OPINION: On the Petition Against the Anti-Adolescent Pregnancy Bill

Smart Parenting Guide on Sex Education seeks to empower parents in raising informed children who understand their body and their rights to protect them from all kinds of sexual abuse. Smart Parenting resident sex education expert, Dr. Rica Cruz is a US-board certified clinical sexologist, a sex and relationships therapist, and the founder of Unprude. She navigates the realities of sex in the eyes of today's teens and tweens and aims to foster honest and healthy conversations between parent and child through this series. 

When I first heard about the petition against the Anti-Adolescent Pregnancy Bill, my initial reaction was bemusement. The petition's title—with its focus on "purity"—sounded more like an advertisement for a cleaning product than a serious sociopolitical stance. Imagine this tagline: “Ay, putik? I-Project Dalisay mo yan!” It’s laughable, but the underlying implications of such a campaign are no joke.

For context, the offices of the good Senator Risa Hontiveros and Secretary Sonny Angara have already laid out, in comprehensive and science-backed terms, the importance of Senate Bill 1979 or the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act and how it seeks to address one of our nation’s most pressing public health issues. They’ve done a stellar job, and reiterating their points here would be redundant. Besides, let’s face it: facts and science rarely resonate with those who lead with fear and misinformation. Instead, I choose to address them in a language they might understand: prayer.

A Prayer for Discernment and Empathy

I pray for discernment—a clarity that reveals when privilege morphs into a force for harm, much like the evil that they speak of. Privilege, when unchecked, blinds us to the realities of those who live vastly different lives. I pray that those opposing the bill realize that their opposition may perpetuate cycles of abuse and neglect. For them to see that girls as young as nine are being raped, impregnated, and left to face unimaginable consequences due to the lack of comprehensive guidance, especially in sex.

'I pray for the acceptance that their values, while valid, are not universal.' —Dr. Rica Cruz, sex and relationships therapist

I pray that they understand that comprehensive sexuality education isn’t solely about intercourse, masturbation, or pleasure. It encompasses eight critical aspects of human development, including relationships, values, culture, and safety. To oppose it is to deny these children a chance at a better future.

A Prayer for Reflection

I pray for those who oppose to reflect inwardly, starting with their own families. If chastity education is as effective as they claim, then why are some of their children in elite private schools engaging in sexual activities in school restrooms? Why are some of their spouses unfaithful? Why do some of them grapple with the regret of saving themselves for marriage, only to find themselves in relationships devoid of satisfaction or understanding?

Instead of imposing their worldview on others, perhaps they should first focus on their households. After all, true change begins at home.

A Prayer for Acceptance

I pray for the acceptance that their values, while valid, are not universal. They are free to practice chastity within their communities, but imposing it on the entire nation, under the guise of morality, tarnishes the very purity they claim to uphold. Purity isn’t lost through sex; it’s corrupted when malice and lies are attached to a natural part of human existence.

Let us also remember that their values—however well-meaning—do not absolve the reality of teenage pregnancies, sexual violence, and systemic neglect. What taints purity isn’t sex, but the spreading of fear, the distortion of truths, and the imposition of beliefs that clearly do not work for the majority of Filipinos.

READ ALSO: Practical Guide For Teaching Your Kids About Sex: Loving Your Own Body And Crushes

A Prayer for Absolution

Finally, I pray for absolution. For those who have spread misinformation and resisted progress, may they find clarity and peace. May they understand that protecting our youth means empowering them with knowledge, equipping them with tools for self-respect, and nurturing a society where no child has to face the consequences of ignorance alone.

Let us move forward, not with divisive rhetoric, but with compassion, understanding, and the resolve to build a future where every child can thrive (not just yours).

To those who oppose the Anti-Adolescent Pregnancy Bill, I extend these prayers in the hope that they may guide you towards a greater understanding of the truth and the compassion you preach about in your church—compassion that must now be practiced through meaningful actions, not merely professed in words—so we can, together with our children, help those in need and make our country a sexually respectful society.

May peace be with you.

With love for the nation and lust for discernment,

Doc Rica

The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author.