House approves marital infidelity bill

The House of Representatives passed on second reading a bill that seeks to repeal the country’s age-old concubinage and adultery laws and remove a gender bias that imposes the burden of proof on women who complain about philandering husbands.

According to Rep. Joel Villanueva of the Citizen’s Battle Against Corruption (Cibac), whose version was incorporated with three other similar measures, the chamber approved late Wednesday House Bill 5729, popularly known as the "Marital Infidelity Law."

"It’s Cibac’s gift to the women of this country," he said. "Men now will be more careful. The crime of infidelity will once again be given focus and be given importance, which will benefit the family. This is a good way to end the year."

Villanueva said that under the current laws, it is easier to convict unfaithful wives with adultery compared to unfaithful husbands, whose wives have to prove they have been living with their paramours for them to be convicted for concubinage.

"When (HB 5729) becomes a law, this will replace the crimes of adultery and concubinage with a single crime that shall be defined as marital infidelity, totally correcting the disparity in the treatment of husbands and wives," he said.

Villanueva believes "this could be a milestone law that will strengthen the institutions and foundations of marriage and family in the Philippines."

"Other than the debate on property rights and the prevention of an illegitimate bloodline, HB 5729, when enacted into law, will underscore the benefit of revising a bad law into a good law that will benefit the entire citizenry," he said.

Under the proposed measure, Villanueva said government officials found to be unfaithful to their spouses will be meted six to 12 years in jail.

Private citizens convicted of marital infidelity face a jail term of six months to six years.

At the Senate, senators passed yesterday amendments to the Rooming-in and Breastfeeding Act of 1992 (Republic Act 7600) aimed at establishing a national policy on breastfeeding.

Senators Pia Cayetano, Juan Flavier, Jinggoy Ejercito-Estrada and Panfilo Lacson were the principal authors of the law with the amendments introduced by Senators Edgardo Angara and Luisa Ejercito-Estrada.

After several months of deliberations, the Senate finally approved the amendment which establishes a national policy on breastfeeding and seeks to reverse the decline in breastfeeding rates.

The amendments reinforce the National Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, Breastmilk Supplements and Other Related Products (Executive Order No. 51), also known as the Milk Code, that was enacted in 1986 to control the unethical marketing practices of milk companies.

Once ratified into law, Cayetano said the proposed amendments will push for the creation of lactation stations in workplaces and in public places. Lactation stations must be private, clean and well-ventilated, adequately equipped with a sink or lavatory for hand-washing and cleaning of equipment unless there is an easily accessible lavatory nearby.

"There must also be refrigeration or appropriate cooling facilities for storing, electrical outlets for breast pumps, a small table, comfortable seats and such other items which the Department of Health (DOH) as implementing agency may determine to be necessary," according to the amendments.

Lawmakers said lactation periods shall be established to allow nursing female employees reasonable compensable time during the day to either breastfeed or express their milk.

Establishments which set up a lactation station may use the designation "mother-friendly" in promotional materials, according to the amendments.

Cayetano said the DOH, as the lead agency, shall be mandated to develop and provide breastfeeding programs for working mothers which employers are encouraged to avail of as part of their human resource development and which shall be disseminated to all city, municipal and barangay health centers.

As part of the amendments to RA 7600, breastfeeding education shall be integrated in relevant subjects in the elementary, high school and college levels, especially in the medical and allied medical courses, and in technical and vocational education.

The inclusion of breastfeeding in the curriculum will help counter perceptions brought about by the lack of information on breastfeeding to the public and massive advertisements of breast milk substitutes by milk companies, the senators said.

The month of August each year shall be known as "Breastfeeding Awareness Month," which will be solely focused on comprehensive public education and awareness program on the issue, as proposed in the amendments. — With Christina Mendez