Safe Spaces Act

Section 32

The women and children’s desks now existing in all police stations shall act on and attend to all complaints covered under this Act. They shall coordinate with ASHE officers on the street, security guards in privately-owned spaces open to the public, and anti-sexual harassment officers in government and private offices or schools in the enforcement of the provisions of this Act.

Section 33

The PCW shall take the lead in a national campaign for the awareness of the law. The PCW shall work hand-in-hand with the DILG and duly accredited women’s groups to ensure all LGUs participate in a sustained information campaign and the DICT to ensure an online campaign that reaches a wide audience of Filipino internet-users. Campaign materials may include posters condemning different forms of gender-based sexual harassment, informing the public of penalties for committing gender-based sexual harassment, and infographics of hotline numbers of authorities. All schools shall educate students from the elementary to tertiary level about the provisions of this Act and how they can report cases of gender-based streets, public spaces and online sexual harassment committed against them. School courses shall include age-appropriate educational modules against gender-based streets, public spaces and online sexual harassment which shall be developed by the DepEd, the CHED, the TESDA and the PCW.

Section 34

Safety Audits. -LGUs are required to conduct safety audits every three (3) years to assess the efficiency and effectivity of the implementation of this Act within their jurisdiction. Such audits shall be multisectoral and participatory, with consultations undertaken with schools, police officers, and civil society organizations.

Section 35

Such amounts as may be necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be indicated under the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA). National and local government agencies shall be authorized to utilize their mandatory Gender and Development (GAD) budget, as provided under Republic Act No. 9710, otherwise known as "The Magna Carta of Women" for this purpose. In addition, LGUs may also use their mandatory twenty percent (20%) allocation of them annual internal revenue allotments for local development projects as provided under Section 287 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the "Local Government Code of 1991".

Section 36

Any action arising from the violation of any of the provisions of this Act shall prescribe as follows: (a) Offenses committed under Section 11(a) of this Act shall prescribe in one (1) year; (b) Offenses committed under Section 11(b) of this Act shall prescribe in three (3) years; (c) Offenses committed under Section 11(c) of this Act shall prescribe in ten (10) years; (d) Offenses committed under Section 12 of this Act shall be imprescriptible; and (e) Offenses committed under Sections 16 and 21 of this Act shall prescribe in five (5) years.

Section 37

There is hereby created a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor the implementation of this Act and to review the implementing rules and regulations promulgated. The Committee shall be composed of five (5) Senators and five (5) Representatives to be appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively. The Oversight Committee shall be co-chaired by the Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Women, Children. Family Relations and Gender Equality and the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality.

Section 38

Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the PCW as the lead agency, in coordination with the DILG, the DSWD, the PNP, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), the DOH, the DOLE, the DepEd, the CHED, the DICT, the TESDA, the MMDA, the LTO, and at least three (3) women’s organizations active on the issues of gender-based violence, shall formulate the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of this Act.

Section 39

If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting.

Section 40

Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

Section 41

This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines. Approved: April 17, 2019.