MANILA, (PIA) — Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to return to mandated reproductive health (RH) education as outlined in the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Act.
His call comes as DepEd reviews its policy on comprehensive sexuality education (CSE).
Gatchalian highlighted inconsistencies between the RPRH Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10354) and DepEd Order No. 031 s. 2018, which provides guidelines for CSE implementation.
He emphasized that the RPRH Act mandates age-appropriate reproductive health education for adolescents aged 10 to 19.
“Reproductive health education should focus on values formation, sexual abuse prevention, and teen pregnancy,” Gatchalian said.
“CSE, as outlined in DepEd Order No. 031, extends beyond the RH law’s intent, which specifies that such education is only for adolescents,” he added.
DepEd Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Filemon Ray Javier acknowledged the confusion surrounding the phrasing of Order No. 031.
Javier clarified that foundational knowledge is provided to learners under 10 to prepare them for future sex education.
Gatchalian, however, underscored the importance of aligning educational policies with existing laws to ensure that adolescents receive appropriate reproductive health education. (JCO/PIA-NCR)
