Senator Risa Hontiveros announced on Thursday that she has filed a substitute bill to address concerns raised about the proposed measure aimed at preventing adolescent pregnancy. The move follows criticisms from her colleagues and other sectors, leading to seven senators withdrawing their support for the original bill.
“Dahil sa dami at init ng mga diskusyon… minabuti nating mag-file ng isang substitute bill. This time I hope the Senate gives this a fair chance,” Hontiveros said during a press conference.
The original bill, Senate Bill No. 1979, proposed the implementation of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) to address the rising rates of teenage pregnancy in the Philippines. However, some opponents claimed the measure included content inappropriate for children, despite these claims not being present in the text.
To address these criticisms, Hontiveros removed the phrase “guided by international standards” from the bill, a provision that lobbyists and certain senators argued could allow teachings contrary to Filipino culture. “Sa substitute bill, tinanggal na po ang CSE ay guided by international standards. Para hindi mabaluktot ng iba ang ibig sabihin nito,” she clarified.
Former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno had been one of the most vocal critics of the phrase, alleging it referred to guidelines promoting inappropriate content for children. Her views were later echoed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other senators.
Hontiveros maintained that the phrase had been misinterpreted and stressed that the bill, even in its original form, would always align with the 1987 Constitution and Filipino cultural values. “Common sense, kung hindi akma sa ating kultura, ano pa mang international standards, hindi yan makakapasok,” she explained.
Another key amendment specifies that CSE will only apply to adolescents aged 10 and above, addressing concerns over its target audience. Hontiveros also refuted accusations from Senator Joel Villanueva, who likened the bill to a “budol” or scam, saying, “Ang totoong pambubudol ay yung ginawa ng mga nag-fake news laban sa bill.”
President Marcos, who had earlier threatened to veto the original measure, said he would need to review the substitute bill before commenting on its revisions.
Hontiveros remains hopeful the revised bill will garner sufficient support. “I hope this allays valid and genuine fears [and] bring us senators together,” she said, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the alarming rise in teenage pregnancies in the country.
