Module 9 : Programs and Laws Upholding Social Justice in Addressing

the Problem of Gender Inequality and Gender Based-Violence in the

Philippines

“Most of the gender related laws created seem just favor women in our society and
this because they are the common victims”

REPUBLIC ACT 6725 - an act strengthening the prohibition on discrimination against women
with respect to terms and conditions of employment, amending for the purpose article one
hundred thirty-five of the labor code, as amended.

The following are acts of discrimination:

(a) Payment of a lesser compensation, including wage, salary or other form of remuneration and
fringe benefits, to a female employee as against a male employee, for work of equal value;

(b) Favoring a male employee over a female employee with respect to promotion, training
opportunities, study and scholarship grants solely on account of their sexes.

file:///C:/Users/Others/Documents/Gender%20and%20society%20PPT/Gender%20&%20Society%20_u
pdated_7-31-2019/Part%20IV/RA_6725.pdf

REPUBLIC ACT 7192 - This Act shall be cited as the "Women in Development and Nation
Building Act."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State recognizes the role of women in nation building and shall
ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men. The State shall provide women rights
and opportunities equal to that of men.

To attain the foregoing policy:

(1) A substantial portion of official development assistance funds received from foreign governments and
multilateral agencies and organizations shall be set aside and utilized by the agencies concerned to
support programs and activities for women;

(2) All government departments shall ensure that women benefit equally and participate directly in the
development programs and projects of said department, specifically those funded under official foreign
development assistance, to ensure the full participation and involvement of women in the development
process; and

(3) All government departments and agencies shall review and revise all their regulations, circulars,
issuances and procedures to remove gender bias therein.
In all contractual situations where married men have the capacity to act, married women shall have equal
rights.

To this end:

(1) Women shall have the capacity to borrow and obtain loans and execute security and credit
arrangements under the same conditions as men;

(2) Women shall have equal access to all government and private sector programs granting agricultural
credit, loans and nonmaterial resources and shall enjoy equal treatment in agrarian reform and land
resettlement programs;

(3) Women shall have equal rights to act as incorporators and enter into insurance contracts; and

(4) Married women shall have rights equal to those of married men in applying for passports, secure visas
and other travel documents, without need to secure the consent of their spouses.

In all other similar contractual relations, women shall enjoy equal rights and shall have the capacity to act
which shall in every respect be equal to those of men under similar circumstances.

NEDA - The National Economic and Development Authority

- shall primarily be responsible for ensuring the participation of women as recipients in foreign
aid, grants and loans. It shall determine and recommend the amount to be allocated for the development
activity involving women.

file:///C:/Users/Others/Documents/Gender%20and%20society%20PPT/Gender%20&%20Society%20_u
pdated_7-31-2019/Part%20IV/RA_7192.pdf

REPUBLIC ACT 7877 - This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State shall value the dignity of every individual, enhance the
development of its human resources, guarantee full respect for human rights, and uphold the dignity of
workers, employees, applicants for employment, students or those undergoing training, instruction or
education. Towards this end, all forms of sexual harassment in the employment, education or training
environment are hereby declared unlawful

In a work-related or employment environment, sexual harassment is committed when:

(1) The sexual favor is made as a condition in the hiring or in the employment, re-employment or
continued employment of said individual, or in granting said individual favorable compensation, terms,
conditions, promotions, or privileges; or the refusal to grant the sexual favor results in limiting,
segregating or classifying the employee which in any way would discriminate, deprive or diminish
employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect said employee;

(2) The above acts would impair the employee’s rights or privileges under existing labor laws; or

(3) The above acts would result in an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for the employee.
In an education or training environment, sexual harassment is committed:

(1) Against one who is under the care, custody or supervision of the offender;
(2) Against one whose education, training, apprenticeship or tutorship is entrusted to the offender;
(3) When the sexual favor is made a condition to the giving of a passing grade, or the granting of honors
and scholarships, or the payment of a stipend, allowance or other benefits, privileges, or considerations;
(4) When the sexual advances result in an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for the student,
trainee or apprentice.

Any person who directs or induces another to commit any act of sexual harassment as herein defined, or
who cooperates in the commission thereof by another without which it would not have been committed,
shall also be held liable under this Act.

file:///C:/Users/Others/Documents/Gender%20and%20society%20PPT/Gender%20&%20Society%20_u
pdated_7-31-2019/Part%20IV/RA_7877.pdf

REPUBLIC ACT 8353- This Act shall be known as “The Anti-Rape Law of 1997.”

Rape; When And How Committed. – Rape Is Committed

“1) By a man who shall have carnal knowledge of a woman under any of the following circumstances:

“a) Through force, threat, or intimidation;

“b) When the offended party is deprived of reason or otherwise unconscious;
“c) By means of fraudulent machination or grave abuse of authority; and
“d) When the offended party is under twelve (12) years of age or is demented, even though
none of the circumstances mentioned above be present.

“2) By any person who, under any of the circumstances mentioned in paragraph 1 hereof, shall commit
an act of sexual assault by inserting his penis into another person’s mouth or anal orifice, or any
instrument or object, into the genital or anal orifice of another person.

“The death penalty shall also be imposed if the crime of rape is committed with any of the following
aggravating/qualifying circumstances:

“1) When the victim is under eighteen (18) years of age and the offender is a parent, ascendant, step-
parent, guardian, relative by consanguinity or affinity within the third civil degree, or the common-law
spouse of the parent of the victim;

“2) When the victim is under the custody of the police or military authorities or any law enforcement or
penal institution;

“3) When the rape is committed in full view of the spouse, parent, any of the children or other relatives
within the third civil degree of consanguinity;

“4) When the victim is a religious engaged in legitimate religious vocation or calling and is personally
known to be such by the offender before or at the time of the commission of the crime;
“5) When the victim is a child below seven (7) years old; “

6) When the offender knows that he is afflicted with Human Immuno Deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or any other sexually-transmissible disease and the virus or disease
is transmitted to the victim;

“7) When committed by any member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or para-military units
thereof or the Philippine National Police or any law enforcement agency or penal institution, when the
offender took advantage of his position to facilitate the commission of the crime;

“8) When by reason or on the occasion of the rape, the victim has suffered permanent physical
mutilation or disability;

“9) When the offender knew of the pregnancy of the offended party at the time of the commission of
the crime; and

“10) When the offender knew of the mental disability, emotional disorder and/or physical handicap of
the offended party at the time of the commission of the crime.

file:///C:/Users/Others/Documents/Gender%20and%20society%20PPT/Gender%20&%20Society%20_u
pdated_7-31-2019/Part%20IV/RA_8353.pdf

REPUBLIC ACT 8972 - This Act shall be known as the “Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to promote the family as the foundation of the
nation, strengthen its solidarity and ensure its total development. Towards this end, it shall develop a
comprehensive program of services for solo parents and their children to be carried out by the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Health (DOH), the
Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), the Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA), the National Housing Authority (NHA), the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE), and other related government and nongovernment agencies.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – Whenever used in this Act, the following terms shall mean as follows:

(a) “Solo Parent” – any individual who falls under any of the following categories:

1) A woman who gives birth as a result of rape and other crimes against chastity even without a final
conviction of the offender: Provided, That the mother keeps and raises the child;
2) Parent left solo or alone with the responsibility of parenthood due to death of spouse;
3) Parent left solo or alone with the responsibility of parenthood while the spouse is detained or is serving
sentence for a criminal conviction for at least one (1) year;
4) Parent left solo or alone with the responsibility of parenthood due to physical and/or mental incapacity
of spouse as certified by a public medical practitioner;
5) Parent left solo or alone with the responsibility of parenthood due to legal separation or de facto
separation from spouse for at least one (1) year, as long as he/she is entrusted with the custody of the
children;
6) Parent left solo or alone with the responsibility of parenthood due to declaration of nullity or annulment
of marriage as decreed by a court or by a church as long as he/she is entrusted with the custody of the
children;
7) Parent left solo or alone with the responsibility of parenthood due to abandonment of spouse for at
least one (1) year;

8) Unmarried mother/father who has preferred to keep and rear her/his child/children instead of having
others care for them or give them up to a welfare institution;
9) Any other person who solely provides parental care and support to a child or children;
10) Any family member who assumes the responsibility of head of family as a result of the death,
abandonment, disappearance or prolonged absence of the parents or solo parent.

(b) “Children” – refer to those living with and dependent upon the solo parent for support who are
unmarried, unemployed and not more than eighteen (18) years of age, or even over eighteen (18) years
but are incapable of self-support because of mental and/or physical defect/disability.

(c) “Parental responsibility” – with respect to their minor children shall refer to the rights and duties of
the parents as defined in Article 220 of Executive Order No. 209 as amended, otherwise known as the
“Family Code of the Philippines.” Republic Act No. 8972 page 2

(d) “Parental leave” – shall mean leave benefits granted to a solo parent to enable him/her to perform
parental duties and responsibilities where physical presence is required.

(e) “Flexible work schedule” – is the right granted to a solo parent employee to vary his/her arrival and
departure time without affecting the core work hours as defined by the employer.
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pdated_7-31-2019/Part%20IV/RA_8972.pdf

REPUBLIC ACT NO.9262 - This Act shall be known as “The Anti-Violence Against Women
and Their Children Act of 2004”.

Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared that the State values the dignity of women and children and
guarantees [REPUBLICACT NO.9262 ] Twelfth Congress Third Regular Session Be it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: Republic of the Philippines
Congress of the Philippines Metro Manila 2 full respect for human rights. The State also recognizes the
need to protect the family and its members particularly women and children, from violence and threats
to their personal safety and security.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act,

“Violence against women and their children” refers to any act or a series of acts committed by any
person against a woman who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom the person has or
had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he has a common child, or against her child whether
legitimate or illegitimate, within or without the family abode, which result in or is likely to result in
physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse including threats of such acts,
battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.

It includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:

“Physical violence” refers to acts that include bodily or physical harm;

“Sexual violence” refers to an act which is sexual in nature, committed against a woman or her child.
“Psychological violence” refers to acts or omissions causing or likely to cause mental or emotional
suffering of the victim such as but not limited to intimidation, harassment, stalking, damage to property,
public ridicule or humiliation, repeated verbal abuse and marital infidelity. It includes causing or
allowing the victim to witness the physical, sexual or psychological abuse of a member of the family to
which the victim belongs, or to witness pornography in any form or to witness abusive injury to pets or
to unlawful or unwanted deprivation of the right to custody and/or visitation of common children.

“Battery” refers to an act of inflicting physical harm upon the woman or her child resulting to physical
and psychological or emotional distress.

“Battered Woman Syndrome” refers to a scientifically defined pattern of psychological and behavioral
symptoms found in women living in battering relationships as a result of cumulative abuse.

“Stalking” refers to an intentional act committed by a person who, knowingly and without lawful
justification follows the woman or her child or places the woman or her child under surveillance directly
or indirectly or a combination thereof.

“Dating relationship” refers to a situation wherein the parties live as husband and wife without the
benefit of marriage or are romantically involved over time and on a continuing basis during the course
of the relationship. A casual acquaintance or ordinary socialization between two individuals in a business
or social context is not a dating relationship.
 “Sexual relations” refers to a single sexual act which may or may not result in the bearing of a common
child.

“Safe Place or Shelter” refers to any home or institution maintained or managed by the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or by any other agency or voluntary organization accredited by
the DSWD for the purposes of this Act or any other suitable place the resident of which is willing
temporarily to receive the victim.

“Children” refer to those below eighteen (18) years of age or older but are incapable of taking care of
themselves as defined under Republic Act No. 7610. As used in this Act, it includes the biological
children of the victim and other children under her care.

Psychosocial services - refer to the provision of help or support for the total well-being of an individual
who has suffered as a result of physical harm and psychological or emotional distress that further
resulted in an unpleasant or traumatic experience.

Victim-survivor –refers to the women and children victims of VAWC.

“Construction”. - This Act shall be liberally construed to promote the protection and safety of victims of
violence against women and their children.

VAWC - Violence Against Women and their Children

IAC-VAWC - Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their Children

In pursuance of the abovementioned policy, there is hereby established an Inter-Agency Council on

Violence Against Women and their Children, hereinafter known as the Council, which shall be composed
of the following agencies:

(a) Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD);

(b) National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW);
(c)Civil Service Commission (CSC);
(d) Commission on Human Rights (CHR);
(e) Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC);
(f) Department of Justice (DOJ);
(g) Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG);
(h) Philippine National Police (PNP);
(i) Department of Health (DOH);
(j) Department of Education (DepEd);
(k) Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); and
(l) National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

file:///C:/Users/Others/Documents/Gender%20and%20society%20PPT/Gender%20&%20Society%20_u
pdated_7-31-2019/Part%20IV/RA_9262.pdf
 REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9710 - This Act shall be known as “The Magna Carta of Women”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy -Recognizing that the economic, political, and sociocultural realities
affect women’s current condition, the State affirms the role of women in nation building and
ensures the substantive equality of women and men. It shall promote empowerment of women and
pursue equal opportunities for women and men and ensure equal access to resources and to
development results and outcome

SEC. 4. Definitions. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean:

“Women Empowerment” refers to the provision, availability, and accessibility of opportunities, services,
and observance of human rights which enable women to actively participate and contribute to the
political, economic, social, and cultural development of the nation as well as those 4 which shall provide
them equal access to ownership, management, and control of production, and of material and
informational resources and benefits in the family, community, and society.

“Discrimination Against Women” refers to any gender-based distinction, exclusion, or restriction which
has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise by women,
irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and
fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil, or any other field.

“Marginalization” refers to a condition where a whole category of people is excluded from useful and
meaningful participation in political, economic, social, and cultural life.

“Marginalized” refers to the basic, disadvantaged, or vulnerable persons or groups who are mostly living
in poverty and have little or no access to land and other resources, basic social and economic services
such as health care, education, water and sanitation, employment and livelihood opportunities, housing,
social security, physical infrastructure, and the justice system.

Substantive Equality” refers to the full and equal enjoyment of rights and freedoms contemplated under
this Act. It encompasses de jure and de facto equality and also equality in outcomes.

“Gender Equality” refers to the principle asserting the equality of men and women and their right to
enjoy equal conditions realizing their full human potentials to contribute to and benefit from the results
of development, and with the State recognizing that all human beings are free and equal in dignity and
rights.

“Gender Equity” refers to the policies, instruments, programs, services, and actions that address the
disadvantaged position of women in society by providing preferential treatment and affirmative action.
Such temporary special measures aimed at accelerating de facto equality between men and women
shall not be considered discriminatory but shall in no way entail as a consequence the maintenance of
unequal or separate standards.

“Gender Mainstreaming” refers to the strategy for making women’s as well as men’s concerns and
experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies
and programs in all political, economic, and societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally
and inequality is not perpetuated.
“Temporary Special Measures” refers to a variety of legislative, executive, administrative, and regulatory
instruments, policies, and practices aimed at accelerating this de facto equality of women in specific
areas. These measures shall not be considered discriminatory but shall in no way entail as a
consequence the maintenance of unequal or separate standards.

“Violence Against Women” refers to any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result
in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts,
coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.

“Women in the Military” refers to women employed in the military, both in the major and technical
services, who are performing combat and/or noncombat functions, providing security to the State, and
protecting the people from various forms of threat. It also includes women trainees in all military
training institutions.

“Social Protection” refers to policies and programs that seek to reduce poverty and vulnerability to risks
and enhance the social status and rights of all women, especially the marginalized by promoting and
protecting livelihood and employment, protecting against hazards and sudden loss of income, and
improving people’s capacity to manage risk. Its components are labor market programs, social
insurance, social welfare, and social safety nets.

The Magna Carta of Women defines GAD;

Gender and Development(GAD) Program - as the development perspective and process that is
participatory and empowering, equitable, sustainable, free from violence, respectful of human rights,
supportive of self-determination and actualization of human potentials.

- It seeks to achieve gender equality as a fundamental value that should be reflected in

development choices and contends that women are active agents of development, not just
passive recipients of development.

____________________________________________________________________________________________
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pdated_7-31-2019/Part%20IV/RA_9710.pdf

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10364 - This Act shall be known as the “Expanded Anti-Trafficking in
Persons Act of 2012”.

Declaration of Policy – it is hereby declared that the state values the dignity of every human person
and guarantees the respect of individual rights.

Section 3: Definition of Terms

Trafficking in Persons – refers to the recruitment, obtaining, hiring, providing, offering, transportation,
transfer, maintaining, harboring, or receipt of persons with or without the victim’s consent or
knowledge.

Child – refers to a person below 18 years of age or one who is over eighteen but is unable to fully take
care or of protect him/herself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination because of a
physical or mental disability or condition.

Prostitution - refers to any act, transaction, scheme or design involving the use of a person by another,
for sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct in exchange for money, profit or any other consideration.

Forced labor – refers to the extraction of work or services from any person by means of enticement,
violence, intimidation or threat, use of force or coercion, including the deprivation of freedom, abuse of
authority, or moral ascendancy, debt-bondage, or deception including any work or service extracted
from any person under the menace of penalty.

Slavery – refers to the status or condition of a person over whom any or all of the powers attaching to
the right of ownership are exercised.

Sex Tourism – refers to a program organized by travel and tourism-related establishments and
individuals which consists of tourism packages or activities, utilizing and offering escort and sexual
services as enticement for tourists.

Sexual Exploitation – refers to participation by a person in prostitution, pornography in exchange for

money, profit or any other consideration or where the participation is caused or facilitated by any
means of intimidation or threat, use of force, or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception
and etc..

Debt bondage – refers to the pledging by the debtor of his/her personal service or labor or those of a
person under his/her control as security or payment for debt when the length and nature of services is
not clearly defined or when the value of services as reasonable assess is not applied toward the
liquidation of debt.

Pornography – refers to any representation through publication, exhibition, cinematography, indecent

shows ,information technology, or by whatever means of a person engaged in real or simulated explicit
sexual activities or any representation of sexual parts of a person for primary sexual purposes.
file:///C:/Users/Others/Documents/Gender%20and%20society%20PPT/Gender%20&%20Society%20_u
pdated_7-31-2019/Part%20IV/RA-10364-BSA.pdf
Please watch the “Online Orientation on Safe Spaces Act or the “Anti-Bastos Law” from Ched
Region 1 Facebook page

LEARNING RESOURCES:

https://www.globalethicsnetwork.org/m/blogpost?id=6428686%3ABlogPost%3A100646
https://www.unfpa.org/resources/human-rights-principles
https://www.unfpa.org/resources/human-rights-women
https://www.pcw.gov.ph/law/republic-act-6725
https://www.pcw.gov.ph/law/republic-act-9710
https://www.pcw.gov.ph/law/republic-act-8972
https://www.pcw.gov.ph/law/republic-act-7877
https://www.pcw.gov.ph/law/republic-act-8353
https://www.pcw.gov.ph/law/republic-act-8353
https://library.pcw.gov.ph/node/2019
https://www.pcw.gov.ph/law/republic-act-7192
https://www.pcw.gov.ph/law/republic-act-9262
WWW.PCW.GOV.PH
CommissionOnWomanPH