299 naman ang nagsilang noong 2021.

Inihain ni Gatchalian noong nakaraang taon ang Proposed Senate Resolution No. 13 upang masuri ang mga kaso ng maagang pagbubuntis at pag-akyat ng bilang ng may Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections sa mga kabataan. Sa gagawing pagdinig, rerepasuhin ang kasalukuyang polisiya ng CSE upang masuri kung gaano kalawak ang saklaw nito at kung napapatupad nga ba ito nang maayos.

Nakabatay ang pagpapatupad ng CSE sa DepEd Order No. 31 s. 2018 na inisyu alinsunod sa Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act (RPRH) of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10354). Mandato ng batas ang pagtuturo ng naaangkop na reproductive health education sa mga paaralan. Mandato naman ng DepEd na bumuo ng curriculum para magamit ng mga pampublikong paaralan.

Ngunit pinuna ng United Nations and Population Fund (UNFPA) na natagalan ang integration at pagpapatupad ng CSE sa K to 12 curriculum. Lumabas din sa isang pag-aaral ng Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) ang mga hamong kinakaharap ng pagpapatupad ng CSE, kabilang ang kakulangan ng mga pasilidad at learning materials. Hindi rin sapat ang mga pagsasanay sa pag-integrate ng sexuality education sa curriculum, ayon sa pag-aaral.

"Napagkakaitan ng oportunidad na makapag-aral at magkaroon ng magandang kinabukasan ang mga batang nagiging ina. Sa gitna ng nakakaalarmang bilang ng mga batang 10 hanggang 14 taong gulang na nagiging ina, napapanahong suriin natin nang mabuti kung epektibo nga ba ang polisiya ng ating mga paaralan sa pagpapatupad ng comprehensive sexuality education," ani Gatchalian, Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.