CEDAW/C/PHI/4 English Page 73 (f) Republic Act 7882 (1995) provides for assistance to women engaging in micro and cottage business enterprise. 313. The Department of Justice has started to implement a strengthened Witness Protection, Security and Benefits Program, under which vital witnesses are given security and protection from harassment and threat. victims of injustice, especially women, have been given a stronger assurance of impartial and speedy disposition of their cases. Moreover, continuous review and revision of regulations, memoranda, circulars, issuances and procedures to eliminate gender bias in the prosecution of cases are being undertaken by the National Prosecution Service of the Department. 314. To reinforce these initiatives, the following orders were issued by the Department: (a) Department Circular No. 49 provides that the total period for preliminary investigation should not exceed 60 calendar days from the date of assignment to the investigating prosecutor. Thus cases of women who are victims of violence will be promptly filed in court; (b) Department Circular No. 61 provides for the adoption of new rules on inquest and investigation procedures. Among others, it aims to encourage women to seek immediate action on their complaints; (c) Department Circular No. 65 provides for the adoption of a policy on the speedy hearing or trial of cases and the coverage of witnesses by the Witness Protection, Security and Benefits Program. 315. Much of the inequality in the legal capacity is found within marriage and family relations (see the report under article 16). XIII. ARTICLE 16 Equality rights with respect to marriage and family relations 316. The previous reports have cited Philippine laws that comply with the Convention's provisions on equality between women and men with respect to marriage and family relations. The present report will cover the remaining discriminatory laws that prevent women from achieving equal status with men in marriage and family. It will also discuss socio-cultural hindrances that prevent actual compliance with specific provisions of this particular article of the Convention. The issue of violence against women in the family will also be covered. Discriminatory laws 317. The 1987 Constitution and the Family Code (also passed in 1987) removed many of the gross inequalities in law pertaining to marriage, family and property relations. However, there remain provisions that indicate inequality between women and men in the family, among which are the following: /...