Senate urged: Review anti-teen pregnancy bill before session adjourns
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate must review the anti-teen pregnancy bill and discuss its points for improvement before the session adjourns, a child rights group said on Friday.
According to Au Quilala, convenor of Child Rights Network and deputy executive director of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, the senators should review Senate Bill No. 1979, or the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act of 2023, now that there will be amendments to the bill.
“We are calling on the Senate to give this bill a chance. There are amendments and substitutions. Read the bill carefully and let us trust the legislative process,” Quilala said in Filipino during a press conference.
The Senate will adjourn its session on February 8 until June 1. The session resumes on June 2 to June 13 and will be adjourned again from June 14 to July 27.
“Dedicate the session days to discuss and raise points for improvement to enhance the bill,” Quilala said in Filipino.
Article continues after this advertisementSenators JV Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla, Loren Legarda, Nancy Binay, Cynthia Villar, and Bong Go withdrew their support from the anti-teen pregnancy bill.
Article continues after this advertisementREAD: Hontiveros eyeing anti-teen pregnancy substitute bill
Senator Risa Hontiveros, principal author of the bill, said on Wednesday that she intended to introduce a substitute bill to address the concerns raised by fellow senators and some religious groups.
The bill drew controversy after the National Coalition for the Family and the Constitution’s Project Dalisay made an online petition seeking to junk the bill, claiming it is a threat to the country’s societal, moral, and spiritual foundations.
The convenor also called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “to review the substitute bill carefully and put too much thought in reading the substitute bill.”
READ: Hontiveros assures Marcos: No risky clauses in anti-teen pregnancy bill
Marcos said he would veto the bill if it would not be amended as he was “appalled” by some elements of the bill such as teaching kids how to masturbate.
Hontiveros assured Marcos that there are no problematic provisions in the bill.
