Filipino Senior High Schoolers' Moral Standpoints On Free Condoms

Introduction

Nowadays, more and more Filipino adolescents and young adults are engaging in pre-marital sex, which puts them at a higher risk for unplanned pregnancies and acquiring Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Worldwide statistics on HIV/AIDS show that heterosexual transmission is steadily increasing and that each year, over half of newly recorded HIV infections worldwide are among 15 to 24 year olds (Department of Health, National Epidemiology Center, 2008). Based on Lucea. et al. (2013), Southeast Asia is an area with growing numbers of those infected with HIV.

According to data from the Department of Health (DOH), from 1984 to October 2016, a total of 38,114 HIV cases were recorded, 10,279 of which were recorded from 15-24 year olds. In June 2018, the DOH AIDS Registry in the Philippines has reported 56,275 cases of infections since the year 1984. In the same year, 993 more people tested positive for HIV, most of which were male. Recently, in June 2019, the DOH Epidemiology Bureau recorded 1,006 more cases of HIV infection, 54 of the individuals were 10 to 19 years old, almost all of which became infected through sexual contact (The Philippine Star, 2019).

Teenage pregnancies in the Philippines are on the rise as well, as about 500 teenage girls give birth in the Philippines every day, according to the Commission on Population (POPCOM), Some 196,000 Filipinos between the ages of 15 and 19 years old get pregnant each year, according to POPCOM executive-director Juan Antonio Perez (2019).

The DOH has recognized the need to address the spread of HIV/AIDS infections and teenage pregnancies among the youth, and according to Former Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial (2016), the government must adopt bolder moves to reverse the trend of HIV/AIDS infections in the country. As such, the DOH sought to distribute free condoms in schools in 2016, as part of the campaign against HIV/AIDS infections.

Condoms are small, thin pouches made of latex, plastic, or lambskin, that cover the penis during sex and collect semen. Condoms stop sperm from getting into the vagina, preventing pregnancy. Consistent and correct use of condoms also prevent STDs by covering the penis, which prevents contact with semen and vaginal fluids, and limits skin-to-skin contact that can spread sexually transmitted infections (Planned Parenthood, 2019).

The decision to distribute these contraceptives sparked much controversy and was met with a lot of debate and opposition from lawmakers, however, the DOH said that the move was done not to encourage students to engage in premarital sex, but rather to educate the students about HIV/AIDS and to follow proven strategies in reducing infection among the youth. The distribution was also said to be accompanied by counseling and sex education. However, as religion plays an important role in the Philippine society, and as a country whose dominant religion is Catholicism, many religious groups and conservative lawmakers have blocked the many efforts of the DOH to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS infections and teenage pregnancies by means of contraceptive methods (Lucea et al., 2013). They have also opposed the DOH’S plan to distribute condoms in schools, as they say it will only promote promiscuity among the youth. According to Fr. Jerome Secillano (2016), executive secretary of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines public affairs committee, the government should instead invest in educating students about the consequences of premarital sexual activities than procuring and distributing condoms. The Department of Education, under Secretary Leonor Briones (2017), also opposed the DOH’s proposal. According to them, children under the age of 18 would need parental consent to receive condoms and other contraceptives.

In this study, the researchers seek to give light to prevalent issues such as HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancies, whose rates have been steadily increasing through the years. The researchers also seek to gauge the notions and perspectives of senior high school students regarding the issue of distributing condoms to schools, as well as gauge their awareness and openness of the students regarding the aforementioned issues.

Current studies frequently touch on topics about the perspectives of students on the distribution of condoms in schools, but also evaluates students’ condom use and sexual behavior, such as in the study of Wang et al. (2017), which assessed the impact of school-based condom availability programs on the condom acquisition, use and sexual behavior of students. Similarly, the study conducted by Schuster et al. (1998) recognized how condom availability programs in schools provoke a lot of debate, and sought to assess the effects of said programs to the sexual attitudes and behaviors of students. Aside from students’ perspectives, there are also studies such as those by Hlalele and Alexander (2011), and Kapolo (2014) that evaluated the perspectives of other educational stakeholders on condom distribution programs, such as those of the teachers’ in primary and secondary schools.

Other studies also identify students’ perspectives and awareness on condom availability programs, but are conducted in schools overseas that have or make use of condom dispensers placed around school campuses, as exhibited by the study of Francis et al. (2016). Studies conducted in the local context focus on the effects condom promotion and use on the rates of HIV/AIDS infections, such as in the study by Lucea et al. (2013), which studies the context of condom use among Filipinos and its implications to HIV prevention.

However, even as a significant number of current studies conducted in relation to the study discuss the perspectives and awareness of students on condom distribution and condom availability programs in schools, most of these studies are limited to public secondary schools, and not on private Catholic secondary schools. Not many studies shine light on the perspectives of private Catholic school students and faculty. The reason why these condom distribution programs are only conducted in public schools was also not expounded on. Also, only a few studies are conducted in settings or locales where the predominant religion is Catholicism, and there are many religious organizations opposing contraceptive distribution programs. Other studies also fail to account for condom distribution programs conducted by the government, which is the focus of this study. In addition, only a few studies, such as the study conducted by Kavinya (2011), touch on the question of how proper it is for the government to conduct contraceptive distribution programs in schools.

The study is guided by the following objectives: First, to identify the moral standpoints and perspectives of senior high school students of University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi on the distribution of condoms in schools; second, to determine the students’ perceived effects of the distribution of condoms to students in terms of its positive and negative effects and; third, to propose a program promoting awareness on condoms and other forms of contraceptives based on the results.

The study is grounded in the following theories: the Theory of Reasoned Action by Martin Fishbein and Icek Ajzen (1975), the Information Integration Theory by Norman Anderson (1971), and the Social Cognitive Theory of Moral Though and Action by Albert Bandura (1986). The Social Cognitive Theory of Moral Thought and Action attempts to explain how moral thinking interacts with psychological and social factors which govern and individual’s moral conduct. An individual’s moral reasoning or conduct are influenced or affected by personal factors; such as moral thinking, emotional reactions, and environmental factors. In relation to the study, individuals’ perceptions on the ethicality of the distribution of different forms of contraceptives are all affected by their moral thinking such as their perceptions on right and wrong conduct, and environmental and social factors such as the various social and subjective norms present in their society.

Fishbein & Ajzen’s (1975) Theory of Reasoned Action emphasizes that reasoned actions add another element in the persuasion process and behavioral intention. This theory is concerned with behavior and explains that there are factors that limit the attitude on behavior. It defines that reasoned action predicts behavioral intention. For example, if a teenager was influenced by one’s friends to watch pornography, then, it might lead for one to have an idea about sexual intercourse and might try to engage on it in the future.

Another instance is, if a teenager doesn’t have any knowledge about contraceptives such as condom and will engage in a sexual intercourse, it will lead to the person having unprotected sex, thus, will lack in preventive measures against teenage pregnancy or HIV/AIDS. Another emphasis of this theory is that it uses two elements which are attitudes and norms to predict the behavioral intent of one. This means that if an individual is set to do an action or decide on something, they have certain attitudes towards it, but the norms or the standards that are set by society or their expectations interferes with their attitude towards something,and both of these factors will have an influence to our resulted behavioral intent.

For example, a teenager who wants to engage in a sexual intercourse did not use contraceptives such as condoms, but the norm in preventing the increase of teenage pregnancy or HIV/AIDS is to use contraceptives, the attitude and the norm will affect the decision of one. Another explanation of this theory is that reasoned action states that three factors affects whether behavioral intent molds our behavior. The theory suggests that we must obtain control over our behavior. For instance, when a high school student is given a box of condoms, the student’s attitude will lead one into engaging to sexual intercourse. However, the norm is that pre-marital sex shouldn’t be practiced, and that will influence his attitude but if one has control over one’s behavior, one will know what to do. The theory of Fishbein & Ajzen will be used in our study; given the importance of reasoned actions and behavioral intention.

The Information Integration Theory by Anderson (1971) states that when people gain new information about something, the newly obtained information will have an effect or impact on our attitudes. It explores how people’s attitudes are formed and altered through combining or adding new pieces of information with the existing thoughts and perception which results to new attitude. For example, people have an initial attitude towards the idea of using contraceptives. However, if they learn what it does, its benefits, and impact to others who use it, the initial attitude will be influenced and will result to better understanding about the use of contraceptives. In this theory, it explains that an attitude is composed of two components which are evaluation and strength of belief. Another example is that, if one has already knowledge about the term condoms, but doesn’t know its use. However, one has seen at a local television that the Department of Health will be giving out condoms to high school students, it will increase the chance that one will have new knowledge about it. Thus, increasing the belief.

In line with the theories that the study is anchored on, different psychosocial factors such as the attitudes of an individual towards a certain action or behavior, social norms, subjective norms, environmental factors, moral thinking and standards of moral conduct, and new information obtained about a certain topic all play a role in influencing one’s awareness and perceptions towards the issues on pre-marital sex, the rising rates of teenage pregnancies, the increasing rates of HIV/AIDS infections, as well as one’s perceptions towards the use of contraceptive methods.

The aforementioned factors, including the awareness and perception of an individual towards certain issues will affect their moral standpoints towards contraceptive or condom distribution programs that are spearheaded by the government or by schools. Their perceptions on the effects of said contraceptive distribution programs will also be affected by the factors listed above.