Education Secretary Sonny Angara addressed concerns regarding the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) program on Wednesday, January 15.
“We acknowledge the concerns regarding the current implementation of our Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and the provisions in SBN 1979, the Teenage Pregnancy Bill. I would like to clarify that I have not filed any version of this,” said Angara.
He emphasized that DepEd’s policies are data-driven and that they will be utilized to address issues faced by the youth, including teenage pregnancy, HIV, and gender-based violence.
“Sinisiguro ng Kagawaran na ang aming mga hakbang ay tumutugon sa pangangailangan ng ating mga mag-aaral, lalo na kung paano sila makitungo sa kanilang sarili at sa isa’t isa,” he said.
This statement was given following the viral video of Project Dalisay Facebook page of National Coalition for the Family and the Constitution (NCFC). NCFC criticized the CSE Program and the Senate Bill No. 1979 for its “inappropriate content”.
Senate Bill No. 1979 aims to incorporate CSE to the national curriculum, which affects schools nationwide.
“Sisirain iyong pagka-inosente nila. Maraming gigisingin na mga bagay na hindi pa dapat ginigising,” said Caloy Diño, the NCFC national director.
In their statement on January 8, NCFC also said that CSE “risks sexualizing our children”.
“Comprehensive Sexuality Education, as it stands, is a direct threat to these values. By introducing explicit, inappropriate, and harmful content, CSE risks sexualizing our children and undermining parental rights,” they said.
NCFC further stated that CSE is fundamentally at odds with the core values cherished by Filipino communities, especially those of the Christian and Islamic faiths.
They were particularly opposed to education about sexual identity.
“The program introduces concepts like “gender fluidity” and “sexual diversity,” suggesting that people can choose their sexual identity beyond the binary of male and female,” they said.
Due to this, Angara assured that DepEd would be open for feedback and suggestions.
“Nakikinig kami—noon bilang Senador at hanggang ngayon bilang inyong Kalihim. Bukas ang pintuan ng DepEd para sa inyong pahayag at mungkahi, lalo na kung may tiyak na detalye. As an implementing agency, we follow legislative developments that might impact our policies.”
Angara also guaranteed that they remain fair with their perception and stance.
“Sinisiguro natin na balanse ang ating pananaw at pagpapatupad. We are actively collaborating with various stakeholders, including health service providers and community organizations, to ensure that our programs are effective and culturally sensitive. Our efforts include exploring models from our communities and other countries,” said the DepEd chief.
“Ano man ang aming tahak, naniniwala kami sa aktibong pakikilahok ng mga magulang sa pagkatuto ng ating mga mag-aaral. Together, we can create an environment that fosters understanding, respect, and our youth’s well-being. We invite all parties to work alongside us as we navigate this important journey.”
The NCDA is an agency under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The Unified ID System is done to address the concerns relating to the illegal issuance, sale, and exploitation of fake PWD IDs for various purposes.
NCDA Executive Director, Glenda Relova, announced during the regular Thursday media forum that they are just waiting for the terms to be finalized before they launch the program.
“Nagkaroon po tayo ng round-table discussion…doon po ay nagkaroon ng pagbabalangkas na mag-iissue po ang DSWD ng isang unified ID system. Inaantay lang po namin na ma-finalize ang terms of reference para ma-plantsa po natin ang different phases ng pagre-release ng ID.”
(“We conducted a round table discussion where a framework for the issuance of a unified ID system was established. We are just waiting for the terms of reference to be finalized so we can streamline the different phases of the ID’s rollout.)
Relova stated that the NCDA Governing Board members, chaired by the DSWD, drafted recommendations to address concerns about the misuse of PWD IDs for accessing discounts and other privileges meant exclusively for persons with disabilities as mandated by Republic Act 10754, also known as “An Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of Persons with Disability.”
DSWD and NCDA will collaborate with Local Government Units (LGUs) through their Persons with Disabilities Affairs Offices (PDAO) to oversee the implementation of the new ID system.
Relova said that during the initial discussion, they are planning to let PDAO handle the application, verification, and approval process of the ID, while DSWD remains the central authority in the ID issuance process.
The unified ID system will feature both a physical and digital version of the ID, with the latter incorporating the biometric data of the owner to prevent fraud.
The digital ID will be accessible through mobile app and web portal, featuring QR codes for verification.
Meanwhile, the physical ID will be a PVC card equipped with RFID (radio frequency identification) technology and high-security features designed for offline use.
Both systems will utilize a web-based portal for real-time updates and local-level ID verification, linked to the Philippine Registry for Persons with Disabilities.
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