Privilege speech of Councilor Pamela A. Librado-Morata, chairperson: committee on civil, political & human rights, March 2, 2026
Mr. Presiding Officer, esteemed colleagues, friends from the media, and my fellow public servants, maayong hapon sa atong tanan.
I rise today on a matter of collective privilege—not only as a member of this August Body, but as a woman standing in solidarity with the marginalized.
As we celebrate International Women’s Month, we are reminded that the true measure of our work in gender and development lies not only in how we protect and promote the rights of women, but in how many barriers to gender equality we have dismantled.
The Policy Contradiction: Last week, our office officially received a formal request from Ms. Jeanette Laurelo-Ampog, Executive Director of Talikala, Inc. They are urgently calling for the amendment or removal of a specific provision in Section 229, Article 27 of Ordinance No. 0291-17, otherwise known as the 2017 Revenue Code of Davao City—the Occupational Permit requirement for women in prostitution.
This matter, now calendared for First Reading, strikes at the heart of a legal and moral inconsistency in our local governance.
By requiring an occupational permit and collecting fees from prostituted women, we are effectively sanctioning an act that both national and local laws recognize as exploitation.
This requirement directly contradicts our own Women’s Development Code (City Ordinance No. 5004), which strictly prohibits the commodification of women.
More importantly, it stands in opposition to the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, which penalizes the procurement and exploitation of persons for sexual purposes.
We are therefore compelled to ask: How can the City Government collect a revenue fee from an exploitative or illegal activity? A fee imposed to regulate an illegal act may itself be considered void.
The Human Cost: Beyond legality, we must confront the human cost.
To secure this permit, a woman—often driven into prostitution by extreme poverty—is required to:
- Fill out application forms;
- Secure health certificates; and
- Obtain employment certifications—each requiring separate procedures and additional costs.
The total expenses can exceed ₱4,000 annually.
As of 2023, approximately 600 women are registered under these permits as Guest Relations Officers (GROs), massage attendants, or “taxi dancers.” These are not mere statistics. These are 600 lives navigating vulnerability, exploitation, and systemic barriers—while paying the government to do so.
From Regulation to Development: On this issue, and pursuant to our international commitments and local mandate, we must shift from regulation to development.
Under Section 16 of the Women’s Development Code, we are mandated to provide socio-economic support to women in the entertainment industry, including those working in nightclubs, bars, and resorts.
This support includes:
- Immediate health assistance;
- Alternative livelihood programs; and
- Continuous protection against discrimination and gender-based violence.
Our role is not to tax vulnerability. Our mandate is to create pathways out of exploitation.
A Call to Action: I therefore call upon the Committees on Women, Labor, and Finance to join the Committee on Civil, Political & Human Rights in a concerted effort to revisit this provision. Let us examine it anew through a gender lens. Let us align our local policies with our legal and moral commitments. And let us ensure that we do not continue collecting revenue at the expense of women’s dignity.
