The Catholic Church in the Philippines has become the "main stumbling block" to introducing school sex education, a women’s party representative claims.

Representative Luzviminda Ilagan from the Gabriela party said that the government should ignore comments by Church officials and go ahead with plans to train teachers in sex education.

The Pro-life Philippines Foundation last week urged the Department of Education to reassess its decision to implement school sex education before classes resume this week.

The group said the "unpreparedness" of teachers to guide pupils on the subject may prove to be the "biggest snag" to the proposed program.

But Ilagan hit back accusing the Catholic Church of being the "biggest snag".

"Training can be undertaken. Teachers are not completely ignorant. The methodology should just be streamlined," the lawmaker said.

She called on President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to show political will on the issue.

Kalookan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez on Sunday said he is seeking talks with Aquino to protest the plan.

Earlier, Bishop Iñiguez led protesters in Friday prayers to stop a pilot sex education program already slated for 179 schools.

“Today’s generation perceives sex as pleasure,” Bishop Iñiguez said.

Meanwhile, Education Undersecretary Franklin Sunga assured the public that the government had already studied the integration of sex education lessons into science, social studies and health classes.

Elementary school models will deal only with the physical changes of adolescence, while topics for high school students will touch on reproductive health issues, Sunga said.

However, Bishop Iñiguez, said that simply changing the name of the program will not change the content.

The Education Department says it will invite Church members and other to attend sex education classes to improve their understanding of what is proposed.

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