DepEd's Luistro: No meeting yet with CBCP over sex ed

Newly sworn-in Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro on Wednesday belied rumors saying the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines met with him to order the scrapping of sex education in schools. "That's not true," Luistro, who left his post as De La Salle University president, said at an ambush interview with GMANews.TV after the oathtaking of President Benigno Aquino III's new Cabinet members at the Malacañang Palace. But Luistro, a Lasallian brother, said the CBCP and all other stakeholders will be consulted regarding his department's reproductive health policy in schools. "Certainly we will dialogue with the CBCP and all stakeholders and groups," he said. However, he refused to give further details. The appointment of a member of a religious community to the Department of Education was met by criticism, particularly advocates of reproductive health. The Catholic Church in the Philippines had since put its foot down on matters of reproductive health, contraception, and the teaching of sex education in public and private elementary and high schools. Last week, defeated senatorial bet Jo Aurea Imbong led a group of pro-life parents into suing the DepEd, who was then headed by former Education secretary Mona Valisno, for including sex education in schools' curricula. They said the subject was "unconstitutional" and tranforms children into being "sex obsessed." [See: Parents sue DepEd for including sex education in schools] However, reproductive health advocates Clara Rita Padilla and Anita Visbal countered the class suit at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 88. Last Tuesday, they filed their opposition and motion to intervene before the court and said blocking sex education in schools is a disservice to adolescents. — Jam Sisante/RSJ, RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV