In light of the recent comments of PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde on limiting the number of women recruits to 10% of the police force and reasoning that such limitation is justified considering how women police officers get pregnant and avail of extended maternity leaves, the CHR as Gender Ombud reminds the PNP of the unequivocal provisions of the Magna Carta of Women (MCW) on the incremental increase in the hiring women police officers tasked to address violence against women (VAW). Regardless of proposed legislation, section 9(a) of MCW is already explicit in mandating the PNP and other allied services to increase women hirees to reach 50% in five years from the passage of MCW. It is MCW’s 10th anniversary next year, the 10% limit finds no support and basis .

Furthermore, justifying such limit on women’s pregnancy and extended maternity leaves goes against the spirit and intent of the MCW in prohibiting all forms of discrimination against women and of the maternity leave law in recognizing women’s gender specific needs.