CEDAW/C/SR.327 English Page 8 Philippine and Belgian Governments was now under way with a view to devising policy recommendations. 48. Measures were being taken for the well-being of women formerly working as entertainers at United States bases. The dismantling of the bases had led to a drastic decline in registered entertainers. Skills training and assistance were being provided to women and children infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 49. The incidence of child sexual abuse was rising, in response to which the Government was amending the legislation to combat paedophilia. Cooperation was being undertaken with the German and Netherlands Governments to ensure the prosecution of paedophiles from those countries. Victims were usually placed under protective custody in special centres. Village councils were being organized to identify conditions that might lead to neglect and abuse of children. Law enforcement agencies were seeking to apprehend paedophiles. 50. House Bill No. 2037 on pornography was still under study. Sex tours were banned under the tourism master plan, and the Department of Tourism was acting to enforce regulations. There was still, however, a lack of sensitization among local government units. 51. The representation of women on local councils was low, ranging from 10.7 per cent on city councils to 11.4 per cent on municipal councils. 52. Thirteen government agencies had established desks to hasten the promotion of women, and a directory of candidates for senior positions was being developed. There was minimal representation of women in elective posts, so that, for example, only 17 per cent of Senators were women. There had been no great improvement in the appointment of women at the Cabinet level. Among police officers, most women were on the lowest rung of the hierarchy. 53. Women’s non-governmental organizations had been active in training women in elective posts in terms of gender-related problems and strategies to follow once elected. 54. Civil Service Commission data indicated that 30 cases of gender discrimination had been filed with it. 55. The State encouraged the participation of non-governmental organizations in State undertakings and local governments, and they were provided with seats in government decision-making bodies. Women’s groups had increased in number from 900 in 1992 to 4,640 in 1996. The President actively championed the promotion of women to decision-making positions. Women legislators generally supported the advancement of women’s concerns in the legislature, and many were active advocates of women’s projects. 56. Briefings and orientation on gender awareness for publicly elected officials were being conducted by government agencies and non-governmental organizations. Gender concerns were being institutionalized in the training programme for local executives offered by the Local Development Agency. Moreover, policy-oriented materials were also being developed and disseminated to elected officials by the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women to / ...