Gabriela Women’s Party (GWP), led by its current representative Rep. Arlene Brosas, filed the “Bawal Bastos sa Eleksyon Bill” on April 9. This is the party’s response to recent reports of harassment and anti-women statements made by candidates in the 2025 elections.

The women’s party seeks to include as grounds for disqualification from local and national elections those candidates who issue discriminatory and degrading declarations against women.

“Offensive and demeaning remarks against women must not be normalized in our politics. Candidates who use their platforms to propagate discrimination, especially against women and the LGBTQ community, must be held accountable,” Rep. Brosas, who is also currently running for senator, said.

The proposal aims to amend Sections 68 and 261 of the Omnibus Election Code to address the critical issue of election regulation, which currently lacks clear prohibitions against candidates’ disparaging remarks toward women.

Cases recorded in recent weeks include statements from Misamis Oriental gubernatorial candidate Peter Unabia, Pasig congressional candidate Christian Sia, and Duterte’s party senatorial candidate Jimmy Bondoc. The Commission on Elections have summoned all of them for discussions regarding their statements.

Rep. Brosas said their proposal is not merely a simple legal measure but a strong statement that violations of women’s dignity must not be tolerated. The women’s leader also emphasized that it sends a clear message that sexist remarks, objectification of women, and discrimination should have no place in democratic discourse.

“The Bawal Bastos sa Eleksyon Bill will be one of our priority legislations in the 20th Congress. We anticipate the support of women in pushing for this law,” GWP’s first nominee Sarah Elago said. “To every woman who has been told to just stay silent, to all women who have been harassed: Let us collectively fight abuse and hold abusive candidates accountable,” she added.

The Gabriela women’s alliance supports GWP’s proposal. “Advancing the ‘Bawal Bastos sa Eleksyon’ Bill has long been necessary. Reforms must be implemented in our electoral system that allows candidates to spread divisive and abusive rhetoric against women without appropriate sanctions,” the group’s secretary general Clarice Palce said.

Palce called on women voters to use their electoral power to reject candidates who demean women. “In the upcoming elections, we need to choose candidates who genuinely respect women—not just in words but more importantly in actions. Be vigilant and discerning this election! Zero votes for misogynists!” Palce urged.