Davao City councilor Avegayle Ortiz-Omalza, chairperson of the City Council Committee on Women and Children, is hoping to pass the amended Women’s Development Code before the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s session ends for the May 2019 midterm elections.
The code, mandated by the local government, aims “to uphold the rights of women and the belief in their worth and dignity as human beings.” It aims to address the gender gap in development and nation building.
“We already conducted committee hearings on the Women’s Development Code last year, from September to November,” she said.
Ortiz said that an amended local Women’s Code will harmonize it with current national laws and jurisprudence on women.
“There were many amendments made to the 1997 Code. The last time it was amended was back in 2006,” she said.
Among those revised, according to the councilor, is the definition of some terminologies that need to be updated. In the drafting of the amended version, Ortiz said both officials of government agencies and non-government organization advocates were invited to the hearing.
“We are lucky that we have an office for women that addresses their concerns through the Integrated Gender and Development Division,” Ortiz said citing the city government’s well-known advocacy for the rights and welfare of women and children.
She added that her committee is also working on amendments of the Children’s Development Code.
