he iN
RECEIVED ”

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 327

Introduced by: Hon. Iris Marie D. Montes

AN ACT
ACCELERATING THE PARTICIPATION AND EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION
OF WOMEN IN THE DECISION-MAKING AND POLICY-MAKING PROCESSES
IN GOVERNMENT

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 14 of Article II of the Philippine Constitution provides that “The State
recognizes the role of women in nation-building, and shall ensure the fundamental
equality before the law of women and men.”

The sex distribution in the Philippine population based on the 2020 Census of
Population and Housing shows that the Philippines had a total population of
109,035,343 persons. Of the 108.67 million household population in 2020, 55.02
million (50.6%) were males while 53.65 million (49.4%) were females. The sex
ratio was computed at 103 in 2020, which means that there were 103 males for
every 100 females.

Meanwhile, in 2022, only 24% of elected positions in the country were held
oy women, 2 notable decrease from 30% in 2017.

This is “Despite progressive laws like the 1987 Constitution and the Magna “
Carta of Women—both of which uphold women’s equal role in nation-building—
ina leaders remain vastly underrepresented in governance. The sharp decline in
tical participation is not just a statistic; it’s a warning.”*

According to the United Nations Women Asia and the Pacific Region, *...higher
sumbers of women in parliament generally contribute to stronger attention to
women’s issues. Women's political participation is a fundamental prerequisite for
gender equality and genuine democracy. It facilitates women's direct engagement
in public decision-making and is a means of ensuring better accountability to

women

yitical accountability to women begins with increasing the number of
: decision-making positions, but it cannot stop there. What is required are
governance reforms that will make all elected officials more
promoting gender equality in public policy and ensuring their
mplementation.”?

Women make up only 24% of elected officials in PH, highlighting gender gap in

poiitics, Philippine Institute for Development Studies

s.gress-releases/women-make-up-only-24-
gap-in-politics) Accessed on 23 May

2025
ibid

Political Participation of Women, UN Women .en.ora/en/focus-

wom
lay 20

") Accessed on



Albeit uitimately, a free market situation is ideal where both men and women
nave equai access to opportunities in all endeavors. The existing reality however, is
tnat Filipine women continue to face steep discrimination, particularly in accessing
jucation, employment, and career opportunities.

Hence, to help address the inherent social discrimination against women and
balance men and women participation government, this measure seeks to
reserve at least one third of certain opportunities in government and certain
institutions to women.

The right of women to participate in all spheres of life is vital in fully realizing
their role as agents and beneficiaries of development.

For this purpose, early passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

IRIS MARIE D. MONTES

Kababathan, Kabalikatan para sa Kapakenan
at Kaunlaran ng Bayan (4K) Party-list


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 327

Introduced by: Hon. Iris Marie D, Montes

AN ACT
ACCELERATING THE PARTICIPATION AND EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION
OF WOMEN IN THE DECISION-MAKING AND POLICY-MAKING PROCESSES
IN GOVERNMENT

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

SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the "Women in Government Act."

SEC. 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 of the Cabinet;

(d)At least one-third 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 cases
where there are more than fifty percent (50%) women population
occupying technical position in departments, offices, bureaus and
agencies, the secretary or the head agency shall be a woman and the
proportion of one-third shall be increased to two-thirds;

(c) At east one-third of all assistant secretaries in every department;
(d)At ieast one-third of all directors in every department;

(e) At least one-third of all chiefs of division in every department, bureau or
agency;

(f) At least one-third of all ambassadors and consular offices;
(g)At least one-third of all judges in all lower courts; and
(h)At least one-third of all prosecutors in department of justice.
The Civil Service Commission shall enforce this provision.

SEC. 3. 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.

SEC. 4. All police stations shall establish a 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
ail items in each rank to women.


SEC. 5. All departments, bureaus, agencies, and other government-owned and
controlied corporations, in coordination with the Philippine Commission on Women
(PCW), shali include in their human resource development program, gender and
development orientation, trainings, and seminars among others.

SEC. 6, At least one-third of scholarships, grants, fellowships and trainings in
the national and local governments, either in the Philippines or abroad, shall be
reserved for qualified women.

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

SEC. 7. Nothing in this Act shall diminish the rights and privileges of incumbent
male employees.

SEC. 8. Any person who shall 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
iess than one (1) year nor more than six (6) years or both fine and imprisonment at
the discretion of the court.

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

SEC. 9. The PCW, in consultation with the Civil Service Commission, the
Commission on Elections, the Philippine National Police, and the National Economic
Development Authority, shall formulate the necessary guidelines to implement this
Act.

SEC. 10. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations,
or parts thereof, inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly

SEC. 11. 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.

SEC. 12. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders and their implementing
ruies, inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.

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

Approved,