STATISTICS REPORT: WOMEN IN BARANGAY LEADERSHIP - ANGELES CITY
STATISTICS REPORT: WOMEN IN BARANGAY LEADERSHIP - ANGELES CITY
As of the latest data, Angeles City, comprising 33 barangays, demonstrates a notable presence of women in local governance roles. The distribution of women in key barangay positions is as follows:
Punong Barangay :
7 out of 33 barangays are led by women, representing 21.2% of all Punong Barangay.
Barangay Kagawad :
A total of 94 women serve as Barangay Kagawad. With each barangay having up to 7 Kagawad, the maximum possible is 231 positions. This means women occupy approximately 40.7% of Kagawad roles.
Barangay Treasurers:
18 women currently serve as Barangay Treasurers, representing 54.5% of the 33 barangays.
Barangay Secretaries:
19 women hold the position of Barangay Secretary, accounting for 57.6% of these posts citywide.
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11313: SAFE SPACES ACT (BAWAL BASTOS LAW)
What does the Safe Spaces Act cover?
The law covers all forms of gender-based sexual harassment (GBSH) committed in public spaces, educational or training institutions, workplace, as well as online space.
Gender-based Streets and Public Spaces Sexual Harassment
GBSH in street and public spaces is defined as acts which are committed through any unwanted and uninvited sexual actions or remarks against any person regardless of the motive for committing such action or remarks.
What do public spaces refer to under this law?
Public spaces refer to:
⚫ streets and alleys
⚫ roads and sidewalks
⚫ buildings
⚫ restaurants and cafe
⚫ public parks
⚫ schools and churches
⚫ government offices
⚫ malls and public markets
⚫ transportation terminals and common carriers
⚫ spaces used as evacuation centers
⚫ public utility vehicles (PUVs)*
⚫ public washrooms
⚫ private vehicles covered by app-based transport network services
⚫ recreational spaces such as, but not limited to: cinema halls,
⚫ theaters and spas, bars and clubs, resorts and water parks, hotels and casinos, internet shops
⚫ all other areas, regardless of ownership, openly accessible or offered to be accessed by the public.
What are the acts of gender-based sexual harassment (GBSH) in public spaces?
a. Catcalling or unwanted remarks directed towards a person, commonly done in the form of wolf- whistling (paninipol), misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic, and sexist slurs, as well as unwanted invitations;
Sexist remarks or slurs-statements that are indicative of prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination on the basis of sex, typically against women
Homophobic remarks are indicative of fear, hatred or aversion towards persons who are perceived to be or actually identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, pansexual and such other persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or towards any person perceived to or actually have experienced same-sex attraction.
Misogynistic remarks or slurs- statements that are indicative of the feeling of hating women or the belief that men are inherently better than women
Transphobic remarks or slurs-statements that are indicative of fear, hatred or aversion towards persons whose gender identity and/or expression do not conform with their sex assigned at birth.
b. Persistent uninvited comments or gestures on a person’s appearance;
c. Relentless requests for personal details;
d. Statement of sexual comments and suggestions;
e. Public masturbation or flashing of private parts, groping, making offensive body gestures at someone, and other similar lewd sexual actions;
f. Any advances, whether verbal or physical, that is unwanted and has threatened one’s sense of personal space and physical safety. This may include cursing, leering and intrusive gazing, and taunting;
g. Persistent telling of sexual jokes, use of sexual names; and
h. Stalking or conduct directed at a person involving the repeated visual or physical proximity, non-consensual communication, or a combination thereof that cause or will likely cause a person to fear for one’s own safety or the safety of others, or to suffer emotional distress.
What are the roles of Local Government Units in Implementing anti-GBSH in streets and public spaces?
Under the law and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, LGUs shall have the following duties to address GBSH in public spaces;
pass an ordinance to localize the law within sixty (60) days from its effectivity;
disseminate or post in conspicuous places a copy of the law and the corresponding ordinance; The LGUs may come up with information, education, and communication (IEC) materials which may be in their respective languages;
provide measures to prevent GBSH in educational institutions, such as information campaigns and anti-sexual harassment seminars;
discourage GBSH and impose fines on acts of gender-based sexual harassment as defined in the law;
establish an anti-sexual harassment hotline where personnel assigned to attend the hotline knowledgeable on GBSH and the forms of assistance made available by the LGU;
coordinate with the DILG in implementing the law.
establish a referral system for complainants of GBSH in streets and public spaces. This may form part of an existing referral system for complainants of other forms of gender-based violence;
provide training on the law for the Punong Barangay and members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa in cases covered by the Katarungang Pambarangay system, for traffic enforcers under their jurisdiction, and adopt training modules for concerned LGU personnel down to the barangay level;
set up Anti-Sexual Harassment (ASH) desks in all barangay, city and municipal halls, preferably staffed by a woman. VAW Desks may also serve as the ASH desks and the same shall be strengthened, following the guidelines to be set by the DILG; and
create a mechanism for handling and documentation of complaints including those in cases covered by the 1st & 2nd offenders of “Verbal” GBSH (Implementing Rules and Regulation)
What is cyberstalking?
Cyberstalking is a form by stalking that is committed through an electronic medium in which online communication takes place. To constitute an offense, the conduct must be manifested through the (repeated) use of electronic communications in stalking.
“Stalking” an online profile which is publicly accessible in itself does not constitute an offense.
What are the penalties for online gender-based sexual harassment?
The penalty of online GBSH violation is prision correccional in its medium period [imprisonment of six (6) months and one (1) day to two (2) years and four (4) months] or a fine of not less than one hundred thousand pesos (PHP 100,000.00) but not more than five hundred thousand pesos (PHP 500,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court.
If the perpetrator is a juridical person, its license or franchise shall be automatically deemed revoked, and the persons liable shall be the officers thereof, including the editor or reporter in the case of print media, and the station manager, editor and broadcaster in the case of broadcast media.
An alien (foreigner) who commits gender-based online sexual harassment shall be subjected to deportation proceedings after serving sentence and payment of fines.
Where can a victim of online gender-based sexual harassment file a complaint?
The victim can file a complaint directly with the National Bureau of Investigation through its Cybercrime Division, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, or the Office of the Cybercrime of the Department of Justice.
REPUBLIC ACT 7877: ANTI-SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACT OF 1995
What is Sexual Harassment?
Under RA 7877, work, education,or training related sexual harassment is “committed by an employer, employee, manager, supervisor, agent of the employer, teacher, instructor, professor, coach, trainor, or any person who, having authority, influence or moral ascendancy over another in a work or training or education environment, demands, requests or otherwise requires any sexual favor from the other, regardless of whether the demand, request or requirement for submission is accepted or not by the object of said act.”
How is work-related sexual harassment committed?
Work-related Sexual Harassment is committed when:
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 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
The above acts would impair the employee’s rights or privileges under existing labor laws; or
The above acts would result in an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for the employee.
How is education or training-related sexual harassment committed?
Education or Training-related Sexual Harassment is committed:
Against one who is under the care, custody or supervision of the offender;
Against one whose education, training, apprenticeship, or tutorship is entrusted to the offender;
When the sexual favor is made a condition to the giving of a passing grade, or granting of honors and scholarships, or the payment of a stipend, allowance or other benefits, privileges, or considerations; or
When the sexual advances result in an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for the student, trainee or apprentice.
What is the duty of the employer of head of office in a work or education/training environment?
The employer or head of office is required by the law to prevent the occurrence of sexual harassment acts and to provide the procedures for the resolution, settlement or prosecution of sexual harassment. Towards this end, the employer or head of office shall:
Promulgate appropriate rules and regulations in consultation with and jointly approved by the employees or student or trainees, through their duly designated representatives. Said rules and regulations shall prescribe the procedures for the investigation of sexual harassment cases and the administrative sanctions thereof.
The said rules and regulations should include guidelines on proper decorum in the workplace and educational or training institutions.
Administrative sanctions shall not be a bar to prosecution in the proper courts for unlawful acts of sexual harassment.
Create a Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) of cases on sexual harassment. The committee shall conduct meetings or as the case may be, with officers and employees, teachers, instructors, professors, coaches, trainors and students or trainees to increase understanding and prevent incidents of sexual harassment. It shall also conduct the investigation of alleged cases constituting sexual harassment.
In the case of work-related environment, the committee shall be composed of at least one (1) representative each from the management, the union, if any, the employees from the supervisory rank, and from the rank-and-file employees.
In the case of the educational or training institution, the committee shall be composed of at least one (1) representative from the administration, the trainers, teachers, instructors, professors or coaches and students and trainees, as the case may be.
The employer or head of office, educational or training institution shall disseminate or post a copy of RA 7877 for the information of all concerned.
What if the employer or head of office did not undertake any action despite his/her knowledge of the sexual harassment act/s?
The employer or head of office, educational or training institution will be held liable for the damages arising from acts of sexual harassment if they are informed by the offended party of the occurrence of such acts, yet no action has been undertaken.
Can an offended party seek redress by taking an independent action?
Yes, the offended party may take independent action for damages incurred in the act of sexual harassment. She/he may also avail of relief.
What are the penalties for offenders?
Any person who violates the provisions of the law shall be penalized by imprisonment of not less than one (1) month nor more than six (6) months, or a fine of not less than Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000) nor more than Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000), or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court.
Any act arising from the violation of the provisions of this Act shall prescribe in three (3) years.