Despite the final announcement of the Department of Education (DepEd) on the integration of sex education or “Adult Reproductive Health” program in the basic education curriculum, protesters continue to call for the cancellation of its implementation.

On Friday, protesters led by Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez trooped to the central office of the DepEd in Pasig to air their concerns and complaints on the controversial inclusion of sex education in basic education curriculum. He was joined by members of child advocate groups Akap Bata Philippines and Akap Bata Party-list who claim that inclusion of the program is just a waste of resources since the science of reproductive system, physical care, and hygiene are already included in existing subjects.

Akap Bata Philippines head Irene Mercado challenged Education Secretary Mona Valisno to show sincerity in her announcement to dialogue with Church groups and other stakeholders on the matter.

“They say that they will consider our opinion on this matter that’s why we are here, saying we are not in favor of it and hoping that they will listen,” Mercado said.

Meanwhile, Akap Bata Party-list secretary general Arlene Brosas called for the incoming Aquino administration to block the implementation of the program. According to her, instead of sex education, President-elect Noynoy Aquino should start resolving the long-drawn unresolved issues on education such as shortage of classrooms and the decline in the quality of instruction rather than the issue of sex education.

“This is matter that parents should teach, this should not be brought in school,” she said.

Mercado and Brosas warned that if the integration will push through, more protesters will storm DepEd.

To pacify the protesters, DepEd Undersecretary Atty. Franklin Sunga invited the representatives for a dialogue which lasted for almost an hour. “We will push through with the implementation in the pilot schools but we will change the term to be used,” he said.

Earlier, the employees union of the DepEd called for the resignation of Valisno for pushing the integration of sexual education into the curriculum of the elementary and secondary levels.

DepEd-National Employees Union (DepEd-NEU) president Domingo Alidon said it’s very degrading for a secretary to allow sex education in the elementary level. "What should be taught is reproductive health education in order to preserve values among Filipino children," he said.

Valisno said the DepEd will stand by its decision to implement the integration to the 159 pilot schools nationwide. “The modules that the teachers will use to the 80 elementary and 79 secondary schools for pilot testing have been prepared already,” she explained.

Since the announcement of sex education integration in the basic curriculum two weeks ago, Valisno, along with other DepEd officials, has been clarifying that sex education will not teach students about sex but on the science of reproduction, physical care and hygiene, correct values and the norms of interpersonal relations to avoid pre-marital sex and teen age pregnancy.