BBM vows to veto 'woke' sex education bill

While maintaining the importance of teaching children about their bodies, President Marcos vowed yesterday to veto a controversial sex education bill that is currently polarizing lawmakers.

- By HELEN FLORES

Marcos said he was "shocked" and "appalled" after reading the details of Senate Bill 1979 or the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill over the weekend.

"You will teach four-year-olds how to masturbate. That every child has the right to try different sexualities. This is ridiculous. It is abhorrent. It is a travesty of what sexual and sex education should be to the children," the President said in an interview in Taguig City.

"What about the parents? They no longer have the right to decide what and when to teach their child? I'm a parent and I'm a grandparent. So I feel very strongly about this," the Chief Executive said.

Marcos said he would reject the bill if it is passed in its current form.

"I'm already guaranteeing, this has yet to be passed, but... if this bill is passed in that form, I guarantee all parents, teachers and children: I will immediately veto it," he said.

He maintained that he supports the teaching of sex education that focuses on the anatomy of the reproductive systems, the consequences of early pregnancy and the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus, among others.