BAGUIO CITY – The City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) passed a resolution recommending for the possible amendment of Ordinance No. 21, series of 2018 which prohibited gender-based street and public spaces harassment in the city and prescribing penalties for violations and for other purposes.
Under CPOC Resolution No. 19, series of 2025, the council stated that there is a need to amend Section 3 of the aforesaid ordinance to adopt pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) 11313 and its implementing rules and regulations on gender-based violence to increase its penalty to ensure the deterrence of the commission of crimes.
RA 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act and its implementing rules and regulations stipulated the duties of local government units to pass the necessary ordinance which shall localize the application of the said law; provide measures to prevent gender-based sexual harassment in educational institutions, such as information campaigns and anti-sexual harassment seminars, and discourage and impose fines on acts of gender-based sexual harassment as defined in the law.
Section 30 of RA 11313 provided the imposition of heavier penalties by local government units for the acts specified in the law.
The CPOC claimed that Section 3 of the ordinance outlined the prohibited acts with lighter penalties which must be amended to ensure that the penalties are much heavier than those provided in the Safe Spaces Act.
Under the said section, cat-calling, leering, persistent requests for name and contact details, the use of words tending to ridicule on the basis of actual and perceived sex, gender expression or sexual orientation and identity including sexist, homophobic and transphobic slurs, or the persistent telling of sexual jokes is penalized by a fine of P1,000 for the first offense, a fine of P2,000 for the second offense, a fine of P3,000 for the third offense and a fine of P5,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months, or both at the discretion of the court for succeeding offenses.
Further, making body gestures at someone, exposing private parts for the sexual gratification of the perpetrator with the effect of demeaning, harassing, threatening or intimidating the offended party shall be penalized by a fine of P2,000 for the first offense, a fine of P3,000 for the second offense a fine of P5,000 for the third offense and a fine of P5,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both at the discretion of the court for the succeeding offenses.
Stalking, all the acts mentioned earlier, when accompanied by touching, pinching or brushing against the body of a person or any touching, pinching or brushing against the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thighs, fists or buttocks even when not accompanied by the aforesaid acts shall be penalized by a fine of P3,000 for the first offense, a fine of P4,000 for the second offense, a fine of P5,000 for the third offense and a fine of P5,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both at the discretion of the court for thee succeeding offenses.
The CPOC resolution will be transmitted to the city council for information, guidance, ready reference and further needed action. By Dexter A. See
