THE COMMISSION on Population and Development backed the plan of the Department of Education to include comprehensive sex education in basic education.

CPD Executive Director Lisa Grace Bersales said that integrating comprehensive sex education in basic education would help learners understand sexual health and behavior.

She admitted that reports on teenagers aged 10 to 14 getting pregnant are alarming.

“Hindi naman gano’n sila kadami talaga kumpara sa buong populasyon. Kaya lang syempre, nalulungkot tayo na meron tayong mga batang babae, adolescents…para bang mas mahirap sa kanila ang makamit ang magandang edukasyon kasi nag-aalaga na sila ng bata,” Bersales said.

“Nagsabi na si VP Sara mismo na isusulong na ngayon ng lahat ng eskwelahan ang tinatawag na comprehensive sexuality education na tuturuan ang ating mga kabataan, babae at lalaki, kung paano nila mapangalagaan ang kanilang katawan in terms of sexuality,” she said.

In its K to 10 curriculum draft, DepEd intends to begin educating students on sexual and reproductive health rights at Grade 4.