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March 01, 2011

Sex Education must not be mandatory in elementary and high school.

The planned inclusion of sex education in both primary and secondary schools has
sparked a great deal of arguments and debates in the Philippines. Since the proposed
incorporation of sex education in elementary and high school curriculum pushed by
Education Secretary Mona Valisno, various groups have started to voice out their opinion
either agreeing or disagreeing with the said notion.

More so, a great majority of the inhabitants of the Philippines which is considered as the
center of Catholicism in the Asian region and a very conservative country, believe that
such aggressive move will result into catastrophic damages.

Conservatives primarily the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP,) the
major governing body of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines believe that such
move will induce sex and propagate immoral ideas and virtues.

While conservative arguments are respected and greatly appreciated in a constructive


manner by this writer, some important points should also be taken into consideration.
Thus, this article will try to shed light on such a very controversial issue.

Philippines is a Conservative Country?

In this golden age where myths and legends of long ago are being proven false, it's quite
amazing that the notion that the Philippines is a conservative country is still considered a
solid fact. I myself am a Filipino but am not blinded with all the false hope that lingers
within our celebrated culture.

More so, do I believe something which my eyes have completely disproved? - certainly
not.

The truth on the matter is that the Philippines, given all the euphoria of having Maria
Clara as a representation of the native Filipina women, is a country where problems of
overpopulation and prostitution exist.

It isn't a coincidence that Adam Corolla's sexual insults against Filipina women are further
vindicated by the night clubs in say, Olongapo and Avenida. How about cybersex dens
which regularly compromises news headlines?

Acknowledging a problem is the first step in solving it. Likewise, the anti-sex education
campaigners might just want to look at the figures released by the Forum for Family
Planning and Development Inc. It showed that there are two million teenage Filipina girls
who are pregnant at this moment while more than four million Filipinos aged 15-19 have
already had sexual intercourse.
Nevertheless, such figures will result into higher rates of abortion and has a domino
effect on the nation's economic standing. Now, inserting sex education in elementary and
high school curriculum will drastically improve such figures mainly because sex education
isn't geared towards having sex and enjoying the moment.

Thus, sex education introduces certain areas which in my most honest opinion is look
past by conservatives. Sex education purports ideas such as the right time to marry, the
burdens of being a single/teenage mother and the fine line that separates love and lust.

Conservatives argue that elementary and high school are the stages where children are
curious and they might try and experiment the things concerning sex and taught in sex
education. While I do agree that elementary and high school are stages of curiosity, I
can't just accept that it will hinder sex education - it's not as if it was a huge roadblock.

Curiosity is within all of us, channeling curiosity is the sole problem here.

Another fact that should be noted is that Filipino students, even those who are in third or
fourth grades, already know what will happen if sexual organs are rubbed against each
other - if you know what I mean. For crying out loud, we live in a world/country where
pornographic materials and sexual pleasures can be found in even the smallest of toys.

Kids use the internet a lot - just saying. The truth is the youth of today is more advanced
and aggressive than their counterparts some decades ago. I am part of the youth and I
know how I and all the others think. We are smarter and we don't live in caves.

Even before entering high school, children already have some knowledge on sex. They
know how to do it. I am a high school student of the 21st century and the ones who argue
with me or the subject of sex education in general are high school students of the 20th
century - now, whose word has greater substance. I know it based on how I see and
experience it.

Consequently, it's again a matter of looking pass a problem.

I firmly believe that sex education will benefit both the elementary and high school
students in a way that they will be enlightened with the harsh realities that can be
brought by sex. It's not about having sex - come to think of it, the youth of today make
love under their parents' nose, bottom line, the parents don't know what their children
are up to.

I'm not degrading the youth, as I've said I'm part of the group who call themselves
"nation's hope."

Sex education is not about having sex, it's about understanding how can premature
sexual intercourse affect our lives. It's more like a tried and tested revivalist's technique;
"first take the sinners on a tour of hell, after which heaven would appear more inviting."

In this case, hell is irresponsible sex leading to early pregnancy and eventually shattered
dreams and ambitions while heaven is a good family life, a responsible husband or wife,
healthy kids and a happy married life - and the good thing is, it can all start in school,
that is if the Philippines is liberal enough to adopt sex education in the curriculum of
primary and secondary schools.

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