Posted on by Abby Nalzaro

     

Schools Division Superintendent Virgilio P. Batan, Jr. convened its major stakeholders and teachers for the implementation of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Adolescent Reproductive Health (CSE-ARH) at Miputak East Central School last January 26-28, 2022.

Photo by the Local Government of Dipolog Facebook Page
Photo by the Local Government of Dipolog Facebook Page

School Principal IV Joselito S. Tizon of Zamboanga del Norte National High School with the supervision of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education-Adolescent Reproductive Health focal person and Education Program Supervisor in Araling Panlipunan Monina R. Antiquina took the challenge to be the first school implementer on the integration of the CSE curriculum in the subject areas of MAPEH, Science, Araling Panlipunan, Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, Personality Development and Kindergarten.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing was held on January 28. Parties present during the event were the Local Government of Dipolog, represented by City Mayor Darel Dexter T. Uy; Philippine Population Commission (POPCOM) Region IX Regional Director Jeff Y. Fuentes; Zamboanga del Norte Federation of Parents Association Federation Manager Mark Anthony F. Sumanding; The Zuellig Family Foundation Executive Director Austere A. Panadero who was present online; and, DepEd Dipolog City Schools Division represented by Schools Division Superintendent Virgilio P. Batan Jr.

This momentous signing of the MOU formally sealed the commitment and roles among parties to conduct and support the CSE-ARH in order to protect and promote the rights of Filipino children to education pertaining to their sexuality and health.

ZNNHS, the premier secondary school in Dipolog City division has teachers of different subject areas trained to implement the CSE curriculum integration. Actual demonstration teachings of lessons were held and observed by guest-stakeholders from Department of Health, USaid ReachHealth, The Challenge Initiative and POPCOM.

Photo by the Local Government of Dipolog Facebook Page

Compelling facts of the CSE integration in schools

Executive Order No. 141, s. 2021 signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte adopts as a national priority the implementation of measures to address the root causes of the rising number of teenage pregnancies and mobilizing government agencies for this purpose.  Moreover, the implementation of comprehensive sexuality education will address prevention of adolescent pregnancies and to strengthen adolescents’ capacity to make autonomous and informed decisions about reproductive and sexual health.

POPCOM lauded the president for this EO citing that teenage pregnancy is labelled as an urgent national priority. Moreover, the National Economic and Development Authority and the Department of Health affirmed the alarming data and current trends of adolescent childbearing where 495 live births are born daily to mothers aged 10-19 in 2019. These data were also validated by the Philippine Statistics Authority-Civil Registration and Vital Statistics.

Hence, Comprehensive Sexuality Education integration in DepEd’s K-12 curriculum is a response to the call to curb the rising incidences of teenage pregnancies and other sexual health issues. DepEd as mandated will provide learners their right to good health through sexuality education which is comprehensive. It is an education that is scientific, age-appropriate and culturally-gender-responsive information to the holistic well-being of the learners.