Article 42Labor and Agrarian Laws and Social Legislation, p. 42

LABOR LAWS AND SOCIAL LEGISLATION SPECIAL LAWS AND IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS

population in granting athletic scholarship. There shall be

a pro rata representation of women in the athletic

scholarship program based on the percentage of women

in the whole student population.

Section 15. Women in the Military . - The State shall

pursue appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination

of

women

in

the military, police, and other similar

services, including revising or abolishing policies and

practices that restrict women from availing of both

combat and noncombat training that are open to men, or

from taking on functions other than administrative tasks,

such as engaging in combat, security-related, or field

operations. Women in the military shall be accorded the

same promotional privileges and opportunities as men,

including pay increases, additional remunerations and

benefits, and awards based on their competency and

quality of performance. Towards this end, the State shall

ensure that the personal dignity of women shall always

be respected.

Women in the military, police, and other similar services

shall be provided with the same right to employment as

men on equal conditions. Equally, they shall be accorded

the same capacity as men to act in and enter into

contracts, including marriage.

Further, women in the military, police; and other similar

services

shall

be

entitled to leave benefits such as

maternity leave, as provided for by existing laws.

Section

16.

Nondiscriminatory

and

Nonderogatory

Portrayal of Women in Media and Film . - The State shall

formulate policies and programs for the advancement of

women

in

collaboration

with

government

and

nongovernment

media-related

organizations.

It

shall

likewise

endeavor to raise the consciousness of the

general public in recognizing the dignity of women and

the

role

and

contribution

of women in the family;

community, and the society through the strategic use of

mass media.

For this purpose, the State shall ensure allocation of

space; airtime, and resources, strengthen programming,

production,

and

image-making

that

appropriately

present women's needs, issues, and concerns in all forms

of media, communication, information dissemination,

and advertising.

The State, in cooperation with all schools of journalism,

information, and communication, as well as the national

media

federations

and

associations, shall require all

media organizations and corporations to integrate into

their human resource development components regular

training

on

gender

equality

and

gender-based

discrimination, create and use gender equality guidelines

in

all

aspects

of

management, training, production,

information,

dissemination,

communication,

and

programming; and convene a gender equality committee

that will promote gender mainstreaming as a framework

and affirmative action as a strategy, and monitor and

evaluate

the

implementation

of

gender

equality

guidelines.

Section

17.

Women's

Right

to

Health .

-

(a)

Comprehensive Health Services. - The State shall, at all

times, provide for a comprehensive, culture-sensitive, and

gender-responsive

health

services

and

programs

covering all stages of a woman's life cycle and which

addresses the major causes of women's mortality and

morbidity:

Provided ,

That

in

the

provision

for

comprehensive health services, due respect shall be

accorded to women's religious convictions, the rights of

the spouses to found a family in accordance with their

religious convictions, and the demands of responsible

parenthood, and the right of women to protection from

hazardous drugs, devices, interventions, and substances.

Access to the following services shall be ensured:

(1) Maternal care to include pre- and post-natal services to

address pregnancy and infant health and nutrition;

(2) Promotion of breastfeeding;

(3) Responsible, ethical, legal, safe, and effective methods

of family planning;

(4) Family and State collaboration in youth sexuality

education and health services without prejudice to the

primary right and duty of parents to educate their

children;

(5) Prevention and management of reproductive tract

infections, including sexually transmitted diseases, HIV,

and AIDS;

(6) Prevention and management of reproductive tract

cancers

like

breast

and

cervical

cancers, and other

gynecological conditions and disorders;

(7)

Prevention

of

abortion

and

management

of

pregnancy-related complications;

(8) In cases of violence against women and children,

women

and

children victims and survivors shall be

provided with comprehensive health services that include

psychosocial,

therapeutic,

medical,

and

legal

interventions and assistance towards healing, recovery,

and empowerment;

(9) Prevention and management of infertility and sexual

dysfunction

pursuant

to

ethical norms and medical

standards;

(10) Care of the elderly women beyond their child-bearing

years; and

(11) Management, treatment, and intervention of mental

health problems of women and girls. In addition, healthy

lifestyle activities are encouraged and promoted through

programs and projects as strategies in the prevention of

diseases.

(b) Comprehensive Health Information and Education. -

The

State

shall

provide

women

in

all

sectors

with

appropriate, timely, complete, and accurate information

and

education

on

all

the

above-stated

aspects

of

women's health in government education and training

programs, with due regard to the following:

(1) The natural and primary right and duty of parents in

the rearing of the youth and the development of moral

character and the right of children to be brought up in an

atmosphere of morality and rectitude for the enrichment

and strengthening of character;

(2) The formation of a person's sexuality that affirms

human dignity; and

(3)

Ethical,

legal, safe, and effective family planning

methods including fertility awareness.

Section 18. Special Leave Benefits for Women . - A

woman

employee

having

rendered

continuous

aggregate employment service of at least six (6) months

for the last twelve (12) months shall be entitled to a

special leave benefit of two (2) months with full pay based

on her gross monthly compensation following surgery

caused by gynecological disorders.

Section 19. Equal Rights in All Matters Relating to

Marriage and Family Relations . - The State shall take all

appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against

women in all matters relating to marriage and family

relations and shall ensure:

(a) the same rights to enter into and leave marriages or

common law relationships referred to under the Family

Code without prejudice to personal or religious beliefs;

(b) the same rights to choose freely a spouse and to enter

into marriage only with their free and full consent. The

betrothal and the marriage of a child shall have no legal

effect;

(c) the joint decision on the number and spacing of their

children and to have access to the information, education

and means to enable them to exercise these rights;

(d)

the

same

personal

rights

between

spouses

or

common law spouses including the right to choose freely

a profession and an occupation;

© Compiled By RGL

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