The Philippine president has signed a bill into law penalising a range of acts of sexual harassment including catcalling, wolf-whistling and persistent telling of sexual jokes, which pro-women's groups have accused him of committing.
Philippine officials released on Monday a copy of Republic Act 11313, known as the Safe Spaces Act, which Mr Duterte signed in April.
The reason for the delay in its public release was not immediately clear.
The bill's main author, opposition senator Risa Hontiveros, calls the law a "massive victory" against a growing culture of rude sexist actions.
The law defines a range of offensive acts, including catcalling, wolf-whistling, intrusive gazing, cursing, misogynistic acts, sexist slurs and persistent telling of sexual jokes in public, including in streets, workplaces, vehicles, schools, recreational areas, bars or online.
Other offences include stalking, exposing "private parts, groping or any advances, whether verbal or physical, that is unwanted and has threatened one's sense of personal space and physical safety".
Restaurants, bars, cinemas and other places of recreation are required to install clearly visible warning signs against would-be violators, including a hotline number to allow rapid reporting of offences, and to designate an officer to receive complaints or apprehend perpetrators.
Punishments include fines and imprisonment depending on the gravity of the offence.
Foreign violators would be deported after serving a jail term and paying fines.
Mr Duterte, 74, a longtime mayor before winning the presidency in 2016, has been known for speeches laden with expletives and sexual jokes.
In March, Mr Duterte addressed a mostly female crowd of police and army staff, calling them 'puta' (roughly translated as 'bitch').
Protesters march on the streets of Manila on International Women’s Day, voicing their anger over President Duterte’s misogyny 2019 Source: Getty Images
During the event held to celebrate 'Outstanding Women in Law Enforcement and National Security of the Philippines,' Mr Duterte berated the crowd for criticising him.
“You crazy women”, the president bemoaned, “depriving me of my freedom of expression.”
'You criticise every sentence or word I say'
Activists have repeatedly accused him of sexism and misogyny.
On International Women's day in 2018, Filipino-Australians held a protest at Federation Square in Melbourne to denounce the President's misogyny and violation of women's rights.
But his supporters have defended him by saying he has introduced regulations to protect and uphold women's rights.
