Hontiveros files substitute anti-teen pregnancy bill to amend criticized version

MANILA, Philippines – Following a viral campaign from an alliance of religious groups opposing certain provisions of the anti-teenage pregnancy bill or Senate Bill No. 1979, Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros filed a substitute bill amending certain provisions on Wednesday, January 22.

Project Dalisay, an initiative by the National Coalition for the Family and the Constitution (NCFC), earlier launched a campaign sounding the alarm about comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) being “guided by international standards.”

CSE is mandated by a 2018 Department of Education (DepEd) order and highlighted in the Senate bill.

The substitute bill, submitted by the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality which Hontiveros chairs, revamps Section 6 of the bill on age- and development-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education, notably removing that CSE will be guided by international standards.

NCFC expressed concern that international standards, like some documents from the World Health Organization and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization which have guidance on teaching children about early masturbation, are incompatible with Filipino culture.

Hontiveros also amended Section 5, which previously allowed adolescents to access health facilities, goods, and services without parental consent. In the substitute bill’s Section 7, minors under 16 will only be allowed to access sexual and reproductive health services with their parent’s or guardian’s consent.

The new bill also has this new line guaranteeing parental authority and religious freedom: “Nothing in this Act shall be construed to diminish parental authority or academic and religious freedom.”

At least seven senators earlier requested to withdraw their signatures from the committee report. Hontiveros, in a statement on Wednesday, said she respects their decision.

“Naiintindihan ko ang kanilang mga konsiderasyon sa pagbawi ng suporta sa panukalang tutugon sa pagtaas ng teenage pregnancy sa bansa. May ihahain akong substitute bill bilang tugon sa tunay at sinserong concerns ng iba’t ibang sektor at grupo. Umaasa ako na pag-aaralan nila,” said Hontiveros.

(I understand their considerations in withdrawing their support from the bill seeking to address the rise of teenage pregnancy in the country. I will be filing a substitute bill as a response to legitimate and sincere concerns of various sectors and groups. I am hoping they will study it.)

Senators will have the opportunity to raise objections and propose amendments to the substitute bill at the plenary level.

In a statement sent to Rappler following Hontiveros’ filing, former Supreme Court chief justice and NCFC convenor Maria Lourdes Sereno said Project Dalisay wants to ask the Senate leadership to refer the bill back to the committee level, where “important stakeholders can freely state their positions.”

“There is nothing to stop the Senate from doing that when it appears that the most important stakeholders — parents who will not allow the state to take over their natural and primary right to form their children’s moral foundations — can only for the first time speak on the right relationship between their primary right to teach their children on sexuality and what the contribution of the school system can be,” said Sereno.

“The only way for parents to ease their fears at what is happening in the legislative process is to let them be heard in either committee hearings for bills that have just been referred to a committee, or in an investigatory hearing in aid of legislation. We plead with the Senate not to put this new bill on the floor for plenary interpellation yet. Let the parents be first heard,” she added.

Hontiveros earlier came out with various statements disputing Project Dalisay’s claims, dismissing these as “fake news,” as the original SB 1979 up for second reading did not have any mention of masturbation. She had clarified that just because there would be guidance from international standards, that the DepEd would still be the one implementing CSE in a way that was culturally appropriate.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also echoed concerns similar to that of Project Dalisay, saying he would veto the bill if the non-amended version were to land on his desk.

Hontiveros said that she was open to amending the bill — and days later came out with the substitute filing.

Also on Wednesday, Child Rights Network (CRN), the largest alliance of organizations and agencies pushing for children’s rights in the country, said that the senators’ withdrawal of support was “counterproductive” and “unfair.”

“It is unfair to the bill’s authors as well as children’s and women’s rights advocates who have held consultations, helped refine, and participated in the legislative process fair and square since the bill was first filed in the 17th Congress. This bill has been almost a decade in the making!” CRN said.

CRN also pointed out how the bill was unanimously passed by the House of Representatives in September 2023, with 232 affirmative votes, 0 negative votes, and 0 abstentions. – Rappler.com