i. OF REPRESENTATIVES:
RECEIVED

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

House Bill No. __ 495

Introduced by HON. SITTI DJALIA A. TURABIN-HATAMAN of Anak Mindanao
(AMIN) Party-List

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Each year the Philippines experience several calamities. Ten to twenty typhoons strike
our country every year. Typhoon Yolanda which had been considered as one of the
strongest typhoons worldwide and the deadliest ever recorded in our history, killed
6300 people, left thousands homeless and brought severe damage to infrastructures,
agriculture and livelihood

Farlier the Zamboanga siege happened, causing the displacement of more than 100,000
people and death of several civilians and even closure of the Zamboanga City
International Airport. A number of schools, hospitals, churches and the Zamboanga
City Grandstand served as temporary shelters.

In alll instances of displacement, experiences documented in evacuation sites show
alarming cases of sex and gender-based violence and other forums of violence and
abuse committed against women, young girls, and children.

With the passage of this bill, we seck to institutionalize the mandatory establishment of
Women-Child Friendly Space (WCFS) in all evacuation centers in the country to
respond to the needs of women, young girls and children who are temporarily
sheltered thereat.


It is therefore our great desire to have this bill into law. As such,
support for the approval of this bill,

wh tation TURABIN-HATAMAN

Anak-Mindanao (AMIN) Party List

we earnestly seek


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

Seventeenth Congr
First Regular Se

495

House Bill No.

Introduced by HON. SITTI DJALIA A, TURABIN-HATAMAN of Anak Mindanao
(AMIN) Party-List

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MANDATORY ESTABLISHMENT OF WOMEN-
CHILD FRIENDLY SPACESIN ALL EVACUATION CENTERS IN THE COUNTRY
AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREOF

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 “Women-Child Friendly Spaces
Act.”

Section 2, Declaration of Policy. The state shall maintain the peace and order, the
protection of life, liberty, and property, and the promotion of the general weltare.

Section 3. Definition of Terms.

a. Women-Child Friendly Space - The Women-Child Friendly is a
facility/structure that will be established in the evacuation camps or
relocation sites during crisis situations such as natural or manmade disasters

b. Natural Disaster - a natural event that occurs in the normal course of life
such as typhoon, flood, earthquake, or hurricane that causes great damage to
property or loss of life


c. Manmade Disaster - a disastrous event caused directly and principally by
one or more identifiable deliberate or negligent human act

d. War ~ a state of armed conflict between different nations or states of different
groups within a nation or state.

Section 4. Establishment of Women-Child Friendly Space (WCFS). ‘There shall be a
mandatory establishment of Women-Child Friendly Space (WCFS) in all evacuation
centers in the Philippines during natural disasters, isurgencies or war and other related
natural or man-made calamities.

Section 5. Rationale. The establishment of Women-Child Friendly Space (WCFS)
envisaged in protecting and promoting the general welfare of our women, mothers and
children and young girls during emergency situations.

‘This WCES is intended to respond to the needs of women, nursing mothers, young, girls
and children who are temporarily sheltered in various evacuation centers established
for the moment.

Section 6. What shall constitute a Women-Child Friendly Space (WCFS).

a. A separate quarter or space to attend to the needs of nursing mothers and
young children;

b. Social workers, health personnel, legal specialists, security personnel and
other community workers who shall assist to the primordial needs of our
women, mothers and children;

¢. It shall provide psychosocial intervention and counselling;

d. Medical and Health services including breastfeeding counselling;

e, Awareness sessions and life skills taining relative to women's right,
empowerment and gender equality;

f. Legal clinic or counselling ready to address violence, harrassments and other
legal issues our women and children are facing;


f. Legal clinic or counselling ready to address violence, harrassments and other
legal issues our women and children are facing;

g. A recreational center for adult women, children’s playground and learning
center

Section 7. implementing Agency. The DILG shall be the overall implementing agency
for this Act, which shall coordinate with the DSWD,

Section 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ‘The DSWD in. consultation,
coordination and collaboration with the Department of the Interior and Local
Government shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, prepare the
implementing, rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.

Section 9. Appropriations.The DILG Secretary shall include in the department's
program the operationalization of the WCFS Act, the initial funding of which shall be
charged against the current appropriation of the DILG. Thereafter, the amount
necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the General
Appropriations Act (GAA).

Section 10. Separability Clause.If any provi
unconstitutional, those provisions not otherwise affected shall remain valid and
subsisting.

ion or part thereof, is held invalid or

Section 11. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree or issuances, 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.

Section 12. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of
the general circulation whichever comes earlier,

Approved,