New Laws Bring Hope

This is a good news column as we celebrate the passing of new human right legislation and the progress that has been made on other important pending legislation in the Philippine Congress. Elections are looming in May 2010 and the political climate is warming up.

The administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is striving to leave behind an impressive body of new legislation. Dogged by years of allegations of condoning or ignoring human rights violations by the armed forces and the goons of political tycoons, the government is now trying to make amends. Hundreds of social activists were tortured and assassinated almost daily since the president came to office. The digging up of bodies of victims of death squads in Davao city has shocked the world and brought shame and tarnished legacy of the administration.

After many years of hard work by Non-government organizations, human rights groups, women’s organizations, people’s associations, church activists and letter-writing supporters, a women’s rights bill has been signed into law last week by President Macapagal-Arroyo. The good and decent politicians committed to human rights did their duty and pushed hard for the passing of this important legislation. The Magna Carta of Women, as it is called, Republic Act 9710, was signed into law a week ago after seven years of struggle and endless blocking by the male-dominated legislature of the Philippines.

Its key importance is the recognition that “Women’s Rights are Human Rights”. The new law says that all “rights”, as stated in the constitution and in international conventions ratified by the Philippines “shall be the rights of women under this act to be enjoyed without discrimination”. The law forbids any form of discrimination against women and promotes equality and dignity of women. The legislation mandates the gradual increase of women in government positions until they fill up half of third level position and there must be gender balance in the police and other government service personnel within 5 years under the law. Government developmental councils must have 40 percent women members and political parties with women's agenda will get incentives. There are stronger protections of women especially in conflict situations. It protects women who may be pregnant outside of marriage or single mothers from any kind of discrimination in school, or the work place.

The Anti-child Pornography Bill was helped forwarded by readers who wrote letters for its swift approval. It swiftly passed the second reading in the Lower House and now the final and third reading is set for the first week of September. This is the result no doubt of nationwide lobbying and international letter-writing and the campaigning of Human rights groups including Preda Foundation. It has only taken two years for this to come to a vote which is an indication of the growing awareness of the public and the active lobbying of Non-government organizations and civil society to influence policy and law. Hopefully it will be signed into law before the end of the year.

Torture is not something that is only inflicted in military interrogation cells or secret houses or dark dungeons but is common in jails and prisons all over the world and even in children's detention centers as Preda social workers discovered when they rescued many children from such cruel conditions in Metro Manila and documented their traumatic experience.

The United Nations says it’s any act by a public official or his agent that inflicts pain or suffering physical or mental to get information or to punish him or her. The good news is that a law banning torture by government officials, their agents and any private person and banning secret prisons is near the final voting. The bicameral conference committee reconciling the house and senate versions approved the consolidated version of the bill and it will be ratified within the week.

The recent signing of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension Bill was also a landmark piece of legislation. I will write about that later.

Good news indeed about all these new laws but will they ever be implemented? That is the real challenge that lies ahead of us that believe in the dignity, equality and the rights of all.