Page 7 - THEGOLDENLAND 2019-2020

6RFLDO 0HGLD

5HVHDUFK

(QWHUWDLQPHQW

&RPPXQLFDWLRQ

is putting recognition to. Yes, these acts are who commits and his motive under his the law progress 7

As what the law implies, regardless
isrespect continues to roam in

onwards since the
every place in different forms
indeed stated in the 19-pages long context
of the law that as well enumerate quite stiff
day it was imple-
not until it turns into a crime.
sleeves, still won't make him an exception
Early this year, albeit some
mented.
for the accountability of his own actions.
sanctions over perpetrators.
With this
The Safe Spaces Act is an attempt
Prove to us that a Filipino man is better
tinge of confusion and doubt
like what Gabriela Women's
“clad compli-
Bastos Law , the game won't change over-
because figures show that, violence against
Party called the president as a

women, discrimination and gender inequali-
night. Some people will remain in need of
ments", its
“single most brazen violator of the law’s to eradicate gender-based harassment, than this. Even after enacting the Bawal law to return the
intent", the law has been officially signed. ty still persist despite the existing laws that more humanity and help to temper their g e n u i n e
Implementing rules and regulations protect their welfares. unjustified behaviors. Instead, we women translation into
of Republic Act No. 11313, also known as As what Philippine Commission on and men alike, BE ADVOCATES. actual work, and
the Safe Spaces Act or the “Bawal Bastos” Women Chairperson Rhodora Bucoy shared Through the collaborative efforts of some changes to how P
law penalizes catcalling, wolf-whistling, lamenting over the slim number of women different agencies and non-government we regard our fel-
misogynistic and homophobic slurs, un- reporting their experience, “2 in 5 women, organizations, an existing law is further lows, must work
expanded to enough to provide
reach places of positive change
literal narrow to the lives of
alleys. Whoev- the Filipino
er has experi- people and to
enced sexism never let sexu-
and received al violence be
unwanted re- t o l e r a t e d
marks as they again.
stroll in malls M e n
or streets, and wom-
must have felt en, now
the great insult is the
that lurked time to
only persons in authority could be charged that is 41%, aged 15 to 49 have never down their spines. This proves that even have a
as offenders limited to specific public do- sought help to end violence nor told anyone without active terrorism, a different kind of quick grasp
mains to where the act was committed. about violence. 1 in 4 told someone about violence still lingers around which primarily of your
Now that sexual harassment seems violence but did not seek help”. targets the vulnerability and dignity mostly rights and
to happen almost anywhere, offenders Nobody wants the spot of a victim of women and the LGBTQ+ community. r o l e s
could now be anyone too. This law includes although in these trying times, least we can Let this law remind us all on how we a b o u t
the host of acts often regarded today as do is learn how to properly deal with a hos- must behave as humans who have potential changing
'usual' such as but not limited to catcalling tile environment through gearing ourselves to carry violence in our own tongues and the game
whistling, considered as gender- with reasonable knowledge of the protec- gestures. Everybody should practice liberty for good.
based street and public spaces sexual har- tion we are accustomed to. Have the cour- while respecting the rights of others. There One that re-
assment committed through unwanted and age to report to the authority and never let are always humble and noble ways to com- quires all Filipinos
uninvited sexual actions or remarks against justice keep in silence. pliment other people whoever they are. involved in bring-
any person, regardless of the motive. Not On the other hand, it is said that Right from this moment, let’s observe gen- ing both cultural
excluding cyberspaces where most of us most noted offenses were committed par- der-sensitivity and respect in our language and behavioral
have direct access to, portray a venue of ticularly by men who could have mistaken and actions, for obeying the new law is changes that
threats intimidating and harassing victims’ their rights to freedom of expression. As- something anyone could not afford not to. makes a safer envi-
online. In these platforms allowing sexist suming them to comply compliments that Nevertheless, to take a crucial part ronment to share
remarks, cyberstalking, incessant messag- surpassed beyond the right use of their are ones who have the authority to appre- with everyone.
ing, and impersonating identities of victims language and actions, relaying oddity to the hend perpetrators and enforce the law,
also require security and protection the law physical safety of other people. hopefully with their full commitment may
6NHWFKHV .LP $OH[DQGUD &RUGH]
h o m e - I'm not going to take a risk t the beginning of his That has been refuted by With all those projects we
w o r k with anything that needs to tenure, President officials of the government, citing talked about, one thing is clear,
be risky when life comes to
e
r
a
not to burden students. gram seems to send stu- A war on drugs. ed to around 100, even though Works and Highways ( DPWH) is
infrastructure is the game 's name,
ongoing programs and pointing out
Duterte launched an
crushing me hard.
m a d e
develop-
that the list has only been extend-
and the Department of Public
ambitious
This K to 12 pro-
ment plan along with
The K-12 program calls so
his
certain programs have been
called to the frame.
dents into a war without
much so that our perfor-
dropped.
Dubbed "Build Build, Build," it listed
them
with
mance assessment system
supplying
75 flagship projects target-
We have become too com-
enough weapons. The war
ensures its implementa-
fortable with the fact that DPWH is
Database from the govern-
ing completion or signifi-
tion,. However, on the con-
were already left unarmed,
trary, students are clearly
progress by the time it
took office in June 2016, a total of
having been tasked with running
groping in the field for
burdened with the over- was just starting, yet some cant implementation ment has shown that, since Duterte notoriously corrupt and inefficient,
9,845 km of roads, 2,709 bridges,
steps down in 2022,
the program. We wish we could tell
whelming amount of these something with which to procuring it as the 4,536 flood control projects, 82 the private side of the construction
homeworks being loaded live, uncertain of their fu- "golden age of evacuation centers and a total of industry differently.
into their bags. ture. I can't help but won- infrastructure." 71,803 classrooms have already
The Dignity Coali- der what this challenging been completed and constructed Though, this is not to com-
tion for Teachers that path is awaiting for those Nevertheless, a under the Build Build, Buiild mit ourselves to this political mess
homework in turn hones students. few months later, scheme. And if the forecasts are of failure and corruption for ever,
the capacity of students to The government the ambitious correct, the second half with the but to straighten our priorities.
be responsible and devel- has reportedly taken action "Build, Build, imminent completion of the much-
op independent problem- and helped to ease those Build," the gov- awaited big-ticket ventures would Indeed, many infrastructure
solving skills. But to some- burdens. This long term, ernment recently be even more promising. spending need to be implemented
one who isn't fortunate however, only has a limited came under more quickly. Any of
enough to have resources resource. Educational suc- scrutiny as only the measures pro-
in life, sometimes solving a cess remains a formidable nine of the 75 posed can be imple-
problem will mean getting challenge for a developing key projects have mented with no spe-
country to get the begun construction. cial powers. In par-
big picture. ticular, local govern-
We can't just turn a However, as in many ment units can be
blind eye to the ones of this country's prodded into cutting
that hang slightly off in f ra st r u ct u re red tape when pro-
the cliff. We can't programs, those cessing the neces-
just roar to success under Build, Build, sary project imple-
with the engine and Build have faced mentation permits.
have left somebody red tape, right-of - LGU executives can
behind. With formal way problems, show more leader-
education no child court injunctions, ship and political will
should be left be- faulty project expecta- There was also a plan to in dealing with the residents who
hind. But then, with tions, utter inefficiency give the President special powers are affected by certain develop-
just one hand, it is and other concerns. to remove red tape and other is- ments.
into another issue. Despite hard to lift someone up sues and to speed up implementa-
difficulties to cope with, over a cliff. Thus, Senate Minority Lead- tion of the project. However, with Lastly, I never said that
determination helps them Probably sooner, er Franklin Drilon strongly only two and a half years left in the infrastructure is bad. Never get me
grasp their bright future they can go down deep the concluded it as a “dismal administration, the House of Rep- wrong. Only that, with this govern-
and pull the rope. But who sea and see what is more failure.” resentatives speaker and other ment also ambitious funding taken
knows that throwing such than these plainly shallow near-the-President officials say the directly from our taxes, hopefully
desperate move could un- reasons. What's in the Expectedly, the Duterte proposal is heading too late. we don’t build, build, bleed dry,
consciously pull them deepest part, that seemed administration quickly because at the end of the day, if
down? to be the darkest, are the came to the defense of By October, Duterte admin there is really something more
And for someone unheard voices of drown- its flagship plan, display- revokes its current plan to amend important to be build, build, build,
like me who has nothing to ing souls which calls for ing all the numbers under and minimize the number of big- they are not roads nor railways, but
inherit from my parents but help. We can never imag- the P8-trillion develop- ticket projects through the Nation- competence and political will.
these genes and the edu- ine a grievous truth that ment project to attest to al Economic and Development
cation they promised, it's actually exists below the the accomplishments thus Authority (NEDA), invoking the
either I'm going to 'hit' or horizon. far. decisions as "a necessary adjust-
'miss' this chance in life if ment."