THE Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development chaired by Sen. Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva discussed on Wednesday proposed measures prohibiting acts of discrimination and sexual harassment against women in the workplace.
Senate Bill 412 expands the coverage of acts considered as crime of sexual harassment. The measure authored by Sen. Loren B. Legarda includes unwanted text messages, electronic mail or other similar means that may qualify as vulgar, smutty, sexist, obscene, lurid or malicious as means of displaying sexual harassment.
“It has been more than two decades since RA [Republic Act] 7877 was ratified. The forms of sexual harassment have changed because of tecnological advancements. If, before, it was physical, sexual harassment now is done through text or social media. We need to have a law that prohibits this because there are 60 million Internet subscribers in the Philippines, 40 million active social-media users and 3 in 10
Filipinos have smartphones. There is a huge potential for its use to abuse,” Villanueva said.
Senate Bill (SB) 892 prohibits acts of discrimination, such as favoring a male employee over a female with respect to providing assignments, dismissal of personnel and retrenchment application.
Villanueva said that, despite our protective antidiscrimination laws, management practices at small or even big corporations often still favor the advancement of men.
The measure filed by Sen. Joseph Victor G. Ejercito precludes the denial of any woman the benefits of employment or other statutory benefits under Philippine laws by reason of her sex. Violators will face a penalty ranging from P50,000 to P200,000 and imprisonment of two years to four years.
The labor committee also tackled a measure promoting a friendly working environment for women.
SB 1203, or the Friendly Working Environment for Women Act of 2016, provides rights for women, especially pregnant ones. Among the rights included in the bill are the granting of flexible working hours for pregnant women for the whole duration of their pregnancy, and the giving of options for them to work from home provided with a certification from a physician.
The measure, authored by Sen. Vicente C. Sotto III, grants women working in manufacturing firms the option to be assigned in a day shift. Women are also prohibited to work in hazardous occupations that will endanger their lives and limbs or would prevent them from conceiving.
Other benefits provided by the measure are maternity-leave benefit, prenatal-care leave, proper treatment of pregnant women with medical conditions and flexible work policies for working mothers and female guardians.
Villanueva believes society can make change work for women by directly working with them, listening to their needs and involving them every step of the way.
“Let’s expand the horizon of opportunities and options for women workers, put an end to work and training-related violence and harassment, and promote pay equity and labor rights at work,” Villanueva said.