CEDAW/C/SR.32 English Page 7 36. Ms. SALEMA said that it would be useful to have further information concerning the measures being taken in the private sector to eliminate discrimination against women and concerning the activities of the National Women's Congress. Moreover, she would be interested to know whether the parliamentary bills referred to on pages 7 to 10 of the report were likely to be amended prior to adoption. She also wondered what the situation was regarding prostitution in the Philippines and what legal or practical measures had been adopted in that connection. 37. Ms. SMITH said that the report of the Philippines contained a number of general statements about the equality of women which might have been more fully documented; the report also contained far more examples of research on the status of women in the Philippines than of legislation to improve that status. Furthermore, while the activities listed in the report demonstrated the seriousness of the Philippine Government in implementing the Convention, it was unfortunate that so few of the competent government agencies had responded to the questionnaire which formed the basis of the report. 38. She wished to know more about the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women: was it empowered to take action to promote equality, and, if not, what body was so empowered? She also wished to know what progress was being made in the review of the Civil Code and the amending of other legislation in order to eliminate provisions discriminatory to women. In that connection, examples of old laws currently under revision might be provided. With regard to article 7 of the Convention, she asked if women and men enjoyed the same voting rights and what the required voting age was. 39. Although the report indicated that new laws governing the employment of women had eliminated discrimination in that area in the Philippines, she wondered if that was the case in practice. She also wished to know what recourse was available to a woman who had been the victim of discrimination in seeking employment. 40. In connection with article 13, she asked what rights women in the Philippines had to obtain bank loans, mortgages, etc. In the area of family legislation, she thought that more information should be provided about divorce, particularly with regard to the rights of both spouses with regard to child custody, property and alimony. 41. Ms. MUKAYIRANGA commended the Government of the Philippines for the wide range of measures and activities which it had initiated since 1981 to implement the Convention. Unfortunately, the report which the Government had submitted to the Committee contained a number of gaps. For example, excerpts of relevant provisions of the Constitution and the Labor Code might have been provided. Existing laws which discriminated against women and the obstacles faced by the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women should also have been identified. 42. Commenting on the specific activities undertaken to implement specific articles of the Convention, she drew attention to the scholarship programmes aimed at encouraging girls to enrol in traditionally male-dominated courses. Specific information on the implementation of that programme, such as the number of girls I ...