A comparative study of national and local Philippine laws would reveal a huge gap

between the legal remedies that men and women, respectively, could acquire in terms of
the protection of their rights. For instance, the well-known and utilized national law that
is the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act, and the lack of its
counterpart that would be applicable to Filipino men, speaks of the legal leverage that
abused Filipino women have over abused Filipino men. While there exist laws whose
crafted, gender neutral language evidently aim to provide protection for both sexes
against any harm, as seen, for instance, in Republic Act 7877 or An Act Declaring
Sexual Harassment Unlawful in the Employment, Education or Training Environment,
and for Other Purposes, a quick glance at gender-related laws would reveal that the legal
institution ventures out of its way to craft laws that specifically address women-related
abuses. The most that Filipino men can acquire as legal tools for protection are laws that
also encompass Filipino women.

An example of this, apart from the well-known Republic Act 9262, is The Modified
Gender and Development (GAD)I Code of Jagna, Bohol. It was specifically enacted in
order to promote womens rights. Such code provides for gender equality and the equal
participation of women in nation building as mandated under Article II Section 14 of the
ConstitutionII, which claims that the State recognizes the role of women in nationbuilding and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men.
There also are other laws and codes specifically supporting womens rights, namely:
I

Modified Gender and Development (GAD) Code of Jagna, Bohol available at

http://jagna.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Modified-Jagna-GAD-Code-2009.pdf
(last accessed December 28, 2009)
II
1987 Constitution, Article II Section 14 available at
http://www.gov.ph/constitutions/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines/

1.

RA 7192 or the Women in Development and Nation Building Act which

promotes the integration of women as full and equal partners of men in
development and nation building; III

2.

Section 28 of the General Appropriations Act (GAA) from 1995 to 2000

directing government entities to formulate a GAD Plan, the cost of which
shall not be less than five percent of their yearly budget, otherwise known
as the GAD budget; IV

3.

Local Budget Memorandum No. 28 which directs local government units

to mobilize resources to mainstream and implement gender and
development programs using the five percent fundV

4.

Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development (PPGD0 1995-2025

which envisions a society that promotes gender equality and womens
empowerment and uphold human rights, among other development
goals;VI

5.

Framework Plan for Women, which encourages agencies to promote

gender- responsive governance, protect and fulfill womens human rights,
and promote womens economic empowerment.VII

III

Republic Act 192 Women in Development and Nation Building Act available at
http://laws.chanrobles.com/republicacts/2_republicacts.php?id=191
IV
Section 28 of General Appropriations Act available at http://www.dbm.gov.ph/?
page_id=775
V
Local Government Memorandum available at http://www.dbm.gov.ph/?page_id=954
VI
Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development available at
http://www.pcw.gov.ph/sites/default/files/documents/resources/ppgd.pdf
VII
Womens Empowerment Framework available at
http://pages.uoregon.edu/aweiss/Intl640/CEDPA_Week5_1.pdf

6.

Republic Act 7822 or An Act Providing Assistance to Women Engaging

in Micro and Cottage Business Enterprises, and for Other PurposesVIII

Furthermore, Executive Order No. 009-12 also known as the Magna Carta of Women,
shows the recognition of municipal areas on the protection of women. The orders
purpose of eliminating the discrimination against women would be achieved through
recognition, protection, fulfilling and to promote the rights of Filipino women especially
that of the marginalized section of the Philippines.

IX

Republic Act No. 9710 also

recognized the protection for women in the Philippines. It shows the promotion of
empowerment for women and how they shall be given equal opportunities.X
These are only some of the laws which actively promote womens rights. In
comparison with the laws made for the protection of women, men are not given the same
rights and privileges. Most of the laws mentioned above only talks about the
empowerment and the protection of women. The concept of gender equality in the
Philippine legal system is evident not in the equal protection of the laws of both sexes,
but in the legal leverage given to women who are viewed to be in need of such leverage
due to their weaker state. Only a few, if not none, of Philippine laws are crafted for the
specific purpose of promoting the empowerment and protection of men. This gap
between the legal access to empowerment and protection among men and women are
fueled by the patriarchic notion of men being the stronger sex. Such notion then lays
down a playing field that is, by default, more beneficial to a man than a woman. The
VIII

Republic Act 7882 available at http://www.pcw.gov.ph/law/republic-act-7882

Executive Order No. 009-12 available at http://kalilangan.gov.ph/wpcontent/uploads/2012/04/Executive-Order-009-12-VAW-Desk.pdf
X
Magna Carta of Women, Republic Act 9710 available at
http://www.coa.gov.ph/gad/downloads/RA_Circular/RA_9710_with_IRR.pdf
IX

legal system, in response to this perceived reality, may then be rational in its bias towards
the promotion of protection and empowerment towards women. However, emerging
cases of abuse against men slowly lead to the deterioration of this patriarchic notion of
reality. The presumption that men are physically stronger and dominating is no longer
logically in tune with the reality of more men experiencing physical and emotional abuse,
usually perpetrated by none other than women. Given this reality, it is high time that the
gap between the availability of legal aid between men and women ought to be addressed.
In order for the legal community to truly adhere to the Constitutional mandate of
providing equal protection of the laws among genders, there ought to be laws enacted to
address the specific needs of men.