In the Philippines, sex is taboo that's why proper education matters

Chatter echoed inside the classroom as the teacher wrote those two words on the board that seem taboo to the students. 

Few students giggled, some looked away uncomfortably, and a handful pull out their phones, ready to document the "scandalous" lesson. Meanwhile, outside school walls, a 16-year-old girl cradles a newborn in her arms, scrolling through comments on her social media post about being a teenage Mom. 

"Such a blessing!" one friend wrote. 

"Mommy era," the other jested.

Gen Zs are full of contradictions. Progress is being made yet it takes two steps back with another setback born from misinformation and complacency. In the Philippines, teenage pregnancy is both glorified and condemned. Sex is taboo in the classroom yet widely discussed and misrepresented on social media. Despite the ongoing battle for proper sex education, the government continues to ignore it, fully aware that ignorance leads to dependency.

Teenage pregnancy has become normalized, turning into viral content on social media. With young mothers being celebrated on TikTok, and their journeys are framed as inspiring rather than alarming. 

"It's their choice," people argue. And yet, when a financially stable, married woman announces her pregnancy, the reaction is oddly different — met with mixed responses of skepticism and unsolicited life advice.

In the Philippines, societal attitudes toward pregnancy reveal a paradox: teenage pregnancies are often romanticized, while adult women embracing motherhood face subtle shaming. This contradiction was evident when TV host Iya Villania announced her fifth pregnancy, prompting amusement and disbelief, even drawing a humorous remark from anchor Mel Tiangco on 24 Oras. 

While teenage mothers are praised for “overcoming the odds,” adult women expanding their families receive unsolicited opinions, highlighting how poorly sex education is understood. Young individuals often enter parenthood without fully grasping its responsibilities, yet society rarely questions why these pregnancies happen in the first place. This inconsistency emphasizes the need for comprehensive sex education that informs young people and challenges harmful stereotypes about motherhood at different life stages.

Instead of tackling the root causes — such as inadequate education, limited access to contraception, and deep-seated cultural taboos — society either glorifies teenage pregnancy as an “inspiring journey” or condemns it as a moral failure. This double standard is glaring: young mothers are praised for “overcoming the odds,” while women in their late twenties face scrutiny over their reproductive choices. By focusing on individual narratives rather than systemic issues, people tend to normalize early pregnancy and continue to neglect the urgent need for proper sex education.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), teenage pregnancy rates in the Philippines have declined from 8.6% in 2017 to 5.4% in 2022. However, the country still has one of the highest adolescent birth rates in Southeast Asia, with over 500 births daily among girls aged 10-19. The lack of structured reproductive health education leaves many young individuals unaware of contraceptive methods and the long-term consequences of early pregnancy.

For decades, this has been the unspoken rule surrounding sex education in the Philippines. Many parents and educators fear that discussing sex will encourage promiscuity, believing that it will lead to reckless or unrestrained sexual behavior. However, studies show the opposite as withholding proper education does not preserve innocence but instead leaves young people vulnerable to misinformation, risky behaviors, and exploitation.

Without proper education, teens turn to social media, pornography, or hearsay to satisfy their curiosity about sex. This reliance on unreliable sources can lead to poor decision-making, increased risk of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and vulnerability to exploitation. The American Academy of Pediatrics highlights that the absence of comprehensive sex education is associated with decreased condom use, elevating the risk of STIs, including HIV. Furthermore, this lack of formal education perpetuates cycles of misinformation, where inaccurate beliefs are passed down through generations instead of factual knowledge. 

Teenage pregnancy and sexual abuse are less common in nations with strong sex education programs. Comprehensive and age-appropriate sex education may be a solution. However, the Philippines finds it difficult to enact any meaningful legislation on the subject. Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) has been a part of the K–12 curriculum since 2018, but because of conservative resistance and a lack of teacher preparation, its implementation is still uneven. Resistance to recent legislative attempts to improve sex education persists, giving moral arguments precedence over pressing reproductive health issues.

Beyond the government’s failure, Filipino culture itself is riddled with taboos surrounding sex and reproductive health. A lot of parents refuse to discuss these topics with their children, believing that silence equates to discipline. Schools, fearing backlash from conservative communities, shy away from providing thorough sexual education. This avoidance only fosters confusion, leaving young individuals vulnerable to misinformation and exploitation.

Religious influence also plays a significant role in this stigma. The idea that sex is solely for procreation within marriage continues to be drilled into young minds, despite the realities of modern society. Many teens who become pregnant out of wedlock face shame and alienation rather than having support and education they truly need.

Ironically, despite the Philippines’ conservative stance on premarital sex, it remains one of the top consumers of adult content globally. In 2024, the Philippines ranked third in terms of Pornhub traffic and ranked first in mobile viewership. This paradox shows the stark disconnect between cultural expectations and real-life behaviors. 

With the strict moral framework surrounding the topic of sex in the Philippines, it often leads to limited discussions about the topic, which creates an environment where curiosity is heightened rather than suppressed — particularly with the younger generation — as the taboos imposed by society drive individuals to seek answers through other means. 

With sex education being stigmatized or being inadequate, young Filipinos turn to adult content as a means of self-education instead, shaping their understanding and concept of sex erroneously. Children's exposure to pornographic materials may influence their perception of sex, relationships, and even personal values. 

The recent debates in the Philippine Senate regarding sex education reveal a troubling reality: our leaders recognize the issue but choose not to confront it, as poverty and ignorance can serve to maintain their power. Senator Risa Hontiveros introduced the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act of 2023 (Senate Bill No. 1979), aiming to establish a national policy to prevent adolescent pregnancies, institutionalize social protection for adolescent parents, and allocate necessary funding. However, this initiative has faced significant opposition fueled by disinformation. 

Groups like the National Coalition for the Family and the Constitution’s Project Dalisay have propagated false claims about the bill, alleging that it includes inappropriate content for young children and imposes foreign standards on Philippine education. Senator Hontiveros has refuted these assertions, clarifying that the bill contains no such provisions and emphasizing that the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) component is designed to be age-appropriate, medically accurate, and culturally sensitive. ​

An uneducated population is easier to manipulate. By keeping citizens uninformed about reproductive health, the government perpetuates cycles of poverty, early parenthood, and limited opportunities. Teenage mothers often drop out of school, diminishing their prospects for economic stability. Their children are likely to experience similar hardships, continuing the cycle and sustaining a system that benefits the elite. Rather than addressing these root causes, lawmakers delay meaningful reforms, using moralistic arguments to justify their inaction. Meanwhile, another generation of teenage parents enters adulthood unprepared, and the pattern persists.

Efforts to pass legislation on reproductive health and sex education frequently encounter resistance. An undereducated, economically disadvantaged population is more susceptible to control. They are more reliant on government aid, less inclined to demand systemic change, and more vulnerable to political manipulation. By keeping people in a state of dependency, politicians maintain a power structure that favors the status quo, hindering progress toward an empowered and informed citizenry.

While formal sex education remains weak in schools, many young Filipinos turn to social media for answers. However, social media is a double-edged sword. Although it provides access to information, it also spreads misconceptions at an alarming rate. Misinformation about contraceptives, consent, and reproductive health floods online spaces, misleading young audiences who have no formal education on the subject. 

According to the 2021 Adult Fertility and Sexual Study (YAFS5) by the University of the Philippines Population Institute, which provides comprehensive data on Filipino adolescents and young adults, 44% of young Filipino females and 39% young Filipino males lack access to reliable resources about sex, which leads them to rely on misleading sources. 

Moreover, the internet has contributed to the normalization of sexual exploitation. "Sugar dating," online grooming, and explicit content disguised as "empowerment" have desensitized young people to risks they barely understand. Minors, uneducated on red flags and power imbalances, unknowingly place themselves in vulnerable situations — prey to much older, more experienced individuals.

Gen Z has the power to challenge this hypocrisy. As the most connected generation, access to information is limitless, but awareness alone is not enough — action is necessary. Advocating for proper sex education, supporting policy changes, and dismantling outdated mindsets are crucial steps in breaking this cycle.

Systematic reforms must take priority — integrating comprehensive sex education into schools and fostering a culture that encourages open discussions rather than shame. As the nation moves forward, it is crucial to elect leaders who prioritize evidence-based solutions to issues like sex education, rather than those who push purely conservative beliefs that hinder progress.

The Commission on Population and Development Region III stated that a multi-sectoral approach involving schools, government agencies, and media is essential to effectively address teenage pregnancy.

The words appear on the board, but this time, the room stays silent — not out of discomfort, but out of genuine curiosity. No one giggles, no one looks away, and no one pulls out their phone to mock the lesson. Instead, hands are raised, questions are asked, and discussions flow freely. There is no shame, no awkwardness — just students learning what they should have known all along.

Outside the school walls, a young woman walks past a playground, smiling as children run past her. Motherhood is not something she was forced into at sixteen; it is a choice she made when she was ready. Society no longer treats reproductive health as something scandalous but as something essential. There is no longer a battle between ignorance and knowledge — because finally, education has won.

Ignorance is not a tradition; it is a tool of oppression disguised as morality. If progress is sought, then there must be a willingness to confront these contradictions and demand better for future generations. After all, real empowerment isn’t just about embracing change; it is about ensuring that the next generation won’t have to fight the same battles today.