SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
) 
) 
) 
Senate Bill No. 1076 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
"13 
JUL 23 
AlD :02 
Republic Act No. 7877, or the Anti-Sexual Harassment law is considered 
as a milestone in the continuous struggle for the elimination of gender-based 
violence and crimes. Thirteen years after its enactment into law in March 5, 1995, 
however, women continue to be victims of sexual harassment with more cases 
left unreported. The law's very limited definition of what constitutes sexual 
harassment leaves most women no recourse than to keep their silence. Even the 
paltry penalty of imprisonment for 1 month to 6 months is enough to discourage a 
woman from filing a complaint. 
There is clearly a need to revisit the law and make it more responsive to 
the realities that women face every day. 
Recognizing that gender-based violence are rooted in unequal power 
relations, this bill proposes to expand the definition of sexual harassment to 
include unwanted sexual advances made by any person in the place of 
e(TIploym.ent, training or .edu.cation. Further, unsolicited advances of a sexual 
nature committed even outside the place of employment, training or education, 
when by any person having authority, influence or moral ascendancy over 
another is also a punishable offense of sexual harassment under this proposed 
measure. To address the concern that cases reported to some employers are left 
uninvestigated, employers shall be presumed to have knowledge of the act of 
sexual harassment - making them liable for damages - if the employer fails to 
create a committee on decorum or if the sexual harassment is openly practiced. 
As an added safeguard, the increased penalties are also proposed by this 
measure. 
The passage of this bill is intended to curb, with the hope of eventually 
eliminating, the difficult plight of women, who everyday are exposed to abuses of 
unequal power relations. 
In view of the foregoing, urgent approval of this bill is earnestly requested. 
Senator 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No.,_1_0_7_S 
) 
) 
) 
'13 
JlJL 23 
/[10 :02 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
FURTHER PROVIDING PROTECTION FOR WOMEN AGAINST ABUSES OF 
UNEQUAL POWER RELATIONS, EXPANDING FOR THAT PURPOSE THE 
DEFINITION 
OF 
SEXUAL 
HARASSMENT 
AND 
INCREASING 
THE 
PENALTIES THEREFOR, THEREBY AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT 7877 AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 3 of R.A. 7877 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"Section 3. [Work, Education or Training-related] SEXUAL 
HARASSMENT DEFINED. - [Work, education or training-related 
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 or 
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. 
"(a) In a work-related or employment environment, sexual 
harassment is committed 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, terms, conditions, promotions, or privileges; or the 
refusal to grant the sexual favor results 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 rights or 
privileges under existing labor laws; or 
"(3) The above acts would result in an intimidating, hostile, or 
offensive environmentfor the employee. 


"(b) In an' education or training 'environment, sexual 
harassment is committed: 
"(1) Against one who is under the care, custody or 
supervision of the offender; 
"(2) Against one whose education, training, apprenticeship or 
tutorship is entrusted to the offender; 
"(3) When the sexual favor is made a condition to the giving 
of a passing grade, or the granting of honors and scholarships or 
the payment of a stipend, allowance or other benefits, privileges, or 
considerations; or 
"(4) When the sexual advances result in an intimidating, 
hostile or offensive 
environment for the student, trainee or apprentice.] 
"A. IN THE PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING OR 
EDUCATION, SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS COMMITTED BY ANY 
PERSON 
WHO 
ENGAGES 
IN 
ANY 
UNWANTED 
OR 
UNWELCOME SEXUAL ADVANCE, REQUEST OR DEMAND 
FOR SEXUAL FAVOR OR OTHER VERBAL OR PHYSICAL 
CONDUCT OF A SEXUAL NATURE AGAINST AN EMPLOYEE, 
EMPLOYER, TRAINEE, TRAINOR, STUDENT, INSTRUCTOR, 
TEACHER OR PROPESSOR REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE 
DEMAND OR REQUEST FOR SUBMISSION IS ACCEPTED BY 
THE OBJECT OF SAID ACT; 
"B. OUTSIDE THE PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING 
OR EDUCATION, SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS COMMITTED BY 
AN 
EMPLOYER, 
MANAGER, 
SUPERVISON, 
AGENT 
OF 
EMPLOYER, TEACHER, INSTRUCTOR, PROFESSOR, COACH, 
TMINOR OR ANY OTHER PERSON, WHO HAVING AUTHORITY, 
INFLUENCE OR MORAL ASCENDANCY OVER ANOTHER, 
MAKES 
ANY 
UNWANTED 
OR 
UNWELCOME 
SEXUAL 
ADVANCE, REQUEST OR DEMAND FOR SEXUAL FAVOR OR 
OTHER VERBAL OR PHYSICAL CONDUCT OF A SEXUAL 
NATURE, REGARPLE;SS OF THE DEMAND OR REQUEST FOR 
SUBMISSION IS ACCEPTED BY THE OBJECT OF SAID ACT; 
"Any person who directs or induces another to commit any 
act of sexual harassment as herein defined, or who cooperates in 
the commission thereof by another without which it would not have 
been committed, shall also be held liable under this Act." 
SEC. 2. Section 5 of RA 7877 is hereby amended as follows: 
"Section 5. Liability of the Employer, Head of Office, 
Educational or Training Institution. - The employer or head of office, 
educational or training institution shall be solidarily liable for 
damages arising from the acts of sexual harassment committed in 
the employment, education or training environment if die employer 
or head of office, educational or training institution is informed of 
such acts by the offended party and no immediate action is taken 
thereon. THE EMPLOYER IS PRIMA FACIE PRESUMED TO 


HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACT OR 
ACTS IF THE EMPLOYER FAILED TO CREATE A COMMITTEE 
ON DECORUM AS MANDATED BY THIS ACT; OR IF A 
COMPLAINT WAS MADE BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OR 
AUTHORITY DESIGNATED TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS; OR 
WHEN THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS OPENLY PRACTICED 
OR WELL-KNOWN AMONG EMPLOYEES, STUDENTS OR 
TRAINEES." 
SEC. 3. Section 7 of RA 7877 is hereby amended as follows: 
"Section 7. Penalties. - Any person who violates the 
provisions of this Act shall, upon conviction, be penalized by 
imprisonment of not less than [one (1) month] SIX (6) MONTHS nor 
more than six (6) [months] YEARS, or a fine of not less than [Ten 
thousand 
pesos 
(P10,OOO.OO) 
FIFTY THOUSAND 
PESOS 
(P50,OOO.OO) nor more than [Twenty thousand pesos (P20,OOO.OO)] 
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,OOO), or both such 
fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court. 
Any action arising from the violation of the provisions of this 
Act shall prescribe· in three (3) years." 
SEC. 4. Separability Clause. -If, for any reason, any section or provision 
of this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the other section or provision 
not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect. 
SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - Any provision of law, decree, executive 
order or issuance inconsistent herewith is hereby repealed andlor modified 
accordingly. 
SEC. 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) 
national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,