Rappler and Frontline Tonight discuss comprehensive sex education

CHEERS TO Rappler and Frontline Tonight for reviewing the controversial Senate Bill 1979 or the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Bill and discussing its scope and implementation, debunking false claims that the proposed legislation promotes “hypersexualization” or instruction about sexual practices of children.

Among the groups objecting to the bill, the National Coalition for Family and the Constitution released a video that discussed the bill. It showed former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, one of the group’s convenors, saying the bill would implement the international standard of teaching early childhood masturbation to children 0 to 4.

This and other allegations sparked public uproar, particularly from religious communities. Citing parental concerns, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in an ambush interview on January 20, vowed to veto the bill. Marcos said that he read the bill and found “ridiculous” and “abhorrent” provisions, specifically the teaching of masturbation to children 0 to 4.

On the same day, Senator Risa Hontiveros, who sponsored and authored the bill, refuted the claim, saying there are no such provisions in the bill.

Reports on TV Patrol and Inquirer.net on the same day picked up only the exchange of statements of Marcos and Hontiveros, without checking the actual text of the bill to set the record straight.

In contrast, 24 Oras and Philstar.com reviewed the Senate bill and reported that it had no provisions on masturbation and exploration of sexuality.

Digging into the bill

Rappler’s Bonz Magsambol on January 21 and Frontline Tonight’s Ed Lingao on January 22 went further than just clearing the bill of these offensive provisions. These went on to discuss how such sex education could be integrated into the curriculum.

Their reports also pointed out that the bill provides a council which will oversee the implementation of comprehensive sex education, ensuring its instruction as “medically accurate, culturally sensitive, rights-based, and inclusive, while being non-discriminatory towards LGBTQIA adolescents.”

The lesson for media is basic and simple. When newsmakers say something about a piece of legislation, the media should not just automatically quote them. Journalists should take the first step and go back to the document to check the text.