CLARK FREEPORT -- Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial is now pushing for blocking pornographic websites in the country as part of the measures to avoid the spread of HIV-AIDS especially among the youth.
This was after the Department of Education (DepEd) did not favor the planned distribution of condoms to senior high school students, an act seen to prevent the spread of the viral disease among students.
Earlier this year, the Department of Health under the leadership of Ubial eyed the distribution of about 9 million condoms to health centers and schools beginning June 2017.
With a budget of some P50-million to P100-million, Ubial said that they will be targeting students aged 15 to 24 in its condom distribution program.
However, Education Secretary Leonor Briones opposed the idea saying students, who are still minors, still need parental consent.
With this, Ubial disclosed during the Central Luzon Drug Abuse Summit that she is not anymore pushing for the distribution of condoms, rather will just support the government's plan to block all pornographic websites in the country's internet system.
The government has started blocking some of the major adult websites in the internet as part of its agenda to stamp out child pornography, as well as discourage pre-marital sex, which is believed to be provoked by the said platforms.
“It was only an option raised for consideration but I will support anything that can curb the spread of HIV-AIDS,” Ubial explained.
As an alternative, she said she is also considering the distribution of print materials showing actual photos of people with sexually transmitted diseases as another way to curb the spread of the disease.