ZAMBOANGUITA, Negros Oriental, Nov. 15 (PIA) -- The Negros Oriental Provincial Commission on Women (PCW) will intensify its campaign on Safe Spaces Act in time for the observance of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence against Women (VAW).

This was discussed during a conference between PCW members and Gender and Development (GAD) focal persons in the province on Nov. 12.

PCW Deputy Chair Phoebe Tan shared with the participants the major provisions of Republic Act 1131 commonly referred to as “Bawal Bastos Law.”

The law aims to prevent any form of sexual harassment in public places such as streets, restaurants, cafes, malls, public utility vehicles, workplace, offices, educational and training institutions, and online public space and penalize violators of the said law.

Some acts that are considered a form of sexual harassment are cat-calling, wolf-whistling, unwanted invitation, misogynic, transphobic, homophobic, and sexual slurs, persistent uninvited comments or gestures on a person’s appearance, statement of sexual comments and suggestions, public masturbation, and any advances, whether verbal or physical, that are unwanted and threatens one’s sense of personal space and physical space which may include cursing, leering, and intrusive gazing.

Tan said it is a factor in the sexual harassment law that the perpetrator must have moral ascendency over the victim.

But with the Bawal Bastos Law, she said the penalties shall be applied even to peers of the victim or random persons who would commit the said acts.

More details of the said law will be discussed during a Kapihan sa PIA forum on Dec. 1 at the Provincial Convention Center, this city. 

The promotion of the Safe Spaces Act during the 18-Day Campaign to end VAW is in line with the directive from the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW).

In its Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2021-16, the PCW said the 2021 campaign will highlight R.A. 11313 with the slogan “Filipino Marespeto, Safe Spaces, Kasali tayo.”

The MC also states that “over the two years after the enactment and approval of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Safe Spaces Act, there is a need to intensify awareness raising on the core provisions of the law, the penalties, and mechanism in places as the country continues to fight the Covid-19 pandemic which breeds various forms of VAW.”

Based on national data from the Philippine National Police, 148 individuals were apprehended for violating provisions of the law from August 2019 to August 2021.

Meanwhile, aside from raising awareness on the law, the PCW here will also enhance its campaign on the use of gender-fair language in media, official communications, and daily operations in workplaces. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)