FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 1412 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This biII seeks to expand the medium of communication by which demands and requests for 
sexual favors constituting acts of sexual harassment, as defined under RA 7877, otherwise 
known as the "Sexual Harassment Law". Said law, which was enacted in 1995, is a landmark 
law providing a comprehensive policy and legal framework for the recognition of the 
problem of sexual harassment and penalizing perpetrators of said crime. Since its enactment 
almost 15 years ago, there has been an unprecedented expansion in electronic and 
telecommunications such as cellular phones, text messaging, internet and electronic mail. 
Data from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) shows that as of 2005, there 
are around 1.4 million subscribers of internet services and 34.77 million subscribers of 
telecommunication services. Such modern forms of communication are widely used today 
and have been a common medium of work-related and personal communication. 
Like traditional forms of communication, these new forms of communication can be used to 
convey messages that are vulgar, smutty, sexist as well as push for, demand or request for 
sexual favors. These messages, in whatever means they are communicated, sexually harass 
the recipients of the same. 
This bill amends Section 3 of RA 7877 by expanding the coverage of sexual harassment acts to 
include sending SMS messages, electronic mail, internet chat and other similar means of 
conveying messages via electronic communication that constitute sexual harassment under 
the said law. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
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LOREN LEGARDA 
Senator 
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• 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No.1412 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT 
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EXPANDING THE COVERAGE OF THE DEFINITION 
OF THE CRIME OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT 
BY INCLUDING UNWANTED TEXT MESSAGES, ELECTRONIC MAIL OR 
COMMUNICATIONS ADOPTING SIMILAR MEANS, 
AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NUMEERED SEVENTY 
EIGHT HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SEVEN, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "SEXUAL 
HARASMENT LAW" 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines ill Congress 
assembled: 
• 
SECTION 1. Section 3 Republic Act 7877 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"SECTION 3. Work education or Training-related Sexual Harassment Defined - Work, 
education or training sexual harassment is committed by an employer, employee, manager, 
supervisor, agent of the employer, teacher, instructor, professor, coach, trainor, or any other 
person who, having authority, influence or moral ascendancy over another in a work, 
training, or education environment, demands, requests or otherwise requires any sexual favor 
from the other, regardless of whether the demand, request, or requirement for submission is 
accepted by the object of said Act OR THE SENDING OF TEXT MESSAGES, ELECTRONIC 
MAIL OR OTHER SIMILAR MEANS, MAKING SEXUAL ADVANCES OR LURID 
REMARKS, CAUSING EMBARRASSMENT TO THE RECEIVER OR BY THEIR NATURE 
MAY QUALIFY ASVULGAR, SMUTTY, SEXIST, OBSCENE OR MALICIOUS. 
a) In a work-related or employment environment, sexual harassment is committed 
VERBALLY, IN WRITING OR THROUGH THE USE OF A TELEPHONE, CELLULAR 
PHONE, FAX MACHINE, ELECTRONIC MAIL OR OTHER SIMILAR MEANS when: 
(1) The sexual favor is made as a condition in the hiring or in the employment, re-
employment or continued employment of said individual, or in granting said 
individual favorable compensation, term, condition, promotions, or privileges; or the 
refusal to grant the sexual favor result in limiting, segregating or classifying the 
employee which in any way would discriminate, deprive or diminish employment 
opportunities or otherwise adversely affect said employee; 
(2) The above acts would impair the employee's right's or privileges under existing labor 
laws; or 
(3) The above acts would result in an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for 
the employee. 
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· . 
(b) In an education or training environment, sexual harassment is committed THROUGH 
ORAL, WRITTEN OR WITH THE USE OF A TELEPHONE, CELLULAR PHONE, FAX 
MACHINE, ELECTRONIC MAIL OR CTHER SIMILAR MEANS 
(1) Against one who is under the care, custody or supervision of the offender; 
(2) x x x 
(3) x x x 
(4) x x x 
SECTION 2. Effectivity Clause. This act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation, whichever comes earlier. 
SECTION 3. 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 4. Repealing Clause - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders and their 
implementing rules, inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby, repealed, 
amended or modified accordingly. 
Approved, 
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