Ordinance prohibiting catcalling in public places passed in Cebu City

FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines– Catcalling in public will soon be illegal in Cebu City.

This developed following the passing of an ordinance prohibiting catcalling in public spaces in accordance to the Safe Spaces Act.

The ordinance, proposed by Councilors David Tumulak, Leah Japson, and Alvin Dizon, was passed on Wednesday, December 18, 2019, during the council’s last regular session for the year.

Councilor Dizon said that the ordinance aimed to localized the Safe Space laws to address gender-based sexual harassment in public areas such as streets, privately-owned places open to the public, and public utility vehicles, among others.

“We hope this measure will be strictly enforced once signed by the Mayor so we could help guarantee a safer public space for all, which is a fundamental human right,” said Dizon in a text message. 

In the ordinance, catcalling is defined as unwanted remarks directed towards a person commonly done in the form of wolf-whistling and misogynistic, transphobic, and homophobic, and sexist slurs.

Any form of catcalling, wolf-whistling, leering, taunting, cursing, and statement of sexual comments made in a public setting such as on the streets or public utility vehicles (PUV) will be penalized under the ordinance.

Schools and institutions will also be required to uphold the ordinance. These establishments will be fined for failing to maintain a safe public space.

If the establishments do not implement the ordinance, they will be penalized P3,000 following the conviction of a harassment case. If the establishments do not act on the reported incidents of sexual harassment, they will be fined P5,000 upon conviction of the case.

The ordinance would also require establishments to brief their employees or students regarding the Safe Space Act to encourage them to be gender-sensitive.

Dizon said that with the passing of the ordinance, he hopes that Cebu City will be safer for all genders. /bmjo