Legislative Agenda for the 19th Congress




The Magna Carta of Women (MCW) mandates the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) to review, evaluate, and recommend measures, including priorities to ensure the full integration of women in economic, social and cultural development at national, sub-national and international levels, and promote further equality between women and men.


To ensure that the said mandate is efficiently implemented, the PCW developed the Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda (WPLA) as a tool to intensify efforts for the enactment of laws to amend or repeal discriminatory provisions of existing laws and to advocate for the formulation and adoption of new laws that promote women’s empowerment and gender equality.


During the 17th and 18th Congress, through the combined efforts and initiatives with concerned legislators and government agencies, together with civil society organizations, the following women and GAD-related legislations were enacted:

  • Republic Act No. 11596: An Act Prohibiting the Practice of Child Marriage and Imposing Penalties for Violations Thereof (approved on December 10, 2021)
  • Republic Act No. 11648: Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act (approved on March 4, 2022) 
  • Republic Act No. 11862: An Act Strengthening the Policies on Anti-Trafficking in Persons, Providing Penalties for Its Violations, and Appropriating Funds Therefor, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act No. 9208, As Amended, Otherwise Known As the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, and Other Special Laws (approved on June 23, 2022)
  • Republic Act No. 11930: Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) Law (lapsed into law – July 30, 2022)


19th Congress


For the 19th Congress, eleven (11) proposed legislative measures comprise the women’s priority legislative agenda to be pursued for adoption and enactment by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.


The proposed legislative measures in the Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda (WPLA) were determined based on the past Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda advocacy, and consultations conducted by the PCW in October 2021 with representatives from select NGO/CSO partners, legislative committees and concerned agencies. The consultations elicited feedback/comments and in-depth discussions on crucial issues and concerns related to the proposed Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda and resulted to the revisions and enhancements of the draft legislative agenda and the inclusion of new proposed legislative measures to be included in the Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda . The Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda was finalized, presented and was approved by the PCW’s Management Committee and Board of Commissioners.

The PCW enjoins legislators and staff, HOR and Senate employees, partners from NGAs, NGOs and CSOs to support and work together towards the enactment of legislative measures on the Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda .