By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) is moving to standardize how first-time offenders of gender-based sexual harassment undergo rehabilitation, unveiling a new training guide that places accountability, empathy and behavioral change at the center of court-ordered gender sensitivity seminars.
PCW launched the Training Guide for the Gender Sensitivity Seminar (GSS) for Perpetrators of the Safe Spaces Act (SSA) on Aug. 13, 2026, during the country’s first-ever CODI Summit.
The initiative comes six years after the commission conducted its pioneering GSS session at the Pasig City Jail in March 2020 and as PCW reports a steady increase in court-ordered referrals for the intervention.
The standardized guide is intended for first-time offenders of gender-based sexual harassment in public spaces covered by Republic Act No. 11313, or the Safe Spaces Act, who are directed by courts to complete the seminar as part of their community service.
Rather than treating the seminar simply as a requirement to be completed, the new framework is designed to encourage participants to examine the beliefs, attitudes and behavior associated with gender-based violence and harassment.
The training is organized into three core sessions: gender norms and gender-based violence; empathy and healthy relationships; and personal accountability.
PCW said the approach is intended to create opportunities for reflection while challenging harmful gender norms and attitudes and reinforcing responsibility for one’s actions.
PCW Executive Director Nharleen L. Santos-Millar underscored the development process behind the guide, noting that it was shaped by actual implementation and subsequent testing, feedback, revisions and collaboration.
“It is a product of practice, reflection, pilot-testing, feedback, revision, and collaboration,” Santos-Millar said, adding that the guide reflects the experiences of individuals who tested, facilitated, critiqued and helped improve the intervention.
The commission’s move to establish a common training framework comes as referrals for the GSS continue to increase, creating a greater need for consistent and gender-responsive implementation across jurisdictions.
Starting in 2027, PCW plans to introduce the module to local government units and Philippine National Police offices nationwide.
The planned rollout will also help establish a pool of trainers capable of facilitating discussions involving gender, empathy, accountability and behavioral change among individuals ordered to undergo the intervention.
A digital copy of the training guide will be made available through the PCW Digital GAD Library.
As co-chair of the Inter-Agency Oversight Committee on the Safe Spaces Act, PCW is also working with partner agencies to strengthen implementation of the law and promote coordinated, gender-responsive interventions for cases covered by the measure.
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