The City of Manila recently passed a city ordinance that will penalize catcalling and other forms of street-level harassment, especially against women.
According to the Ordinance No. 7857 or “An Ordinance Penalizing Catcalling and Other Forms of Public Sexual Harassment”, which was authored by Manila District 4 Councilor Krystle Bacani, there are three level of offenses that will hopefully put an end to street harassment and make public areas safer for women in the city..
The “light offenses” include catcalling, wolf-whistling, leering, asking for someone’s name or phone number, and making sexual jokes. Offenders who will be found guilty can face up to 15 days behind bars and pay a fine worth P200 to P1,000.
Meanwhile, “medium offenses” include inappropriate sexual gestures such as flashing of one’s genitals. Committing a medium offense will entail a maximum of three months in prison and a fine worth P1,000 to P3,000.
Lastly, groping and stalking are considered “severe violations” which can entail three to five months in prison a fine worth P3,000 to P5,000.
The city council has already passed the ordinance, but the draft ordinance may still be subject to change as it hasn’t been signed yet by Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada.
In 2016, Quezon City has already passed the first ordinance to penalize the street-level harassment of women.
