House passes bill vs women discrimination

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives yesterday passed a bill that expands the prohibited acts of discrimination against women.

Through unanimous vote by 226 members, the House plenary approved on third and final reading House Bill 7722, which amends Presidential Decree 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines.

The bill seeks to criminalize as “discrimination against women on the basis of gender” the act of “favoring a male employee over a female employee with respect to assignment, promotion, training opportunities, study and scholarship grants solely on account of their sex or characteristics, whether actual or presumed.”

It also classifies as discriminatory the acts of “favoring a male employee over a female employee with respect to the dismissal of personnel or the application of any retrenchment policy of the employer solely on account of their sex or characteristics, whether actual or presumed and denying any woman the benefits of employment or other statutory benefits under our laws by reason of sex.”

HB 7722 likewise seeks to prohibit the discharge from employment of a woman on account of her pregnancy, while on leave, or while in confinement due to pregnancy.

Based on the proposed measure, any employer proven to commit or attempt in any manner to commit the prohibited acts shall be punished with a fine of not less than P50,000 but not more than P200,000 and/or imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than two years.

It also notes that the conviction or acquittal obtained by the employer shall not preclude the filing by a female employee of a civil suit for the payment of salaries or benefits due to her.