7 senators withdraw support for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill over CSE concerns

Seven senators have withdrawn their support for Senate Bill No. 1979 (Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill) due to concerns raised by religious groups over its provision on Comprehensive Sexual Education.

Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon Revilla Jr., Nancy Binay, Cynthia Villar, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Loren Legarda, and Christopher Lawrence Go have requested the withdrawal of their signatures from Committee Report No. 41 containing SBN 1979.

Senator Imee Marcos, who authored a bill considered under SB 1979, has not yet withdrawn her support but acknowledged significant differences between her original proposal and the substitute version.

SBN 1979's sponsor, Senator Risa Hontiveros, plans to file a substitute bill that addresses genuine concerns raised by various sectors, including religious groups.

Despite the withdrawals, Hontiveros clarified that she has removed the phrase 'guided by international standards' and limited CSE to adolescents aged 10 and above, ensuring academic and religious freedoms.