S i g n i s I n d i a

MANILA, July 10, 2010— Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro will meet members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines on Sunday to discuss the sex education in public schools.

Monsignor Juanito Figura, CBCP secretary general, said it’s like Luistro “seeking to know” the “sentiments” of the bishops over the Department of Education’s (DepEd) controversial program.

Figura said the DepEd chief himself initiated the move to hear with the prelates their points most specifically about the sex education modules.

Luistro earlier vowed for a review of the program and currently making efforts to meet with different stakeholders to find common ground and build consensus.

He admitted that the government program is a divisive issue and one problem is the “different definitions” of sex education by opposing parties.

“When I talk to one group, they raise their position. Then another group will give us their position, and their definition of sex education is totally opposite,” he said yesterday.

“That's the biggest problem.... The best way to solve that is to bring these people together,” he added.

Some bishops have already expressed their strong opposition to the program, saying that the role of teaching such sensitive things goes to the parents.

San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto said the government should “assist” the parents instead of getting their “original and primary” roles by teaching children “confidential and private matter” in schools.

Aniceto chairs the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Family Life, which is at the forefront of the Church’s campaign against the reproductive health bill.

CBCP lawyer Jo Imbong, who claimed to have scrutinized the modules, said the program attacks moral sensibilities and values of the children.

She said it also furtively promote family planning, reproductive health and demographic development.

Imbong said that sex education was being implemented in the basic education curriculum 12 years ago, and the DepEd only updates the modules.

The CBCP started today its 101st Plenary Assembly at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila. The meeting is expected to end on Sunday night.
Figura said 91 active and 1 honorary members of the bishops’ collegial body are in attendance as of Saturday moring. CBCP has 133 members, 98 are active and 33 retired.

Also seen at the meeting were CBCP President Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar, Archbishops Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales of Manila and Ricardo Cardinal Vidal of Cebu.

The plenary meeting was started with a 6 a.m. Mass officiated by Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines.

Msgr. Figura said more “weighty issues” such as the reproductive health bill will also be discussed tomorrow with Atty. Imbong and Paranaque Rep. Roilo Golez as speakers. (Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews)