“Several studies have shown that working towards gender equality and social justice has always been good for business, and by extension, the economy,” says Hontiveros when asked how she responds to critics who question the focus on gender equality and social justice in a challenging political climate. “For example, women in leadership positions have been instrumental in fostering inclusive work environments that value diversity and equality—principles that are essential for the sustainability and growth of any industry,” she continues.
In a male-dominated world of politics, where does a woman stand? What can a woman accomplish and what does she ought to think? For Hontiveros, she stands where a woman could impart change, hold her ground, and advocate for the vulnerable, the youth, and women – the powerful world of policymaking. Her enacted laws since her first term in the Senate nearly a decade ago are a testament to the enduring legacy of a woman who stands firm in her convictions.
Nearing the end of the 19th Congress, Hontiveros calls the rights and welfare of the most vulnerable as her “guiding light”. This light has driven her to see the Safe Spaces Act or the Bawal Bastos bill (RA 11313) come to fruition among other women-centric laws, where women and LGBTQ+ community stand protected from “bastos culture” prevalent in public spaces and even online platforms.
“There are gaps in the law that we still need to address, given the many technological advances that have happened in the years since the Safe Spaces Act was enacted,” says Hontiveros, stressing that change doesn’t happen overnight. “In the amendments that I have introduced to the Safe Spaces Act and were approved by the Senate, victims of deepfakes and pornography can ask their digital images to be taken down, adults working in close proximity to children must have no history of predatory behavior, and penalties for gender-based harassment have been increased.”
The light that guided her love and labor for the young, women, and the vulnerable also established itself towards the path of freedom and justice, particularly with the Pharmally scandals, Pastillas scams, and the recent POGO crisis. “Michael Yang, one of the key characters in the Pharmally scandal, also figured in POGOs as his brother Tony Yang had been linked to these now-banned gaming firms,” says Hontiveros, who dreads that we will only succumb to the same mistake over and over with the current justice system. “The pastillas scam and other holes in our immigration system became tickets for foreign nationals to enter our country to work in POGOs,” she continues, concluding that “evil, until quashed, just reinvents itself.”
Standing her ground, Hontiveros looks forward to having “a proper and modern law enforcement” that will uphold the protection of human rights and observe the rule of law. A quick, just, and working justice system, for her, is “the most effective deterrent against crime.” What comes with her ideals for a better Philippines is her legislative vision for the betterment of its citizens, one being a bill that seeks to protect the workers and gig workers in the informal economy, providing them with benefits including maternity support.
To combat human trafficking, which she and her office have been addressing in the past years, Hontiveros aims to file a bill that will regulate surrogacy, a legal arrangement which has been reported to have been used to traffic women. At the same time, she hopes to pass legislation to end contractualization and pass a wage hike bill as a long-time advocate for labor rights. Improving the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children or OSAEC Law (RA 11930) and refiling the Student’s Rights and Welfare Bill that has long been pending in Congress are also included in her legislative agenda.
These and Hontiveros’ plan of expanding the Magna Carta initiatives for Barangay Health Workers, Persons with Disability, Women in the Informal Economy, and Children speak about the values, principles, and individuals close to her heart. No government is perfect but it takes incredible courage for a woman to put out policies for the better.
