Sen. Risa Hontiveros

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Monday sought to correct President Marcos Jr. that the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Bill does not at all include any provision making any reference to “masturbation” or “trying different sexualities.” 

In a recent media interview, Marcos initially expressed support for sex education but later denounced the proposed law making it mandatory in schools alleging it teaches kids as young as four to pleasure themselves. 

“I was shocked, and I was appalled by some of the—some of the elements of that. Because this is—all this ‘woke’ that they are trying to bring into our system. You will teach four-year-olds how to masturbate. That every child has the right to try different sexualities. This is ridiculous. It is abhorrent,” Marcos said. 

The President clarified that while he supports teaching children about human anatomy, sexually transmitted diseases and consequences of early pregnancies among others, he also threatened to immediately veto the bill if it gets passed in Congress still containing provisions he described are trying promote the “woke” culture among students. 

Hontiveros, who authored the bill, corrected Marcos and said there was no mention of self-pleasure or experimentation on sexualities in the bill. 

“Mr. President, with all due respect, maliwanag na wala po sa bill kahit yung salita na ‘masturbation.’ Wala din po yung ‘try different sexualities’, (Mr. President, with all due respect, it is clear that no part of the bill has the word ‘masturbation.’ It also does not say ‘try different sexualities),” she said in a statement.

She also said that she is open to amendments to align with the President’s disposition. 

“I am willing to accept amendments to refine the bill so we can steer it to passage,” she said.

Hontiveros had earlier said the bill’s critics were only making false claims. 

“Kung saan nila nahugot yan, hindi ko alam. Dahil walang batas o anumang polisiya sa Pilipinas ang magtatangkang magbawal sa mga magulang na gumabay sa ating mga anak,” Hontiveros said this week.

If passed, the Senate bill will mandate the government to promote “age-appropriate” and compulsory “comprehensive sexuality education” in schools that are “medically accurate, culturally sensitive, rights based, and inclusive and non-discriminatory.” 

Since 2012, sex education has been incorporated in public school curriculum for students aged 10-19 with the passage of a reproductive health law but private schools are not required to teach it. 

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