Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros recently tackled the spread of false information about the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill during a Senate press briefing. She stressed the urgency of the bill, which addresses a crisis labeled as a ‘national and social emergency’ by the National Economic and Development Authority since 2019. Hontiveros dismissed claims that the bill encourages inappropriate sexual education, clarifying that it does not include teachings on ‘bodily pleasure’ or ‘sexual rights’ for young children and is aligned with Philippine laws, not European standards.
Hontiveros criticized groups like Project Dalisay for spreading misleading information, which she believes distracts from the real issue of teen pregnancy. She called for debates based on facts rather than fear-mongering. Joining her at the briefing were Undersecretary Angelo Tapales from the Council for the Welfare of Children and Dr. Juan Antonio Perez III, former executive director of the Commission on Population and Development, both of whom endorsed the bill.
Tapales highlighted the child protection aspect of adolescent pregnancy, referencing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showing an increase in pregnancies among girls under 15 from 3,135 in 2022 to 3,343 in 2023. He pointed out that 72 percent of these cases involved older men, suggesting abuse. Perez added that there has been a 50 percent rise in pregnancies among very young adolescents since 2018, emphasizing the need for comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) to address abuse and empower youth.
Tapales assured that CSE would be developed with strict safeguards and stakeholder consultation, ensuring alignment with child protection and constitutional values. The bill, introduced last year, is awaiting further discussion and amendments in the Senate, with 17 senators already supporting the committee report.