National Youth Commission chair and singer-songwriter Aiza Seguerra has slammed his former “Eat Bulaga” colleague Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III for opposing the Department of Health’s (DOH) planned distribution of condoms in schools.

In a Facebook post, Seguerra particularly called out Sotto for citing the country’s supposedly conservative culture in his opposition to the DOH program, saying it is such mindset that contributes to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

“Mabilis na pagtaas ng HIV/AIDS lalo na sa kabataan, laganap na teenage pregnancy at patuloy na pagtaas ng populasyon ang nagiging sanhi kung kaya’t marami sa ating mga kababayan ang naghihirap at hindi nakaka access ng dekalidad na serbisyo ng gobyerno. Hindi po ito haka-haka, Mr. Senator (The rapid increase of HIV/AIDS cases especially among the youth, rampant teenage pregnancy and continuous population ballooning are the reasons most of our countrymen are experiencing poverty and have no access to quality government services. These are not mere speculations, Mr. Senator). These are facts. Based on science and research,” Seguerra wrote.

“Bilang gobyerno, responsibilidad natin na pangalagaan at protektahan ang ating constituents. Matagal ng ipinagpaliban ang pagpapatupad ng RH (reproductive health) dahil sa ‘beliefs’ ninyo (As part of the government, it is our responsibility to look after and protect our constituents. The implementation of RH has been long overdue because of your beliefs) and look where it has brought us… We have an epidemic here, A YOUTH EPIDEMIC. It is precisely because of this “sentiment of a conservative culture” kaya lalong pataas ng pataas ang HIV (that’s why the cases of HIV are continuing to rise),” he said.

Responding to DOH Secretary Paulyn Ubial’s call against critics, Sotto last Tuesday said it would be “insensitive to dismiss the sentiment of a conservative culture just because the government failed to implement effective health programs.”

But Seguerra, who rose to fame after his stint in noontime show “Eat Bulaga,” said it is the same conservative culture that Sotto was citing that prevented parents and teachers from discussing sex education to children just because it was “taboo.”

“Dahil sa conservative culture na ito (Because of this conservative culture), the Filipino people were denied of RH services for the longest time. Damage has been brought upon our people by this conservative culture because it makes us decide based on beliefs at hindi (and not on) hard evidence,” he said.

“Would you rather people keep dying of HIV/AIDS as long as hindi na ooffend ang sensibilities ninyo? Now, sino ang nag iimpose ng beliefs sa nakararami (your sensibilities as not offended? Now, who is imposing their beliefs on the majority)?” Seguerra added.

Sotto has threatened to block Ubial’s confirmation at the Commission on Appointments if the DOH pushes through with its plan to distribute condoms to high school students. YG/RAM/rga

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