Child rights advocate: Withdrawing signatures for teen pregnancy bill 'unfair'

Child rights advocates on Wednesday criticized senators who withdrew their support for Senate Bill (SB) 1979, also known as the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Bill.

In a statement, the Child Rights Network (CRN) described the move by some senators to withdraw their signatures from the committee report as “not just counterproductive but unfair.”

“It is unfair to the bill’s authors, as well as children’s and women’s rights advocates, who have held consultations, helped refine, and participated in the legislative process fairly since the bill was first filed in the 17th Congress. This bill has been nearly a decade in the making!” the CRN lamented.

“What’s the point of plenary deliberation if we can’t use this time to discuss differences, propose amendments, or improve the current language of the bill?” it added.

The bill was unanimously passed by the House of Representatives on 5 September 2023, with 232 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and zero abstentions.

In the Senate, the bill has stalled in the Period of Interpellation since August 2024. Despite being scheduled for interpellation multiple times, it was never taken up.

On Wednesday, six senators — Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, Christopher “Bong” Go, and Jinggoy Estrada — withdrew their support for the proposed measure.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, filed a substitute bill following her colleagues' withdrawal of support.

The changes made through the substitute measure include:

• Removal of the phrase "guided by international standards;"

• Comprehensive Sexuality Education is now limited to adolescents or individuals aged 10 and above; and

• Introduction of a provision guaranteeing academic and religious freedom.

Additionally, the CRN urged Senators Joel Villanueva and Migz Zubiri to present the provisions of the bill that “they have been describing as inappropriate in the media” and to begin deliberating on it in the proper legislative channel.

“Show us what is inappropriate in this bill, and for once, be fair to those who have worked hard to support legislation that protects children, especially girls, from the dire consequences of abuse and teenage pregnancy,” the group said.

Villanueva previously expressed his opposition to the bill, calling it “not important,” while Zubiri warned that the bill could lead to children “experimenting” with sex.