As part of its goal to further protect Filipino women and instill their rights, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) launched the Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda (WPLA) for the 19th Congress.
WPLA, according to PCW, is composed of legislative measures aiming to protect and promote women’s rights and empowerment. It was accomplished through the combined efforts of PCW together with non-government organizations (NGOs), their civil society partners, as well as other concerned agencies.
Policy recommendations mentioned in WPLA include the reinstitution of divorce in the Philippines, amendment of the Anti Rape Law, elimination of the Gender Bias in Adultery and Concubinage, the enactment of SOGIE Equality Act as well as the Women’s Political Participation and Representation.
It likewise included the enactment of the Magna Carta of Workers in the formal economy and the amendment of the Safe Spaces Act.
“We hope that this launch will mark the start of our collaboration to work collectively as agents of change, by moving towards updating existing discriminatory laws to shed off gender discriminatory provisions, and to push for the development of laws that will further support, protect, and promote the rights of every Filipina woman and child,” said PCW Executive Director Kristine Rosary Yuzon-Chavez.
The measure was launched on Nov. 9, 2022 in Quezon City. Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Friday, Nov. 18, the Commission said the ceremony was attended by nearly 200 guests including local government unit (LGU) officials and women-led groups.