Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3719

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 14 of Article IT of the 1987 Constitution recognizes the role of women in nation-building and
thereby mandates the State to ensure fundamental equality between men and women. As a
response, series of legislations empowering and recognizing the rights of women are in effect such
as Republic Act No. 7192 otherwise known as the An Act Promoting Integration as Full and Equal
Partners of Men in Development and Nation-Building, Republic Act No. 8353 or the Anti-Rape Law,
Republic Act No. 8505 or the Rape Victim Assistance Protection Act, Republic Act No. 7877 or the
Anti-Sexual Harassment Act, and Republic Act No. 6955 or the Anti-Mail Order Bride Scheme.

Notwithstanding the legislation promoting the protection of women's rights, there is still an equality
that exist in term of opportunities in the areas of public governance. In fact, based on the Fact
Sheet dated March 19, 2013 released by the National Statistical Coordination Board on Updates on
Women and Men in the Philippines, elective positions are dominated by men with 81.3% in contrast
with 18.4% for women during the 2010 elections. Although women dominates in the distribution of
government personnel for major subdivision in the national level and in the state universities and
colleges, men still lead in number of personnel in the local government as well as in government
owned and controlled corporations. More importantly, in the field judiciary, men dominated in
numbers with 634 in contrast to 288 female judges from data gathered in 2009.

In order to address the issue of prevailing inequality in opportunities in public governance, this bill
is filed. In addition, this bill aims to increase the share of women's role in decision-making and to
address the discrimination experiences by women in the field of public service.

The salient feature of this bill includes the reservation of certain percentage in appointive positions
and penalty for non-compliance.

In view foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
Abb fall
YY;

S. TAMBUNTING


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3719

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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 and cited as the "Women Empowerment Act
of 2019."

SECTION 2. Appointive positions in the national and local government shall be reserved to qualified
women based on the following fraction and classification:

a) At least one-third (1/3) of the Cabinet;

b) At least one-third (1/3) of all undersecretaries and positions of comparable salary grade or
at least one in every line department, government-owned and controlled corporations,
government financing institutions, state colleges and universities, and local government
units: Provided, that in case where are more than fifty percent (50%) of the women
population occupying technical positions in departments, offices, bureaus and agencies, the
secretary or the head agency shall be a woman and the proportion of one-third (1/3) shall
be increased to two-thirds (2/3);

c) At least one-third (1/3) of all assistant secretaries in every department;

d) At least one-third (1/3) of all directors in every department;

e) At least one-third (1/3) of all chief of division in every department, bureau or agency;

f) At least one-third (1/3) of all ambassador and consular offices;

) At least one-third (1/3) of all judges in all lower courts; and

h) At least one-third (1/3) of all prosecutors in department of justice.

It shall be the Civil Service Commission who shall enforce this provision.

‘SECTION 3. All duly-accredited political parties shall reserve at least one third (1/3) of its party
slate of official candidates to women in elections for the municipality/city councils and provincial
boards.

The Commission on Elections shall enforce this provision.

SECTION 4. Women in the Armed Forces of the Philippines shall be allowed combat and security-
related assignments.

‘The Armed Forces of the Philippines shall enforce this provision.


SECTION 5. All police stations shall establish an all-female unit to attend to victims of rape,
battering, incest and other crimes against women and chastity. For this purpose, the Philippine
National Police shall reserve at least thirty percent (30%) of all items in each rank to women.

SECTION 6. All departments, bureaus, agencies, and other government-owned and controlled
corporations, in coordination with the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW),
shail include in their human resource development program, gender and development orientation,
trainings, and seminars among others.

‘SECTION 7. At least one-third (1/3) of scholarships, grants, fellowships and trainings in the national
or local government, either in the Philippines or abroad shall be reserved for qualified women.

The Commission on Civil Service and National Economic and Development Authority shall enforce
this provision.

SECTION 8. Nothing in this Act shall diminish the rights and privileges of incumbent male
employees.

SECTION 9. Penalty. - Persons who violate the provisions of this Act shall be punished by a fine
not less than fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than one (1) year nor
more than six (6) years or both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

Tf the offender is a government official, he shall in addition, be perpetually disqualified from holding
any public office.

SECTION 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The National Commission on the Role
Filipino Women, in consultation with the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Elections, the
Philippine National Police and the National Economic and Development Authority, shall formulate
the necessary guidelines to implement this Act.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. — All \aws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 12. Separability Clause, — If any provision of this Act is declared invalid, the remainder
of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

SECTION 13. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at
least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,