Duterte signed the following bills on April 29, but was not disclosed to the media until Monday: Senate Public Service Committee Grace Poe welcomed the passage of new legislation she supported “to improve telecommunications and transportation services.” File photo of President Rodrigo Duterte, with the president`s former special assistant, now Senator Bong Go. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Monday signed Republic Act No. 11659 amending the Civil Service Act (PSA), which will open several sectors of the economy to full foreign ownership. Other recently signed Republic laws introduced on Monday included amendments to the Foreign Investment Law (RA 11647), raising the age to determine rape commission (RA 11648) and introducing policies and services for learners with disabilities to support inclusive education (RA 11650). MANILA, Philippines – In the final months of his term, outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte signed 23 additional measures, including granting franchises and establishing regular offices of the Bureau of Land Transportation (LTO) in parts of the country. “I believe that through this law, easing restrictions on foreign equities will attract more global investors, modernize multiple sectors of public services, and improve the delivery of basic services,” President Duterte said at the signing ceremony of the bill and the presentation of other newly signed measures in Malaca±. MANILA, Philippines — In the final months of his resignation, outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte signed five new laws that renamed some schools and established offices of the Maritime Industry Authority. Poe said that with the new laws, more job opportunities should become available in communities as “services are expanded and improved.” Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law raising the minimum age of sexual consent from 12 to 16, his office said Monday, to protect minors from rape and sexual abuse. The Philippines has so far had one of the lowest minimum ages of sexual consent in the world, behind Nigeria`s age of 11, according to the United Nations Children`s Fund (UNICEF).

A 2015 joint study by UNICEF and the Center for Women`s Resources, a local nongovernmental group, showed that seven out of 10 rape victims in the Philippines were children. One in five respondents aged 13 to 17 reported experiencing sexual abuse, while one in 25 experienced forced sex as children, according to the study. Under the Duterte-approved bill, which is gender-neutral, any adult who has sexual contact with someone under the age of 16 would commit legal rape unless the age difference between them was three years or younger and the sex was consensual and not abusive or abusive. The exemption does not apply if the person concerned was under 13 years of age. “We welcome this legal development and hope it will help protect young girls from rape and sexual abuse,” said Josalee Deinla, spokesperson for the National Union of People`s Advocates, which provides legal aid to poor and marginalized people in the Philippines. Lawrence Fortun, one of the bill`s main sponsors, described it as “a big step forward.” “I am pleased that our joint efforts to push for stronger protection against rape and other forms of sexual abuse are progressing,” he said in a statement. Duterte signs 23 other laws, including new franchises, the creation of LTO offices “With the modernization or creation of new ground transportation offices, our people no longer have to travel far and have long lines to get a permit or register their vehicles,” she said in a statement. “It is also expected to create more jobs for Filipinos, improve basic services for Filipino consumers, and enable the exchange of skills and technology with the country`s foreign partners.” “In fact, the passage of this amended law as well as the amended foreign investment law will help boost the economy, especially for local businesses. With the signing of the President, the President said the changes would help the economy recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and thanked Congress for its timely ratification.

The amendments to the PSA aim to encourage investment in sectors essential to the common good, in particular telecommunications, airlines, expressways, tolls, railways and maritime transport.