PRESENT ATIVES:

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session retSTRATION UNIT
“ BALLS AND INDEX SERVICE
98

House Bill No.

Introduced by GABRIELA WOMEN'S PARTY
Representatives EMMI A. DE JESUS and ARLENE D. BROSAS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Majority of prostituted Filipino women, are young or under 20 years of age, originate
from the provinces, and are from poor families. A large number of them are likely to be
victims of sexually abused several times during raids on suspected prostitution dens.
Prostituted women are arrested, jailed and fined for prostitution. On the other hand,
‘owners and managers of establishments as well as their customers are left off the hook.

Prostituted women and prostitution are commonly viewed in the Philippines as one
and the same. They are commonly considered as social problems, inimical to society's
morality and decency. The government uses both moral condemnation and legal sanctions
to “flush them out’, for prostitutes are seen as the ultimate “evil” expression of prostitution.
They are the most prominent and convenient targets of moral outrage and legal sanctions.
Thus, when prostitution is mentioned, the focus is immediately on women and children who
personally provide sexual services; the assumption is that women in prostitution “seduce”
men and thus represent or personify the root of the problem. This view revels no
understanding of prostitution as a system and of prostitutes as individuals caught up in and
victimized by that system

The common understanding of prostitution is that it involves the sale of sexual
services by women and children. This does not however, consider that in prostitution, the
major players are mostly men while women and children assume the functional role of
objects of delivery of sexual services and that there is intended profits. Prostitution is a
system whereby women’s and children's bodies and their sexuality are commodified and
exploited to satisfy men’s sexual needs.

Society sees children in prostitution as victims and quickly condemns those who
victimize them. However, it does not have the same view of prostituted women. It mainly
sees adult women as free autonomous persons, who enter into individual and private
transactions with their customers. It automatically assumes that an adult woman is on equal
footing with the other party involved in the transaction and therefore free to set the
conditions of that transaction. The unfortunate error behind this view is that it detaches
prostitution from the context of capitalist economic relation and the prevailing patriarchal
ideology. Both sees women's bodies as objects and their sexuality obtainable, buyable and
given to abuse by men. On the other hand, men are allowed to escape responsibility for
using women in prostitution.

Prostitution should be likened to the system of slavery. Therefore, those in
slave-like situations should not be criminalized based on age or "choice". This adult-


child divide becomes particularly anomalous in cases of women brought into
prostitution as children.

Prostitution has become a highly organized business with its own system of
recruitment and trade which ensures the systematic and unhampered flow of products
and profits. Its entrepreneurs, through pornography, offer women and children to the
male market and create a continuous demand for sexual services.

The promotion of tourism with sex as an essential feature perpetuates
prostitution. The promotion by government of overseas jobs as a viable option for
Filipino workers also creates a favourable climate for prostitution. It provides a fertile
ground for illegal and deceptive recruiters in the migration process.

Existing Philippine laws do not define "prostitution", only "prostitutes". Article
202 (5) of the Revised Penal Code identifies "prostitutes" as "women who, for money
or profit, habitually indulge in sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct." BEING A
PROSTITUTE IS A CRIME UNDER THE REVISED PENAL CODE. Article 202 also
holds criminally liable "any idle or dissolute person who lodges in houses of ill-fame,
ruffians, or pimps or those who habitually associate with prostitutes." But men who go
to clubs, bars and other similar establishments hardly qualify as "idle" or “dissolute”.

Other than Article 202, the other provision that deals directly with prostitution is
Article 341 of the Revised Penal Code on white slavery, it penalizes "any person who, in
a manner, or under any pretext, shall engage in the business or shall profit by
prostitution or shall enlist the services of any other person for the purpose of
prostitution." The realty, however, is while society penalizes, stigmatizes and ostracizes
women in prostitution; it never even questions why men demand and pay for sex. In
addition, the criminal liability of individuals engaged in the business of prostitution under
Article 341 of the Revised Penal Code is hardly enforced. Thus, businesses related to
prostitution continue to thrive.

Prostitution is a serious form of human rights violation. Women in prostitution do
not profit from prostitution. Even with the long hours of providing sexual service and the
number of men they service, their earnings are meagre. A big percentage of their
earnings go to bar owners and pimps.

Women in prostitution are alone, unprotected and not respected. They are
stigmatized by society, criminalized by the law and are exploited in the sex trade. They
are in constant fear. They experience abuse and violence from their customers, bars
and club owners and pimps. Women in prostitution are vulnerable to the risks of
diseases such as STD's and HIV/Aids. In fact, fear of such diseases is one factor why
men give high premiere to young and ‘fresh’ prostituted children and women. They
suffer from extreme discrimination and are considered unworthy and undeserving of
respect, care and any form of social assistance and legal protection. Basic rights are
denied to them and worse are oftentimes violated by the police and the legal system.

Women in prostitution are powerless. In most cases, prostitutes are not involved
in the transaction. It is often between a pimp, club or brothel owner and the customer,
the prostitute only becomes part of the transaction only because she will implement the
terms of the transaction. In some cases, payment is given to the pimp. In most cases,
the pimp cheats the prostitute of the actual monetary value that she was promised.

Prostitution must be approached in its entirety. Both the structural mechanism
and ideological Justification which uphold it must be addressed. The government should
first and foremost address the factors in general that perpetuate prostitution and ensure
an environment that will eradicate prostitution in the long term. In the meantime, it must
address the contradiction in policies which, in effect, reinforce the system of prostitution
The adult-child divide must be removed and women and children in prostitution must not


be treated as criminals and as outcasts in society. Legal efforts should be directed
against establishments, pimps and male customers and all others who profit from the
business of prostitution. Policies and programs that will address the problems of women
in prostitution and that will protect them must be developed. Those who control,
perpetuate, and benefit from the business of prostitution must be penalized,

In view of the foregoing, the passage of the bill is earnestly sought.

a
EMMI A. DE JESUS NE/D. BROSAS.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

98

House Bill No.

Introduced by GABRIELA WOMEN’S PARTY
Representatives EMMI A. DE JESUS and ARLENE D. BROSAS

AN ACT REPEALING ARTICLES 202 AND 341 OF THE REVISED PENAL CODE
AND INSTITUTING A SYSTEM OF PROTECTION FOR VICTIMS OF PROSTITUTION
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title- This Act shall be known as “The Anti-Prostitution Act of 2016”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policies- The State:
(a) declares it commitments to end the continuing sexual exploitation of women and
children and all forms of gender-based violence by comprehensively addressing

the factors that perpetuate sexual exploitation;

(b) recognizes prostitution as a human rights violation which calls for coordinated
and sustained response from all agencies and at all levels of government;

(c) recognizes that women and children are victimized by the system of prostitution
and must therefore be given protection and support by the State, instead of being
treated as criminals;

(d) recognizes that eliminating prostitution requires the abolition of the patriarchal
ideology that perpetuates the view of women as objects for commodification and
the restructuring of the exploitative capitalist system that economically and
politically marginalizes majority of Filipinos; and

(e) recognizes intemational commitments, particularly, the Universal Declaration on
Human Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women, Convention on the Rights of the Child, Convention Against
Transnational Organized Crime including its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and
Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, and other
intemational human rights instruments of which the Philippines is a party,
declaring its commitment to end the continuing sexual exploitation of women,
men, and children and all forms of gender-based violence by creating an


enabling environment where the human rights of women and children are
observe, protected, and fulfilled.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms - The following terms are defined for purposes of this
Act:

(a) Prostitution- any act, transaction, scheme or design involving the use of a person
by another, whether through the performance of such act or mere demonstration
thereof, for sexual intercourse, lascivious conduct or for sexual gratification in
exchange for money or checks profit or any other consideration, or any act that
promotes or facilitates the accomplishment of the said act, transaction, scheme
or design.

(b) Person exploited in prostitution- refers to a woman, man or child used, exploited
or employed for another person’s sexual gratification, pleasure or exploitation
and for the monetary gain or profit of others.

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

(d) Prostitution Den- refers to any business or enterprise, including but not limited to,
sauna, bath, massage parlour, discotheque, bar, restaurant, resort, lodging
house, motel, hotel, theatre, ship, vessel, cab or taxi, or any other vehicle, or any
dwelling, house, jail, detention centre, structure or building, or any group,
association, organization, or services such as escort services, serving as a cover
or venue for, or which engages in prostitution activities as defined in Section 4 of
this Act.

(e) Sexual Act- refers to sexual intercourse, including genital-to-genital, oral-to-
genital, anal-to-genital, or intercourse or contact, insertion of any instrument or
object into the genital or anal orifice of any person, bestiality, masturbation,

_ sadistic, or masochistic abuse, exhibition of the genitals or pubic area of any
person and other acts presumed to be of sexual nature, whether the same is
made between persons of the same or opposite sex.

(f) Sexual exploitation- refers to the practice by which a person is sexually
subjugated through abuse or violation, either covert or overt, of a person's
sexuality and physical or mental integrity as a result of being subjected to threat,
deception, coercion, abduction, force, abuse of authority, debt bondage, fraud or
through abuse of her/his vulnerability as a means of achieving gratification,
financial gain, and advancement.

(g) Public Officers — refers to any person who, by direct provision of the law, popular
election or appointment by competent authority, shall take part in the
performance of public functions in the Government of the Philippine Islands, or
shall perform in said Government or in any of its branches public duties as an
employee, agent or subordinate official, of any rank or class.

SECTION 4. Punishable Acts- Prostitution is a crime committed by:

(a) Giving, conveying or delivering money or any other consideration in exchange for
the actual performance or mere demonstration of a sexual act by a person
exploited in prostitution, regardless of whether the person giving or delivering
money or any other consideration is the recipient of the sexual act; Provided,
however, that for purposes of this section, being a recipient shall include persons
or crowds before whom a person exploited in prostitution has actually performed


or merely demonstrated the sexual act, provided, further, that the actual
performance of the acts by the person exploited in prostitution is not a
requirement for the offender to be prosecuted under this provisio

(b) Recruiting, inducing, persuading, enticing, compelling, kidnapping, or in any
manner procuring a person for the purposes of exploiting a person in prostitution,
or causes a person to work in an establishment knowing that the same is
involved in prostitution activities or when she/he has reasonable cause to believe
that such establishment is involved in the said activities;

(c) Rectuiting another person purportedly for lawful employment but actually for the
purpose of exploiting the person in prostitution;

(d) Transporting a person or persons from one place to another for purpose of
exploiting the person or persons in prostitution

(e) Organizing or arranging travel, tours, and other tourism-related activities which
involve the sexual exploitation of another person as defined in Section 3 (f) of this
Act or the escort services of any person who is expected to perform the sexual
acts defined in Section 3 (e) of this Act;

(f) Receiving, giving or agreeing to receive money or anything of value or any other
consideration in exchange for or for the purpose of procuring or recruiting, in any
manner, a person or persons to be exploited in prostitution;

(g) Deriving profit or advantage from any of the acts defined in this Section as
owner, operator, manager, head, director, office or agent of an establishment
where the prostitution activity takes place, or of the establishment serving as a
cover or venue for such prostitution activity, or aiding another establishment or
person involved in any prostitution activity;

(h) Any manner or under any pretext advertising, organizing, arranging, managing,
promoting or facilitating the commission of any of the acts prohibited under this
section;
Using, enticing, recruiting, or offering another person as part of a cult or religious
obligations as sexual offering or favour to other members of the cult or religious
organization;
Using information technology such as cyberspace, satellite, television, or any
other form of media to promote or any of the acts defined in this Section;
(k) Committing, causing, promoting, facilitating, allowing, or tolerating the
commission of any of the acts defined in this Section or, in any manner, providing
protection to the perpetrators of the said acts of any member of the military or
police establishment, or any government official or employee, or any person in
authority;
Leasing, subleasing, or in any other manner allowing the use of any dwelling,
house, structure or building knowing that the lessee/sub-lessee intends to use or
uses it for prostitution activities as defined in this section, or continues with the
lease, sublease or any other arrangement for its use knowing that the place is
being used for prostitution. For the purpose of this paragraph, the owner of the
dwelling, house, structure, building or land or any other property used for
prostitution and his/her agent shall be presumed to have knowledge that the
place is being used or intended to be used for prostitution unless he/she
disproves it.

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For purposes of this Section, it is understood that the prohibited acts of prostitution
may be committed in any establishment as defined in Section 3 (d) above or any other


place not otherwise mentioned in Section 3 (d). Furthermore, an attempt to commit any
acts defined in this section is also prohibited.
SECTION 5. Committing child prostitution- Child prostitution is committed by:
(a) any person who acts as a procurer of a child for prostitution;
(b) any person who induces another to be a client of a child prostitute by means of
written or oral advertisements or other similar means;
(0) any person who takes advantage of his/her influence or relationship to procure a
child as a prostitute;
(d) any person who threatens or uses violence towards a child to engage him/her as
a prostitute;
(e) any person who gives monetary consideration, goods or other pecuniary benefits
to a child with intent to engage such child in prostitution;
(f) any person who commits the act of sexual intercourse with a child exploited in
prostitution or subjected to other sexual abuse; and
(g) any establishment or person providing entertainment or relaxation to the public,
including, but not limited to, sauna, bath parlour, massage parlour, discotheque,
bar, videoke or sing-a-long establishment, resort, lodging house, motel and hotel,
whichhwho employs a child.

SECTION 6. Attempt to commit child prostitution. There is an attempt to commit child
prostitution when a person who, not being a grandparent, parent, guardian or blood
relative of a child, is found alone with the said child inside a room or cubicle of a house,
inn, hotel, motel, pension house, apartelle, or any similar establishment, vessel, vehicle
or any hidden or secluded area, or under circumstances which would lead a reasonable
person to believe that the child is prostituted.

There is also an attempt to commit child prostitution when a person receives services
from a child in a sauna parlour or bath, massage clinic, health club or any other similar
establishment.

SECTION 6. Who may commit the prohibited acts. The acts defined in Section 4 of this
Act may be committed by any natural or juridical person, establishment, association,
movement, cult, religious group or any organization.

SECTION 7. Person Exploited in Prostitution as Victims. - Any woman, man or child
used or employed for another person's sexual gratification, pleasure or exploitation and
for the monetary gain or profit of others, as defined in Section 4 of this Act, shall be
treated as victims of prostitution. As such, they shall not incur any criminal liability under
this Act, except to the extent referred to under Section 9 (b) hereof.

SECTION 8. Consent of victim immaterial. The consent of the person exploited in
prostitution to the commission of any of the acts defined in Section 4 of this Act shall not
in any way exempt the offender from, or mitigate her/his, criminal liability.

SECTION 9. Penalties and Sanctions.

(a) Any person found guilty of the acts defined in Section 4 shall suffer the penalty of
imprisonment of 20 years. If the person exploited in prostitution is a child, the
penalty to be imposed shall be life imprisonment without prejudice to the filing of
other criminal charges under other applicable laws. A fine of not less than one


million pesos (P1,000,000) but not more than two million pesos (P2,000,000)
shall also be imposed upon the owner, operator or manager, or the directors and
officers, of the establishment, corporation, partnership or association found to be
engaged in any of the acts defined in Section 4. In addition, the establishment,
corporation, partnership or association shall be immediately closed and its
registration and/or license to operate shall be revoked, without prejudice to the
filing of other charges under other applicable laws.

(b) Any person guilty of the acts defined in Section 4 who is also exploited in
prostitution or had been exploited in prostitution shall suffer the penalty of
imprisonment of 12 years for the first offense and imprisonment of 12 years and
1 day to 14 years and 8 months for the succeeding violations and a fine of not
less than five hundred thousand pesos (PhP 500, 000) but not more than one
million pesos (PhP 1,000,000).

(c) The penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of one million pesos (P1,000,000) but
not more than two million pesos (P2,000,000) shall be imposed on the offender
who is a member of the police or military establishment, or a government official
or employee. In addition, the offender shall be perpetually disqualified from
holding any appointive position or from running for any elective position in
government.

(d) The penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of one million pesos (P1,000,000) but
not more than two million pesos (P2,000,000) shall be imposed on the offender
who is a leader or a person exercising authority in a religious group, sect or cult.

(e) When the offender is a foreigner, he/she shall be deported immediately after
service of sentence and permanently barred from entry into the country.

(f) Any person found guilty of an attempt to commit child prostitution shall suffer the
penalty of imprisonment of 17 years, without prejudice to the filing of other
criminal charges under other applicable laws. A fine of five hundred thousand
pesos (P500,000) but not more than one million pesos (P1,000,000) shall further
be imposed upon the owner, manager, or operator of the establishment.

In addition to the penalty of imprisonment and fine, any person who is
found guilty of any of the acts provided under Section 4 and 5 of this Act shall
undergo a rehabilitation program and community service with the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which shall not be shorter than three
months nor longer that one year, provided that only first-time offenders shall
undergo such rehabilitation and community service program. The DSWD shall
submit to the court a report of the rehabilitation and community service of the
offender.

Public officers found guilty of an attempt to commit child prostitution shall,
in addition to the penalty provided for the same, shall suffer the penalty of
temporary absolute disqualification

SECTION 10. Civil Liability for prostitution. Persons exploited in prostitution may bring
a civil action for damages against the persons allegedly responsible for their
exploitation. Such civil action shall be independent of any criminal proceedings and a
preponderance of evidence shall suffice support such action.


SECTION 11. Applicability of Republic Act No. 7309 and Republic Act No. 6981.
Persons exploited in prostitution shall be covered by the Witness Protection, Security
and Benefit Act, or Republic Act No. 6981. They may also file claims with the Board of
Claims created under Republic Act 7309. For the purpose of the application of Republic
Act No. 7309, persons exploited in prostitution shall be deemed victims of violent
crimes under Section 3, paragraph (d) thereof.

SECTION 12. Responsibilities of government agencies in anti-prostitution efforts. -
Local government units shall exercise their powers to curb prostitution within their
respective jurisdictions. Their responsibility shall include conducting education and
public information campaign against prostitution and to eradicate the negative views
attached to women forced into prostitution. Local government units may employ
elements of the National Bureau of Investigation or the Philippine National Police as
provided for under Republic Act No. 6975, as amended by Republic Act No. 8551.

The national government shall ensure that local government units conscientiously
engage in anti-prostitution activities, provide support for the same, and intervene when
necessary.

The NBI and PNP shall continuously conduct surveillance and monitor
establishments to prevent prostitution. They shall promptly investigate any
establishment suspected to be engaged in activities constituting prostitution under
Section 4 of this Act and shall take appropriate measures, in coordination with the local
government unit concerned and other relevant government agencies, for the speedy
prosecution of the offenders.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) shall undertake corrective and enforcement
measures to stop activities in tourism constituting, promoting or facilitating prostitution.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology and the
National Bureau of Investigation shall take down advertisements disseminated online or
through cellphone SMS that promote or suggest prostitution.

SECTION 13. Liability of local government units. Provinces, cities and municipalities
shall be liable for damages to persons exploited in prostitution when it is proven that
the responsible authorities had knowledge or were informed of the activities
constituting prostitution but did not take proper action within a reasonable period of
time.

The responsible authorities shall be deemed to have knowledge of the
prostitution activities when the same are common knowledge in the community.

SECTION 14, Requirements for hotels, motels and lodging houses. Notwithstanding
any legislation, ordinance or rule to the contrary, every motel or lodging area shall:
(a) Maintain a reception and registration area for guests and patron that is readily
within the public view;
(b) Strictly require the registration of every guest and patron in the reception and
registration area referred to above, and for this purpose keep a registration book
at all times;


(c) Maintain open garages, or those which do not have doors or any closing

mechanism;
(d) Maintain good lightning in all its entrances, exits, driveways and garages.

No hotel, motel or lodging shall be allowed to operate in any part of the
Philippines without complying with the preceding requirements.

For the purpose of this Section, hotels, motels and lodging houses already
operating shall have six months from the effectivity of this Act to comply with this
provision.

SECTION 15. Human rights of persons exploited in prostitution. Persons exploited in
prostitution have human rights which must be respected, protected and promoted by all
branches, agencies and instrumentalities of the government in law enforcement drives,
criminal prosecution, civil suits, service provision, and program development and
implementation. These rights include, but are not limited to:

(a) the right to be treated as human beings,

(b) the right to dignity and security of person,

(c) the right against any form of discrimination,

(d) the right to equal protection of the law,

() the right to be protected from abuse and exploitation,

(f) the right to seek redress for violations of their rights and to have their

complaints appropriately addressed,

(g) the right to fair and humane treatment,

(h) the right to sensitive and appropriate legal, health, and other social services,

(i) the right to organize themselves and fight for their legitimate concerns, and

@) the right to be consulted on any governmental initiative affecting them

Persons exploited in prostitution shall not be detained on the occasion of or by
reason of a raid or in the name of law enforcement. There shall be at least one social
worker or one representative from a non-governmental organization known to be
working with women exploited in prostitution present during raids.

During raids of establishments, and at any stage of the investigation, prosecution
and trial of complaints for violation of this Act, law enforcers, prosecutors and judges,
shall not disclose to the public the name, personal circumstances and other information
that will establish the Identity of the person exploited in prostitution, unless the latter
consents thereto in writing.

It shall also be the duty of law enforcers to ensure that persons exploited in
prostitution are not exposed to the media on the occasion of a raid. Law enforcers who
allow or facilitate the exposure to the media of persons exploited in prostitution shall
suffer the penalty of imprisonment for 6 months without prejudice to the filing of other
criminal and administrative charges under applicable laws.

Any journalist, reporter, editor, publisher or producer of print and broadcast media
who exposes to the public the identity of any person exploited in prostitution without her
or his consent thereto in writing, or causes the publication of any picture that violates
the dignity and other human rights of the persons exploited in prostitution, shall suffer
the penalty of imprisonment for 6 months. In addition, the owner or publisher of the print


or broadcast media found guilty of the violation shall pay a fine of five hundred thousand
pesos (PhP 500,000). This shall be without prejudice to the right of persons exploited in
prostitution to file a civil action for damages for the violation of their human rights or for
any injury caused them by the publication

SECTION 16. Entrapment prohibited. Law enforcers shall not use entrapment as a
method in law enforcement activities when the same will involve the sexual
exploitation of persons as defined in Section 3 (f) of this Act. A law enforcement
officer who resorts to this method shall be punished under Section 4 (a) of this Act.

SECTION 17. Enforcement of labour laws and regulations. The Bureau of Working
Conditions of the Department of Labour and Employment and its regional, provincial
and district offices shall conduct, in coordination with the local government officials and
relevant agencies, quarterly monitoring of all establishments to ensure that they comply
with the minimum wage law and other laws on labour standards. Quarterly monitoring
reports shall be submitted to the chief executives of provinces, cities, and municipalities
for their appropriate action. Copies shall also be furnished to the Anti-Prostitution
Council created under this Act.

SECTION 18. The National Anti-Prostitution Council. There shall be a National Anti-
Prostitution Council composed of the Department of Social Welfare and Development
as lead agency, the Philippine Commission on Women, the Department of Labour and
Employment, the TESDA, the Department of Health, the Department of Interior and
Local Government, the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation, the
Philippine National Police, three (3) non-government organizations (NGOs) selected by
NGOs providing support services to victims of prostitution, and three (3) representatives
of persons exploited in prostitution. The National Anti-Prostitution Task Force shall
perform the following functions,

(a) Develop a program addressing prostitution and the needs of persons
exploited in prostitution and those vulnerable to be exploited in prostitution. The
program shall include public information and education campaign against
prostitution and on human rights of women in prostitution, crisis intervention
services, educational assistance, and socioeconomic assistance such as
sustainable livelihood skills training and financial support for small-scale
businesses, among others;

(b) Identify and, if necessary, create centres in strategic places all over the
Philippines that will provide health servces, including counselling and therapy,
temporary shelters and other crisis intervention services to persons exploited in
prostitution. The rape crisis centres established under Republic Act No. 8505 and
the hospital-based protection units for women and children may also serve as
centres servicing persons exploited in prostitution. Each centre shall establish a
network of health care and other service providers to address the needs of
persons exploited in prostitution;

(c) Ensure that units are created within relevant government agencies,
particularly those composing the Council, that shall focus on addressing
prostitution and the needs of persons exploited in prostitution. This shall include
units within the National Prosecution Service Offices in local government units
that shall specifically focus on the prosecution of offenders under this Act;


(d) Ensure that relevant government agencies work in close coordination with
each other in addressing prostitution and the needs of persons exploited in
prostitution;
(e) Develop and implement a training program for law enforcers, public
prosecutors, judges, government lawyers, government health care providers,
social workers and barangay officials that aims to increase their understanding of
prostitution as a system, and equip them with the perspective and skills to
appropriately address the needs of persons exploited in prostitution, respect,
protect and promote their human rights, and pursue the prosecution of offenders;
(f) Ensure that local counterparts of the Task Force are created in every
municipality, city and province; and
(g) Promulgate, when necessary, rules and regulations for the effective
implementation and enforcement of this Act.
SECTION 19. Mandatory Services to Victims of Prostitution. - To ensure healing,
recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration into the mainstream of society, concemed
government agencies, particularly the members of the Anti-Prostitution Council, shall
make the following services available to victims of prostitution:

(a) Counselling;

(b) Free legal services which shall include information about the victim's rights, the
procedure for filling complaints, claiming compensation and other legal remedies
to them;

(c) Emergency shelter or appropriate housing;

(d) Medical or psychological services; and

(€) Livelihood and skills training.

SECTION 20. Appropriation. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated in the General Appropriations Act of the
year following the enactment of this law and every year thereafter.

All local government units are likewise mandated to allot not less than five
(5%)percent of their gender and development (GAD) budget and not less than five (5%)
percent of the local development fund of local government units (LGUs ) for programs,
projects and activities aimed to control prostitution activities their jurisdiction.

SECTION 21. Separability Clause.-If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby shall continue in full force
and effect.

SECTION 22. Suppletory Application. The provision of the Revised Penal Code shall
have suppletory application to this Act.

SECTION 23. Repealing Clause. Articles 202 and 341 of the Revised Penal Code are
hereby repealed. All other laws, decrees, executive orders, administrative orders,
ordinances and rules inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are
hereby deemed amended, modified or repealed accordingly.

SECTION 24. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of
general circulation.

Approved,