The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) underscored today that the Safer Cities initiative strengthens the implementation of the Safe Spaces Act by making public spaces safer and improving mechanisms for reporting gender-based sexual harassment in local communities.

Speaking at the DILG Kapihan media forum at the Quezon City Reception House, PCW Gender and Development (GAD) Specialist Patricia Beatriz R. Azanza said the DILG’s Safer Cities initiative complements the Safe Spaces Act by helping create environments where the law can be more effectively enforced, particularly in protecting women, children, persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC), and other vulnerable groups.

“The Safe Spaces Act is the law and Safer Cities is the environment that makes the law easier to enforce,” Azanza said.

Launched in April this year, the DILG’s Safer Cities initiative promotes community policing, stricter enforcement of local ordinances, and crime prevention measures to improve peace and order nationwide in support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to build safer and more secure communities for all Filipinos.

Azanza said the initiative not only helps prevent incidents of gender-based sexual harassment but also encourages victims and witnesses to report abuses promptly.

“Hindi lang (natin) tinutugunan yung mga cases ng sexual harassment. Binabago din natin ang disenyo ng public spaces para tuluyan nang mawalan ng espasyo ang pambabastos,” she said.

Under the Safe Spaces Act, local government units (LGUs) are required to adopt measures that enhance safety in public spaces, including the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on roads, alleys, and sidewalks to strengthen monitoring and support the enforcement of the law against gender-based sexual harassment.

The PCW said the Safer Cities initiative also reinforces barangay-level protection mechanisms by encouraging the public to report incidents through Anti-Sexual Harassment (ASH) Desks and Violence Against Women (VAW) Desks, making government assistance more accessible to victims.

“Mas nai-encourage natin yung reporting mechanism para yung mga kababaihan, persons with diverse SOGIESC, mga bata at kahit mga kalalakihan ay mag-report ng kanilang mga karanasan patungkol sa sexual harassment,” Azanza added.

As part of efforts to expand public awareness of the Safe Spaces Act, the PCW also partnered with SM Supermalls to strengthen awareness among mall employees, tenants, and security personnel on the proper handling and reporting of sexual harassment cases.

“Pinalawak po natin yung awareness ng ating mga employees sa mall kung saan po sila pwedeng mag-report ng cases of sexual harassment and kung ano yung kanilang dapat gawin kapag po merong mga customers na lumapit sa kanila (na nabiktima nito),” Azanza said.

The DILG and PCW reaffirmed their commitment to working with LGUs and private sector partners to strengthen the implementation of the Safe Spaces Act and advance the Safer Cities initiative, ensuring that public spaces remain safe, inclusive, and free from gender-based harassment for all Filipinos.