CEDAW/C/PHI/4 English Page 36 Policy developments 106. Sectoral representation for women was provided for by the 1987 Constitution. In 1995, two sectoral representatives for women were appointed in the Lower House. 107. Among the laws passed, for the period in review, that give women equal rights with men in public and political life are the following: (a) Republic Act 6725 strengthens the prohibition on discrimination against women with respect to terms and conditions of employment, promotion and training opportunities; (b) Republic Act 7162, or the Local Government Code of 1991, provides for a sectoral representative for women in the different local government units. To date, however, no elections for sectoral representatives have been held, owing to the reluctance of local government officials to pay for the salaries and other expenses to be incurred by the sectoral representatives; (c) Republic Act 7688 gives representation to women in the Social Security Commission. 108. To strengthen further the legal basis for equality between women and men in terms of participation in public and political life, the following bills had been filed in Congress: (a) Senate Bill 1228 (1993) or the Mandatory Employment Act, directs that in all businesses and enterprises requiring or actually employing at least 10 regular employees, at least 20 per cent of the total workforce should be women; (b) Senate Bill 1114 (1993) enunciates a policy that in the four years from its effective date, at least 25 per cent of the employer's workforce shall consist of women. In the eighth year, one half of the country's workforce should be composed of women; (c) House Bill 142 (1995), or the Women Empowerment Act, mandates that appointive positions in the national and local governments be reserved to qualified women by a fraction of at least one third per classification. It requires that all duly accredited political parties reserve at least one third of its party slate of official candidates to women in elections for the municipal/city councils and provincial boards. The bill is encountering opposition from some groups who are questioning, among others, the constitutionality of the bill. Other policy developments 109. Government line agencies have made policy changes to comply with the laws that give women equality with men, particularly Republic Act 7192, or the Women in Nation-building Act. 110. In 1990, a woman was promoted to the rank of a one-star Brigadier-General, the first to attain a star rank. In 1995, the Department of Interior and Local /...