The City of Davao has passed an anti-discrimination ordinance (ADO) pursuant to the provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution as well as the generally accepted principles of international law, such as the 1981 Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination based in Religion or Belief, the 1993 UN General Assembly Resolution on Elimination of All Forms of Religious Intolerance and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
City Ordinance No. 0417-12, enacted on December 12, specifically looks at discrimination happening in employment, education, delivery of goods and services, and accommodation.
Akin to other ADOs now existing in the country, the Davao City ADO also mandates the formation of an anti-discrimination mediation and conciliation board. This board will be composed of, among others, the city mayor; city legal officer; chairperson of the committee on civil, political, and human rights of the Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP); chairperson of the committee on labor and employment opportunities of the SP; chairperson of the committee on education, science and technology, arts and culture of the SP; city superintendent of city schools of the Department of Education; Head of the Commission on Higher Education in Region XI; indigenous people’s representative in the SP; head of the Office of Muslim Affairs of Davao City; head of the Department of Labor and Employment of Davao City; president of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry; head of the Bishops-Ulama Conference; president of the Davao Colleges and Universities Network; and the head of the coordinating council of Private Education Association Region XI.
The board aims to mediate/conciliate those who may raise complaints and the accused to avoid judicial, quasi-judicial, prosecutorial and administrative action.
Except when violations are committed against existing national laws, penalties for violations of the ADO could range from admonition and a fine of P1,000 for first conviction, to imprisonment for fifteen days and a fine of P5,000 for third conviction.
