CEDAW/C/PHI/4
English
Page 28
and programmes.
problem.
However, much more needs to be done given the magnitude of the
Policy developments
57. The Department of Tourism has issued statements to the effect that the
promotion of tourism should not be undertaken at the expense of women and
children, indigenous cultures, and the environment. A shift in Philippine
tourism policy from sex tourism (before 1986) to the "Fiesta Islands" campaign
in the 1990s focuses on Philippine culture and traditions, domestic tourism and
people-to-people encounters.
58. The Department has also made specific pronouncements that promotional
materials of private entities in the industry should be checked to determine
whether these have a negative impact on the image of women. It has also
recommended stronger inter-agency coordination to help mobilize other pivotal
groups in the drive against prostitution. It has called for the improvement of
networking and information systems with other law enforcement agencies on the
strict implementation of the ban against organized "sex tours". It has proposed
to allied business establishments not registered with the Department that they
report gender-specific data on tourism programme participant-beneficiaries and
domestic tourists.
59. The Philippine Plan for Gender-responsive Development, 1995-2025, the
Government's blueprint for integrating women's concerns into the development
process, has devoted one chapter to prostitution and another to violence against
women. The chapter on industry, trade and tourism likewise incorporates
concerns regarding prostitution.
60. The following bills have been filed in Congress to address traffic in women
and other related problems:
(a) House Bill No. 2037, which considers criminal the exploitation of
women through pornography;
(b) House Bill No. 3461 (Traffic in Women Bill), creates a Human Rights
Code that includes articles against traffic in women and protection against
wife-beating;
(c) House Bill No. 4228, or the Anti-rape Bill, which seeks to check the
current sensationalism in media coverage of rape cases. Under the Bill, all
investigations, procedures and trial of rape cases should be held behind closed
doors, unless the complainant opts for an open trial. The Bill also provides
for a P100,000.00 fine for undue publicity of a rape case;
(d) House Bill No. 5142 (Anti-pornography Bill) amends article 201 of the
Revised Penal Code to delineate pornography as a particular crime and provides a
higher penalty therefor;
(e) House Bill No. 6804 (Anti-prostitution) imposes various penalties for
those found to be guilty of promoting prostitution;
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