The Negros Oriental Provincial Commission on Women (PCW) in Dumaguete City has called on candidates for the 2025 national and local midterm elections to include the special protection of women in their political agenda.
In a Kapihan sa PIA forum, PCW co-chair Phoebe Tan said political candidates should recognize that women’s situation is a development issue that includes economic, health, poverty, as well as human rights issues.
“This is not just a battering issue or domestic issue that the local officials should understand. Women’s situation is a development issue because those abused women will never reach her economic potential,” said Tan.
She also urged local government units (LGUs) to enact an ordinance supporting the functionality of Violence Against Women (VAW) desks, as well as create a permanent post for a barangay VAW desk officer to effectively address local cases of VAW at the grassroots level.
A change in local government leadership after elections would also mean a replacement of the barangay VAW desk officer who has already been trained in handling gender-sensitive cases.
“The continuity of cases as well as the advocacy on women’s protection was being hindered,” said Tan.
Increasing VAW cases, increased awareness
Records from the Women’s and Children’s Protection Desk (WCPD) show that VAW cases in the province increased from 437 in 2023 to 448 in 2024.
WCPD attributes the increase to better awareness among women on their rights as a result of continued information dissemination and government interventions for victims of abuse.
“More women now have the courage to come out into the open to report abuses and seek help from authorities,” said WCPD chief, Police Captain Helen Grace Aldirite.
Of the total VAW cases, the majority involve violations of Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 with 393, followed by cases of acts of lasciviousness with 24; rape, 19; attempted rape, three; violations to Republic Act 11648 or the Act of Raising the Age of Sexual Consent, three; attempted murder, two; and one each for grave threats, violation of Republic Act 9995 or the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009, frustrated murder and attempted parricide.
Aldirite said 33 cases were filed in court with the perpetrators arrested, 64 were cleared, while one is currently under investigation.
GAD Fund
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Dumaguete is urging all LGUs to maximize their five percent Gender and Development (GAD) fund.
“This is only to address gender disparity and gender equality as well. We push for participatory government and hope that all women in all sectors are continuously represented and heard,” said DILG GAD focal Klin Mendez.
In the same forum, Ona Quizo, executive director of Gender Watch Against Violence and Exploitation in Dumaguete, disclosed that around nine all-male groups have been organized in six LGUs to support efforts to end VAW.
“We saw the tool that men talking to men is more effective because who else would be better to encourage men to be part of the advocacy than men themselves,” she said. (PIA-7 Negros Oriental)