HOUSE Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Representative Leila M. de Lima has filed a measure seeking to institutionalize a national policy aimed at preventing adolescent pregnancies and providing comprehensive social protection for adolescent parents.
“We are facing a national emergency that threatens the future of our youth. It is very alarming that more and more young girls are getting pregnant, at isa po ang Pilipinas sa may highest teenage pregnancy rates sa Asya,” De Lima, a staunch human rights and social justice advocate, said.
“These are not just numbers; these are children having children. Mga bata na imbes na nag-aaral at nangangarap para sa magandang kinabukasan ay may nakaatang nang napakabigat na responsibilidad sa pagiging magulang at pagpapalaki ng sariling anak,” she added.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), births among girls aged 10 to 14 rose from 2,113 in 2020 to 3,433 in 2023.
Despite being part of the K-12 curriculum, sexual education has been inconsistent and often neglected, especially in rural areas and faith-based schools.
In filing House Bill No. 6356, De Lima seeks to mandate the implementation of a standardized “Comprehensive Adolescent Reproductive Health Education (CARHE) Program” in all public and private education institutions, which shall be integrated into the school curriculum, as guided by the Department of Education (DepEd).
Under the said measure, delivery of CARHE will not be dependent on the discretion of school administration or teachers. CARHE in non-formal education settings to reach out-of-school youth shall be facilitated by the DepEd through the Alternative Learning System (ALS).
HB 6356 also aims to institutionalize social protection for adolescents who are already parents, ensuring they can access social services and continue their education without any discrimination.
Members of the Kababaihang Liberal, led by Juliana “Jet” Riparip, who joined De Lima in filing the measure, expressed gratitude for this initiative to protect Filipina youth and extend services to adolescent parents.
“Ang maagang pagbubuntis ay hindi lang pasanin ng batang babae, kundi ng buong pamilya. Kailangan talaga ng holistic approach dito, hindi lang information, kailangan din may counseling, may serbisyo,” Riparip said.
A similar measure was passed by the House of Representatives on 3rd and final reading during the 19th Congress. Senator Risa Hontiveros filed her version in the Senate last Congress, but the measure failed to gain enough support because of opposition from some sectors.
De Lima’s HB 6356 adopted more specific and socially acceptable wordings for the contentious provisions to ensure proper understanding of the bill’s purpose without watering down its intent.
In particular, HB 6356 uses CARHE program in lieu of “Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE) Program” to allay the fears of certain sectors on the explicit use of the term “sexual,” to emphasize that reproductive health remains the primary focus of the education program.
Additionally, this bill also adopts the new provision of the substitute Senate bill under the 19th Congress that does away with the mention of “international standards” to guide the integration into the school curriculum of the CARHE program. By doing so, this proposed legislation ensures that the program shall be age- and development-appropriate and culturally-sensitive.
“Hindi po pwedeng magmaang-maangan at magwalang-kibo lang tayo sa nakakaalarmang datos na daan-daang kabataan ang naitatalang nanganganak kada araw dahil sa kawalan ng tamang gabay at tamang impormasyon—this is the terrible price of status quo,” De Lima said.
“By shifting to a health-based approach, we are finally equipping our youth to make the right choices. By passing this bill, we choose facts over fear, and health over stigma, she pointed out.
Similar bills have been filed separately in the House of Representatives this 20th Congress by De Lima’s fellow Women Liberal Party (LP) lawmakers Reps. Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao (Lone District, Dinagat Islands) and Cielo Krisel Lagman (1st District, Albay).
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