By Neska Centina

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who was in Bacolod City yesterday for the groundbreaking of a P3-million barangay health center in the city’s Barangay Alijis, continued to express support for her “Tres Marias” bills,  which seek to strengthen laws to fight sexual harassment and violence against women.

She claimed the country is experiencing an “outbreak of misogyny,” which she attributed to “sexist and misogynistic language” by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The senator believes the president’s rhetoric creates a “climate conducive to sexual harassment against women.”

She also noted, according to the Manila Police District, two sexual harassment cases are being reported everyday.

Hontiveros earlier introduced SB 1252, the Anti-Rape Act; SB 1260, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill; and SB 1251, the Gender-Based Electronic Violence Bill.

Meanwhile, she also affirmed the upcoming May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections will push through, despite the House of Representatives passing a bill on its second reading postponing the said polls.

Hontiveros said it is “due time” to resume the elections after previously postponing it twice.

She also pointed out, the bill passed in the lower house needs a counterpart in the Senate, which has none yet been presented./NC, WDJ