HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

RECEIVED
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) pare! 9 AUG 2016
OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 7K am
First Regular Session ) 1
BY:
HOUSE OF REPR] PR BATIVES
932 REGISTRATION UNIT

HB. No.
L BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

Introduced by Representative H. Harry L. Roque Jr

AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7877, ALSO KNOWN AS THE ANTI-SEXUAL
HARASSMENT ACT OF 1995, SECTION 3 ON THE DEFINITION OF WORK,
EDUCATION OR TRAINING-RELATED SEXUAL HARASSMENT

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The Constitution, Article 2, Section 11 provides that:

The State values the dignity of every human person and
guarantees full respect for human rights.

‘The Constitution, Article 2, Section 18 further provides that:

The State affirms labor as a primary social economic force. It
shall protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare.

With these principles in mind, Congress crafted the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act
in 1995, The law defines work or training-related sexual harassment as one that can be
committed only by “an employer, employee, manager, supervisor or agent of the
employer who, having influence or moral ascendancy over another in a work of training
environment, demands, requests or otherwise requires any sexual favor from another.”

However, said definition does not take into consideration customers, guests or

clients who sexually harass employees of establishments such as hotels, restaurants,


department stores, even hospitals, There have been reported cases where sexual
harassment was committed by physicians against medical representatives, by customers
against salesladies, and more commonly, by hotel or restaurant guests against
housekeeping staff and waitresses.

There is indeed a vacuum in a law which must be addressed, The law should be
amended to include patrons who torment employees of establishments, including
situations where a paying customer, client or guest sexually harasses personnel by
creating fear on the part of the employee of losing his or her job, Hence, this proposed

amendment.'

CKHYG

H. HARRY L. ROQUE JR

* “This bill was originally filed in the Thirteenth Congress, Third Regular Session, and subsequently filed in
the Sixteenth Congress, Third Regular Session by Miriam Defensor-Santiago


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC)
OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE camer aaa

Introduced by Representative H, Harry L, Roque Jr.

AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7877, ALSO KNOWN AS THE ANTI-SEXUAL
HARASSMENT ACT OF 1995, SECTION 3 ON THE DEFINITION OF WORK,
EDUCATION OR TRAINING-RELATED SEXUAL HARASSMENT

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

SECTION 1. Section 3, first paragraph of Republic Act No. 7877, also known as
the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 3. Work, Education or Training-Related, Sexual Harassment
Defined. — Work, education or training-related sexual harassment is
committed by an employer, employee, manager, supervisor, agent of the
employer, teacher, instructor, professor, coach, trainor, CUSTOMER,
GUEST, CLIENT or any other 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 accepted by the object of said Act

SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, and issuances, or
portions thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby

repealed, amended or modified accordingly.


1 SECTION 3. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifleen (15) days after its
2 publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,