House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima and 41 fellow lawmakers on Tuesday has crossed party lines to file a measure seeking to define and criminalize violence against women in politics (VAWP).
De Lima was joined by House Deputy Speaker and La Union 1st District Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega V, Iloilo City Lone District Julienne “Jam” Baronda, Bulacan 4th District Rep. Linabelle Villarica, Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua, Oriental Mindoro 2nd District Rep. Alfonso Umali Jr. as well as women’s organizations such as Lakas Bayi, EveryWoman, PANTAY Inc. and Hiraya Initiatives for Change and Progress (Hiraya), in filing House Bill No. 8393 or the “Prevention of Violence Against Women in Politics Act.”
“Through this measure, we seek to address a global problem that is increasingly visible but often insufficiently addressed. Nasa iba’t ibang anyo po ang mga karahasan na ito, pisikal, psychological, verbal at digital, na laganap sa panahon man ng kampanya o eleksyon, at kahit nakaupo na, kung saan ang diskurso ay madalas nauuwi hindi sa plataporma o mga polisiya, kundi sa kasarian — na para bang ikinabababa natin ang pagkababae, o para bang panlalaki lang ang pagseserbisyo sa gobyerno,” De Lima said.
HB 8393 stressed that while existing laws address gender-based violence, they nonetheless fail to capture the political dimension of the attacks against women.
“The Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act (R.A. 9262) is limited to violence within intimate or domestic relationships. The Safe Spaces Act (R.A. 11313) addresses sexual harassment in public and online spaces, but treats these as general offenses. The Cybercrime Prevention Act (R.A. 10175) penalizes online crimes but lacks a gender-sensitive and political lens,” the bill read.
“Election laws and COMELEC rules likewise treat election violence broadly and often fail to recognize misogyny and gendered disinformation as tools of voter suppression. While COMELEC Resolutions No. 11116 and No. 11127 issued in 2025 classify discriminatory acts as election offenses, these remain administrative measures that require the support of national legislation,” it added.
To address these gaps, the said measure proposes a comprehensive legal framework that recognizes VAWP as a distinct offense and establishes mechanisms to prevent, monitor, and respond to such acts.
The bill seeks to define and criminalize violence against women in politics, establish protection and reporting mechanisms through COMELEC, require political parties to adopt safeguards against gender-based political violence, and hold digital platforms accountable for addressing coordinated online abuse and gendered disinformation targeting women leaders.
VAWP includes physical assault, sexual harassment, psychological abuse, economic coercion, and technology-facilitated attacks such as online harassment, coordinated trolling, deepfakes, and gendered disinformation designed to delegitimize women leaders or force them out of public life.
“When violence targets a woman because she participates in politics, it is not merely a personal matter; it is an attempt to suppress democratic participation. Anumang karahasan, diskriminasyon, pang-aapi o panggipit sa kababaihan sa politika ay pagsupil sa pagkakapantay-pantay at pagpapahina sa demokrasya,” De Lima, who has been at the receiving end of misogynistic remarks and attacks on her person and womanhood, said.
Baronda, one of the authors, also shared the violence she experienced in public service.
“Biktima rin po ako ng violence against women in politics. Sobra ang pagyurak ng dignidad ko, at sa kapasidad ko. Tingnan nyo na lang po sa social media, hindi ko po ikinahihiya yan. Salamat sa mga kasamahan ko, at least ngayon, magkakaroon na tayo ng batas kung saan kaming mga kababaihan, handa rin kaming magserbisyo. Kung ano ang kaya ng mga lalaki, kaya rin namin”, Baronda stated.
Moreover, Chua stressed that it is high time to pass this measure as Filipino women have long demonstrated leadership capabilities while in public service.
“Dapat tinitingnan natin ang pagsisilbi hindi base sa kanilang gender, kundi base sa kanilang kakayahan,” he said.
Former Quezon City Councilor Mayen Juico of Lakas Bayi, who also joined in the filing said: “Kung ang ating mga kababaihan—na bumubuo ng kalahati ng ating populasyon at nararapat lamang na magkaroon ng kalahating representasyon sa pamahalaan—ay patuloy na nakakaranas ng harassment at karahasan, hindi lamang po ito pagyurak sa kanilang karapatan. Ito rin po ay pagyurak sa ating demokrasya, na tungkulin nating lahat na pangalagaan.”
Prof. Jean Encinas-Franco of EveryWoman, for her part, stated: “Ayon sa pag-aaral na aming isinasagawa, maraming kababaihan ang nadidiscourage tumakbo sa pulitika dahil sa harassment at kakulangan ng suporta. Kaya malinaw—kailangan nating tiyakin ang mas matibay na proteksyon para sa kababaihan sa pamahalaan.”
Other authors of HB 8393 include House Committee on Women and Gender Equality Chair and Laguna 1st District Rep. Ann Matibag, Dinagat Islands Lone District Rep. Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Bernadette Barbers, Quezon City 6th District Rep. Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar, Bulacan 5th District Rep. Agatha Paula Aguilar Cruz, Quirino Lone District Rep. Midy Cua, Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Janice Degamo, Cebu City 1st District Rep. Rachel Marguerite Del Mar, Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin, Akbayan Partylist Reps. Dadah Kiram Ismula, Percival Cendaña and Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, Albay 1st District Rep. Cielo Krisel Lagman, Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, Ilocos Sur 2nd District Rep. Kristine Singson-Meehan, 4K Partylist Rep. Iris Marie Demesa Montes, Cagayan 2nd District Rep. Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso, Leyte 3rd District Rep. Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon, San Juan City Lone District Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora, 4Ps Partylist Rep. JC Abalos, Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Ziaur-Rahman “Zia” Alonto Adiong, Laguna 4th District Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr., Zamboanga del Norte 3rd District Rep. Adrian Michael Amatong, Lanao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Yasser Alonto Balindong, Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Javier Miguel Lopez Benitez, Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Niko Raul Daza, Manila 1st District Rep. Ernesto Dionisio Jr., Caloocan City 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice, Muntinlupa Lone District Rep. Jaime Fresnedi, Eastern Samar Lone District Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, Pusong Pinoy Partylist Rep. Jernie Jett Nisay, Cebu City 2nd District Rep. Eduardo Rama Jr., Bicol Saro Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon, Ilocos Sur 1st District Rep. Ronald Singson, and Cagayan de Oro City 1st District Rep. Lordan Suan.