Harassing women and those of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persuasion by catcalling, wolf-whistling or with sexist slurs and gestures is now punishable under a new law.
The proposed Safe Streets, Public Spaces and Workplace Act, also known as the “Bawal Bastos” bill, lapsed into law on April 21 after President Rodrigo Duterte did not act on a bicameral conference committee report ratified in February.
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“Gender-based sexual harassment in the forms of stalking, leering, catcalling and wolf-whistling will be penalized under the new law,” Akbayan Rep. Tomas Villarin said in a statement.
“Fines and penalties for these acts range from P1,000 to P100,000 for multiple and grave offenses,” he added.
“These penalties are crucial in sending the message mahal mambastos (it is expensive to be rude) in the Philippines,” he continued.
Penalties also include community service and gender-sensitivity training.
“The passage of the law should change the cultural norm [on] how society treats women, how society puts importance on the rights of everybody,” Villarin said in a press conference.
Maica Teves of Spark Philippines lauded the measure as a “victory for women and the LGBT.”
LGBT advocate Anton Paderanga said the inclusion of the community was a welcome development, noting that “LGBT persons, like women, are subject to harassment daily.”
The law expands existing anti-sexual harassment laws. It covers sexual harassment in workplaces, including peer-to-peer and subordinate-to-superior cases.
Arline Santos of the Institute of Politics and Governance said the law also provided remedies for harassment that occurs online.
The new law also mandates all schools to establish anti-sexual harassment policies.
Source: manilatimes.net
