Atty. Lorna Kapunan was right to enlighten Senator Robin Padilla on marital consent during the recent Senate hearing on sexual harassment, stressing that both spouses have the right to refuse sex, even within marriage. 

While this may seem like common sense, many Filipinos share Senator Padilla’s view as shown by our analysis of the 2021 Young Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFS5) by the University of the Philippines Population Institute. Over 30 percent of young people – males and females aged 15 to 24 – in the four regions we work in believe “it is the wife’s duty to have sex with her husband whenever he wants it”. 

Instead of getting lost in outrage, we must focus on how to address this troubling mindset. Roots of Health has been providing free sexual and reproductive health information and services in Palawan for 15 years. Our research shows that a significant percentage of first sexual encounters among young people in the province are unplanned, and many are coerced. This has serious consequences, contributing to high rates of teenage pregnancy, single parent households, abortion and the rapid spread of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

The YAFS5 and our own Youth Survey indicate that young people often turn to social media, family, and friends for information on sex and relationships. Unfortunately, many older generations, including figures like Senator Padilla, lack accurate knowledge themselves.

As an NGO committed to improving awareness and behavior around sexual health, we conduct community sessions and create digital platforms like malayaako.ph, and the I CHOOSE and Usapang K Facebook pages, to reach young people with credible, non-judgmental information in the Tagalog language. Consent is one of our most popular topics.

However, our efforts alone are not enough. We need the Department of Education (DepEd) to implement comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) as mandated by the 2012 Reproductive Health Law and the 2018 DepEd memo. Teachers need proper training to confidently and effectively teach these essential topics.

The recent controversy around Senator Padilla should serve as a wake-up call. We all have a responsibility to understand and promote the importance of consent, especially to our children. We call on the Philippine government, particularly DepEd, to fulfill its mandate and roll out CSE now.

August is International Youth Month. No one should be coerced into sex, whether in a long-term relationship or not. Let’s work together to guide young people in making informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health and rights, so they can develop and thrive. ###