Philippine Laws on Women and Children

Today, women are not only called “queen of home” but also a leader, entrepreneurs and professionals, an empowered women of today!  We already have the voice, the participation and representation in the society.  Considering the value of women in our family and in our society, specific laws were enacted for the protection and promotion of the welfare of women and their children.  Some of the important legislations in the country today are as follows:

1.           The 1987 Philippine Constitution

a.   Article II

SECTION 14. The State recognizes the role of women in nation-building, and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men.

b.   Article VI

SECTION 5 (2).  The party-list representatives shall constitute twenty per centum of the total number of representatives including those under the party list. For three consecutive terms after the ratification of this Constitution, one-half of the seats allocated to party-list representatives shall be filled, as provided by law, by selection or election from the labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, women, youth, and such other sectors as may be provided by law, except the religious sector.

c.    Article XIII

 SECTION 11. The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers.

d.   Article XIII

SECTION 14. The State shall protect working women by providing safe and healthful working conditions, taking into account their maternal functions, and such facilities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enable them to realize their full potential in the service of the nation.

e.    Article XV

Section 3(2)

“The State shall defend:

(1) xxxxxxx;

(2) The right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development;

xxxx

2.           Republic Act 6725 

April 27, 1989

“An Act Strengthening the Prohibition on Discrimination Against Women with Respect to Terms and Conditions of Employment, Amending for the Purpose Article One Hundred Thirty-Five of the Labor Code, As Amended”

3.           Republic Act 6972 

November 23, 1990

“An Act Establishing a Day Care Center in Every Barangay Instituting Therein a Total Development and Protection of Children Program, Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes”

4.           Republic Act 7192 

December 11, 1991

“An Act Promoting the Integration of Women as Full and Equal Partners of Men in Development and Nation Building and for Other Purposes”

5.           Republic Act 7322 

March 30, 1992

“An Act Increasing Maternity Benefits in Favor of Women Workers in the Private Sector, Amending for the Purpose Section 14-A of Republic Act No. 1161, as Amended and for Other Purposes”

6.           Republic Act 7600 

June 17, 1992

“An Act Requiring All Government and Private Health Institutions with Obstetrical Services to Adopt Rooming-in and Breastfeeding Practices and for Other Purposes”

7.           Republic Act 7610

June 17, 1992

“An Act Providing for Stronger Deterrence and Special Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination, and For Other Purposes”

8.           Republic Act 7688 

March 3, 1994

“An Act Giving Representation to Women in Social Security Commission Amending for the Purpose Section 3(A) of Republic Act 1161, as Amended”

9.           Republic Act 7877

February 8, 1995

“An Act Declaring Sexual harassment Unlawful in the Employment, Education or Training Environment, and for Other Purposes”

(Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995)

10.       Republic Act 7822 

February 20, 1995

“An Act Providing Assistance to Women Engaging in Micro and Cottage Business Enterprises, and for Other Purposes

11.       Republic Act 8353 

September 30, 1997

“An Act Expanding the Definition of the Crime of Rape, Reclassifying the Same as a Crime Against Persons, Amending for the Purpose Act No. 3815, as Amended, Otherwise Known as the Revised Penal Code, and for Other Purposes”

12.       Republic Act 8369 

October 28, 1997

“An Act Establishing Family Courts, granting Them Exclusive Original Jurisdiction Over Child and Family Cases, Amending Batas Pambansa No. 192, as Amended, Otherwise Known as the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes”

13.       Republic Act No. 8505            

February 13, 1998

“An Act Providing Assistance and Protection for Rape Victims, Establishing for the Purpose A Rape Crisis Center in Every Province and City, Authorizing the Appropriation of funds Therefor, and For Other Purposes”

14.       Republic Act 8972

“An Act Providing for Benefits and Privileges To Solo Parents and their Children, Appropriating Funds Therefor and For Other Purposes”

15.       Republic Act 9208

May 26, 2003

“An Act to Institute Policies to Eliminate Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, Establishing the Necessary Institutional Mechanisms for the Protection and Support of Trafficked Persons, Providing Penalties for its Violations and For Other”

"Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003"

16.       Republic Act 9262 

March 8, 2004

“An Act Defining Violence Against Women and Their Children, Providing Protective Measures for Victims, Prescribing Penalties Therefor and for Other Purposes”

17.     Republic Act 9710

July 28, 2008

"The Magna Carta of Women"

We celebrate women empowerment not only this month but every day! #womensmonthPh #womenempowerment #Filipinasempowerment

Reference: http://www. nscb.gov.ph

My Favorite Quotes in Eat, Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

If there is a throwback post, this would be my entry circa November 2010 in my Facebook Notes. For a certain time and condition, we pursued or pursuing for our own happiness, peace, hope and love. Sometimes things do not fall into our favor but what is important, we tried something to make it work. 

[Eat Pray Love is a story of career-oriented woman who has been married for years but at certain point in her life felt that certain emptiness and discovered that she is being unhappy with her married life.  She filed a divorce and engaged on a rebound relationship which did not work out.  The next years of her life were spent travelling the world to find her peace and happiness.

She travelled in Italy, eating and enjoying life ("Eat") for four months. She went to India for her spiritual development (“Pray”) and spent the last quarter of the year in Bali, Indonesia looking for ("Love")].

1.    “God is an experience of supreme LOVE.”

2.     “Your treasure – your perfection – is within you already. But to claim it, you must leave the busy commotion of the mind and abandon the desires of the ego and enter into the silence of the HEART.”

3.    “You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the MIND. That’s the only thing you should be trying to control.”

4.    “Learning how to discipline your speech is a way of preventing your energies from spilling out of you through the rupture of your mouth, exhausting you and filling the world with words, words, words instead of serenity, peace and bliss.”

5.    "Do not look at the world through your head; look at it through your heart."

6.    “People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. “

7.    “Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. “

8.    “….it is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection.” 

9.    “Smile not only with your lips but also with your Liver.”

10. “For everything happened, there is always reason for reason we dont know yet but soon it will be revealed.”

Single or in a relationship today, it is still indeed a HAPPY HEARTS DAY!

Ten Things to Get Through About Anything by Douglas Pagels

                                 

         

1.                      Stay Positive. (Hopeful people are happier people.)

2.                     Choose wisely. (Good choices will come back to bless you.)

3.                 Remember what matters. (The present moment.  The good people in it.  Hope and dreams and feelings.)

4.                      Don’t stress out over things you cant control.  (Just don’t)

5.                      Count every blessing. (Even the little ones add up to a lot.)

6.                      Be good to your body.  ( It’s the only one you get.)

7.                 Listen to the wishes of your heart  (It always seems to know what’s true, what’s right, what to do, and where to go with your life.)

8.                      Understand how special you are!

9.                      Realize how strong you can be.

10.           And know that YES, you’re going to make it through, no matter what.

Maybe you wont be dancing in the streets or jumping on the bed….but you are going to get through the day, the night, and each and every moment that lies ahead. (I promise.)

Good Vibes 2015!

Quotes from Pope Francis, Philippines 2015

During his 4-day visit in the country, Pope Francis (Lolo Kiko) left us with messages of God’s love, faith, hope, and compassion:

1.    "God is a God of surprise because He loved us first."

2.    "We can love Him but we must let ourselves be loved by Him. Real love is being open to the love that comes to you. The love that surprises us."

3.    "Rest is so necessary for the health of our minds and bodies, and often so difficult to achieve due to the many demands placed on us. But rest is also essential for our spiritual health, so that we can hear God's voice and understand what he asks of us.”

4. "Only by becoming poor ourselves, by stripping away our complacency, will we be able to identify with the least of our brothers and sisters."

5.   "It’s a compassion that makes us put our hands in our pockets and give something to the poor. But if Christ had had that kind of compassion he would have greeted a couple of people, given them something, and walked on. But it was only when he was able to cry that he understood something of our lives."

6.    "Certain realities of life we only see through eyes cleansed by our tears.”

7.    "In the family we learn how to love, to forgive, to be generous and open, not closed and selfish. We learn to move beyond our own needs, to encounter others and share our lives with them."

8.    "When you lose this capacity to dream you lose the capacity to love, the capacity to love is lost."

9.    “Women have much to tell us in today's society. Sometimes we are too 'machistas' and we don't allow enough space to women. But women can see things from a different angle to us, with a different eye.”

10.  "You may be poor yourselves in material ways, but you have an abundance of gifts to offer when you offer Christ and the community of his Church. Do not hide your faith, do not hide Jesus, but carry him into the world and offer the witness of your family life!"

Senioritos and Senioritas Perks

My mother is a member of the Senorito and Senorita Class in Makati (referring to Senior citizens).  Every year, they are getting allowance from the City Government of Makati and a birthday cake, too.  Our senior citizens are also enjoying free spa, free movies, participation in recreational and cultural activities for free like ballroom dancing, opera watching, among others.   The local government has been providing free medicines and hospitalization to its bona fide senior citizens even prior to enactment of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act. These are only premium to Makati’s senorito and senoritas aside from enjoying 20% discount in primary commodities, medicine and restaurants.

Under RA 9994, otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010”, rights and privileges of senior citizens all over the country now include:

1.    Twenty percent (20%) discount and exemption from the Value-Added Tax (VAT), if applicable, on the sale of the following goods and services from all establishments, for the exclusive use and enjoyment or availment of the senior citizen:

a.    Purchase of medicines, including the purchase of influenza and pnuemococcal vaccines, and such other essential medical supplies, accessories and equipment to be determined by the Department of Health (DOH);

b.   On the professional fees of attending physician/s in all private hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics and home health care services;

c.    On the professional fees of licensed professional health providing home health care services as endorsed by private hospitals or employed through home health care employment agencies;

d.   On medical and dental services, diagnostic and laboratory fees in all private hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics, and home health care services;

e.    In actual fare for land transportation travel in public utility buses (PUBs), public utility jeepneys (PUJs), taxis, Asian utility vehicles (AUVs), shuttle services and public railways, including Light Rail Transit (LRT), Mass Rail Transit (MRT), and Philippine National Railways (PNR);

f.     In actual transportation fare for domestic air transport services and sea shipping vessels and the like, based on the actual fare and advanced booking;

g.   On the utilization of services in hotels and similar lodging establishments, restaurants and recreation centers;

h.    On admission fees charged by theaters, cinema houses and concert halls, circuses, leisure and amusement; and

i.     On funeral and burial services for the death of senior citizens;

2.    Exemption from the payment of individual income taxes of senior citizens who are considered to be minimum wage earners in accordance with Republic Act No. 9504;

3.     Five percent (5%) discount relative to the monthly utilization of water and electricity supplied by the public utilities. (Provided, 1. That the individual meters for the foregoing utilities are registered in the name of the senior citizen residing therein; 2. the monthly consumption does not exceed one hundred kilowatt hours (100 kWh) of electricity and thirty cubic meters (30 m3) of water) This privilege is granted per household regardless of the number of senior citizens residing therein;

4.    Exemption from training fees for socioeconomic programs;

5.    Free medical and dental services, diagnostic and laboratory fees such as, but not limited to, x-rays, computerized tomography scans and blood tests, in all government facilities, subject to the guidelines to be issued by the DOH in coordination with the PhilHealth;

6.    The DOH shall administer free vaccination against the influenza virus and pneumococcal disease for indigent senior citizen patients;

7.    Educational assistance to senior citizens to pursue pot secondary, tertiary, post tertiary, vocational and technical education, as well as short-term courses for retooling in both public and private schools through provision of scholarships, grants, financial aids, subsides and other incentives to qualified senior citizens, including support for books, learning materials, and uniform allowances, to the extent feasible. (The senior citizen shall meet minimum admission requirements);

8.    The continuance of the same benefits and privileges given by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), the Social Security System (SSS) and the PAG-IBIG, as the case may be, as are enjoyed by those in actual service;

9.    Retirement benefits of retirees from both the government and the private sector shall be regularly reviewed to ensure their continuing responsiveness and sustainability, and to the extent practicable and feasible, shall be upgraded to be at par with the current scale enjoyed by those in actual service;

10.  Grant of special discounts in special programs for senior citizens on purchase of basic commodities, subject to the guidelines to be issued for the purpose by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA);

11.    Provision of express lanes for senior citizens in all commercial and government establishments, in the absence thereof, priority shall be given to them; and

12.    Death benefit assistance of a minimum of Two thousand pesos (Php2, 000.00) shall be given to the nearest surviving relative of a deceased senior citizen which amount shall be subject to adjustments due to inflation in accordance with the guidelines to be issued by the DSWD.

To avail the foregoing privileges, the Senior Citizen or his/her duly authorized representative, may submit as proof of his/her entitlement, any of the following:

a.   Senior Citizen Identification Card issued by the Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA) of the place where the senior citizen resides (which shall be honored nationwide);

b.   The passport of the senior citizen concerned;

c.    Other documents that will establish that the senior citizen is a citizen of the Republic and is at least sixty (60) years of age.

Aside from those mentioned, priority in service and parking spaces in establishments are also given to senior citizens.

Excerpt Quotes from Philippine Jurisprudence

“If the two eventually fell in love, despite the disparity in their ages and academic levels, this only lends substance to the truism that the heart has reasons of its own which reason does not know.”

(Chua Qua vs. Clave, G.R. No. 45949, August 30, 1990)

“….there can be no love where respect is gone.”

(People vs. Rivera, G.R. No. 130607.  November 17, 1999)

“… sorrow is sometimes a touchstone of love.”

(Libi vs. IAC, G.R. No. 70890. September 18, 1992.]

“… love is not a license for lust.” 

(People vs. Olesco, G.R. No. 174861, April 11, 2011)

 “Love happens to everyone. It is dubbed to be boundless as it goes beyond the expectations people tagged with it. In love, “age does matter.” People love in order to be secure that one will share his/her life with another and that he/she will not die alone. Individuals who are in love had the power to let love grow or let love die – it is a choice one had to face when love is not the love he/she expected.” (Padilla-Rumbaua v. Rumbaua, G.R. No. 166738, August 14, 2009)

“Every man has a right to build, keep and be favored with a good name.”
(Brillante vs. CA, G.R. No. 118757 and 121571, October 19, 2004)

“Liberty is a right that inheres in every one of us as a member of the human family. When a person is deprived of his right, all of us are diminished and debased for liberty is total and indivisible.”

(Ordonez v. Director of Prisons, G.R. No. 115576, August 4 1994)

 “One unavoidable consequence of everyone having the freedom to choose is that others may make different choices – choices we would not make for ourselves, choices we may disapprove of, even choices that may shock or offend or anger us.  However, choices are not to be legally prohibited merely because they are different, and the right to disagree and debate about important questions of public policy is a core value protected by our Bill of Rights.  Indeed, our democracy is built on genuine recognition of, and respect for, diversity and difference in opinion. “

(ANG LADLAD LGBT Party vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 190582. April 8, 2010)

 “…… man stands accountable to an authority higher than the State.” (Estrada vs Escritor, A.M. No. P-02-1651.  August 4, 2003)

“….the real essence of justice does not emanate from quibblings over patchwork legal technicality.  It proceeds from the spirit's gut consciousness of the dynamic role of law as a brick in the ultimate development of the social edifice."

 (Obosa vs. People of the Philippines, G.R. No. 114350.  January 16, 1997.)

“The Court, like all well-meaning persons, has no desire to dash romantic fancies, yet in the exercise of its duty, is all too willing when necessary to raise the wall that tears Pyramus and Thisbe asunder.“ (Concerned Employee vs. Glenda Espiritu Mayor, AM No. P-02-1564, 23, November 2004)

 “The nuptial vows which solemnly intone the matrimonial promise of love ‘(f)or better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part,’ are sometimes easier said than done, for many a marital union figuratively ends on the reefs of matrimonial shoals.

(People of the Philippines vs. Ruben Takbobo, GR No. 102984, 30 June 1993)

The silence often of pure innocence persuades when speaking fails. (People of the Phil. vs. Romy L. Fallones, G.R. No. 190341, March 16, 2011)

“Citizenship is a treasured right conferred on those whom the state believes are deserving of the privilege.  It is a “precious heritage, as well as an inestimable acquisition,” that cannot be taken lightly by anyone - either by those who enjoy it or by those who dispute it.” (Tecson vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 161434.  March 3, 2004).

“The autonomy and importance of family should not be privileged over the privacy and autonomy of a person. Marriage is not bondage that subordinates the humanity of each spouse. No person should be deemed to concede her or his privacy rights and autonomy upon getting married.”

(Imbong vs. Ochoa, G.R. No. 204819,    April 8, 2014)

“ Law has also been defined as “something men create in their best moments to protect themselves in their worst moments.”  Even then, laws are subject to amendment or repeal just as judicial pronouncements are subject to modification and reversal to better reflect the public morals of a society at a given time.  After all, “the life of the law... has been experience….”

(Estrada vs Escritor, A.M. No. P-02-1651.  August 4, 2003)