REPUBLIC ACT NO.
11313 (SAFE SPACE ACT)
Republic Act No.11313 (safe space act) is an act defining gender based sexual
harassment in public places, street, school, and work spaces, RA no.11313 (safe
space act) or (bawal bastos law) aims to prevent gender based sexual harassment in
public places giving privacy each person or right of the person on their private life or
personal life.this law covered not only with physical harassment but also verbal
harassment as well as online harassment, RA no.11313 is promoting a respect and
dignity of individuals and aims to give safer spaces for everyone.
This law was signed on April 8, 2019 for individuals, particularly women who is
common victims of gender-based sexual harassment (GBSH) to promote gender
equality, respect and to empower victims to report incidents without fear to be take
revenge or retaliated, this law provides protective measures for the victims and not
only for the victims but also who witness or aware of gender-based sexual
harassment, and for the offenders is the rights and deserved penalties for the
offenders. there is so many acts that is punish under the RA no.11313 like cursing,
taunting,gestures or acting that showing gender-based sexual harassment, cat
calling, wolf-whistling, stalking, telling offensive sexual jokes, unwanted and
uninvited sexual action, and also flashing of private parts, and public masturbation is
under the law of RA no.11313. harassment has many types one of this is Physical
harassment examples is unwanted and uninvited sexual action, touching someone
without their consents, gestures that showing gender-based harassments. Verbal
harassments examples are cat calling, wolf-whistling, telling offensive sexual jokes,
cursing, taunting that are showing gender-based harassments, Online harassments
where offenders sending or posting negative messages to the victims like
controversial information, sharing false information of the victims or even the
personal and private information that can cause humiliation and embarrassment,
online harassments also connected to cyberbullying and cyberstalking.
Real-world cased- BAGUIO CITY — A video blogger (vlogger) in Benguet province
was charged with sexual harassment after he allegedly posted sexist comments
against a woman purportedly to defend President Marcos, a case that could be the
first Cordillera lawsuit involving the Safe Spaces Act (Republic Act No. 11313), more
popularly known as the “Bawal Bastos” law.
The strengths of RA No.11313 or good things and positive things is it provides
enhances protection for the victims of GBSH and address the GBSH incidents and
cases that happen in public spaces, work places, school and even in online and it
also raising awareness about the GBSH and its effects by encourage in preventing
measures through education programs and awareness to reduces the GBSH cases,
the law promote equality and respect. This law protects the individuals spaces in
public, protects our personal and private life and gives our rights us a person or our
rights as a human or individuals.
The weaknesses of RA No.11313 is potential for abuse the law could misused this
through their target, where they may have be personal motives to the target, the not
enough proof may be challenging for the victims, in times where there is a lack of
physical evidence.
The specific acts penalties for gender-based sexual harassment for acts such as
cursing, catcalling, wolf-whistling, leering and intrusive gazing, taunting, gesture or
action that ridicule on the basis of sex, homophobic and transphobic statements.
The first offense shall be punished by a fine of (P1,000) one thousand pesos
and community service of twelve hours (12) inclusive of attendance to a
gender sensitivity seminar to be conducted by the PNP in coordination with
LGU. The PNP shall issue the certificate of completion of community service;
The second offense shall be punished by arresto menor (6 to 10 days) or a
fine of (P3,000) three thousand pesos;
The third offense shall be punished by arresto menor (11 to 30 days) and a
fine of (P10,000) ten thousand pesos.
For acts such as making offensive body gestures at someone, and exposing private
parts for the sexual gratification of the offender or the perpetrator with the effect of
demeaning, harassing, threatening or intimidating offended parts included flashing of
private parts, public masturbation, and other similar lewd in sexual actions.
The first offense shall be punished by a fine of (P10,000) ten thousand pesos
and community service of twelve hours (12) inclusive of attendance to a
gender sensitivity seminar to be conducted by the PNP in coordination with
LGU. The PNP shall issue the certificate of completion of community service;
The second offense shall be punished by arresto menor (11 to 30 days) or a
fine of (P15,000) fifteen thousand pesos;
The third offense shall be punished by arresto menor (11 to 30 days) and a
fine of (P20,000) twenty thousand pesos.
For acts such as stalking, and any of all mentioned acts at the top, and when
accompanied touching and pinching or brushing against the face, arms, anus groin,
genitalia, breast, inner thighs, or any parts of the victim body even when not
accompanied by the other acts mention at the to.
topThe first offense shall be punished by arresto menor (11 to 30 days) or a
fine of (P30,000) thirty thousand pesos, provided that includes attending in a
gender sensitivity seminar, to be conducted by a PNP in coordination with
LGU, the PNP shall issue the certificate of completion of community service;
The second offense shall be punished by arresto menor (1 month and 1 day
to 6 months) or a fine of (P50,000) fifty thousand pesos;
The third offense shall be punished by arresto mayor in its maximum period or
a fine of (P100,000) one hundred thousand pesos.
RA no.11313 (safe space act) “bawal bastos law” was made for us to respect other
space and right, and to promote equality.for me this law is good for us because of
private space and respect our individual rights, hoping that this law will not abused or
used in other motived that not connected to gender-based sexual harassment like
they use this law just to file a law so they can revenge,but this law gives protections
for the victims, specially and commons is women in public places like in public
transportation (bus) there is one video viral a years ago that a perpetrator (a man)
show their private part to the victim (a woman) and that caught on cam but that year
is the RA no.11313 is not been filed or signed. Don’t judged other on what you saw
or you knew because can’t judged if we don’t know their whole story we are not god
to judged only god can judged on us individual, so respect each other and respect
the law "All that is lacking is wrong; all that is excessive is evil." Respect the law and
don’t abuse it, use the law in a right way. And you experience and witness a gender-
abused sexual harassment don’t be scared to to complain or to tell, you can
complain to the PNP.
Philippine Commission on Women: https://pcw.gov.ph/faq-republic-act-no-
11313/
LawPhil: https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2019/ra_11313_2019.html
Ombudsman: https://www.ombudsman.gov.ph/GAD/Laws%20and
%20Mandates/IRR-of-RA-11313-Safe-Spaces-Act.pdf
The real-world cases Read
more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1665118/benguet-vlogger-faces-first-
bawal-bastos-lawsuit-in-cordillera#ixzz8s60XMAsA
https://pcw.gov.ph/faq-republic-act-no-11313/
Where to seek help:
PNP Women and Children Protection Center
1.Aleng Pulis Hotline: 0919-7777377
2.Telephone number: (02) 8723-0401 local 5261
Local (panabo city) panabo police
1. (084) 823-1656
2. 0907 312 2991 (Smart)
