MANILA, Philippines — Wives who hold hostage their husbands’ salaries and ATM cards could be held liable for economic abuse if a proposed law expanding the coverage of the Violence Against Women and Their Children (VAWC) Act of 2004 becomes law.

House Bill No. 4888, filed by Rizal 2nd District. Rep. Fidel Nograles, seeks to amend and expand VAWC law to include husbands and LGBTQIA+ partners.

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“Ang economic abuse ay ‘yung ginagawang financially dependent ‘yung partner sa inyo at nawawalan siya ng karapatan na magdesisyon kung paano tutugunan ang kanyang sariling pangangailangan,” Fidel explained in a news forum in Quezon City.

(Economic abuse is making your partner financially dependent on you and he/she is losing the right to decide on how he/she should fend for him/her needs.)

“Classic example dito ay ‘yung pagkuha ng ATM card ng partner, pagkuha ng lahat ng sweldo, tapos hindi bibigyan ng pagkakataon ‘yung partner na bumili o magdecide ng kanyang mga sariling gastusin,” he added.

(A classic example of this is seizing a partner’s ATM card, all salaries, then depriving him/her of the chance to choose or decide on his/her own spending.)

In proposing the measure, Nograles said he wants to “mainstream gender equality” and make protection “inclusive.”

“Sa panahon ngayon, hindi lang women and their children ang nangangailangan,” he said.

(In this age, not only women and their children have needs.)

The lawmaker pointed out that the existing VAWC only includes women and children, but studies would show that 12 to 15 percent of relationships are afflicted with abused husbands.

“Tumataas ang trend nito at dahil sa macho ego culture natin, nahihiya lumantad ang mga abused husbands,” the lawmaker said.

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(The trend of this is increasing and because of our macho ego culture, abused husbands are embarrassed to come out in the open.)

“Mayroon din tayong instances ng mga abused husbands na sinusuko nila lahat ng kanilang sweldo o ‘yung ATM card sa kanilang misis at nawawalan sila ng karapatan na magdesisyon kung paano tugunan ang kanilang mga sariling pangangailangan,” he added.

(We also have instances of abused husbands giving up all their salaries and ATM cards to their wives and they lose the right to decide on how to take care of their own needs.)

/kga

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