FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
1 
S. B.No. sfYf4 
. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 14 provides: 
Section 14. The State recognizes the role of women in 
nation-building, and shall ensure the fundamental equality before 
the law of women and men. 
Women have historically been underrepresented in scientific and engineering occupations, 
and although progress has been made over the last several decades, there is stillroom for 
improvement 
Female students earn fewer bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in science and 
engineering. Among recent bachelors of science and bachelor of engineering graduates, women 
are less liltely to be in the labor force, to be employed full-time, and to be employed in their field 
than arc men. Moreover, a substantial salary gap exists between men and women with doctorates 
in science and engineering 
Limited access is the first hurdle faced by women seeking industrial jobs in science and 
engineering. While progress has been made in recent years, common recruitment a~d 
hiring 
practices that makc extensive use of traditional networks often overlook the available pool of 
women. Once on the job, many women find paternalism, sexual harassment, allegations of 
reverse discrimination, different standards for judging the work of men and women, lower salary 
relative to their male peers, inequitable job assignments, and other aspects of a male-oriented 
culture that arc hostile to women. They, to a greater extent than men, find limited opportunities 
for advancement, particularly for moving into management positions, and the number of women 
who have achieved the top levels in corporation is much lower than expected, 
This bill seelcs to establish a commission that would examine these issues and  help^ 


a) 
to focus attention on the importance of eliminating artificial barriers to 
the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in the fields of 
science, engineering, and technology, and in all employment sectors of 
the Philippines; 
b) 
to promote workforce diversity; 
c) 
to sensitize employers to the need to recruit and retain women and 
minority scientists, engineers, and computer specialists; 
to encourage the replication of successful recruitment and retention 
programs by universities, corporations, and agencies having difficulties 
in employing women in the fields of science, engineering, and 
technology.* 
d) 
* This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S.B.No. s7TE? 
. . 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE COMMISSION ON THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN IN 
SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT 
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 “Commission on the 
Advancement of Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology Development Act.” 
SECTION 2. Commission on the Advancement of Women in Engineering, Science and 
Technology Development. - There is established a commission to be lmown as the “Commission 
on the Advancement of Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology Development” (in this 
Act referred to as the ‘Commission’). 
SECTION 3. Duty of the Commission. - The Commission shall review available research, 
and if determined necessary by the Commission, conduct additional research to - 
(A) Identify the number of women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities in the 
Philippines in specific types of occupations in science, engineering, and technology development; 
(B) Examine the preparedness of women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities to - 
(1) Pursue careers in science, engineering and technology development; and 
(2) Advance to positions of greater responsibility within the academia, industry, 
and government; 
(C) Describe the practice and polices of employees and labor unions relating to the 
recruitment, retention, and advancement of women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities 
in the fields of science, engineering, and technology development; 
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(D) Identify the opportunities for, and artificial barriers to, the recruitment, retention, and 
advancement o€ women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities in the fields of science, 
engineering, and technology development in academia, industry, and government; 
(E) Compile a synthesis of available research on lawful practices, polices, and programs 
that have successfully led to the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women, minorities, 
and individuals with disabilities in science, engineering, and technology development; 
(F) Issue recommendations with respect to lawful policies that government (including 
Congress, academia, private industry can follow regarding the recruitment, retention, and 
advancement of women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities in science, engineering, and 
technology development; 
(G) Identify the disincentives for women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities to 
continue graduate education in the fields of engineering, physics, and computer science; 
(H) Identify university undergraduate programs that are successful in retaining women, 
minorities, and individuals with disabilities in the fields of science, engineering, and technology 
development; 
(I) Identify the disincentives that lead to a disproportionate number of women, minorities, 
and individuals with disabilities leaving the fields of science, engineering, and technology 
development before completing their undergraduate education; 
SECTION 4. Membership. - The Commission shall be composed of six members to be 
appointed by the President as follows: 
(A) Two (2) members from among for-profit entities that hire individuals in the fields of 
engineering, science, or technology development; 
(B) Two (2) members from among institutions in education or academia in the fields of 
life science, physical science, or engineering; and 
(C) Two (2) members from among non-governmental organizations, people’s 
organizations or any similar entities that promote and advance the welfare of women, minorities 
and individuals with disabilities. 
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The Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology shall automatically seat as 
chairman of the commission in an ex-officio capacity. 
Each member shall be appointed for the life of the Commission. 
A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled in the manner in which the original 
appointment was made. 
Members shall not be paid by reason of their service on the Commission. 
Each member shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in an amount to be 
determined by existing law. 
A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the 
transaction of business. 
The Commission shall meet not fewer than five ( 5 )  times in connection with and pending 
the completion of the report described in this Act. The Commission shall hold additional 
meetings for such purpose if the Chairperson or a majority of the members of the Commission 
requests additional meetings in writing. 
SECTION 5. Directors and Staffof the Commission; Experts And Consultants. - 
(A) Director. - The Commission shall appoint and fix the pay of a Director and 
additional personnel as the Commission considers appropriate. 
(B) Experts and Consultants. - The Commission may procure temporary and intermittent 
services to assist in the discharge of the Commission’s functions. 
SECTION 6. Powers of the Commission. - 
(A) Hearings and Sessions. - The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out this 
act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence as the 
Commission considers appropriate. The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to 
witnesses appearing before it. 
(B) Powers of Members and Agents. - Any member or agent of the Commission may, if 
authorized by the Commission, take any action which the Commission is authorized to lake by 
this section. 
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(C) Obtaining Official Data. - The Commission may secure directly from any 
department or agency information necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon request of 
the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of that department or agency shall furnish that 
information to the Commission. 
(D) Mails. - The Commission may use mails in the same manner and under the same 
conditions as other departments and agencies of the government. 
(E) Contract Authority. - To the extent provided in advance in appropriations Acts, the 
Commission may contract with and conipensate government and private agencies or persons for 
the purpose of conducting research or surveys necessary to enable the Commission to carry out 
its duties under this Act. 
SECTION7. Report. - Not later than 1 year aiter the date on which the initial 
appoiiitments are complete, the Commission shall submit to the President and the Congress a 
written report containing the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the Cornmission 
resulting from the study conducted under section 3. 
SECTION 8. Constuuction; Use of Information Obtained. -Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed to require any non-governmental entities such as business, college or university, 
foundation, or research organization to provide information to the Commission concerning such 
entity’s personnel policies, including salaries and benefits, promotion criteria, and affirmative 
action plans. 
No information obtained from any entity by the Commission may be used in connection 
with any employnient related litigation. 
SECTION 9. Termination; Access to Information. - The Commission shall terminate 30 
days afler the submitting the reports required in this act. 
On or before the date of the termination of the Commission, the Commission shall 
provide to the Department of Science and Technology the information gathered by the 
Cornmission in the process of carrying out its duties under this Act. The department shall act as 
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a central repository for such information and shall make such information available to the public, 
including malting such information available through Internet. 
SECTION 10. Review of Information Provided by the Department of Science and 
Technology and Other Agencies. - 
(A) Provision of Infirmation. - At the request of the Commission, the DOST and any 
other department or agency shall provide to the Commission any information determined 
necessary by the Commission to carry out its duties under this Act, including-data 
on academic 
degrees awarded to women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities in science, engineering, 
and technology development and workforce representation and the retention of women, 
minorities, individuals with disabilities in the fields of science, engineering and technology 
development; and 
(B) Review of Iiqormation. -The Commission shall review any information provided and 
shall include in the report required under Section 7 on how to correct any deficiencies in the 
collection of the types of information described in that subsection, and in the analysis of such 
data, which might impede the characterization of the factors which affect the attraction and 
retention of women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities in the field of science, 
engineering, and technology development; and 
SECTION 1 1. Authorization of Appropriations. - There are authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this Act - 
(1) Three Million Pesos (P3,000,000.00) for the fiscal year during which this Act is 
approved; and 
(2) Three Million Pesos (P3,000,000.00) for next succeeding fiscal year. 
SECTION 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rnle or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 14. Eflectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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