Senate OKs bill vs racial profiling, discrimination

The Senate on Monday unanimously approved on third and final reading a bill prohibiting racial profiling and discrimination. With 19 affirmative votes and zero negative votes, the Senate on Monday passed Senate Bill 2814 or the "Anti-Ethnic or Racial Profiling and Discrimination Act of 2011." SB 2814 says discrimination is committed "when a person treats another less favorably on the basis of ethnic or racial origin and or religious affiliation or belief than the person treats or would treat another without that attribute, or with a different attribute, on the same or similar circumstances in employment, education, accommodation and delivery of services." Under the measure, it shall be unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a person on the ground of race, ethnicity, or religious belief or affiliation in terms of who should be offered employment, extended certain working conditions, and given promotion. It shall likewise be unlawful for an educational institution, both public and private, to discriminate against a person based on the same attributes by denying entry into the institution, providing unjust admission conditions, and subjecting the person to other detriment. It shall also be unlawful for agents offering accomodation to discriminate against a person based on the same attributes by denying the person's application, giving low priority to the person, or evicting the person. "It shall be the duty of every person, natural, or juridical, public or private, to ensure that there is equal opportunity for all persons in relation to actual or prospective employees, students, tenants, customers, clients, and that no discriminatory acts... is committed by them or their agents in the areas of employment, housing, education and delivery of basic goods and services," said the measure. Violation of the bill's provisions is punishable by imprisonment of not less than 30 days but not more than one year and a fine of not less than P10,000 but not more than P100,000. SB 2814 was authored by Senators Antonio Trillanes IV, Loren Legarda, and Francis Pangilinan. Meanwhile, the Senate also unanimously approved on third and final reading House Bill 3826, which seeks to institutionalize kindergarten education as a requirement for every five-year-old child and above who wishes to enroll into the first grade in public schools. HB 3826 was passed in the House of Representatives last January. — Kimberly Jane Tan/RSJ, GMA News