DAVAO CITY – The Davao City Council is set to discuss a proposal to revise or remove a provision in the city’s revenue code that requires female guest relations officers, massage attendants, and taxi dancers to obtain occupational permits costing over P4,000 each year.

Councilor Pamela Librado-Morata, chairwoman of the Committee on Civil, Political, and Human Rights, Labor and Employment, raised the issue in a privilege speech, questioning the legality and morality of collecting fees from them.

Section 229, Article 27 of the Davao City Ordinance No. 0291-17 requires women in the sector to secure occupational permits and submit documents such as health certificates and employment clearances. The total yearly compliance cost is around P4,000.

Citing 2023 data, Morata said around 600 women are registered under these permits. She described the policy as a financial burden on women facing economic hardship, characterizing it as a “survival tax” imposed on a vulnerable sector.

The councilor argued that the provision appears inconsistent with Davao City Ordinance No. 5004, also known as the Women’s Development Code, which prohibits the commercialization and commodification of women.

Morata also pointed to possible conflicts with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, a national law penalizing the recruitment and exploitation of persons for sexual purposes.

“Imposing permit requirements and collecting fees from women in prostitution may effectively legitimize an activity that laws recognize as exploitative,” Morata said.

Morata urged the council to examine the matter through a gender-sensitive lens and ensure alignment between local regulations and national statutes.

According to the councilor, the proposal followed a formal request from Talikala Inc., a Davao City-based, women-led nonprofit organization that advocates against exploitation and trafficking.

Executive Director Jeanette Laurelo-Ampog called for the amendment or repeal of the occupational permit provision, arguing that regulating and collecting revenue from prostitution creates a legal and moral contradiction.

Morata said the situation raises broader governance concerns, particularly whether a local government can lawfully collect fees from an activity deemed illegal or exploitative under national law.

She added that a regulatory fee imposed on an unlawful act could itself be subject to legal challenge.

Under the current system, applicants must complete multiple steps to secure the permit, including submitting forms and obtaining medical and employment clearances, each with its own procedures and additional costs.

Instead of maintaining the regulatory framework, Morata proposed shifting toward support-based interventions under Section 16 of the Women’s Development Code.

The provision calls for socio-economic assistance to women in the entertainment industry, including those employed in bars, nightclubs, and resorts.

Support mechanisms include access to health services, alternative livelihood programs, and protection from discrimination and gender-based violence.

Morata emphasized that the city’s mandate is to provide pathways away from exploitation, not to generate revenue from vulnerability.

The City Council is expected to discuss further whether to retain, amend, or repeal the questioned provision in upcoming sessions.