Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

‘SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

785

HOUSE BILLNo,_

Introduced by: Gabriela Women's Party Reps. LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN and EMMI A. DE JESUS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Filipino women have played leading and supportive roles in the Filipinos’ historic struggles for liberation,
justice, peace and prosperity.

Gabriela Silang, Tandang Sora, Teresa Magbanua and Trinidad Tecson fought against colonialism and
foreign invasion. There too were the women who started organizing at the turn ofthe century: the Logia de Adopcion,
a Masonic lodge of Filipino women in 1893; the Associacion de Damas de la Cruz Roja (Women's Red Cross
Association) and the Association of llonga Feminists led by Pura Villanueva Kalaw, which started the nationwide
‘campaign for women’s suffrage in 1912

The sufiragettes’ campaigns took the form of lobbying with govemment officials and holding ralies and
conferences. Their effort resulted in the passage of the suffrage bill in the Philippines Legislature in 1933,
implementation of the Administrative Code which allowed women to vote in 1935, and the ratification of women's,
suffrage rights in a national plebiscite in 1937.

In the Martial Law years, activists like Liliosa Hilao, Jessica Sales, Lorena Barros and Puri Pedro sacrificed
their lives for nationalism and democracy.

‘Yet no national institution is dedicated to the heritage, heroism and martyrdom of Filipino women. Women's
historic contributions to people's struggles for freedom, women's rights and nation-building should not go unvalued
‘and unnoted leaving a gap in our country’s historical record.

Furthermore, knowledge of Filipino women's heritage and heroism is crucial in developing people's
appreciation and respect for women and girls that should eventually help eliminate discrimination, oppression and
violence against females ofall ages.

‘ANational Flipino Women’s Museum is needed to commemorate Filipino women’s heroism and martyrdom
and profile the specific achievements that women — individually and collectively ~ have made in all aspects of
Philippine society.

The approval of this bills earnestly and urgently sought

Frsnd e foci)
LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAI EMMI A. DE JESUS

Gabriela Women's Party Gabriela Women’s Party


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1785

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by: Gabriela Women's Party Reps. LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN and EMMI A. DE JESUS

AN ACT TO CREATE A NATIONAL WOMEN’S MUSEUM, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Title: - This Act shall be known as the “National Filipino Women's Museum Act of 2003."

‘SECTION 2, Declaration of Policy. - Itis hereby declared the policy of the State to:

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Recognize women's historic contributions to the Filipinos’ development as a nation and people

Celebrate women whose various individual and collective actions have caused to dramatically and
significantly advance Filipino women's fight against inequality, discrimination and deprivation,

Honor women's role and heroism in the Filipinos’ liberation from foreign invasion and occupation of
the Spanish, American and Japanese

Honor individual women whose specific achievements have enriched and impacted on any and all
aspects of Filipino life

Commemorate modem-day women heroines and martyrs who struggled against injustice.
Oppression and exploitation especially during Martial Law.

SECTION 3. Creation of the National Filipino Women's Museum - To carry out the above policy, the National
Filipino Women’s Museum, hereinafter referred to as the Women’s Museum, is hereby created and established.

SECTION 4. Organization, Operation and Administration. - The organization, operation and administration of the
National Filipino Women's Museum shall follow the general and standard structures, management and operations
established, mandated and practiced by the National Commission of Culture and Arts (NCCA) and other appropriate

agencies.

SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The NCCA shall formulate, within thirty (30) days from its
effectivity, the rules and regulations necessary to implement this Act.

‘SECTION 6. Appropriations. ~ Such sums as may be necessary for the purpose of carying out this Act are hereby
authorized to be appropriated in the General Appropriations Act.


SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations, rules and regulations, and
other issuance or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

SECTION 8, Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any section or provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or
invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof shall not be affected thereby.

SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. - This ACT shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its publication in the Oficial
Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspaper of general circulation whichever comes earlier.

Approved,