Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — National Youth Commission (NYC) chairperson and singer Aiza Seguerra slammed Senator Vicente Sotto III over his opposition to the health department’s initiative to distribute condoms in schools.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Seguerra, who used to work with Sotto during her days as a child star, called out the Senator for going against safe sex programs, even as HIV/AIDS cases continue to rise.
“Mabilis na pagtaas ng HIV/AIDS lalo na sa kabataan, laganap na teenage pregnancy at patuloy na pagtaas ng populasyon ang nagiging sanhi kung kaya’t marami sa ating mga kababayan ang naghihirap at hindi nakaka access ng dekalidad na serbisyo ng gobyerno,” Seguerra said.
[Translation: HIV/AIDS cases are rapidly increasing, especially among the youth. Teen pregnancy continues to rise, and the growing population is one of the reasons why so many of our countrymen are in poverty and can’t access quality government services.]
“Hindi po ito haka-haka, Mr. Senator [This is not conjecture, Mr. Senator]. These are facts. Based on science and research,” she added.
Seguerra said as government officials, it was their duty to protect their constituents. She added the Reproductive Health Bill has long been hampered by conservatives, who would not concede to the need for safe sex programs in the country.
“We have an epidemic here, a youth epidemic. It is precisely because of this ‘sentiment of a conservative culture’ kaya lalong pataas ng pataas ang HIV [This is why HIV cases continue to rise],” she said.
Department of Health (DOH) statistics show since 1984, 27% of reported HIV/AIDS cases in the Philippines are patients between 15-24 years old, with 95% of youth cases transmitted through sexual contact.
Seguerra blamed this on the country’s unwillingness to discuss sex, saying it put the Filipino youth at risk.
“Dahil sa conservative culture na ito [Because of this conservative culture], the Filipino people were denied of RH services for the longest time. Damage has been brought upon our people by this conservative culture because it makes us decide based on beliefs at hindi hard evidence,” she said.
“Would you rather people keep dying of HIV/AIDS as long as hindi na o-offend ang sensibilities ninyo [your sensibilities are not offended]?” Seguerra added.
Seguerra’s statements come in light of the Sotto’s recent remarks against Department of Health Secretary Paulyn Rosell-Ubial.
On Monday, the Secretary wrote a series of tweets expressing her frustration against those opposing the department’s plan to distribute condoms in schools.
In those tweets, Ubial justified the department’s controversial move, saying the government only wants to promote safe sex and allow students to make an informed choice.
Ubial also allayed fears that condoms are dangerous, adding they’ve been scientifically proven to be effective and safe.
Senator Sotto, however, begged to differ.
According to the Senator, Secretary Ubial should look at the Reproductive Health Law instead of distributing condoms if she wants to solve teen pregnancy and HIV/AIDS.
“Apparently she has not read the RH law. Nandun lahat kung papaano gagawin, even in the education and counseling methods for youth, nandun lahat sa RH law [The RH law lists education and counseling methods for the youth]… I suggest she read the law and implement it well,” he said.
The senator also said former DOH Secretary Janette Garin had told him no other country in the world distributes condoms to high school students.
Sotto added, the rise in HIV/AIDS has never been attributed to sexual contact among students.
He said there should be a separate campaign focusing on HIV/AIDS awareness if the government wants to curb the epidemic, adding that such a provision is present in the RH law as well.
CNN Philippines Correspondent Anna Estanislao contributed to this report
