Madrigal lauds Enrile for approval of Magna Carta of Women bill

Sen. Jamby Madrigal, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Youth, Women and Family Relations, today paid tribute to "the decisive leadership" of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile for the approval on second reading of the proposed Magna Carta of Women Wednesday night.

"The proposed Magna Carta of Women Law has been languishing in the Senate since the 12th Congress and I attribute the approval of this bill to the decisive leadership of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile who is not afraid to reckon with the various pressure groups opposing this bill," Madrigal said.

Madrigal said various groups which she described as "right-wing Catholic forces" have succeeded in blocking the passage of the bill in Congress for the past seven years.

"This is a very important bill because it guarantees the basic rights of women and provide them with necessary protection against discrimination and abuse," Madrigal said. "This is milestone legislation in defending the human rights of the poor women who have no access to proper healthcare, who are marginalized and victims of discrimination and abuse."

During its session Wednesday, the Senate approved on second reading Senate Bill No.1701 also known as the "Magna Carta for Women" which aims to protect Filipino women from all forms of gender discrimination and abuse.

The bill was sponsored on the floor by Madrigal's committee. The bill was authored by Senators Pia Cayetano, Edgardo Angara, Panfilo Lacson, Ramon Revilla Jr., Richard Gordon, Jinggoy Estrada, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Manny Villar, Loren Legarda, and Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Madrigal lauded Enrile for presiding over the Senate sessions "with dispatch, efficiency and a statesmanlike conduct" which she said enabled the chamber "to approve vital legislation, such as the proposed Magna Carta of Women, that will benefit the majority of the Filipino people."

Enrile said the approval of the proposed Magna Carta of Women was part of Congress' effort to revise the discriminatory provisions against women in various laws existing in the country.

"These include some provisions of the Family Code that pertains to a husband's decision prevailing over the wife's disagreements involving conjugal property, and in cases of parental authority and legal guardianship over the person and property of a common child," he explained.

"There are also provisions in the Labor Code and the Revised Penal Code that will be amended, such as the provision covering night work prohibition for women workers, and the Anti-Rape Law which defines marital rape and its penalties. The Revised Penal Code's articles on concubinage and adultery, where women can be easily charged with adultery, will likewise be amended.

The provisions allowing for polygamy, early and arranged marriages, and unequal inheritance for women in the Code of Muslim Personal Laws will also be amended," Enrile added.

Sen. Pia Cayetano, principal sponsor of the measure, said that "the bill seeks to boost the government's commitment to uphold the human rights of women especially, small farmers and rural workers, fisher folks, urban poor, women in the military, migrant workers, indigenous people, Muslim women, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and solo parents."

The proposed Magna Carta of Women enumerates the rights of marginalized women such as the right to food security and productive resources, housing, decent work, employment, livelihood, credit, capital and technology, education and training, and right to information and social participation. It also provides that the Commission on Human Rights can now oversee and hear complaints of discrimination against women.

Madrigal pointed out that the most important aspect of the bill was that it will define in the law the meaning of "discrimination," thus making unlawful all forms of discrimination against women. "Many Filipino women continue to suffer discrimination despite the enactment of pro-women laws, like the International Bill of Rights laid down by the UN in its general assembly on the Convention on the Elimination on all Forms of Discrimination Against Women", Cayetano said.

Legarda, a co-sponsor of the bill said the measure will lay down the policies that will enable women to actively participate and contribute to our national development.

Zubiri, on the other hand, said gender equality is always on top of the international agenda. "The approval of this bill will strengthen gender equality and empowerment of women in the Philippines," Zubiri said.