THE Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday said it will no longer implement Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), as it issues a new policy on Reproductive Health Education (RHE) in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s directive to protect learners’ welfare.
“The goal of our new policy is to educate our students about reproductive health in a manner appropriate to their age,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara said in a news release.
“We are also emphasizing that the implementation of this new policy will be culturally sensitive and contextually relevant,” he added.
DepEd said that RHE is anchored on Republic Act No. 10354, the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law of 2012, and will focus on teaching health, personal responsibility, and respect in relationships to adolescent learners aged 10 to 19, starting in Grade 5.
“We want to ensure that our adolescent learners are equipped with the right knowledge on RHE,” Mr. Angara said. “This policy is not just about disseminating information — it is about shaping responsible learners who uphold Filipino cultural values, traditions, and beliefs.”
The department added that teachers who will implement RHE will undergo “sufficient training and continuous professional development, supported by adequate resources to ensure competence and sensitivity” during lectures.
It also commits to using scientifically accurate and evidence-based instructional materials that promote gender sensitivity to avoid gender-based violence, myths, misconceptions, and misleading ideologies.
According to the advocacy group Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD), CSE became a target of disinformation at the beginning of the year.
“Suddenly, groups emerged recycling misleading arguments from Western organizations,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
PLCPD added that in other countries, similar efforts have fueled policies and campaigns against gender equality and reproductive health rights and dignity.
“CSE upholds Filipino values such as protecting and guiding children so they can grow up able to stand for what is right and make responsible decisions,” said Au Quilala, executive director of PLCPD and convenor of the Child Rights Network, in a statement.
During a House budget briefing on Wednesday, Mr. Angara was questioned about Project Dalisay’s claims that CSE has “inappropriate concepts” and allegedly threatens the “moral, societal, and spiritual values” of young learners.
“I think the materials they were quoting from were not DepEd materials,” Mr. Angara said. “I don’t know what the source of the video was. But definitely, we do not promote, we do not teach those practices.”
Latest data from the Pulse Asia survey in August revealed that 73% of surveyed participants agreed to teach CSE in schools, while only 13% disagreed. Meanwhile, the remaining 14% are undecided. — Almira Louise S. Martinez
