Marcos rejects Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act, urges rewrite

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has rejected the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act of 2023, signaling its likely failure unless amended.

Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez praised Marcos for rejecting the bill, calling it 'headed for the graveyard' if not revised.

Rodriguez emphasized that the bill's objectionable provisions must be removed to align with parental rights and public morality.

Marcos' rejection is seen as a commitment to avoid wasting resources on the current version of the bill.

The House of Representatives and Senate are urged to rewrite the bill to delete provisions violating parental rights and public morality.

Senators Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr. and Imme Marcos are listed as authors of Senate Bill No. 1979, the 'Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act of 2023.'

Revilla clarified that his bill 'primarily aims to protect children and provide support to adolescent parents,' and stated he would vote against the current version if it contains provisions he disagrees with.

Imee Marcos explained that the substitute bill was 'significantly different' from her original measure, which focused on addressing teenage pregnancy as an economic and moral issue.

The bill was a substitute measure for several others, including SBN 1209 filed by Revilla and SBN 651 filed by Marcos.