SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B.No. 528 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
'13 JUl -8 A 8 :28 
This bill seeks to lessen the inequalities and provide equal opportunity between 
men and women in the areas of public governance by reserv~ng certain 
percentages of positions in the different branches of government to qualified 
women. 
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Section 14 of Article 2 of the Philippine Constitution states that, "the'State 
recognizes the. role of women in nation-building and shall ensure the 
funClamental equality before the law of women and men." Pursuant to this, RA 
7192 or an Act Promoting the Integration of Women as Full and Equal Partners of 
Men in Development and Nation-Building was enacted in 1992 to implement this 
State policy. Said Act provided the following provisions: that a substantial, 
portion of official development assistance funds received from foreign. 
governments and multilateral agencies and organizations shall be set aside and 
utilized by the agencies concerned to support programs and activities for 
women; the affirmation that women oflegal age, regardless of civil status, shall 
have the capacity to act and enter into contracts; and 'that women shall be 
accorded equal opportunities for appointment, admission, training, graduation 
and commission in all military or ,similar schools of the Armed Forces of the 
Philippines and the Philippine National Police 
The Government of the Philippines has also adopted the Philippine Plan for 
Gender Responsive Development for 1995-2025, which is the government's 30.-
year blueprint of policies, programs, projects and strategies wherein women, are 
both major participants and beneficiaries in national development. Since 1996, 
the General Appropriations Act (GAA), or government's budget, has included 
the so-called GAD or Women's Budget. This directs all government agencies to 
allocate five (5%) percent of their annual budgets to address gender issues. 
Along with other landmark laws on women like Republic Act No. 8353 or The 
Anti-Rape Law which expanded the categorization of the crime of rape as crime 
against persons and not against chastity, Republic Act No. 8505 or the Rape 
Victim Assistance and Protection Act, which. establishes Rape Crisis Centers .all 
over the country; Republic ~ct No. 7877 or the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act, 
which declares sexual harassment unlawful in the employment, education and 
training environment, and Republic Act No. 6955 or the Anti-Mail Order Bride 
Scheme environment, the State has created an environment in -which, at least 
legally, women are equal to men with regards to participating in governance and 
decision making. 


However there are still significant constraints that adversely affect women's 
participation in public governance. To date, women's share in decision-making 
positions remains low. This pattern is also true in other institutions in both 
government and private sectors where women's participation also decreases as 
the position level goes up. This bill aims to address the discrimination 
experienced by women ih the field of public service. This proposed measure 
reserves certain percentage in appointive positions in both national and local 
government, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine 
National.Police to qualified women. Failure to comply will be meted out with a . 
corresponding penalty, which includes imprisonment and! or fine. 
In light of the importance of this piece of legislation to allow more meaningful 
participation of women in public :governance, immediate passage of this bill is 
earnestly sought. 
. 
~~ 
enator 
I, 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
'13 
JUL -8 1\8 :2B 
SENATE 
S.B.No. 528 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
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Be it enacted by 'the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:. 
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SECTION 1. This Act shall be known and cited as the "Women Empowerment 
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Act of 2013." 
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SECTION 2. Appointive positions in the national and local govemment shall be 
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reserved to qualified women based on the following fraction and classification: 
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a) At least one-third (1/3) of the Cabinet; 
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b) At least one-third (1/3) of all undersecretaries and positions of comparable 
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salary grade or at least. one in every line department, govemment-owned and 
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controlled corporations, govemment financing institutions, state colleges and 
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universities, arid local government units: Provided, that in cases where there are 
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more than fifty percent (50%) of the women population occupying technical 
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positions in departments, offices, bureaus and agencies, the secretary Or the head 
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agency shall be a woman and the proportion of one third (1/3) shall be increased 
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. to two-thirds (2/3); 
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c) At least one-third (1/3) of all assistant secretaries in every department; 
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d) At least one-third (1/3) of all directors in every department; 
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e) At least one-third (1/3) of all chiefs of division in every department; bureau or 
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agency; 
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f) At least one-third (1/3) of all ambassadors and consular offices; 
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g) At least one-third (1/3) of all judges in all lower courts; and 
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h) At least one-third (1/3) of all prosecutors in department of justice. 
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. It shall be the Civil Service Commission who shall e~orce this provision. 
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SEC. 3. All duly-accredited political parties shall reserve at least one third (1/3) of its 
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party slate of official candidates to women in elections for the municipality/city 
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councils and provincial boards. 
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The Commission on Elections shall enforce this provision. 
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SECTION 4. Women in the Armed Forces of the Philippines shall be allowed 
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combat and security-related assignments. 
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The Armed Forces of the Philippines shall enforce this provision. 
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SECTION 5. All police stations shall establish an all-female unit to attend to 
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victims of rape, battering, incest and other crimes against women and chastity. For this 
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purpose, the Philippine National Police shall reserve at least thirty percent (30%) of all 
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items in each rank to women. 
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SECTION 6. All departments, bureaus, agencies, and other government-owned 
and controlled corporations, in coordination with theNationa! Commission on the Role 
of Filipino Women (NCRFW), shall include in their human resource development 
program, gender and development orientation, trainings, and seminars amdng others. 
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SECTION 7. At least one-third (1/3) of scholarships, grants, fellowships and 
trainings in the National or Local governments, either in the Philippines or abroad, shall. 
be reserved for qualified women. 
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The Commission on Civil Service 'and the National Economic and Development 
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Authority shall enforce this provision. 
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SECTION 8. Nothing in this Act shall diminish the rights and privileges of 
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incumbent male employees. 
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SECTION 9. Persons who violate the provisions of this act shall be punished by 
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a fine not less than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,OOO.OO) Ot imprisonment of not less than 
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one (1) year nor more than six (6) years or both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion 
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If the offender is a government official, he shall, in addition, be perpetually 
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disqualified from holding any public office, 
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SECTION 10. The National Commission on the Role Filipino Women, in 
Consultation with the Civil 'service Commission, the .Commission on Election, the 
Philippine National Police, and the National Economic Development Aut~ority, shall 
formulate the necessary gUidelines to implement this Act. 
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SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
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rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed cir 
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m9dified accordingly. \ 
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SECTION 12. Separability Clause, - If any provision of this Act is declared 
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invalid, the remainder of this Act or any prOVision not affected thereby shall remain in 
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force and effect, 
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SECTION 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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