ILOILO – With teenage pregnancies on the rise in Western Visayas, the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6 has thrown its full support behind the integration of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in the K to 12 curriculum, stressing that the program is not about encouraging early sexual activity but equipping learners with knowledge to make responsible choices.
“The significant rise in teenage pregnancies — including a 35 % increase in births among girls under 15 from 2021 to 2022 — is an urgent public health and educational challenge. DepEd believes that through comprehensive, evidence-based education and integrated support services, we can protect our youth, reduce school dropouts, and help them achieve brighter futures,” said Hernani Escullar Jr., information officer of DepEd-6.
CSE, institutionalized through DepEd Order No. 31, s. 2018, is already embedded in existing subjects such as MAPEH (Music, Art, Physical Education and Home Economics), Science, Araling Panlipunan, and Values Education. Topics cover anatomy, personal care and protection, contraception, gender identity, relationship skills, and reproductive rights — taught in age-appropriate progression beginning in kindergarten.
“Yes, MAPEH and other subjects currently integrate basic reproductive health topics. The curriculum introduces human anatomy from kindergarten, gradually building up to concepts like reproductive and sexual rights by Grade 4 (ages 8–10) — such integration is part of the new K–10 curriculum,” Escullar explained.
The program, launched in September 2024 in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Commission on Population and Development (CPD), links school-based education with adolescent reproductive health services. It provides access to counselling, medical referrals, and community health services.
Escullar underscored the urgency of schools stepping in, noting that many families shy away from discussing sexuality at home.
“The family, which we consider a conservative group, shuns the idea of talking about sensitive issues at home, but with the advent of technology wherein anybody can access unlimited and unregulated videos, all the more reason that schools should have the upper hand to implement CSE,” he said.
He clarified misconceptions about the program: “CSE empowers young Filipinos with factual, age-appropriate knowledge about their bodies, relationships, and health — helping them make informed, responsible decisions. It’s not about promoting early sexual activity — it’s about building respect, safety, and resilience.”
DepEd-6’s initiative also aligns with Executive Order No. 141, which mobilizes a whole-of-government response to adolescent pregnancies. By working with DOH and CPD, the department aims to address the issue through a multi-sectoral and culturally sensitive strategy grounded in Filipino values./PN