TOWARDS SAFE COMMUNITIES: AWARENESS,

ATTITUDE, COMPLIANCE WITH RA 11313 –

SAFE SPACES ACT AMONG BARANGAY
OFFICIALS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
MABINAY

Baldoza M., Baldoza R., Bordago, Paculanang, and Rodriguez

Introduction

 Gender-based harassment persists in the Philippines (Philippine Commission on Women, 2020)

 The Philippine government enacted Republic Act 11313 – the Safe Spaces Act

 The Safe Spaces Act addresses all forms of harassment

 Barangay officials are integral to the implementation of RA 11313

 Barangay officials are expected to uphold and implement the provisions of the Safe Spaces Act

 In the Municipality of Mabinay, Negros Oriental, there is a lack of research concerning the awareness, attitudes, and compliance
of barangay officials toward the Safe Spaces Act
 Resource limitations, lack of training, and potential cultural or societal barriers are some challenges that may affect the effective
enforcement of the law at the grassroots level
 This study investigates the awareness, attitudes, and compliance of barangay officials in Mabinay, Negros Oriental, regarding
Republic Act 11313
 The study emphasizes the importance of empowering local leaders to ensure the realization of the law’s goal of creating safe and
inclusive communities.
 Findings: improve the implementation of the Safe Spaces Act and can establish a benchmark for subsequent studies
Statement of the Problem

This study aims to investigate the level of awareness, attitude, and compliance of
Barangay Officials in the Municipality of Mabinay, Negros Oriental, regarding Republic Act
11313, otherwise known as the "Safe Spaces Act." Specifically, it seeks to answer the following:

1) What is the level of awareness of Barangay Officials in the Municipality of Mabinay

regarding the provisions of RA 11313?

a. age;

b. sex;

c. marital status; and

d. position?
2) What are the attitudes of Barangay Officials in the Municipality of Mabinay towards RA
11313?
3) What is the level of compliance of Barangay Officials in the Municipality of Mabinay with
the provisions of RA 11313?
4) What is the relationship between the respondent’s level of awareness and attitudes towards
RA 11313?
5) What is the relationship between the Respondent’s Level of Awareness and Level of
Compliance with RA 11313?
6) What is the relationship between the respondent’s attitudes and level of compliance with RA
11313?
Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
This study considered the following theories:
Theory of Situation Awareness
Theory of Attitude
Theory of Compliance
RRL/RRS

 FOREIGN LITERATURE
- Gender-based harassment constitutes a pervasive global phenomenon,
manifesting across diverse cultural and geographical contexts.
- In the United States, the stop street harassment study (2018) reveal a significant
prevalence of street harassment, 65% women and 25% men reporting such
experiences.
- 2016 survey conducted by European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights(FRA)
in Europe revealed a concerning prevalence of sexual harassment, with 55% of
women reporting lifetime experiences.
- The study highlighted significant barriers to reporting, including cultural stigma,
fear of retaliation.
- The authors advocated for community-based programs aimed to raising public
awareness and providing support , emphasizing the role of economic status and
urbanization in axacerbating vulnirabilities to such experiences.
 LOCAL LITERATURE

-In the Philippines, the enactment of Republic Act no. 11313, known as the
Safe Spaces Act, colloquially known as “Bawal Bastos Law”, presents a
significant legislative milestone in the ongoing efforts to combat harassment.
-signed into Law on April 17, 2019, and took effect on August 3, 2019, under
President Rodrigo Duterte’s Administration.
-Landmark Legislation encompasses a broad spectrum of settings, including
public spaces, workplaces, educational or training institutions, and online
platforms, thereby striving to ensure comprehensive protection for all
individuals against various forms of harassment.
-The safe spaces explicitly mandate the active participation of Local
Government Units (LGUs) in its effective implementation.
-The study concludes with a strong recommendation for the Implimentation of
more comprehensive training programs designed to equip barangay Officials
with the requisites knowledge and skills to effectively enforce the provisions
of the safe spaces Act.

-the effecay of Republic Act No.11313, the Safe Spaces Act, hinges
significantly on effective Educational Initiatives .
-These findings underscore the critical need for Educational Institutions to
integrate then Act into their curricula and prioritize the implementation of
Comprehensive gender sensitivity training programs to ensure effective
understanding and compliance with the Law.
Schematic Diagram
Research Methodology

This part presents the research methodology and procedure that includes
the research design, locale of the study, research respondents, research
instrument, validity and reliability, and data gathering procedure.
Research Design

In this study, the researcher will utilize the descriptive-correlational

research design, which is the most effective research model to use for this study.
Locale of the Study

The study will be conducted in the Municipality of Mabinay

specifically the 32 barangays.
Research Respondents

The primary data sources will be the Barangay Officials in the

Municipality of Mabinay. The study population consists of 352 barangay officials
in the Municipality of Mabinay who are actively serving in the current term.
Using Slovin’s formula, the number of respondents is 187. The actual sample
will be chosen through the stratified random sampling technique.
Research Instrument

A standardized questionnaire will be used to address concerns relating to

the research topic. It was categorized into three (3) parts. Part I focused on the
respondents’ level awareness on RA11313 – Safe Spaces Act. Part II focused on
the respondents’ attitude. Part III focused on the respondents’ level of compliance
to RA11313 – Safe Spaces Act. The statistical scale of measurement utilized was
the 4-point Likert scale.
Validity and Reliability of the Instrument

The researcher will use a standardized questionnaire from Borito and

Yango’s study in 2022. Hence, there is no need to conduct validity and reliability
tests.
Sampling Procedure

The researchers will make use of stratified sampling procedure to gather

the data of the Barangay Officials in the Municipality of the Mabinay.
Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher will observe the following procedure in data gathering. Before the researcher

will properly conduct a survey to gather data, the researcher will create transmittal letters. These

letters will be submitted in order to be signed by the Campus Administrator and and Association of

Barangay Captains (ABC) President for the purpose of allowing us to conduct our survey.

If the letter will be approved, then the researcher will start to collect data on the chosen

respondents. The researchers will use questionnaires to conduct the survey. The data gathered will be

statistically analyzed and tabulated using the appropriate statistical tools.