Tingog Sinirangan party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez welcomed Thursday the approval of Senate bills seeking to raise the age of sexual consent and determination of statutory rape from the current 12-years-old to 16-years-old.
The chairperson of the House Committee on Welfare of Children thanked the members of the Senate Committees on Justice and Human Rights and Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality for approving such measures.
READ MORE: Senate Committee approves proposal to raise statutory rape age to 16
"This is a welcome development...As a mother, and most importantly, as a legislator, I promised myself that I cannot let this longstanding defect in our legal and justice system to continue,” she said.
In a joint hearing, the Senate panels approved Thursday the eight bills seeking to raise the age of statutory rape to 16 upon the motion of Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri. The motion was seconded by Sen. Imee Marcos.
"While the approval of this bill is of paramount importance to our efforts towards the welfare of every Filipino child, there is much more left to be done,” Romualdez, one of the principal authors of the bill, said.
"By strengthening the protection of children, the proposed legislation puts firmly the safety and welfare of children as a foremost concern – not only of the family – but that of the entire community,” she added.
On Aug. 27, the House Committees on the Revision of Laws and on Welfare of Children chaired by Zambales Rep. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla and Romualdez jointly approved a substitute measure raising the age of statutory rape from the current 12-years-old to 16-years-old regardless of the sexual orientation of the offenders or the victims and provides stronger protection against acts of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.
Romualdez said if the bill is passed into law, any adult who has sexual intercourse with a minor below 16-years-old will be guilty of rape even if the minor has given his or her consent to the sexual act.