Hontiveros wants Senate probe into alleged abuse at PHSA
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the alleged cases of abuse of students and alumni at the Laguna-based Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA).
This comes around two weeks after an in-depth story by VICE World News on allegations of sexual, verbal and emotional abuse by teachers and staff. The story also reported that school authorities have ignored the complaints of students.
"Be it resolved as it is hereby resolved, to direct the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the reported culture of abuse, harassment, and violence at the PHSA with the end in view of creating safer spaces for children in all educational institutions, consistent with the provisions of the Safe Spaces Act," Hontiveros' resolution read.
She said the Senate should exercise its oversight powers to make sure that PHSA and other schools are safe spaces, especially as in-person classes will resume next month.
A copy of the lawmaker's resolution was made public on Wednesday, two days after it was filed. Hontiveros' office said they have not yet received the numbered version from the bills and index office.
Hontiveros will most likely lead the chamber's Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality Committee again in the upcoming Senate.
PHSA is a place where students live on campus 24/7, and this arrangement makes them more vulnerable to abusers, predators and groomers, she said.
In response to the abuse allegations, the state-run high school for young artists said that it "sympathizes with alumni who complained of past abuses", but cautioned against making generalizations about the school as a place of abuse.
In a statement on July 5, PHSA also said survivors can file their complaints with the school's designated committees, which can guide them on the format required under the civil service rules.
"Rest assured in dealing with disciplinary matters, PHSA has its own processes which have been duly recognized by the Civil Service Commission, Commission on Human Rights, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Department of Education," it said.
The PHSA is an attached agency of the Department of Education (DepEd), which has said it is seeking the help of the National Bureau of Investigation to give a comprehensive report on the abuse allegations there. Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla also said they will order the NBI to prioritize the probe.
Violation of the Safe Spaces Act
Hontiveros said if the accounts of students are proven to be true, the "repeated failure of PHSA administration to address the violence and abuses is a blatant violation of the Safe Spaces Act and a flagrant disregard of the interests of PHSA students." The lawmaker was the principal author of the Safe Spaces Act, which was passed into law three years ago.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros filed a resolution directing a Senate committee to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the alleged gender-based sexual harassment, emotional abuse and other violence experienced by alumni and students at the PHSA. @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/zZCXZ5xRNN
— Angelica Y. Yang (@angelicajourno) July 13, 2022
Hontiveros said a PHSA student, who is a minor, formally filed a complaint against a non-teaching staff after getting catcalled on campus on the year the Safe Spaces Act was enacted.
Section 11 of the law says that catcalling and other acts which ridicule someone on the basis of sex, gender or sexual orientation is unlawful. Penalties range from P1,000 to P10,000, as well as jail time of up to 30 days.
Citing the same law, Hontiveros said that a school can investigate motu propio any report of abuse, even if the survivor does not want to file a complaint or request the institution to take action. This can be done if school authorities have "actual knowledge of reasonably should have known details of the incident."
Hontiveros noted that this is not the first time that a school was called out for more proactive handling of harassment cases within the campus.
"Just last year, Miriam College, St. Paul College Pasig, Ateneo de Manila University, School of the Holy Spirit of Quezon City, Marikina Science High School, and Bulacan State University made headlines and also figured in the #DoBetter campaign to make schools as a safe space for all," she said.
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