Philippine Laws Relating to the Welfare of Women

It is enshrined under the Constitution that the “State recognizes the role of
women-in nation building, and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the
law of women and men” (Sec. 14, Art. II). Even the supreme law of the land gives
its utmost respect to women as it encompasses the same footing to men – who
are, by tradition and misconception, are superior. However, even if the law tell us
what to do, society itself cannot simply maintain a setting wherein equality will be
predominant regardless of one’s gender; it is as if there is a stigma conforming to
incline in an ignorant norm.
Even if that is the case, it does not presuppose that such inequality should
be tolerated. Our laws here in the Philippines even grant protection and equality
to the welfare of women. To mention, there exists Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-
Violence against Women and Children of 2004, which sets guidelines relating to
the Philippine Constitution and the Provisions of the Universal Declaration of
Women Rights. Most importantly, this law does not cover abuse based solely on
physical suffering; its purview also involves the protection of women and children
against sexual violence, psychological violence, and economic abuse.
In addition, through the implementation of the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, the
crime of rape, which originally falls under ‘Crimes against Chastity’ of the Revised
Penal Code is now categorized under ‘Crimes against Persons’. With that being
said, it denotes a higher penalty to those offenders who are found to be guilty in
committing such crime. In its enactment, it proposes that women are not mere
objects that men can manipulate in order to satisfy their lustful desires. The
purpose of the law is to prevent and protect women from being objectified by
rapists, who can easily be convicted of a lesser penalty and consequently go
scot-free. Nothing can be more degrading for a women if she is sexually abused
and raped by a person who puts no dignity and respect to something which she
considers as pure and sacred. Such grotesque act deserves to be left in the
discretion of the law under its strictest terms.
It can be actually inferred evidently that both Republic Act 9262 or VAWC
law and the Anti-Rape Law addressed the concerns of numerous women who
suffered abuse and besmirched pride. It is responsive as it connotes widely to the
urgency of who women are in dire need of assistance and support caused by the
traumatic abuse that almost tear their lives apart. In fact, it delimits the boundaries
to an origin of law which purportedly left them without remedy or recourse to the
damage they have suffered. Truly, this is an era where the rights of women are
preserved and protected by the State against those who attempt to disdain or
ridicule them in spite of their gender.

Chavez, Victoria Isabel D.

2018-02-03225
COL-1A
 However, even assuming arguendo that these laws guarantee the
protection of women against all kinds of abuse, it is inevitable that inequality still
exists despite the advocacy to end it. To cite, Republic Act 6725 which prohibits
discrimination with respect to terms and conditions of employment based solely
on the basis of sex, fails to respond to the need of women who are wanting to be
treated equally like men in the workplace. The nature of a work environment can
sometimes be equated with inequity and unfairness, primarily because it lies on
the prerogative of the employer to decide for his/her employees. Although
undeniably it does not generally occur in totality, still, some women are being
discriminated by reason of their gender believing that femininity is a sign of
inferiority and weakness.
It is indeed a music in the ear for a woman to hear being complimented,
who does not want to be praised anyway? But if such words of flattery tend to
allude into sexuality, then, it is of this moment for a law to be passed in the pursuit
to put an end to it. Women are not simply objects of men that would silently
acquiesce to whatever words they hear upon. Such statement can result to
vexation and fear, or worst, it can even be traumatic. With the hope to respect
women in whatever extent, enacting a law regarding catcalling and street
harassment will consequently make a person accountable for his acts which are
willfully careless and unethical.
In summation, we can observed that as time goes by, the stigma of
inequality and unfairness slowly ceases to exist. Nothing but the law can set the
gap to an impression which majority of us considers to be hopeless and
unchangeable. It is the law which equalizes everything despite the ignominy that
the society molds us to conform. Today, women are given the highest respect
that seems to be impossibly achievable before; even history itself can attest how
women are being demoralized and degraded because of their gender. Because
of the unceasing advocacy to fight for equality, it is indubitable that our laws
sustain our needs and gives comeuppance to whoever attempts to contempt it.
However, we must still remember that the fight for equality especially for women
is still a work in progress. As the evolving society changes, us, women, should also
empower one another in the merit to contradict inequality; and as long as there
is a law, it is indeed true that a slow process is a progress or none at all.

Chavez, Victoria Isabel D.

2018-02-03225
COL-1A