SM Supermalls, in collaboration with the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), conducted the inaugural Nationwide Orientation on the Safe Spaces Act on Tuesday, October 3. The event took place at the SM Mall of Asia Arena Annex (MAAX) Building, with remote participation via online platforms.
The Safe Spaces Act, commonly known as the Bawal Bastos Law, deems gender-based sexual harassment in public, private, and online spaces as illegal. SM organized this nationwide seminar as a follow-up to the Memorandum of Agreement signed with the PCW in August during the GADTimpala Awards. The primary objective of the seminar was to educate SM’s Mall Managers, Mall Operations and Customer Relations Services teams, as well as janitorial and security personnel, on how to establish safe spaces for women within and beyond SM malls.
“SM Supermalls Senior Vice President, Engr. Bien C. Mateo, emphasized our unwavering dedication to ensuring women’s safety, support, and empowerment, extending beyond the confines of our premises. We aspire to foster an environment where women can freely express themselves while feeling safe.
SM demonstrates its commitment to its female stakeholders through a range of initiatives. These include the establishment of 80 breastfeeding stations across our malls, active participation in breast cancer awareness, and sponsorship of the Women’s International Network for Disaster Risk Reduction Leadership Awards in the Asia Pacific region. Furthermore, this orientation aligns with the SM Cares Advocacy for Women, supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5, “Gender Equality,” and underscores SM Supermalls’ compliance with legal requirements.”
