s.,B.N~. 1865 
Y k.. 
Introduced by SENATOR EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
Explanatory Note 
Despite being a signatory to numerous international commitments protecting 
and fulfilling women's rights, Filipino women continue to suffer from various forms of 
inequalities and discrimination, stemming from the economic, political and social 
divide. 
With the ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1981, our government is duty-bound to 
promote gender equality and women's empowerment as a vital element for addressing 
global concerns. 
In 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Millennium 
Declaration, which led to the development of the Millennium Development Goals 
(MDGs) that seeks to address global development problems as well as poverty by 2015. 
Even with the existence of CEDAW and the MDGs as well as other international 
commitments and national laws as a solid framework for the promotion of gender 
equality, there is still a need to fill the gaps in carrying out the State's obligations for 
women's empowerment. 
In the area of labor, employment and poverty alleviation, government and 
private sector institutions should develop and strictly implement gender-fair policies 
that protect women workers, as well as promote opportunities for women's economic 
empowerment. 
Reports from the National Statistics Office state that female labor force 
Across 1995 to 2005, female LFPR invariably registered only 50% while male LFPR was 
steadily above 80%, except in 2005 where it was slightly lower at 79.8%. Highest female 
LFPR was in'2001 (82.3%), while the lowest was in 2000 (80.3%). 
participation rate (LFPR) consistently lags behind \ the male LFPR in the past ten years. 
In the area of promoting women's health rights, women and men should be 
provided with access to information and options for planning the number and spacing 
of their children. Interventions to promote women and girl-children's health, as well as 
to prevent incidences of violence against women should be actively pursued, especially 
by local government and civil society organizations. 
Meanwhile, women should not also be discriminated in the civil, cultural and 
political spheres, laws and practices that tend to limit their capacities and opportunities 
for development. 


Civil Service Commission reported that few women candidates who ran for 
public office succeeded in securing public posts. Despite the high success rate in 
elections, Filipino women still have dismal participation as decision-makers in the 
public sector. In 2004, the average proportion of women in key elected posts was no 
more than 17%. In fact, the dismal performance of women in the 2004 elections 
registered a sharp drop after an increasing trend beginning 1995. 
Thus, a Magna Carta is a piece of legislation that serves as a guarantee of basic 
rights. The CEDAW, usually referred also as the ”international women’s bill of rights” 
is the first major document that contains a ban on all forms of discrimination and 
recommends, temporary special measures to immediately achieve equality in fact 
between men and women 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
EDGARDO 
@/A 
1. ANGARA 
Senator 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
First Regular Session 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
SENATE 
S. B. No. '2865 
l' . 8." 
_. 
' 
Introduced by SENATOR EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE MAGNA CARTA OF WOMEN. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled. 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as "The Magna Carta of 
Women". 
SECTION 2. Declaration ofPolicy. - The State recognizes the role of women in 
nation building and shall ensure the substantive equality of women and men. It shall 
promote the empowerment of women and pursue equal opportunities for men and 
women as well as ensure their equal access to resources and to development results and 
outcome. 
It condemns discrimination against women in all its forms and pursues by all 
appropriate means and without delay the policy of eliminating discrimination against 
women in keeping with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and other international instruments. The 
State shall accord to women the rights, protection, and opportunities available to every 
member of society. 
The State affirms women's rights as human rights and shall intensify its efforts to 
recognize, respect, protect, fulfill and promote all human rights and fundamental 
freedoms of women especially in the marginalized sectors of society to guarantee their 
economic, social and cultural well-being without distinction or discrimination on 
&count of class, age, sex, gender, language, ethnicity, religion, ideology, disability, 
education and status. 
The State shall provide the necessary mechanisms to enforce and guarantee the 
realization of women's rights as well as adopt and undertake steps to include 
temporary special measures which encompass a wide variety of legislative, executive, 
administrative and other regulatory instruments, policies and practices aimed at 


accelerating the equal participation of women in the political, economic, social, cultural, 
civil or any other field. Temporary special measures must be discontinued when their 
desired results have been achieved and sustained for a period of time. 
The State, in ensuring the full integration of women’s concerns in the mainstream 
of developmknt, shall provide ample opportunities to enhance and develop their skills, 
acquire productive employment and contribute to their communities to the fullest of 
their capabilities. 
In pursuance of this policy, the State recognizes the right of women in all sectors 
to participate in policy formulation, planning, organization, implementation, 
management monitoring, and evaluation of all programs and projects. It shall support 
policies, researches, technology and training programs and other support services such 
as financing, production and marketing to encourage active participation of women in 
national development. 
SECTION 3. Definitions. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall 
mean: 
(A) Discrimination against Women. - refers to any gender-based distinction, 
exclusion or restriction which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the 
recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a 
basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the 
political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field; 
(B) Gender. - refers to the socially differentiated roles, characteristics and 
expectations attributed by culture to women and men. It is created, produced, 
reproduced qnd maintained by social institutions. 
(C) Gender Equality. - indicates that men and women enjoy the same status; 
have equal conditions for realizing their full human potentials to contribute to and 
benefit from the results of development. 
(D) Gender and Development (GAD). - refers to the development perspective 
and process that are participatory and empowering, equitable, sustainable, free from 
violence, respectful of human rights, supportive of self-determination and actualization 
of human potentials. It seeks to achieve gender equality as a fundamental value that 
should be reflected in development choices; seeks to transform society’s social, 
economic and political structures and questions the validity of the gender roles they 
ascribed to vbomen and men; contends that women are active agents of development 
and not just passive recipients of development assistance, and stresses the need of 
women to organize themselves and participate in political processes to strengthen their 
legal rights. 


(E) Gender Mainstreaming. - is the strategy for making women’s as well as 
men’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, 
monitoring and evaluation of policies and programs in all political, economic and 
Bcietal spheres so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not 
perpetuated. It is the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any 
planned action, including legislation, policies or programs, in all areas and at all levels. 
(F) Marginalization. - is a condition where a whole category of people is 
excluded from useful participation in political, economic, social and cultural life. 
(G) Marginalized. - refers to the basic, disadvantaged, or vulnerable persons or 
groups who are mostly living in poverty and have little or no access to land and 
resources, basic social and economic services such as health care, education, water and 
sanitation, employment and livelihood opportunities, housing, social security, physical 
infrastructure and justice system. 
These include women in the following: 
1. 
Children. - shall refer to children below eighteen (18) years of age or those 
18 and over but are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from 
abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental 
disability or condition. 
2. 
Fishers. - shall refer to those directly or indirectly engaged in taking, 
culturing or processing fishery or aquatic resources. These include, but are not be 
limited to, women engaged in fishing in municipaI waters and coastal areas, women 
workers in commercial fishing and aquaculture, vendors and processors of fish and 
coastal products, and subsistence producers such as shell-gatherers, managers and 
producers of mangrove resources and other related producers. 
3. 
Indigenous Peoples. - shall refer to those who are members of any 
indigenous peoples/indigenous cultural communities of the Philippines as defined 
under Section 3(h), Chapter I1 of the Republic Act No. 8371, otherwise known as ”The 
Ihdigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997” (IPRA of 1997) 
4. 
Migrant workers. - shall refer to Filipinos who are to be engaged, are 
engaged or have been engaged in a remunerated activity in a State of which they are 
not legal residents whether documented or undocumented. 
5. 
Moro. - shall refer to indigenous peoples that historically inhabited 
Mindanao, Palawan and Sulu, and who are of the Islamic faith. 
6. 
Persons with Disabilities. - shall refer to those who are suffering from 
restriction or different abilities, as a result of a mental, physical or sensory impairment 
to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a 
human being. 


7. 
8. 
Senior Citizens. - shall refer to those sixty (60) years of age and above 
Small Farmers and Rural Workers. - shall refer to those who are engaged 
directly or indirectly in small farms and forest areas, workers in commercial farms and 
plantations, whether paid or unpaid, regular or season-bound. These shall include but 
not limited to (a) small farmers who own or are still amortizing for lands that is not 
more than three (3) hectares, tenants, leaseholders, and stewards; and (b) rural workers 
who are either wage earners, self-employed, unpaid family workers directly & 
personally engaged in agriculture, small scale mining handicrafts and other related on- 
farm/off-farm activities 
9. 
Solo Parents. - shall refer to those who fall under the category of a solo 
parent defined under Republic Act No. 8972, otherwise known as the “Solo Parents 
Welfare Act of 2000”. 
10. Urban Poor. - shall refer to those residing in urban slum or blighted areas, 
with or without the benefit of security of tenure, where the income of the head of the 
family cannot afford in a sustained manner to provide for the family the minimum basic 
needs of food, health, education, housing and other essential amenities in life. 
11. Workers in the Formal Economy. - shall refer to those who are employed 
by any person acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation to 
an employee and shall include the Government and all its branches, subdivision and 
instrumentalities, all government-owned or controlled corporations and institutions, or 
as well as non-profit private institutions, or organizations. 
12. Workers in the Informal Economy. - shall refer to self-employed, 
occasionally or personally hired, subcontracted and unpaid family workers in 
household unincorporated enterprises, including homeworkers, micro-entrepreneurs 
and producers, and operators of sari-sari stores and all other categories who suffer from 
violation of workers’ rights. 
(H) Women’s empowerment. - refer to the provision, availability and accessibility 
of opportunities which enable women to actively participate and contribute to the political, 
economic, social, and cultural development of the nation as well as those which shall 
provide them equal access to ownership, management and control of production, and of 
material and informational resources and benefits in the family, community and society; 
(I) Violence against Women. - refer to any act of gender-based violence that 
results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to 
women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, 
whether occurring in public or in private life. It shall be understood to encompass, but 
not be limited to, the following: 
1. physical, sexual, psychological and economic violence occurring in the family, 


including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related 
violence, marital rape, and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal 
violence and violence related to exploitation; 
2. physical, sexual and psychological vioIence occurring within the general 
community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, 
in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women and prostitution; 
3. physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the 
state, wherever it occurs. 
It also includes all forms of violence as defined and enumerated under Section 3 
of Republic Act 9262. 
SECTION 4. Human Rights of 
Women. - All rights recognized under 
international instruments duly signed and ratified by the Philippines, including rights 
under the Constitution and other existing laws shall be rights of women under this Act 
to be enjoyed without discrimination. 
SECTION 5. Protection from VioZence. - The State shall ensure that all women 
shall be protected from all forms of violence as provided for in existing laws. Agencies 
of government shall give priority to the defense and protection to women against 
gender-based offenses and help women attain justice and healing. 
Towards this end, the following measures to prosecute and reform offenders 
shall likewise be pursued: 
(A) Within the next five years, there shall be an incremental increase in the 
recruitment and training of women in the police force, forensics and medico-legal, and 
legal services and such other services availed by women who are victims of gender - 
related offenses until 50% of personnel shall be women. 
(8) Women shall have the right to protection and security in situations of armed 
conflict and militarization. The State shall observe international standards, particularly 
International Humanitarian Laws, for the protection of civilian population in 
circumstances of emergency and armed conflict. It shall not force women, especially 
indigenous peoples, to abandon their lands, territories and means of subsistence, or 
relocate them in special centers for military purposes under any discriminatory 
condition. 
(C) All government personnel involved in the protection and defense of women 
against gender-based violence shall undergo a mandatory training on human rights and 
gender sensitivity pursuant to this Act. 


SECTION 6. Participation and Representation. The State shall undertake 
temporary special measures to accelerate the participation and representation of women 
in all spheres of society particularly in the decision-making and policy-making 
processes in government and private entities to fully realize their role as agents and 
beneficiaries of development. 
The State shall institute affirmative the following action mechanisms so that 
women can participate meaningfully in the formulation, implementation and 
evaluation of policies, plans and programs for national, regional and local development: 
,Empowerment in Civil Service. - Within the next five (5) years, the 
number of women in third level positions in government shall be increased to achieve a 
fifty-fifty gender balance. 
(A) 
(B) 
Development Councils and Planning Bodies. 
'- 
To ensure the 
participation of women in all levels of development planning and program 
implementation, at least 33% of membership of all development councils from the 
regional, provincial, city, municipal and barangay levels shall be composed of women. 
(C) 
Other policy and decision-making bodies. - Women's groups shall also 
be represented in all international, national and local special and decision-making 
bodies. 
(D) 
'International bodies. - The State shall take all appropriate measures to 
ensure that women, on equal terms with men and without any discrimination, the 
opportunity to represent their Governments at the international level and to participate 
in the work of international organizations. 
(E) 
Integration of Women in Political Parties. - The State shall provide 
incentives to political parties with women's agenda and with women comprising at 
least 33% of their leadership and membership. It shall likewise encourage the 
integration of women in their internal policy-making structures, appointive and 
electoral nominating processes. 
(F) 
Private sector. - The State shall take measures to encourage women 
leadership in the private sector in the form of incentives. 
SECTION 7. Equal Treatment before the Law. - The State shall take steps to 
review and when necessary, amend and/or repeal existing laws that are discriminatory 
to women, within three years from effectivity of this Act. 
SECTION 8. Equal Access and Elimination of Discrimination in Education, 
Scholarships and Training. (A) The State shall remove gender stereotypes and images 
in educational materials and curricula. Gender-sensitive language shall be used at all 


times. Capacity-building on gender and development (GAD), peace and human rights, 
education for teachers and all those involved in the education sector shall be pursued 
toward this end. Partnerships between and among players of the education sector, 
including the private sector and churches/faith groups shall be encouraged. 
(B) 
Enrollment of women and men in non-traditional skills training in 
vocational and tertiary levels shall be encouraged. 
(C) 
Expulsion, non-readmission, prohibiting the enrollment and other related 
discrimination of women students due to pregnancy out of marriage, shall be outlawed. 
SECTION 9. Non-discriminato y Portrayal of Women in Media and Film. - The 
State shall formulate policies and programs for the advancement of women in 
collaboration with media-related organizations from the private sector. It shall likewise 
endeavor to raise the consciousness of the general public in recognizing the dignity of a 
woman, and the role and contribution of women in the family, community and the 
society through the strategic use of the mass media. 
For this purpose, the State shall provide incentives to encourage programming 
that appropriately present women’s needs, issues and concerns in movies, television 
shows, advertisements and print media, and support media watch groups, media 
professional associations and women’s organizations. Similarly, gender-sensitivity 
training (GST) programs for all media practitioners including producers, directors, 
Aanagers, journalists, news editors, news reporters, publishers as well as those in the 
movie and advertising industries shall be organized by their respective organizations 
and publishers to encourage the creation and use of non-stereotyped, balanced, diverse 
and positive images of women in media. The use of gender-fair language shall also be 
encouraged specifically in the practice of their profession. 
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) shall revise 
its rules and regulations to discourage unfair or derogatory portrayal of women in both 
media and film. 
SECTION 10. Access to Information and Services relating to Women’s Health. - 
(A) Comprehensive Health Services. - The State shall at all times provide for 
comprehensive gender responsive health services and programs covering all stages of a 
woman’s life cycle and ensure access to the following: 
1. 
Maternal care services; 
2. 
Nutrition services; 
3. 
4. 
Reproductive health services excluding abortion; 
Adolescent and youth health services; 


5. 
6. 
Women and children protection services; 
Screening and appropriate management of reproductive tract infections 
(RTIS) including sexually transmitted infections (STIS), human immunodeficiency virus 
(HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), breast and reproductive tract 
cancers, and other gynecological conditions; 
7. 
8. 
' Healthy lifestyle activities; 
9. 
Care of the elderly; 
10. 
11. 
Post-menopausal services; and 
12. 
Prevention and management of abortion and its complications; 
Health services for women with disabilities; 
Psychosocial, therapeutic, medical and legal services and assistance to 
women victims of violence 
(8) Comprehensive Health Information and Education. - The State shall 
provide women in all sectors with timely, complete and accurate information and 
education on all the above-stated aspects of women's health, in government education 
and training programs. 
Further, education programs on reproductive health shall always include the 
following: 
1. The important role of parents in the total formation of their children 
2. The formation of a per son's sexuality that affirms human dignity; and 
3. Modern, safe and effective family planning methods including fertility 
awareness 
SECTION 11. Equal rights in all matters relating to marriage and family 
relations. - The State shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination 
against w o m p  in all matters relating to marriage and family relations and shall ensure: 
(1) The right to enter into and leave partnerships or relationships other than 
those referred to in the Family Code 
(2) The right to choose freely a spouse and to enter into marriage only with their 
free and full consent and the betrothal and the marriage of a child shall have no legal 
effect. 
(3) The joint decision on the number and spacing of their children and to have 
access to the information, education and means to enable them to exercise these rights; 
(4) The equal personal rights as husband and wife, including the right to choose 
freely a profession and an occupation; 
(5) The equal rights of the spouses in respect of the ownership, acquisition, 
management, administration, enjoyment, and disposition of property. 


Customary laws shall be respected provided, however, that they do not 
contradict the above-enumerated rights. 
Women are guaranteed all civil, political, social and economic rights recognized, 
promoted and protected under existing laws, including but not limited to the 
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act, Urban Development and Housing Act, Comprehensive 
Agrarian Reform Law, Fisheries Code, Labor Code, Migrant Workers Act, Solo Parents 
Welfare Act and Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act. 
SECTION 12. Right to Housing. - The State shall develop housing programs for 
women that are localized, simple, accessible and secure with viable employment 
opportunities and affordable amortization. In this regard, the State shall consult women 
and involve them in community planning and development especially in matters 
pertaining to land use, zoning and relocation. 
SECTION 13. Right to Employment, Livelihood, Credit, Capital and 
Technology. -The State shall ensure that women shall be provided with the following: 
(A) Equal access to formal sources of credit and capital at concessional rates; 
(B) Equal share to the produce of the farms and aquatic resources; 
(C) Support services and gears to protect them from occupational and health 
hazards. 
(D) Support services that will enable women to balance family obligations and 
work responsibilities; 
(E) Membership in labor organizations regardless of status of employment and 
place of employment without prejudice to the existing provisions of the Labor Code; 
(F) In recognition of the temporary nature of overseas work, the State shall 
exert all efforts to address the causes of migration by developing local employment and 
other economic opportunities for women and by introducing measures to curb violence 
and forced and involuntary displacement of local women. The State shall ensure the 
protection and promotion of the rights and welfare of migrant women regardless of 
their work status; 
(G) Protection against discrimination in wages, conditions of work and 
employment opportunities in host countries; and 
(H) Employment opportunities for returning women migrant workers taking 
into account their skills and qualifications. Corollarily, the State shall also promote skills 
and entrepreneurship development of returning women migrant workers. 
SECTION 14. Right to Education and Training. - The State shall ensure the 


following: 
(A) Participation in trainings and extension services related to rights 
enumerated in Sections 6 and 8 of this Act; 
(8) Gender-sensitive trainings and seminars; 
(C) Equal opportunities in scholarship, especially to those interested in research 
and development aimed towards women-friendly farm technology. 
SECTION. 15. Right to Representation and Participation - The State shall 
ensure women’s participation in policy-making or decision-making bodies in the 
regional, national and international levels. It shall also ensure the participation of at 
least thirty three percent (33%) grassroots women leaders in decision and policy making 
bodies in their respective sectors, including but not limited to, Presidential Agrarian 
Reform Council (PARC) and local counterparts; community-based resource 
management bodies or mechanisms on forest management and stewardship; National 
Fisheries add Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) and local 
counterparts; National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Presidential Commission 
for the Urban Poor and where applicable, local housing boards; and National Anti- 
Poverty Commission. 
SECTION 16. Right to Information. - Access to information regarding policies 
on women, including programs, projects and budget shall be ensured. 
SECTION 17. Social Protection. - (A) The Social Security System (SSS) and the 
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) shall support indigenous and 
community-based social protection schemes. 
(8) The State shall endeavor to reduce and eventually eliminate transfer costs of 
It shall likewise provide access to 
remittances from abroad through negotiations. 
investment opportunities for remittances in line with national development efforts; 
(C) The State shall establish alternative social security system and health 
insurance program for senior citizens. 
SECTION 18. Recognition and Preservation of Cultural Identitybntegrity. - The 
State recognizes and respects the rights of Mor0 and indigenous women to practice, 
promote, protect and preserve their own culture, traditions and institutions and to 
consider these rights in the formulation and implementation of national policies and 
programs. To this end, the State shall adopt measures in consultation with the sectors 
concerned to protect their rights to their indigenous knowledge systems and practices, 
traditional livelihood and other manifestations of their cultures and ways of life 


provided that these cultural systems and practices are not discriminatory to women as 
defined in this Act 
SECTION. 19. Peace and Development. - Peace process shall be pursued with 
the following considerations: 
(A) Increase the number of women participating in decision making in the 
peace process, including membership in peace panels; 
(B) Ensure the development and inclusion of the women’s peace agenda in the 
over-all peace strategy and women’s participation in the planning, implementation, 
monitoring and evaluation of rehabilitation and rebuilding of conflict-affected areas; 
(C) Include peace perspective in education curriculum and other educational 
undertaken; and 
(D) Recognize and support women’s role in conflict-prevention and 
.peacemaking and in indigenous systems of conflict resolution 
SECTION 20. Protection of Girl-children. - (A) The State shall pursue measures 
to eliminate all forms of discrimination against girl-children in education, health and 
nutrition and skills development. 
(B) Girl-children shall be protected from all forms of abuse and exploitation 
caused by negative cultural attitudes and practices as well as in the economic 
exploitation of child labor. 
(C) Equal access of Mor0 and indigenous girl children in the Madaris, schools of 
living culture and traditions and the regular schools, shall be ensured; 
(D) Gender-sensitive curriculum, including legal literacy, books and curriculum 
in the Madaris and school of living culture and tradition, shall be developed; 
(E) Sensitivity of regular schools to particular Mor0 and indigenous practices, 
such as fasting in the month of Ramadan, choice of clothing (including the wearing of 
hijab), halal food shall be ensured. 
SECTION 21. Protection of Senior Citizens. - The State shall protect women- 
senior citizen from neglect, abandonment, domestic violence, abuse, exploitation and 
discrimination. Towards this end, the State shall ensure special protective mechanisms 
and support services against violence, sexual abuse, exploitation and discrimination of 
older women. 
SECTION 22. Gender Mainstreaming as a strategy for implementing the Magna 
Carta of Women. - All departments, including their attached agencies, offices, bureaus, 
state universities and colleges, government-owned and controlled corporations, local 


government units and other government instrumentalities, shall adopt gender 
mainstreaming as a strategy to promote women’s human rights and eliminate gender 
discrimination in their systems, structures, policies, programs, processes and 
procedures which shall include but not be limited to the following: 
(A) 
Planning and Budgeting for Gender and Development (GAD) - GAD 
programs designed to address gender issues and concerns shall be designed and 
implemented based on the mandate of government agencies and local government 
units, Republic Act 7192, gender equality agenda of the government and other GAD- 
related legislation and policies. The development of the GAD programs shall proceed 
from the conduct of a gender audit of the agency/LGU and a gender analysis of its 
policies, programs, services, and the situation of its clientele; the generation and review 
of sex-disaggregated data; and consultation with genderjwomen’s rights advocates and 
agency/ women clientele. The cost of implementing the GAD program shall be the 
agency’s/ LGU’s GAD budget which shall be at least five percent (5%) of the agency’s/ 
LGU’s total budget appropriations. 
LGUs are also encouraged to develop and pass a GAD Code based on the gender 
issues and concerns in their respective localities and the women’s empowerment gender 
equality agenda of the government. The GAD Code shall also serve as basis for 
identifying programs, activities and projects on GAD. 
Where needed, temporary gender equity measures shall be provided for in the 
plans of all departments, including their attached agencies, offices, bureaus, state 
universities ,and colleges, government-owned and controlled corporations, local 
government units and other government instrumentalities. 
To move towards a more sustainable, gender-responsive and performance-based 
planning and budgeting, gender issues and concerns shall be integrated in the 
following plans, among others: 
1. 
macro socio-economic plans such as the Medium-Term Philippine 
Development Plan and Medium-Term Philippine Investment Plan; 
annual plans of all departments, including their attached agencies, offices, 
bureaus, state universities and colleges, government-owned and 
controlled corporations; 
‘local plans/agenda such as executive-legislative agenda, comprehensive 
development plan (CDP), comprehensive land use plan (CLUP), 
provincial development and physical framework plan (PDPFP), annual 
investment plan. 
Creation and/or strengthening of the GAD Focal Point System. - All 
departments, including their attached agencies, offices, bureaus, state universities and 
2. 
3. 
(B) 


colleges, government-owned and controlled corporations, local government units and 
other government instrumentalities shall establish or strengthen their GAD Focal Point 
System or similar GAD mechanism to catalyze and accelerate gender mainstreaming 
within the agency/LGU. 
The GAD Focal Point System shall be composed of the agency head/ local chief 
executive, an Executive Committee with an Undersecretary (or its equivalent) / LGU 
official/ officer in a strategic decision-making position as Chair; and a Technical 
Working Group or Secretariat which is composed of representatives from various 
divisions/ offices within the agency or LGU. 
The tasks and functions of the members of the GFP shall form part of their 
r;gular key 'result areas and shall be given due consideration in their performance 
evaluation. 
(C) 
Generation and Maintenance of GAD Database. - All departments, 
including their attached agencies, offices, bureaus, state universities and colleges, 
government-owned and controlled corporations, local government units and other 
government instrumentalities shall develop and maintain a GAD database containing 
gender statistics and sex-disaggregated data that have been systematically gathered, 
regularly updated and subjected to gender analysis for planning, programming and 
policy formulation. 
SECTION 23. Gender Focal Point Officer in Philippine Embassies and 
Consulates. - An officer duly trained on gender and development shall be designated 
as the gender focal point officer in the consular section of Philippine embassies or 
consulates. Said officer shall be primarily responsible in handling gender concerns of 
women migrant workers. Attached agencies shall cooperate in strengthening the 
Philippine foreign posts' program for the delivery of services to women migrant 
workers. 
SECTION 24. 
The Philippine Commission on Women. - 
The National 
Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) shall be renamed as Philippine 
Commission on Women (PCW) and strengthened to be the primary coordinating 
agency and policy advisory on women and gender concerns to the Office of the 
President and the Cabinet. It shall also be the overall monitoring body to ensure the 
implementation of this Act. In doing so, the PCW shall direct all agencies to report on 
tfie implementation of the Act and for them to immediately respond to the problems 
brought to their attention in relation to this Act. The PCW shall also lead in ensuring 
that government agencies are capacitated on effective implementation of this Law. The 


Chairperson shall likewise report to the President in Cabinet meetings on the 
implementation of this Act. 
To the extent possible, the PCW shall influence the systems, processes and 
procedures of the legislative and judicial branches of government vis-a-vis GAD to 
ensure the implementation of this Act. 
SECTION 25. The Gender and Development (GAD) Ombud. - A gender and 
development Ombud shall be established in the Commission on Human Rights. The 
GAD Ombud shall: 
(1) mqnitor and oversee the strict implementation of this Act, in coordination 
with NCRFW; 
(2) on its own or on report or complaint, have the power to require information, 
investigate or hear administrative complaint involving the possible violations 
of this Act; 
(3) use every and all reasonable means to ascertain the facts in the report or 
complaint, in all instances observing due process; 
(4) recommend to the President or the Civil Service Commission any possible 
administrative action based on non-compliance or failure to implement the 
provisions of this Act; 
(5) direct agencies to immediately respond to the problems brought to their 
attention in relation to the implementation of this Act and report to the 
Council on action taken; and 
(6) assist in filing of cases against individuals, agencies, institutions or 
establishment that violate the provision of this Act. 
SECTION 26. Incentives and awards. - There shall be established an incentives 
and awards system which shall be administered by a board under such rules and 
regulations as may be promulgated by the PCW to deserving entities, government 
agencies and local government units for their outstanding performance in upholding 
the rights of women and effective implementation of gender-responsive programs. 
SECTION 27. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - As the lead agency, the 
PCW shall, in coordination with the Commission on Human Rights and all departments 
and agencies, formulate the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of this Act 
within ninety (90) days after its effectivity. 
SECTION 28. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held 


invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION. 29. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary 
to, or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or 
amended accordingly. 
SECTION. 30. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,