Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
INTRODUCED BY LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT TO ENSURE GENDER RESPONSIVE AND INCLUSIVE PROTOCOLS 
AND PROGRAMMING TO ADDRESS THE GENDER-DIFFERENTIATED NEEDS 
OF WOMEN DURING COVID-19 AND OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS, 
EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS 
The lockdown measures of the country amidst the COVID-19 pandemic have 
unintentionally emphasized the vulnerability to exploitation of some of our people due 
to the limited access to the outside world. There are those that are at greater risk of 
experiencing the long-term consequences of COVID-19 brought by constrained health 
systems, lack of access to resources, and social and economic impacts.  
This proposal seeks to adopt a gender-informed and comprehensive approach to the 
COVID-19 crisis. It takes into consideration existing frameworks on gender-responsive 
programming during the COVID-19 pandemic and shall likewise establish 
mechanisms and processes to ensure the adoption, reprogramming and/or continuity 
of programs that serve and address the gender-differentiated needs of women during 
a pandemic.  
Among others, it proposes to establish programs to address gender-differentiated 
needs of women during the pandemic. It ensures that women are empowered to 
participate in national and local government response systems during times of public 
health emergencies. It also seeks to strengthen Gender Based Violence preparedness 
and response systems. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
May 25, 2021
3:58 pm
9465


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
INTRODUCED BY LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT TO ENSURE GENDER RESPONSIVE AND INCLUSIVE PROTOCOLS 
AND PROGRAMMING TO ADDRESS THE GENDER-DIFFERENTIATED NEEDS 
OF WOMEN DURING COVID-19 AND OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS, 
EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:  
CHAPTER I 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Gender Responsive and 
Inclusive Pandemic Management Act of 2021."  
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State hereby affirms its role as the primary duty-
bearer in ensuring the enjoyment and fulfillment of all human rights during natural and 
other disasters and emergencies, including a pandemic, especially the right to life, 
which permits no derogation even during emergencies, and the right to health, so that 
every individual shall enjoy the highest attainable level of health. It affirms its 
Constitutional duties to guarantee the equality of men and women to the enjoyment of 
their human rights, with focus on the differentiated needs of, and impact of 
emergencies on, women, prohibit discrimination, and create an enabling environment 
under the "new normal" that guarantees the human rights of women. It acknowledges 
its corresponding duties relating to women's rights to participation and representation, 
protection from gender-based violence during emergency situations, sexual health 
and reproductive health, and economic empowerment of women. It adopts a zero-
tolerance policy towards gender-based violence, abuse and exploitation, which is 
rooted in gender inequality and discrimination. The implementation of approaches and 
strategies relevant to disaster risk reduction, emergency and pandemic management 
must integrate human rights and gender lenses. It is fundamental that policies, plans, 
programs, actions, conduct and results are non-discriminatory and that no one is left 
behind.  
9465


Towards ensuring gender equality, the State shall be guided by existing frameworks 
on gender-responsive programming during the COVID-19 pandemic and shall likewise 
establish mechanisms and processes to ensure the adoption, reprogramming and/or 
continuity of programs that serve and address the gender-differentiated needs of 
women during a pandemic.  
 
Accordingly, the State shall:  
 
(a) Be the primary duty bearer to enforce the protection of human rights of women 
during pandemics and other public health emergency from the point of prevention 
until recovery and while adapting to the new normal in society;  
 
(b) Establish policies and programs to prevent the spread of a "notifiable 
disease", to prepare prior to its actual impact, and to deliver treatment, care, 
support and other essential services to individuals affected in accordance with 
evidence-based strategies and approaches that uphold the principles of human 
rights and gender-responsiveness, and taking into account the intersectional 
considerations that differentiate impact on different groups, identities and 
sectors;  
 
(c) Institutionalize real, actual and meaningful participation of women, at-risk  
individuals and communities affected by the pandemic and other public health  
emergencies, and those who are most vulnerable to violations of human rights 
during such situations in policy and decision making and at every stage of the 
pandemic or emergency management, especially in the formulation of general 
guidelines and resolutions governing the national management of the pandemic 
as well as in its implementation;  
 
(d) Empower and collaborate with women and Institutionalize their role to publicly 
lead, decide and promote gender responsive, equitable and universally 
accessible response, recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction approaches in 
all areas of concerns, including public health, during a pandemic;  
 
(e) Adopt a multi-sectoral and Inter-disciplinary approach in the preparation, 
response and recovery stages of the pandemic response management by 
ensuring an all-of-society engagement and partnership involving the whole 
government, public health practitioners, technical experts, local communities, 
civil society organizations (CSOs), academe, private sector, persons most 
vulnerable to the pandemic and other relevant actors or stakeholders, with the 
State as the primary duty-bearer;  
 
(f) Enable indiscriminate access of everyone to pandemic-related and essential 
services, as well as sustained access to livelihood and other productive 
opportunities; (g) Undertake appropriate actions to ensure the continuous and 
effective functioning of and access to concerned institutions, communication 
systems, referral systems, protection mechanisms and other appropriate 
measures to address gender-based violence and give priority to access effective 
remedies, including reprogramming of delivery of services and capacitating 
service providers to deliver pertinent essential services;  
 


(h) Ensure that the differentiated needs, multiple burdens and gender-based 
violence faced by women during the pandemic or emergency situation are 
addressed and integrated in measures, actions and conduct relating to the 
management of the pandemic response by integrating intersectional analysis in 
the formulation of policies, plans and programs relating to pandemic 
management, particularly in the area of security and law enforcement at all levels 
of government and particularly at the barangay level;  
 
(i) Ensure access to prompt and substantive social protection and safety nets, 
taking into account the heightened insecurity and burden on the part of women 
and at-risk individuals, communities and groups that might hinder access;  
 
(j) Positively act, address and seek to eradicate and prohibit stigma, 
discrimination and other conditions that result in gender-based violence and 
aggravate the situations of women;  
 
(k) Craft and design effective communication and information platforms and 
systems that ensure broad, accurate and prompt dissemination, and effective 
understanding by all, particularly in relation to monitoring incidence of gender 
based violence both in private and public spaces and access to protection 
mechanisms and effective remedies;  
 
(l) Utilize existing modern information, communication, research and 
technological capacities and techniques in crafting the policies and protocols with 
due regard to human rights; and  
 
(m) Appropriate funds specifically for the above-mentioned mandates. Such 
funds will be taken out from the Calamity Fund appropriated under the annual 
General Appropriations Act and shall be used for the preparation stage until the 
recovery stages in connection with any public health emergency that may occur 
during the budget year or those that occurred in the past two (2) years from the 
budget year.  
 
Sec. 3. Purpose. - The principal purpose of this Act Is to ensure that there is  adequate 
statutory power for government agencies to act, pursuant to their respective  
mandates, upon a declaration of an emergency by the President by reason of a 
pandemic and guided by the policies issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force on 
Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and principles enunciated herein:  
 
(a) To monitor and gather data regarding the realities of women relating to 
gender-based violence and enjoyment of their human rights In the context of a 
pandemic that would inform, craft and direct policies to be implemented in all the 
stages of pandemic management; 
 
(b) To effectively prevent, respond and eliminate the incidence of gender-based  
violence against women and girls through the integration of gender and  
intersectional analysis In pandemic policy and decision making, planning and 
programming in all the stages of pandemic management;  
 


(c) To develop and craft guidelines and instructions on practices, protocols, 
systems of coordination and networking, information and education of first 
responders, especially during the response and early recovery stage, safety and 
personal protection of workers, and needs of women, girls and at-risk individuals, 
groups and communities, and ensure its timeliness, responsiveness, availability 
and accessibility;  
 
(d) To ensure that communications systems, referral systems, protection  
mechanisms and other measures on access to justice and effective remedies by 
women subject to gender-based violence are in place and continue to operate 
during the period of a pandemic;  
 
(e) To provide immediate haven, shelter and security, resources and support to  
women and girls subject to violence;  
 
(f) To enable sufficient and effective regulatory authority to respond and to 
prevent the incidence of gender-based violence during a pandemic, including but 
not limited to the relaxation of regulatory requirements that impede the delivery 
of services or its compliance during a pandemic, emergency procurement and 
provision of emergency funds for these purposes.  
 
For this purpose, every department or agency must come up with a gender-responsive 
pandemic preparedness plan, manual or protocol for women in pandemics within sixty 
(60) days from the implementation of this Act and ensure the designation of focal 
persons to supervise and oversee the implementation of said plan, manual or protocol.  
 
Sec. 4. Interpretation of this Act. - Unless otherwise provided, nothing in this Act shall 
be construed as precluding provisions in existing Philippine laws, international human 
rights laws and related instruments, and international humanitarian laws that are more 
promotive of human rights and the preservation and protection of the right to life.  
 
Sec. 5. Definition of Terms. –  
 
(a)"Access to Justice" means the sufficient access to essential services for victim 
survivors of gender-based violence, and all women and girls in conflict with the 
law such as the unimpeded availability of legal assistance, case management 
services, health services, medico-legal services, counselling, protection, 
operational shelters, and support; with an accountability mechanism in place. 
 
(b)"At-risk individuals and groups" include the following vulnerable and 
marginalized persons, sectors and/or groups:  
 
1) Women with Disabilities  
2) Girl children  
3) Elderly women  
4) Women deprived of liberty especially those who are pregnant, about to give 
birth, or has just given birth  
5) Pregnant, Lactating, and Post-partum mothers  
6) Members of the LGBTQI+ community  
7) Urban Poor Women  


8) Women in the Informal and formal economy  
9) Women PUIs, PUMs, and COVID Positive  
10) Moro and Muslim women  
11) Rural and indigenous women  
12) Internally displaced women  
13) Migrant women and their families  
14) Persons living with HIV  
15) Women frontline workers (as defined under lATF Guidelines)  
16) Women human rights defenders  
17) Single mothers  
18) Teenage mothers  
19) Women who are refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, or at risk of 
statelessness  
20) Women in prostitution/ victim survivors of illegal recruitment and trafficking  
21) Women experiencing sexual or domestic violence  
 
(c) "Early Recovery" means a multidimensional process of recovery that begins 
in a humanitarian setting. It is guided by development principles that seek to build 
on humanitarian programs and catalyze sustainable development opportunities. 
It aims to generate self-sustaining, nationally-owned, resilient processes for post-
crisis recovery. It encompasses the restoration of basic services, livelihoods, 
shelter, governance, security and rule of law, environment and social 
dimensions, including reintegration of displaced population. Essential services to 
address gender-differentiated needs shall be made available during this period.  
 
(d) An "emergency" is any situation in which the life or well-being of civilians 
affected by natural disaster, conflict or a public health threat has been or will be 
at risk unless immediate and appropriate action is taken, and that demands an 
extraordinary response and exceptional measures.  
 
(e) "Essential services" covers health and social services, whether provided by 
a public or private undertaking, to ensure the security, safety and well-being of 
persons, including but not limited to food, water, medicine, medical devices, 
public utilities, energy, access to justice, police, health and protection services, 
and social protection addressing the needs of women during situations of 
pandemic, emergency or disaster as may be determined by the IATF or other 
relevant lead government agency or body under the law.. Essential services 
cover health, police and justice, and social services sectors as defined by the 
Essentials for Quality Multisectoral Service Provision to Women Migrant Workers 
Subject to Violence Brief: COVID-19 and essential services provision for 
survivors of violence against women and girls; and Essential Services Package 
for Women and Girls Subject to Violence. Such services will remain available 
throughout the preparation period, any possible imposed government lockdown, 
and during the recovery period.  
 
(f) "Frontline Workers" are those employees within essential industries who must 
physically show up to their jobs. It includes public and private health workers, 
such as but not limited to medical professionals, hospital and health facility 
administrative and maintenance staff, and aides from private health facilities, as 
well as their service providers, health workers and volunteers of the Philippine 


Red Cross and the World Health Organization, and employees of Health 
Maintenance 
Organizations 
(HMOs), 
the 
Philippine 
Health 
Insurance 
Corporation (PHIC), health insurance providers, disaster risk reduction 
management officers, public safety officers, and other workers in other high 
priority sectors; Provided, that the IATF shall determine the sectors by which its 
workers can be classified as frontline workers.  
 
(g) Gender-Responsive is the consistent and systematic attention given to the 
gendered differences among individuals in society with a view to addressing 
status quo and structural constraints to gender equality; this includes creating 
and sustaining an environment through site selection, staff selection, program 
development, content, processes and materials that reflects an understanding of 
the realities of women's lives and addresses their needs and issues.  
 
(h) Health event of public health concern refers to either a public health 
emergency or a public health threat due to biological, chemical, radio-nuclear 
and environmental agents as defined under RA 11332.  
 
(i) "Intersectionality" is a framework for understanding that people experience 
overlapping (I.e., intersecting) forms of oppression, discrimination and 
marginalization based on their co-existing identities (e.g., inequality based on 
gender and/or ethnicity).  
 
(j) "Locally Stranded Individual" refers to foreign nationals or Filipino citizens in a 
specific locality within the Philippines who have expressed intention to return to 
their place of residence or home origin.  
 
(k) "Marginalization" refers to a condition where a whole category of people is 
excluded from useful and meaningful participation in political, economic, social, 
and cultural life.  
 
(l) "Migrant Workers" refers to Filipinos who are to be engaged, are engaged, or 
have been engaged in a remunerated activity in a State of which they are not 
legal residents, whether documented or undocumented.  
 
(m) "Nondiscrimination" refers to the guarantee wherein human rights are 
exercised without discrimination of any kind based on race, color, sex, language, 
religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other 
status such as disability, age, marital and family status, sexual orientation and 
gender identity, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation.  
 
(n) "Pandemic" is defined under this Act as the worldwide spread occurring 
worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and 
usually affecting a large number of people as declared by the World Health 
Organization. The term also contemplates other public health emergencies as 
defined under RA 11332 and as declared by the Department of Health.  
 
(o) "Preparedness" refers to efforts that focus on ensuring adequate capacity and 
knowledge, while reinforcing the ability to anticipate, respond and recover from 


the impact of emergency situations. Essential services to address gender 
differentiated needs shall be included in these efforts.  
 
(p) "Prevention" generally refers to taking action to stop GBV from first occurring 
(e.g., scaling up activities that promote gender equality or working with 
communities to address practices that contribute to GBV). Mitigation refers to 
reducing the risk of exposure to GBV (e.g., ensuring that reports of "hot spots" 
are immediately addressed through risk-reduction strategies).  
 
(q) "Recovery" is the process following relief and supports the transition into long 
term reconstruction and development. Recovery actions are most effective if 
anticipated and facilitated from the very outset of a humanitarian response. It 
involves the restoration and Improvement of facilities, livelihoods and living 
conditions of crisis-affected communities, including efforts to reduce risks 
brought on by the crisis. Essential services to address gender-differentiated 
needs shall be made available during this period.  
 
(r) "Response" refers to an emergency response involves the provision of 
emergency services and public assistance during or immediately after a 
humanitarian crisis to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and 
protection, and meet the basic needs of women, girls, boys and men in the 
affected population. This stage can range from a few days or weeks to many 
months and even years, particularly in protracted insecurity and displacement 
contexts. For the purposes of this Act, response shall be undertaken upon the 
declaration of the Department of Health of a public health emergency. Essential 
services to address gender-differentiated needs shall be made available during 
this period.  
 
(s) "Social Protection floors" refers to nationally defined sets of basic social 
security guarantees that should ensure, as a minimum that, over the life cycle, 
all in need have access to essential health care and to basic income security 
which together secure effective access to goods and services defined as 
necessary at the national level; which Include among others: access to essential 
health care, including maternity care; basic income security for children, 
providing access to nutrition, education, care and any other necessary goods 
and services; basic income security for persons in active age who are unable to 
earn sufficient income, in particular in cases of sickness, unemployment, 
maternity and disability; basic income security for older persons.  
 
(t) "Social Safety Nets" refer to noncontributory interventions designed to help 
individuals and households cope with chronic poverty, destitution, and 
vulnerability, 
such 
as 
unconditional 
and 
conditional 
cash 
transfers, 
noncontributory social pensions, food and in-kind transfers, school feeding 
programs, public works, and fee waivers. These programs target the poor and 
vulnerable.  
 
(u) "Stigma" refers to a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or 
group of people have about something such as in the context of women.  
 


(v) "Violence Against Women" refers to any act of gender-based violence that 
results In, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or 
suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary 
deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.  
 
 
CHAPTER II. 
PROGRAMMING AND MANAGEMENT TO ADDRESS GENDER-
DIFFERENTIATED NEEDS OF WOMEN DURING A PANDEMIC 
 
Sec. 6. Leadership, Participation and Empowerment of Women. - During a public 
health emergency, women shall be empowered to be included In the national and local 
government's response systems to address the gender-differentiated needs of the 
different groups of women especially the marginalized. It is thus mandated that 
response and recovery systems must ensure that women are placed strategically and 
participate meaningfully In leadership, decision-making, and policy-making positions 
at all levels. In accordance with this, the lATF and other similar and related bodies 
shall have the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) as permanent member at all 
levels including planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and to facilitate 
the continuous integration of a gender-responsive plan to be developed therein in 
national governance response systems. Further, forty percent (40%) of membership 
of all development councils from the regional, provincial, city, municipal and barangay 
levels shall be composed of women.  
 
Sec. 7. Humanitarian Principles Guiding Pandemic Programming and Management to 
Address Gender-Differentiated Needs of Women During the Pandemic. - Following 
the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (lASC) Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based 
Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action, and the United Nations Population 
Fund (UNFPA) Minimum Standards for Prevention and Response to Gender-based 
Violence in Emergencies, the following principles shall ground. Inform and guide the 
formulation and 1 implementation of policies, plans, programs, and other appropriate 
measures, including 2 affirmative actions, in managing the COVID19 pandemic:  
 
(a) A survivor-centered approach which creates a supportive environment in 
which survivors' rights and wishes are respected, their safety is ensured, and 
they are treated with dignity and respect.  
 
(b) A human rights-based approach that seeks to analyze and address the root 
causes of discrimination and inequality to ensure that everyone has the right to 
live with freedom and dignity, safe from violence, exploitation and abuse, in 
accordance with principles of human rights law.  
 
(c) A community-based approach that ensures that affected populations are 
engaged actively as partners In developing strategies related to their protection 
and the provision of humanitarian assistance. This approach involves direct 
involvement of women, girls and other at-risk groups at all stages in the 
humanitarian response, to identify protection risks and solutions, and build on 
existing community-based protection mechanisms.  
 


(d) The humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and  
neutrality which should underpin the implementation of the Minimum Standards 
and are essential to maintaining access to affected populations and ensuring an 
effective humanitarian response.  
 
(e) The "do no harm" approach which takes into account all measures necessary 
to avoid exposing people to further harm as a result of the actions of humanitarian 
actors. 
(f) The Principles of Partnership which comprise a framework for all actors in the 
humanitarian space to follow principles of equality, transparency, a results 
oriented approach, responsibility and complementarity.  
 
(g) Taking into account the best interests of the child wherein child and 
adolescent girl and boy survivors of sexual abuse have the right to have their 
best interests assessed and determined and taken as a primary consideration in 
all decisions that affect them.  
 
(h) Focus should be given to the intersectionality of the circumstances of women, 
taking into account the specific needs and concerns of marginalized and 
vulnerable women groups Including women and girls deprived of liberty, women 
working in the informal sector,* women migrants workers, and other similarly 
situated at-risk Individuals and groups.  
 
(i) Rights-based policing human rights principles and practices are taught and 
applied at all levels, In policy, doctrinal, operational and administrative functions 
of the police organization.  
 
Sec. 8. Guarantee of non-discrimination. - This Act shall prohibit discrimination in all 
forms committed against women as provided under the Magna Carta of Women even, 
and especially, during the occurrence of a pandemic or any public health emergency. 
Those found guilty under this provision shall be meted out a penalty one degree higher 
than those penalties provided for discrimination under the Magna Carta of Women. 
The Revised Penal Code shall have suppletory application in setting the penalties.   
 
Sec. 9. Strengthening GBV Preparedness and Response Systems. – GBV 
preparedness and response systems in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and 
future pandemics shall be considered essential services and appropriate budgetary 
allotment from the emergency funding shall be ensured towards the formulation, 
reprogramming or continuity of said systems. Strict adherence to the following must 
be undertaken:  
 
(a) Women and the most vulnerable among them must be placed at the front and 
center of leadership and policy and decision-making positions in key processes 
in the formulation, planning, programming and implementation of prompt, 
effective and survivor-centered measures to address issues of violence against 
women and girl-children during COVID-19;  
 
(b) GBV services, especially temporary shelters, psychosocial services, and 
legal aid, shall remain functional and accessible notwithstanding the occurrence 
of a public health emergency. Local Inter-agency Task Forces against COVID-


19 shall ensure that GBV services are available to women staying in any 
detention, quarantine or Isolation facilities where prolonged stay is required or 
necessary;  
 
(c) This process must be based on data and evidence and must Integrate first 
responder systems to properly respond in the time of COVID19;  
 
(d) The State shall utilize a multisectoral/interdisciplinary, all-of-government, and 
all-of-society approach wherein the State collaborates with non-state actors to 
achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness;  
 
(e) The national government, through the Department of Interior and Local 
Government, shall assume the key leadership role but shall also empower local 
authorities and local communities to address the pandemic, including provision 
of resources, support and incentives, and enabling decision-making authorities 
and responsibilities;  
 
(f) Communication systems, with emphasis on localized communication down to 
the level of barangays, must be established in coordination with the Department 
of 
Information 
and 
Communications 
Technology 
and 
National 
Telecommunications Commission, for education and information dissemination 
on pandemic and emergency risks and access to social protection, safety nets, 
referral systems, protection measures and other appropriate measures in cases 
of GBV, which shall include traditional modes of communication to reach women 
living in remote areas or areas with limited access such as newspaper, 
pamphlets, and radio. Provided, that, relevant language, format, and relevant 
channels that are culturally appropriate shall be taken into consideration to 
ensure effective communication with individuals and communities;  
 
(g)The State must give premium to the aspect of preparedness and early 
information and communication campaigns about the pandemic or emergency 
towards and informed public to affect attitudes and behaviors and shall 
encourage private investments on these areas, more than on post-disaster 
response and recovery;   
 
(h) Effective and meaningful global partnership must be fostered and existing 
international cooperation strengthened.  
 
The Department of Interior and Local Government, in coordination with the LGUs, is 
mandated to ensure that the rights of women and services accorded them are to 
remain available and accessible in all stages of the emergency responses to a public 
health crisis.  
 
Section 10. Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Rights and Essential Services  
Package. - It shall be the duty of national and local authorities to prioritize specific 
health needs of all women and girls at the community level, including in countries of 
destination for women migrants, particularly access to sexual and reproductive health 
services, including pre- and post-natal healthcare, access to essential services as 
defined above and physical rehabilitation during pandemics and other public health 


concerns, emergencies and disasters. The preparedness and response systems must 
include, but not limited to:  
 
(a) Available staff, funds and other resources;  
(b) Unhampered mobility and available public and safe transportation;  
(c) Availability and continuity of reproductive health services and essential 
service packages for women and girls of all ages;  
(d) Knowledge and awareness of women of these available services;  
(e) Gender-sensitive support to frontline health workers on both facility and 
community level;  
(f) Additional financial, human, or logistical support to female health workers to 
offset the additional burden of household management; and  
(g) Systematic coordination and planning of addressing the gaps in accessing 
SRH  services;  
(h) Adoption of a strategy to ensure access of pregnant women to ante and post-
natal care during lockdowns with corresponding precautions to protect them from 
risks of exposure such as, but not limited to, provision of maternal health 
information, provision of online check-ups, and updated referral hospitals and 
lying-in clinics during the lockdowns;  
(i) Provision to women deprived of liberty of sufficient and regular access to 
sexual and reproductive health information, services, and products inside the 
detention and correctional facilities;  
(j) Measures to protect pregnant women deprived of liberty and their unborn child 
as well as women who have just given birth and their newborn infant, such as 
but not limited to, house arrests, furloughs to attend to physical/medical 
checkups, release on recognizance, among others.  
(k) Provision of reasonable accommodation to ensure women with disabilities' 
access to SRH services. 
 
The Department of Health and each Barangay Health Emergency Response Team 
are mandated to ensure that the specific health needs, especially sexual health and 
reproductive needs, women and girls are included in the implemented essential health 
packages, systems and protocols in their constituency, including universal health 
coverage, during pandemics, subject to other existing laws.  
 
Sec. 11. Gendered Approach to Vaccination. - The procurement, allocation, 
distribution, delivery, facilitation and administration of vaccines must be transparent 
and must take into account gender-based differences in immunological responses, 
care burden or work of women both paid and unpaid, security of women against 
gender-based violence and other forms of attacks and other factors that increase 
women's vulnerability. Safe, efficacious and free vaccines or medications, including 
newly-approved ones for the current pandemic or health emergency, must be 
available and accessible to women, taking into account intersectional considerations 
that may impede such access and vulnerabilities of women that affect their right to life, 
health and security; provided that such access shall be in accordance with the priority 
and health protocols of the Philippines or relevant COD, and is rights-based, non-
discriminatory, voluntary and based on informed consent. Information on vaccination 
and the scientific evidence behind it must 36 be clear and effectively communicated. 
These gendered approach must be integrated In legal, policy and program 


Implementation of vaccinations to address COVID 19 and other public health 
concerns, emergencies and disasters.  
 
In policy and decision-making affecting vaccine availability, quality and access, 
including prioritization and development of criteria, representation and participation of 
women must be guaranteed.  
 
Sec. 12. Social Protection. - It shall be the duty of national and local authorities such 
as the Department of Social Welfare and Protection, Department of Labor and  
Employment, and Department of Interior and Local Government, in coordination with 
the various Local Government units, to target the most vulnerable and economically 
marginalized sectors of women, taking into account their various intersectionality, and 
ensure that social protection and safety nets are afforded to them, with emphasis on 
victims of gender-based violence. The measures shall include, but not limited to:   
 
(a) Empowering women through their access to sustainable livelihood and/or 
employment as may be practicable, such as through the capacity-building and 
other services rendered by local Public Employment System Offices and work 
from-home programming, and access to flexible financing and loans;  
(b) Ensuring the unimpeded provision of safety nets and cash-based 
interventions to vulnerable and poor women;  
(c) Prioritizing gender alongside disability, age, and other overlapping 
Vulnerabilities in the assessments of needs and decisions on targeting;  
(d) Ensuring that women victims have adequate access to counselling and 
shelters  that have access to adequate resources for the needs of women;  
(e) Providing women access to opportunities such as trainings and seminars 
pertinent to their capacity to sustain themselves;  
(f) Ensuring that work environments, including work-from-home arrangements, 
are VAW-free through continuous monitoring of the situations of vulnerable 
women and their protection, guaranteeing accountability of the perpetrators and 
holding of regular seminars to educate on VAW issues and standards especially 
during a pandemic, among others;  
(g) Ensuring effective and inclusive grievance redressal mechanisms embedded 
in social protection programming which are designed to be accessible and 
inclusive of girls, women, persons with disabilities, children, older people, and 
other at-risk individuals and groups;  
(h) Providing work-from-home setup for women subjected to violence in their 
workplaces until the perpetrator has been held accountable;  
(i) Enforcing other laws and issuances which may be enacted by virtue of the 
existence of such public health emergency, which contain services and 
protection afforded to women, particularly on social protection.  
 
Sec. 13. Protection for Locally Stranded Individuals. – The Department of Interior and 
Local Government, in coordination with Local Government Units and the respective 
designated barangays, shall ensure the safety and security of all displaced migrants 
or individuals and at-risk individuals and groups due to the pandemic. This shall 
include an efficient mechanism for immediate delivery of food (in full respect for the 
individual's dietary restrictions by reason of health or religion), shelter and medical 
supplies for women and children, including assisting mothers with breastfeeding, feed 
and care for their babies and other support.  


 
Sec 14. Economic Empowerment. – The Department of Labor, together with local 
government units and offices, including the Public Employment Systems Offices, shall 
enact mechanisms and procedures to address the difficulties faced by women in the 
employment sector during the pandemic such as job loss and business closure. All 
measures shall tend to the continuous employment of women. These should Include 
considerations regarding the workplace arrangements, marketplace and community 
supply chain, and the women working in the informal economy. For this purpose, said 
units and offices must be well-equipped and capacitated to perform all measures 
necessary to address the livelihood and employment concerns of their constituents, 
with special attention to vulnerable women and the protection afforded to them under 
other laws.  
 
The Department of Labor is mandated to ensure that women are afforded flexible work 
arrangements during a public health emergency. They shall provide for rules and 
regulations for this purpose, taking Into account the specific needs and concerns faced 
by women under such circumstances.  
 
The Department of Agriculture, Department of Tourism, Department of Trade and 
Industry, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and other 
relevant agencies shall also bolster entrepreneurship and provide adequate livelihood 
opportunities and skills development to women.  
 
Sec. 15. Protection of Rural Women and Indigenous Women. - The concerned local 
government unit shall ensure that women in rural and indigenous communities 
belonging to their jurisdiction have adequate and unimpeded access to health, legal, 
and socio-economic services. This guarantee for indigenous women must be 
undertaken with due respect to their indigenous health systems, practices and beliefs. 
They shall be furnished with the same, if not more, opportunities and facilities as those 
of their urban counterparts, as far as may be practicable.  
 
Sec 16. Utilization of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). - This Act 
mandates the emphasis on the enhancement of the capacity of ICT systems to 
facilitate and aid the implementation of provisions under this Act. The Department of 
Information and Communications Technology and the National Telecommunications 
Commission, in coordination with public utilities and telecommunication providers, 
shall provide assistance to ensure the accessibility of the services provided through 
the use of ICT system including, but not limited to, immediate assistance from the 
Philippine National Police, information dissemination through short message service, 
and other services. ICT assistance shall include strengthening ICT literacy of women 
especially in poor communities and remote areas, reasonable accommodation for 
persons with disabilities, such as provision of Filipino Sign Language, among others.  
 
Section 17. Protection for Women Migrant Workers and their Children – Interagency 
bodies such as the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (lATF), 
Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and Their Children (lACVAWC), 
Inter Agency Council Against Trafficking (lACAT) and the Sub-Committee on 
International Migration and Development (SCIMD), as well as government agencies 
part of the OCTA (one-country team approach in countries of destination) such as the 
Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and Employment, and 


Department of Social Welfare and Development are mandated to ensure that women 
migrant workers are given adequate resources and access to legal, medical, and 
social services in the receiving State, during transit and upon return, especially during 
repatriation. Relevant embassies and foreign affairs personnel must ensure the 
protection of women migrant workers and their children during pandemic and other 
emergencies. Coordination among these bodies is imperative, taking into account, but 
not limited to, the following:  
 
a) Responsibility to prevent and reduce GBV in migrant women and their 
children, including through international, regional, and bilateral cooperation;  
b) Development of consistent and coherent frameworks and protocols between 
the host country and country of origin for the expedited process of seeking 
redress by women subjected to violence;  
c) Global partnership and international cooperation such as through drafting 
agreements on the extension of stay permits of the women migrant workers and 
their children between the host country and the country of origin and through the 
relaxation of migrant workers' requirements to access social services;  
d) Migrants and marginalized and other at-risk individuals or groups should be 
included in the public health strategies with due consultation with them;  
e) Grant of bilateral incentives between countries to encourage employers to 
renew contracts for existing workers in the host country;  
f) Labor, economic livelihood, and social protections for migrant;  
g) Freedom of movement; 
h) Non-discrimination;  
i) Access to Health, especially sexual and reproductive health rights services;  
j) Access to Justice; and  
k) Access to Social Protection and Social Services.  
 
Sec. 18. Specific protective measures for Women Migrant Workers and their Children. 
– In relation to the preceding section, the following measures shall be undertaken, 
among other appropriate measures:  
 
a) During crisis preparation:  
1. Track information on conflicts and natural disasters and potential impact on 
migrants and their children;  
2. Collect and share information on women migrant workers and their children, 
subject to privacy, confidentiality, security, and safety of migrants;  
3. Incorporate women migrant workers and their children in the prevention, 
preparedness, and emergency response systems and contingency planning;  
4. Communicate effectively with migrants;  
5. Establish coordination agreements beforehand; and  
6. Build capacity and learn lessons from emergency response and post crisis 
action.  
 
b) During emergency response:  
1. Communicate widely with women migrant workers and their children on 
evolving crises and how to access help;  
2. Facilitate migrants' ability to move safely;  
3. Provide humanitarian assistance without discrimination;  
4. Establish clear referral procedures and systems;  


5. Relocate women migrant workers and their children, when needed;  
6. Uphold the principles of non-refoulement and refugee and stateless protection.   
 
c) After the crisis:  
1. Address migrants' and their children's immediate needs and support them to 
rebuild their lives;  
2. Ensure rehabilitation, integration and other interventions;  
3. Support migrant women's and their children's host communities.  
 
 
CHAPTER III. 
COORDINATION MECHANISMS IN A PANDEMIC 
 
Sec. 19. National Preparedness and Response Program to Address the Gender 
differentiated Needs of Women during the Pandemic. - To ensure access to essential 
services including access to justice and remedial measures and to mitigate the impact 
of any public health concern, emergency or disaster on the economy, a coherent,  
appropriate, efficient, developmental, evidence-based and survivor-centered national 
program against GBV and addressing gender-differentiated needs of women 
especially from marginalized sectors must be developed to inform, direct and 
coordinate its implementation at all levels and to ensure accessibility, availability and 
quality of services at the community level. For this purpose, a Task Force, to be co-
headed by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 
(NDRRMC) and the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), in coordination with 
the IATF, shall come up with said national plan, to be cascaded to the local 
government units, and must be automatically integrated into the national strategy to 
manage the pandemic. This plan shall be subjected to review every two (2) years. It 
shall address GBV and gender-differentiated needs at all stages of the pandemic 
management, and anticipating pandemic related events and factors that might impede 
the functioning of legal, medical, social, remedial and other protection measures and 
mechanisms, to include, but not limited to:  
 
(a) Understanding the nature and risks of the COVID19 pandemic to be able to 
address the specific barriers and obstacles faced by women during COVID19 
pandemic that manifest In GBV, taking into account intersecting vulnerabilities 
and the multiple burdens they experience, and addressing stigma and 
discriminatory practices, attitudes and behaviors resulting in GBV, and providing 
for their food and nutrition security as well as access to essential services and 
government social protection and safety nets;  
(b) Gathering, managing, and utilizing data concerning the risks and incidence 
of GBV to inform policies and programs to achieve gender inclusive responses 
and address gaps and lapses in ensuring access by women of protection 
mechanisms;  
I Providing prompt, accurate, disaggregated, accessible, up to date, 
comprehensible, science based, and transparent data on women;  
(d) Developing protocols and guidelines of conduct relating to the delivery of 
service to women in the context of COVID19;  
I Strengthening protection from sexual exploitation and abuse through capacity 
building for service providers and governmental workers on early identification 
and mitigation of such risks as well as strengthening nationwide helplines and 


community-level referral to ensure they are functional to prevent and respond to 
cases including chain management and service provision plans for these 
services to stay open during the outbreak;  
(f) Providing a clear channel of communication with GBV service providers and 
actors as well as women’s organizations and local GBV service providers and 
survivor-centered referral systems through the utilization of technology;  
(g) Assisting in the planning of national, local and community units by developing,  
identifying and sharing best practices;  
(h) Providing technical assistance, training, and consultation to improve 
preparedness and response capabilities, with focus on the needs of women and 
other vulnerable groups. Including to support the achievement of evidence based 
benchmarks and objective standards to monitor, assess and measure levels of 
preparedness, response and recovery;  
(i) Improving systems of public, private, and civil society collaboration and 
partnership to formulate, and address gaps and Inefficiencies in the, policies, 
plans and programs to address GBV during pandemic; and  
(j) Carrying out other duties related to preparedness, response and recovery 
activities for women, as the Task Force may deem appropriate.  
(k) Representation and participation of women in coordination and decision-
making bodies. 
 
Sec. 20. Capacity-building of LGUs. – The Department of Interior and Local 
Government, with the local government units, shall be given the appropriate and  
sufficient funding by the national government to properly carry out the designated 
provisions under this Act. They shall be capacitated to be able to develop their 
pandemic preparedness protocols through a gender-differentiated localized response, 
taking into account the local contexts and concerns of the different women sectors in 
their area. This includes protocols and systems for assistance to gender-based 
violence, provisions for access to sexual and reproductive health needs, and ensuring 
availability of basic services for women through all phases of the national response 
regarding the public health emergency.  
 
The Local Government Units shall ensure that they have capable and trained 
personnel to provide the essential services package for women and are oriented about 
the policies, principles and procedure regarding gender equality, prohibition against 
gender-based violence, and gender sensitivity as well as those governing the 
management of the pandemic and other public health emergencies. They are also 
mandated to use data gathering and data-analytics to further improve and strengthen 
their services. They shall also provide an accessible feedback mechanism to further 
guide their practice.  
 
Sec. 21. Community Engagement. - Subject to COVID-19 protocols, the Local 
Government Units, in coordination with dvii society organizations, non-government  
organizations, private sector and other stakeholders, shall conduct regular dialogues 
and information drives with the community to educate them on gender issues as a 
preventive measure to prevent gender-based violence and address gender-
differentiated needs. Through this multi-sectoral mechanism, women can participate 
and put forth their specific needs for integration in the local government pandemic 
programming and management.  
 


CHAPTER IV. 
FINAL PROVISIONS 
 
Sec. 22. Appropriation. - The funds appropriated from the Calamity Fund for disaster 
risk reduction management and calamities amounting to 100 million, as well as from 
portions of the Gender and Development (GAD) budget or special health funds of 
agencies or local government units, may be used for the purposes above including for 
the implementation of the National Preparedness and Response Program to Address 
the Gender-differentiated Needs of Women during the COVID-19, and other 
pandemics, emergencies and disasters. Should the amount be insufficient to cover 
the necessary expenses, further financial support will come from the national 
government, subject to the guidelines of the Department of Finance in coordination 
with the Department of Interior and Local Government.  
 
Sec. 23. Penalties. - Any public officer, employee of an agency or any private individual 
mandated to implement this Act, who shall fail to perform in accordance with the 
mandates, duties, tasks and other acts imposed by this law shall be administratively 
liable for neglect in the performance of duty during the COVID-19, and other 
pandemics, emergencies and disasters. Should damage or injury be inflicted on any 
person by reason of such neglect, the aggrieved party can have recourse against the 
erring public officer, employee or private individual for appropriate legal remedies as 
the law may provide or afford, including criminal cases. In case of gender-based 
violence amounting to a crime or offense is committed by a public officer or employee 
while in the performance of any acts covered herein, penalties next higher in degree 
shall be imposed, including sexual harassment, especially in quarantine facilities, and 
against persons belonging to at risk individuals and those adversely affected by the 
pandemic.  
 
Sec. 24. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The PCW, as the lead agency, shall, 
in coordination with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Inter-Agency Task  
Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Interior and Local 
Government, Department of Health, Commission on Population and Development, 
Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Social Welfare and 
Development, Department of Foreign Affairs, National Development Authority, 
Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Information and Communications 
Technology, Department of Justice Philippine National Police and all concerned 
government departments and agencies, with the participation of civil society 
organizations, academe, private sector, public health practitioners and other key 
actors and stakeholders, formulate the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of 
this Act within thirty (30) days after its effectivity.  
 
Sec. 25. Congressional Oversight. - Both Houses of Congress, particularly the  
Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality of the Senate 
and Committee on Women and Gender Equality of the House of Representatives shall 
oversee the implementation of this Act. The CHR, as Gender Ombud, shall likewise 
review the implementation after one (1) year, and subsequently, every year, in 
accordance with the recovery and rehabilitation plans of the government.  
 


Sec. 26. Suppletory Applications. - The applicable provisions of the Revised Penal 
Code shall have suppletory application insofar as they are consistent with the 
provisions 26 of this Act.  
 
Sec. 27. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other parts hereof not affected thereby shall remain valid.   
 
Sec. 28. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and  
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act, or is 
shown to facilitate or enable the commission of gender-based violence are hereby 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.  
 
Sec. 29. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.  
 
Approved,