The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has lauded Senate Bill (SB) No. 2897 which seeks to expand the coverage and strengthen the Safe Spaces Act or "Bawal Bastos Law" under Republic Act No. 11313.

The law protects gender-based harassments in streets, schools, establishments, markets, workplaces, and recreational spaces, among others places.

SB 2897 seeks to expand the coverage to include other places where gender-based harassment can occur.  

RA 11313 addresses gender-based sexual harassment in public spaces, online, workplaces, and educational institutions, and provides protective measures and prescribes penalties. 

SB 2897 also introduced the concept of grooming, defining it as “a predatory act or pattern of acts intended to establish a relationship of trust or emotional connection with a child, for the purpose of perpetrating sexual abuse or exploitation.”

More than that, SB 2897 also introduced a new provision, Section 21-A, which strengthens protection for gender-based sexual harassment in educational and training institutions, the CHR said.

Under the proposed section, any sexually inappropriate conduct that undermines a child's dignity and is deemed “unwelcome, unreasonable, and offensive” will be criminalized. This includes verbal, physical, and technology-facilitated acts, such as harassment through text messages, emails, and other forms of digital communication, it also said.

For the CHR, these new developments recognizes the many scenarios in which sexual harassment can take place as well as the role of technologies and even artificial intelligence in the conduct of gender-based online sexual harassment.

"As the Gender and Child Ombud of the country, the CHR welcomes this strengthened effort to hold offenders accountable for blatant harassment and inherently discriminatory acts, known to be commonly committed against women, children, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community," it said. 

It also said: "We commend the efforts of our legislators, particularly Senators Risa Hontiveros, Raffy Tulfo, Robin Padilla, and Cynthia Villar, for advancing this initiative to foster a culture of respect and protection for all. After all, every stakeholder plays a vital role in proactively creating safe spaces and engaging in measures to prevent gender-based harassment and violence."

It pointed out that the proposed amendments to the Safe Spaces Act are a "crucial step" in ensuring that all spaces -- whether physical or digital, urban or rural -- remain safe and inclusive for everyone.