Poll bets' sexist remarks prompt Comelec to declare campaign venues as 'safe spaces'

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April 8, 2025 | 6:14pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections is seeking to designate all election-related activities and venues as "safe spaces" after repeatedly calling out candidates in past weekscandidates in past weeks for uttering sexist and discriminatory remarks during campaign events. 

The Comelec's promulgation of its proposed resolution on safe spaces on Tuesday, April 8, comes after it issued back-to-back show cause orders to three poll bets whose controversial remarks continue to draw flak on social media.

Resolution 11127 seeks to declare all election-related venues and activities as "safe spaces" free from discrimination and harassment. The resolution supplements the earlier Comelec Resolution 11116, which sets anti-discrimination campaign guidelines for this year's elections. 

"All election-related activities and platforms including but not limited to campaign rallies, caucuses, polling places, precincts, canvassing centers, and online election-related platforms including social media are hereby declared as safe spaces," the resolution read.

The resolution also expands and refines the list of prohibited discriminatory acts during the election period, which runs from January 12 to June 11, 2025. 

Besides discriminating based on gender, disability and HIV status, the Comelec has also tagged the following as election offenses: 

• child abuse, including acts that "debase, degrade or demean" the dignity of a child as a human being.
• discrimination of "any kind, on the basis of race, color, sex, Ianguage, religion, political or other national or social origin, property, birth or other status."
• incitement, which refers to an "advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that leads to discrimination, hostility or violence."
• immoral doctrines, including "openly to public morals" and "films which tend to incite subversion, insurrection or rebellion against the State."

The resolution mandates the use of gender-fair language and etiquette in all election-related activities and requires the provision of support services and reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and other marginalized sectors.

The move comes after the Comelec issued show cause orders to the following local candidates for their series of controversial statements during campaign events: 

• Pasig congressional candidate Christian Sia first drew backlash for saying single mothers, especially those who are still menstruating, could sleep with him once a year.
• Misamis Oriental Gov. Peter Unabia, who is seeking reelection, implied that the Maranao community might cause unrest if his son loses, and remarked that nursing is “only for beautiful women.”
• Jay Manalo Ilagan — the vice mayor of Mataas na Kahoy, Batangas, who is seeking a gubernatorial post — made ageist comments against veteran actress and former governor Vilma Santos, his political rival.
• Sia received another show cause order after he publicly commented on the weight and appearance of a female staff member, saying, “Would this be the staff of a manyak (pervert)?"

Sia and Unabia have since publicly apologized for these remarks, although the Comelec still requires candidates to formally submit an explanation of their comments when given a show cause order. 

Garcia told Philstar.com in a message that Sia has yet to respond to his first show cause order, which he can only do until today.