Arguments

Pros Cons

Ignorance about sex is the primary cause of the spread of The message is not getting through to teenagers, judging
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The spread of by the number of teenage pregnancies and continuing
AIDS in the 80s and 90s has shown us that education and spread of STDs. Identifying sexual responsibility with
information is more important than ever. Giving sex formal education can be counter-productive, as it can be
education in schools is crucial to this spread, and may be fashionable to ignore what you are taught in schools. The
supplemented by frank discussion at home. most effective channel for sex education is the media, and
particularly TV, films and magazines.

As the US Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality This is the wrong approach. Open discussion of sexual
Education (1991) state, ‘all sexual decisions have effects practice and relationships among younger teenagers
or consequences’, and ‘all persons have the… obligation encourages sexual activity before they are ready, by
to make responsible sexual choices’. While Hollywood adding to peer pressure, and devalues its own message
promotes casual, thoughtless sex as the norm, teacher- because of the risk of classroom ridicule. It is better to
led discussions can encourage students to consider the discuss sexual responsibility in a one-to-one context,
responsibilities attached to sexual relationships. either with older siblings or parents, or perhaps via
Internet youth portals.

Abstinence is a rather outdated view, based on religious Any classroom education there is should encourage
teaching, which may be a personal choice but is not to be abstinence. Sexual promiscuity is encouraged, not
expected as the norm for everyone. Young people controlled, by sex education; advocating safe sex on the
express their sexuality as part of their development to one hand dilutes the message of restraint on the other.
adulthood. It is not having sex that is a problem, but Children are at risk of severe psychological and physical
having unsafe sex or hurting people through sexual harm from having sex too young, and should be
choices. encouraged not to do so.

This is very simpe, and you obviously too young to be a parent, so you wont know what its like to try and
protect your children from inapproprate things

(1) The public schools have no business covering this topic in any way, other than health class, denoting
parts and functions , in a dry manner

(2) elementary school (under age 11) is way too young for Children to be learning about sex. they need
their innocence preserved.

(3) Some of the current debates raging are whether CONDOMS should be distributed to children age 11 -
this is ridiculous

Children should be taught that dating should not occur until at least age 16, and that sex should not
occur outside a committed realtionship, and really marriage.

By infusing them with liberal "do what feels good" nonsense- kids are being sold a bill of good that will
lead to

* teenage pregnancy
* depression
* STDs
* confusion

It is very important to teach kids that they need to respect eachother and see eacother and human
beings to be cared about, NOT sex objects.

Children in high school are NOT emotionally ready or mature enough for sex

Children in Grade school need their innocence protected and need to be sheltered, not exposed, to adult
topics

my 2 c

The planned inclusion of sex education in both primary and secondary schools has sparked a great
deal of arguments and debates in the Philippines. Since the proposed incorporation of sex education
in elementary and high school curriculum pushed by Education Secretary Mona Valisno, various
groups have started to voice out their opinion either agreeing or disagreeing with the said notion.

More so, a great majority of the inhabitants of the Philippines which is considered as the center of
Catholicism in the Asian region and a very conservative country, believe that such aggressive move
will result into catastrophic damages.

Conservatives primarily the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP,) the major
governing body of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines believe that such move will induce
sex and propagate immoral ideas and virtues.

While conservative arguments are respected and greatly appreciated in a constructive manner by
this writer, some important points should also be taken into consideration. Thus, this article will try to
shed light on such a very controversial issue.

Philippines is a Conservative Country?

In this golden age where myths and legends of long ago are being proven false, it's quite amazing
that the notion that the Philippines is a conservative country is still considered a solid fact. I myself
am a Filipino but am not blinded with all the false hope that lingers within our celebrated culture.

More so, do I believe something which my eyes have completely disproved? - certainly not.
The truth on the matter is that the Philippines, given all the euphoria of having Maria Clara as a
representation of the native Filipina women, is a country where problems of overpopulation and
prostitution exist.

It isn't a coincidence that Adam Corolla's sexual insults against Filipina women are further vindicated
by the night clubs in say, Olongapo and Avenida. How about cybersex dens which regularly
compromises news headlines?

Acknowledging a problem is the first step in solving it. Likewise, the anti-sex education campaigners
might just want to look at the figures released by the Forum for Family Planning and Development
Inc. It showed that there are two million teenage Filipina girls who are pregnant at this moment while
more than four million Filipinos aged 15-19 have already had sexual intercourse.

Nevertheless, such figures will result into higher rates of abortion and has a domino effect on the
nation's economic standing. Now, inserting

sex education in elementary and high school curriculum will drastically improve such figures mainly
because sex education isn't geared towards having sex and enjoying the moment.

Thus, sex education introduces certain areas which in my most honest opinion is look past by
conservatives. Sex education purports ideas such as the right time to marry, the burdens of being a
single/teenage mother and the fine line that separates love and lust.

Conservatives argue that elementary and high school are the stages where children are curious and
they might try and experiment the things concerning sex and taught in sex education. While I do
agree that elementary and high school are stages of curiosity, I can't just accept that it will hinder sex
education - it's not as if it was a huge roadblock.

Curiosity is within all of us, channeling curiosity is the sole problem here.

Another fact that should be noted is that Filipino students, even those who are in third or fourth
grades, already know what will happen if sexual organs are rubbed against each other - if you know
what I mean. For crying out loud, we live in a world/country where pornographic materials and
sexual pleasures can be found in even the smallest of toys.

Kids use the internet a lot - just saying. The truth is the youth of today is more advanced and
aggressive than their counterparts some decades ago. I am part of the youth and I know how I and
all the others think. We are smarter and we don't live in caves.

Even before entering high school, children already have some knowledge on sex. They know how to
do it. I am a high school student of the 21st century and the ones who argue with me or the subject
of sex education in general are high school students of the 20th century - now, whose word has
greater substance. I know it based on how I see and experience it.

Consequently, it's again a matter of looking pass a problem.

I firmly believe that sex education will benefit both the elementary and high school students in a way
that they will be enlightened with the harsh realities that can be brought by sex. It's not about having
sex - come to think of it, the youth of today make love under their parents' nose, bottom line, the
parents don't know what their children are up to.

I'm not degrading the youth, as I've said I'm part of the group who call themselves "nation's hope."

Sex education is not about having sex, it's about understanding how can premature sexual
intercourse affect our lives. It's more like a tried and tested revivalist's technique; "first take the
sinners on a tour of hell, after which heaven would appear more inviting."

In this case, hell is irresponsible sex leading to early pregnancy and eventually shattered dreams
and ambitions while heaven is a good family life, a responsible husband or wife, healthy kids and a
happy married life - and the good thing is, it can all start in school, that is if the Philippines is liberal
enough to adopt sex education in the curriculum of primary and secondary schools.

For some months now, the proposal by the education and health departments to integrate sex education
in the country’s basic education curriculum spurred a national debate that has practically tread on the
‘good vs. evil’, ‘moral vs. immoral’ line of arguments.

Opposition from the Catholic Church and certain sectors on the proposed sex education program is now
seen as one of reasons why theDepartment of Education (DepEd) andDepartment of Health (DOH)
decided to ‘hold in abeyance’ the program proposing to teach sex education to elementary and high
school students.

“A final decision on the consultation process on the sex education modules has to be made,” says
education secretary Esperanza Cabral. But the department’s decision to temporarily defer the program
came hours after a group of parents filed a class suit seeking to prevent sex education.

Despite this, DepEd will push through with teaching alternative reproductive health system to students
and said they are open to modify the sex education modules if such modules go against Christian values.

For knowledge’s sake

DepEd and DoH said their main objective in advocating sex education was to raise awareness on
premarital sex, unsafe sex practices, Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome (HIV-AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases.
According to Secretary Cabral, there is a low level of knowledge among Filipino youth on HIV and other
sex related issues.

Based on the 2002 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Survey, 28 percent of those surveyed thought that
AIDS is curable while a huge 73 percent thought that they are immune to HIV or only those with multiple
sex partners are at risk of infected. The results are comparable to the previous study done in 1994.

The survey also showed that Filipino young adults aged 15 to 27 became more sexually active. From
14% in 1994, 23% of the 20,000 young adults surveyed said they were engaged in different sexual
activities.

While majority have heard or known about HIV-AIDS, many still have misconceptions about the disease.

Introduction to sex: in kinder or college?

To address this and the increasing cases of HIV affliction among Filipinos, the DOH made a bold move of
attempting to arm students with knowledge on sex values.

DepEd immediately welcomed the proposal. As newly-appointed Education Secretary Mona Valisno said,
"Teaching sex education in school is still better than letting students learn the topic from any sources,
such as the Internet."

Valisno said the department is planning to integrate sex education into subjects like Science, Values
Education and Social Studies.

Aside from DepEd, Cabral said the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority has all agreed to take part in the program.

The sex education program was supposed to start this school year in grades five and six and in high
school. DepEd even targeted 29 pilot schools in the National Capital Region, Cebu, Zamboanga,
Olongapo, Davao and Masbate to lead the program.

Teachers’ groups such as the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and the Teachers Dignity Coalition
(TDC) expressed full support to DepEd’s proposal.

Cabral, on the other hand, said sex education should start as early as in the kindergarten stage or for
school children aged 7 years and below. "Maski kindergarten dapat binibigyan ng konting information
tungkol diyan. Hindi yung kapag buntis na, saka pa lang makakaalam kung papaano siya nabuntis. Mula
pa sa batang edad, dapat may pagtuturo na appropriate sa kanilang edad.”

According to a report, Cabral said “at the very early age of 3, children should already be exposed to
"appropriate" sex education. She explained that sex education for children in kindergarten should not
include sexual acts, but should satisfy their curiosity about their bodies.”

Different views of the Church

Bishops from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), though generally opposed to
including sex education in the school curriculum, gave different views on the proposal.

In an interview with ABS-CBN’s “Umagang Kay Ganda”, Archbishop Oscar Cruz agreed to Cabral’s
proposal to start sex education in kindergarten.

According to the Bishop from Lingayen, “at an early age, children should know about the dignity of their
bodies, that nobody should touch it. He further said that teachers must know how to answer questions on
sex and gender according to the inquisitive minds of the students."
However, Cruz’s stand regarding the issue is not backed by the entire CBCP. According to CBCP
spokesperson Monsignor Pedro Quitorio, the church was appalled by Cabral’s statement on teaching sex
education in the kindergarten.

Quitorio added that the plan of DepEd will only undermine the role of parents in raising their children with
proper knowledge regarding the issue. “The position of the CBCP even before is that it (sex education)
should be left to parents especially if we are talking about children who are underage,” he said.

Another CBCP official, however, said that sex education should start in college. “Parents should teach the
proper behavior regarding sex and gender at the children’s early stages. If it is taught in school, it should
start in college with the proper maturity and understanding of the matter,” said Fr. Conegundo Garganta.

What parents say

A group of parents linked to the Ang Kapatiran Party and CBCP filed a class suit against the sex
education proposal. Main petitioner Atty. Jo Imbong said the sex education proposal "assaults the values
and moral sensibilities of the youth."

Online, parents are also giving their take on the issue. Some say sex education should not be left to the
parents alone. Toe commented at the Aboutmyrecovery blog, “In the Philippines, most parents are
uncomfortable talking about sex with their children. A lot of them don’t know anything about the
reproductive system. It should not be removed from the education system. I think it should be boosted to
make it include all aspects - scientific, emotional, psychological, etc.”

Ang_mungo, a young father posted in Twitter that “Sex ed needs to be taught in the context of values, of
relationships and love. Otherwise, it will just be another biology lesson.

The focus of sex ed must be on responsibility, on consequences, and on the happiness it can bring two
people who love each other.

Neva, a mom blogger at mommymanila.com said parents and schools should partner together to equip
each other with the right techniques to teach sex ed to kids. ‘I guess it starts with the mutual acceptance
that kids are so much more “active” today and are bombarded with all sorts of info that it would be best to
hear the truth first hand from those they trust.”

With all the deliberations on the issue, Malacanang told DepEd and the DOH to consult first with the
Church before the program takes on full implementation of the sex education program.