The Mandaue City Hall compound. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
MANDAUE CITY, CEBU, Philippines — Catcalling and wolf-whistling or any sexual slur directed at a person may land a person in jail in Mandaue City if the proposed Safe Spaces Ordinance will be passed in the City Council on third reading.
The proposed ordinance, which is a localized version of the Safe Spaces Act or Republic Act No. 11313, was passed on first reading during the on October 28, 2020 city council session.
Read: Safe Spaces Act
“At least aware na ato’ng public nga naa sad tay gihimo para maproktehan sila. Makakita sila nga naa na gyuy ordinansa, nga pwede na sila’ng makiha, ma minimize na, ” said Councilor Cinco Remedio, chairperson of the committee on Women, Family and Children as she referred to the proposed ordinance.
(At least the public is aware of what we did to protect them. They can see that there is such an ordinance that they can be haled to court if they do such things. Then these acts will be minimized.)
The proposed Safe Spaces ordinance authored by Remedio and Councilor Maline Cortes-Zafra aims to protect women, men, everyone from any sexual and online harassment.
“Ang atoa, we want everybody to know nga that’s not good. Amoa is we want to instill to the Mandauehanons nga good manners will always prevail. Dili pwede sa Mandaue ang mga walay batasan,” said Zafra.
(What we want is for everybody to know that that is not good. We want to instill to the Mandauehanons that good manners will always prevail. A person with bad manners is not acceptable in Mandaue.)
The proposed ordinance is a localized version of Republic Act 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act of 2018.
The proposed measure specifies catcalling, wolf-whistling as directing unwanted remarks or action to a person, which is commonly done in the form of misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic, and sexist slurs.
The measure would also require management of malls, restaurants and other public places to adopt zero-tolerance against gender-based sexual harassment in their establishments. These establishments should also put up visible warning signs, and designating at least one anti-sexual harassment officer and to encourage victims to report the harassment as soon as it happens.
Aside from prohibiting catcalling, the proposed measure also bans online sexual harassment.
According to the proposed ordinance that the penalties and fines against violators would be based on Republic Act 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act.
Depending on the violations as stated in the Safe Spaces Act, the violators may pay a certain fine or spend a few days in jail or both.
The proposed ordinance has been passed to the Committee on Laws and the Committee on Women, Family and Children for further study./dbs