Amending R.A. No. 11313 (Safe Spaces Act)
Filed on August 4, 2025, and referred to the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality; it has been pending in committee since then with no recorded action for several months.
The bill addresses widespread issues of gender-based harassment in various environments, particularly in schools and online.
The bill responds to ongoing concerns about safety in public and online spaces, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Amending R.A. No. 11313 (Safe Spaces Act)
This bill amends the Safe Spaces Act to strengthen protections against gender-based sexual harassment, particularly in educational institutions and online platforms. It introduces new definitions, penalties, and requirements for employers and educational institutions to ensure safety and accountability.
Compared with current law:
The Safe Spaces Act penalizes gender-based sexual harassment in various settings.
The bill expands the definition of harassment to include grooming and enhances penalties for violations.
The bill aims to amend the Safe Spaces Act by adding definitions for grooming and enhancing penalties for gender-based sexual harassment, particularly in educational settings and online.
Source · full text✦ Dashed tags are AI-suggested nuance; solid tags follow the committee taxonomy.
Stalled: the bill has been pending in committee since its filing on August 4, 2025, with no further action recorded since January 21, 2026, despite multiple committee meetings held in the interim.
No floor deliberations yet — this measure has not reached plenary. Its committee-stage actions appear under Legislative history above.
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session ) AUG -4 P5:09 SENATE RECAVED BY S. No.. Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11313 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "SAFE SPACES ACT" AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES EXPLANATORY NOTE Republic Act No. 11313 or the "Safe Spaces Act" (also known as the "Bawal Bastos Law"), which was signed into law in April 2019, penalizes all forms of gender- based sexual harassment (GBSH) committed in streets and public spaces, workplaces, educational and training institutions, and in online platforms or cyberspace. This landmark legislation aims to ensure safety and security of all, especially women and children, and institute protective measures against unwelcome advances, misogynistic and sexist slurs, and other similar inappropriate conduct. This proposed measure, reported out by the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality and already approved on Third Reading by the Senate during the 19th Congress, seeks to further strengthen Republic Act No. 11313 by: • Adding "grooming" (defined herein as "predatory conduct, an act or pattern of acts of establishing a relationship of trust or emotional connection by a person with a child or someone who is believed to be a child, and/or child's family, guardian or caregivers, whether in person or via electronic and other similar devices, for the purpose of perpetrating sexual abuse or
exploitation") in the list of prohibited and punishable acts under gender- based sexual harassment in educational and training institutions; • Beefing up provisions related to online sexual harassment to include use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, as well as requiring internet intermediaries to immediately block access and take down any content violative of the Safe Spaces Act; • Stipulating penalties of imprisonment and fine for violations of the law, and providing significantly higher fines and payment of exemplary damages as penalty for employers and school heads who fail to perform their mandated duties or act on reported acts committed within the workplace and educational institution. The passage of this bill is fervently sought. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session AUG -4 P5:09 SENATE RECEIVED BY: S. No._ 845 Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11313 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "SAFE SPACES ACT" AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 11313 shall be amended to read as
follows: "Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act: "(a) "xxx (g) Public spaces refer to streets and alleys WHETHER IN URBAN OR RURAL AREAS, public parks, schools, buildings, malls, bars, restaurants, FIELDS AND FARMS, COASTAL AREAS, transportation terminals, public markets, MULTI-PURPOSE HALLS, spaces used as evacuation centers, government offices, public utility vehicles as well as private vehicles covered by app-based transport network services, and other recreational spaces such as, but not limited to, cinema halls, theaters and spas; [and] "(h) Stalking xxx; AND "(I) GROOMING REFERS TO PREDATORY CONDUCT, AN ACT, OR PATTERN OF ACTS OF
ESTABLISHING A RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST OR EMOTIONAL CONNECTION BY A PERSON WITH A CHILD OR SOMEONE WHO IS BELIEVED TO A CHILD, AND/OR THE CHILD'S FAMILY, GUARDIAN, OR CAREGIVERS, WHETHER IN PERSON OR VIA ELECTRONIC AND OTHER SIMILAR DEVICES, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PERPETRATING SEXUAL ABUSE OR EXPLOITATION."
Sec. 2. Section 12 of Republic Act No. 11313 shall be amended to read as
follows: "Sec. 12. Gender-Based Online Sexual Harassment. - Gender-based online sexual harassment includes acts that use information and communications technology, INCLUDING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND OTHER EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, in terrorizing and intimidating victims through physical, psychological, and emotional threats, unwanted sexual, misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic, and sexist remarks and comments online, whether publicly or through direct and private messages, invasion of victim's privacy through cyberstalking and incessant messaging, uploading, and sharing without the consent of the victim, any form of media that contains photos, voice, or video with sexual content, any unauthorized recording and sharing of any of the victim's photos, videos, or any information online, impersonating identities of victims online or posting lies about victims to harm their reputation, or filing[;] false abuse reports to online platforms to silence victims."
Sec. 3. Section 14 of Republic Act No. 11313 shall be amended to read as
follows: "Sec. 14. Penalties for Gender-Based Online Sexual Harassment. - "xXX
"Any record, photo [er], video, or copy thereof of any person that is in violation of the preceding sections shall not be admissible in evidence in any judicial, quasi-judicial, legislative, or administrative hearing or investigation. "INTERNET INTERMEDIARIES SHALL IMMEDIATELY BLOCK ACCESS TO, REMOVE OR TAKE DOWN THE INTERNET ADDRESS, UNIFORM RESOURCE LOCATOR (URL), WEBSITE, OR ANY CONTENT THEREOF WHICH VIOLATE THIS ACT, WITHIN TWENTY-FOUR (24) HOURS FROM RECEIPT OF NOTICE FROM A COMPETENT AUTHORITY: PROVIDED, THAT THE INTERMEDIARIES SHALL PRESERVE ALL SUBSCRIBERS OR REGISTRATION INFORMATION AND TRAFFIC DATA IN ITS CONTROL AND POSSESSION FOR A PERIOD OF SIX (6) MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF THE TRANSACTION, EXTENDIBLE FOR ANOTHER SIX (6) MONTHS OR DURING THE PENDENCY OF THE CASE: PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT CONTENT DATA SHALL BE PRESERVED FOR A PERIOD OF ONE (1) YEAR, EXTENDIBLE FOR ANOTHER SIX (6) MONTHS, UPON NOTICE BY COMPETENT AUTHORITY: PROVIDED, FINALLY, THAT THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY SHALL, AS FAR AS PRACTICABLE, EXPRESSLY IDENTIFY AND SPECIFY THE EVIDENCE THAT NEEDS PRESERVATION."
Sec. 4. Section 16 of Republic Act No. 11313 shall be amended to read as
follows: "Sec. 16. Gender-Based Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. -XXX "(a) xxx "(b) XXX "(c) XXX
"(d) xxx "ANY PERSON WHO VIOLATES THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL, UPON CONVICTION, 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 PESOS (P10,00.00) NOR MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00), OR BOTH, AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COURT."
Sec. 5. Section 19 of Republic Act No. 11313 shall be amended to read as
follows: "Sec. 19. Liability of Employers. - In addition to liabilities for committing acts of gender-based sexual harassment, employers may also be held responsible for: "(a) Non-implementation of their duties under Section 17 of this Act, as provided in the penal provisions: or "(b) Not taking action on reported acts of gender- based sexual harassment committed in the workplace. "Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section, shall upon conviction, be penalized with a fine of not less than [Five] ONE HUNDRED thousand pesos [(P5,000.00)] (P100,000.00) nor more than [Ten] THREE HUNDRED thousand pesos [(P10,000.00)] (P300,000.00). "Any person who violates subsection (b) of this section, shall upon conviction, be penalized with a fine of not less than [Ten] THREE HUNDRED thousand pesos [(P10,000.00)] (P300,000.00) nor more than [Fifteen] FIVE HUNDRED thousand pesos [(P15,000.00)] (P500,000.00). "ANY PERSON WHO VIOLATES SUBSECTION (A) OR (B) OF THIS SECTION SHALL, UPON CONVICTION, BE LIABLE FOR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES IN THE
AMOUNT OF THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P300,000.00)."
Sec. 6. The title of Section 21 of Republic Act No. 11313 shall be amended to
as follows: "Sec. 21. [Gender Based-Sexual Harassment in Educational and Training Institutions]. ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES AGAINST GENDER-BASED SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. - XXX."
Sec. 7. A new Section 21-A shall be inserted as follows:
"SEC. 21-A. GENDER-BASED SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING INSTITUTIONS; PENALTIES; PRE-HIRING SAFETY CLEARANCE; AND OTHER PROTECTION MECHANISMS. - THE CRIME OF GENDER-BASED SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING INSTITUTIONS SHALL INCLUDE: "(A) AN ACT OR SERIES OF ACTS INVOLVING ANY UNWELCOME SEXUAL ADVANCES, REQUESTS, OR DEMANDS FOR SEXUAL FAVORS OR ANY ACT OF SEXUAL NATURE, WHETHER DONE VERBALLY, PHYSICALLY, OR THROUGH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS TEXT MESSAGING, ELECTRONIC MAIL, OR THROUGH ANY OTHER FORM OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS; "(B) CONDUCT OF SEXUAL NATURE AFFECTING THE DIGNITY OF A PERSON, WHICH IS UNWELCOME, UNREASONABLE, AND OFFENSIVE TO THE RECIPIENT, WHETHER DONE VERBALLY, PHYSICALLY, OR THROUGH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS TEXT MESSAGING, ELECTRONIC MAIL, OR THROUGH ANY OTHER FORM OF INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, INCLUDING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGIES; "(C) CONDUCT THAT IS UNWELCOME, PERVASIVE, AND CREATES AN INTIMIDATING, HOSTILE, OR HUMILIATING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE RECIPIENT: PROVIDED, THAT THE CRIME OF GENDER-BASED SEXUAL HARASSMENT MAY ALSO BE COMMITTED BETWEEN PEERS, BY A SUBORDINATE TO A SUPERIOR OFFICER, BY A STUDENT TO A TEACHER, OR BY A TRAINEE TO A TRAINER; AND "(D) CONDUCT THAT CONSTITUTES GROOMING AS DEFINED IN SECTION 3 OF THIS ACT. "INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM REFERS TO A SYSTEM FOR GENERATING, SENDING, RECEIVING, STORING, OR OTHERWISE PROCESSING ELECTRONIC DATA MESSAGES OR DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING THE COMPUTER SYSTEM OR OTHER SIMILAR DEVICES BY OR IN WHICH DATA IS RECORDED OR STORED AND ANY PROCEDURE RELATED TO SUCH RECORDING OR STORAGE. "ANY PERSON WHO VIOLATES THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT SHALL, UPON CONVICTION, 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 PESOS (P10,000.00) NOR MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00), OR BOTH, AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COURT: PROVIDED, THAT IF THE PERPETRATOR IS AN ADULT AND THE VICTIM IS A CHILD, THE PENALTY OF IMPRISONMENT SHALL BE MANDATORY.
"WITHIN SIX (6) MONTHS FROM THE PASSAGE OF THIS ACT, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DEPED), THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION (CHED), AND THE CHILD WELFARE COUNCIL (CWC) SHALL FORMULATE RULES TO INSTITUTIONALIZE A PRE- HIRING SAFETY CLEARANCE MECHANISM TO ENSURE THAT ADULTS REGULARLY WORKING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MINORS, SUCH AS TEACHERS AND OTHER SCHOOL PERSONNEL, HAVE NO HISTORY OF ABUSIVE OR PREDATORY BEHAVIOR. THIS PRE- HIRING SAFETY CLEARANCE SHALL NOT BE UNDULY BURDENSOME TO APPLICANTS, AND SHALL BALANCE THE INTERESTS OF DUE PROCESS AND CHILD SAFETY. "GENDER SENSITIVITY AND CHILD PROTECTION TRAININGS SHALL BE MANDATORY FOR ALL STAFF MEMBERS."
Sec. 8. Section 23 of Republic Act No. 11313 shall be amended to read as
follows: "Sec. 23. Liability of School Heads. - In addition to liability for committing acts of gender-based sexual harassment, principals, school heads, teachers, instructors, professors, coaches, trainers, or any other person who has authority, influence, or moral ascendancy over another in an educational or training institution, may also be held responsible for: "(a) Non-implementation of their duties under Section 22 of this Act, as provided in the penal provisions; [or] "(b) Failure to act on reported acts of gender-based sexual harassment committed in the educational institution[=]; OR
"(C) VIOLATING THE RIGHTS OF THE VICTIM AGAINST RETRIBUTION AND TO CONFIDENTIALITY. "Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section, shall upon conviction, be penalized with a fine of not less than [Five] ONE HUNDRED thousand pesos [(P5,000.00)] (P100,000.00) nor more than [Ten] THREE HUNDRED thousand pesos [(P10,000.00)] (P300,000.00). "Any person who violates subsection (b) OR (C) of this section, shall upon conviction, be penalized with a fine of not less than [Ten] THREE HUNDRED thousand pesos [(P10,000.00)] (P300,000.00) nor more than [Fifteen] FIVE HUNDRED thousand pesos [(P15,000.00)] (P500,000.00). "ANY PERSON WHO VIOLATES SUBSECTION (A), (B), OR (C) OF THIS SECTION SHALL, UPON CONVICTION, BE LIABLE FOR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES IN THE AMOUNT OF THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P300,000.00)."
Sec. 9. A new Section 32-A shall be inserted after Section 32 of Republic Act
No. 11313, to read as follows: "SEC. 32-A. PROTECTION ORDERS. - IN ADDITION TO THE RELIEFS PROVIDED HEREIN, VICTIMS SHALL ALSO BE ENTITLED TO APPLY FOR A PROTECTION ORDER TO PREVENT FURTHER VIOLATIONS OF THIS ACT. "APPLICATIONS FOR BARANGAY PROTECTION ORDERS SHALL FOLLOW THE RULES ON VENUE UNDER SECTION 409 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991. AN APPLICATION FOR TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT PROTECTION ORDER MAY BE FILED IN THE TRIAL COURT WHICH HAS JURISDICTION OVER THE APPLICANT/VICTIM.
"WITHIN SIX (6) MONTHS FROM THE PASSAGE OF THIS ACT, THE DOJ, THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT (DSWD), AND THE PHILIPPINE COMMISSION ON WOMEN (PCW), SHALL FORMULATE RULES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROVISION. THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9262 SHALL APPLY IN A SUPPLETORY MANNER."
Sec. 10. Section 36 of Republic Act No. 11313 shall be amended to read as
follows: "Sec. 36. Prescriptive Period. - Any action arising from the violation of any of the provisions of this Act shall prescribe as follows: "(a) xxx "(b) xxx "(c) xXX "(d) xxx "(e) Offenses committed under Sections 16 and 21 of this Act shall prescribe in [five (5)] TEN (10) years."
Sec. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.
Sec. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, and rules and
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. Approved,
Reproduced from the Senate document. The official PDF is the authoritative version.