MANILA, (PNA) — A lawmaker vowed to protect the rights of any person treated less favorably on the basis of race, ethnic origin, religion or religious affiliations or beliefs.
Rep. Susan Yap (2nd District, Tarlac) in a press statement said HB 401 seeks to address discrimination nationwide and to create an effective and comprehensive legal framework to fight this social ill.
“The bill will avoid unnecessary prejudice and other forms of intolerance and give equal opportunity to each individual to achieve his full potential as a person and as a Filipino citizen,” she said.
Yap said the bill seeks to lessen, if not eliminate, cases of discrimination in Philippine society as it penalizes acts of discrimination, profiling, violence and all forms of intolerance in employment, education, delivery of goods, facilities and services, accommodation, transportation, media, in search of investigatory activities, and in political, civil, cultural and social life on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion or belief, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, language, disability and other status.
The measure also aims to instill in the youth the value of respect for identity, affiliation, status and preferences of other people by including in the curriculum of primary to tertiary public and private schools discussions on ethnicity, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, language, disability or other status.
Under the proposed Anti-Racial, Ethnic and Religious Discrimination Act of 2013, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is mandated to prevent or deter and prosecute acts of discrimination and provide legal assistance to victims of this malaise.
The bill provides for discrimination victims reparation including restitution, compensation and rehabilitation.
It also creates an Equal Opportunity Committee in all agencies, corporations, companies as well as public and private educational institutions, granting this body administrative jurisdiction over cases involving discrimination.
Violators face six months’ imprisonment and a fine of not more than PhP100,000.00.
The proposed law is in consonance with the State’s duty to promote a society that values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights regardless of a person’s social status, personal preference, beliefs and affiliation.