Republic Act (RA) 7877

Anti-Sexual
Harassment
Act of 1995
Reporter: Pamela Hazel Z. Bediones
 What is Sexual Harassment?

RA How is work-related sexual harassment

committed?

7877
Key topics discussed
in this presentation
How is education or training-related sexual
harassment committed?

What is the duty of the employer or head of

office in a work or education/training
environment?
What if the employer or head of office did
not undertake any action despite his/her
knowledge of the sexual harassment act/s?

Can an offended party seek redress by

taking independen action?

What are the penalties for offenders?

Based on the Philippine National Police records on reported sexual
harassments at the workplace from the year 2016 until 30 September
2021
There were 421 cases of sexual
harassment at the workplace reported
to the Philippine National Police
between the years 2016 - 2021.
On the average, about 70 cases were reported per year. The highest number of reported cases was in
the year 2017, with 100 cases, and dropped to 58 cases at the onslaught of pandemic.

Source: [Link]
What is Sexual
Harassment?
Under RA 7877, work, education, or training
related sexual harassment is...

"committed by an employer, employee, manager,

supervisor, agent of the employer, teacher,
instructor, professor, coach, trainer, or any
person who, having authority, influence or moral
ascendancy over another in a work or training or
education environment, demands, requests or
otherwise requires any sexual favor from the
other, regardless of whether the demand, request
or requirement for submission is accepted or not
by the object of said act. "
Forms of sexual harassment
include:
Physical Tangible
Verbal
Touch
Malicious Use of objects,
Requests or
touching, overt pictures, or
demands for
sexual graphics, letters
sexual favors,
advances, and or written notes
and lurid
gestures with with sexual
remarks
lewd insinuation underpinnings
How is work-related sexual How is education or
harassment committed? training-related sexual
harassment committed?
Work-related Sexual Harassment is committed Education or Training-related Sexual Harassment
when: is committed:
• Against one who is under the care, custody
• The sexual favor is made as a condition in the or supervision of the offender;
hiring or in the employment, re-employment or • Against one whose education, training,
continued employment of said individual, or in apprenticeship, or tutorship is entrusted to
granting said individual favorable the offender;
compensation, terms, conditions, promotions, or • When the sexual favor is made a condition to
privileges; or refusal to grant the sexual favor the giving of a passing grade, or granting of
results in limiting, segregating or classifying the honors and scholarships, or the payment of a
employee which in any way would discriminate, stipend, allowance or other benefits,
deprive or diminish employment opportunities privileges, or considerations; or
or otherwise adversely affect said employee; • When the sexual advances result in an
• The above acts would impair the employee's intimidating, hostile or offensive environment
rights or privileges under existing labor laws; or for the student, trainee or apprentice.
• The above acts would result in an intimidating,
 In the premises of
the workplace or At official
office or of the conferences, fora,
symposia or training
Sexual school or training
institution sessions

harassment
may take In any place where
the parties were
While on official

place in found, as a result of

business outside the
office or school or
work or education or
any of the training
training institution or
during work or
following responsibilities or
relations
school or training-
related travel
avenues:

At work or
By telephone,
education- or
cellular phone, fax
training-related
machine or
social functions
electronic mail
A government employee, regardless of sex, is
liable for sexual harassment when he or she
performs any of the following:
WEAKNESSES

Induces or directs another or

Directly participates in the
others to commit sexual
execution of any act of
harassment
sexual harassment

Cooperates in the commission of sexual

harassment by another through:
• an act without which the sexual
harassment would not have been
accomplished, or
• previous or simultaneous acts
 The classification of acts of sexual harassment are as
follows:
LIGHT OFFENSES

Actions Penalty
• Surreptitiously looking or stealing a look at a • 1st Offense - Reprimand
person’s private part or worn undergarments; • 2nd Offense - Fine or
• Telling sexist/smutty jokes or sending these through
suspension not exceeding
text, electronic mail or other similar means, causing thirty (30) days
embarrassment or offense and carried out after the • 3rd Offense - Dismissal
offender has been advised that they are offensive
or embarrassing or, even without such advise,
when they are by their nature clearly embarrassing,
offensive or vulgar;
• Malicious leering or ogling;
• Display of sexually offensive pictures, materials or
graffiti;
• Unwelcomed inquiries or comments about a
person’s sex life, sexual flirtation, advances,
propositions, or phone calls with sexual overtones
causing discomfort, embarrassment, offense or
insult to the receiver;
• Making offensive hand or body gestures at an
 The classification of acts of sexual harassment are as
follows:
LESS GRAVE OFFENSES

Actions Penalty
• Unwanted touching or brushing against a victim’s
• 1st Offense - Fine or
body;
suspension for thirty (30)
• Pinching not falling under grave offenses;
days but not exceeding six
• Derogatory or degrading remarks or innuendoes
(6) months
directed toward the members of one sex or one’s
• 2nd Offense - Dismissal
sexual orientation or used to describe a person;
• Verbal abuse or threats with sexual overtones; and
• Other similar cases.
 The classification of acts of sexual harassment are as
follows:
GRAVE OFFENSES

Actions Penalty

• Unwanted touching of private parts of the body

(genitalia, buttocks, and breast);
• Sexual assault;
Dismissal
• Malicious touching;
• Requesting for sexual favor in exchange for
employment, promotion, local or foreign travels,
favorable working conditions or assignments, a
passing grade, the granting of honors or
scholarship, or the grant of benefits or payment of
a stipend or allowance; and
• Other similar cases
 THE EMPLOYER OR HEAD OF OFFICE IS REQUIRED BY THE
LAW TO PREVENT THE OCCURRENCE OF SEXUAL
What is the duty of HARASSMENT ACTS AND TO PROVIDE THE PROCEDURES FOR
THE RESOLUTION, SETTLEMENT OR PROSECUTION OF SEXUAL
the employer or head HARASSMENT. TOWARDS THIS END, THE EMPLOYER OR HEAD
OF OFFICE SHALL:
of office in a work or • Promulgate appropriate rules and regulations in
education/training consultation with and jointly approved by the employees
or students or trainees, through their duly designated
environment? representatives. Said rules and regulations shall prescribe
the procedures for the investigation of sexual harassment
cases and the administrative sanctions thereof.

a. The said rules and regulations should include

guidelines on proper decorum in the workplace and
educational or training institutions.
b. Administrative sanctions shall not be a bar to
prosecution in the proper courts for unlawful acts of
sexual harassment.
 THE EMPLOYER OR HEAD OF OFFICE IS REQUIRED BY THE LAW TO
PREVENT THE OCCURRENCE OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACTS AND
TO PROVIDE THE PROCEDURES FOR THE RESOLUTION,
SETTLEMENT OR PROSECUTION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
What is the duty of TOWARDS THIS END, THE EMPLOYER OR HEAD OF OFFICE SHALL:

the employer or head • Create a Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) of

of office in a work or cases on sexual harassment. The committee shall conduct

meetings or as the case may be, with officers and employees,
education/training teachers, instructors, professors, coaches, trainers and students
or trainees to increase understanding and prevent incidents of
environment? sexual harassment. It shall also conduct the investigation of
alleged cases constituting sexual harassment.

a. In the case of work-related environment, the committee

shall be composed of at least one (1) representative each
from the management, the union, if any, the employees from
the supervisory rank, and from the rank and file employees.
b. In the case of the educational or training institution, the
committee shall be composed of at least one (1)
representative from the administration, the trainers,
teachers, instructors, professors or coaches and students
and trainees, as the case may be.
c. The employer or head of office, educational or training
institution shall disseminate or post a copy of RA 7877 for the
information of all concerned.
What if the employer or head of office did not
undertake any action despite his/her
knowledge of the sexual harassment act/s?
The employer or head of office, educational or training
institution will be held liable for the damages arising from acts
of sexual harassment if they are informed by the offended party
of the occurrence of such acts, yet no action has been
undertaken.

Can an offended party seek redress by taking

independent action?
Yes, the offended party may take independent action for
damages incurred in the act of sexual harassment. She/he may
also avail of relief.
What are the penalties for
offenders?
Any person who violates the provisions of the law shall
be penalized by imprisonment of not less than one (1)
month nor more than six (6) months, or a fine of not
less than Ten Thousand (PIO,OOO) nor more than
Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000), or both such fine
and imprisonment at the discretion of the court.

Any action arising from the violation of the provisions

of this Act shall prescribe in three (3) years.
End of Report
Thank you!