MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Good morning, Malacañang Press Corps. Welcome sa ating press briefing ngayong araw, December 11.

We have been observing since November 25 this year the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women or VAW. This campaign calls for unity among all genders and sectors of society to finally put an end to violence in all its forms.

With the recurring campaign theme “United for a VAW-Free Philippines” and its 2024 sub-theme “VAW Bigyang Wakas, Ngayon na ang Oras” this highlights the urgency of the advocacy in line with the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Anti-VAWC Act of 2004.

To discuss with us the 18-Day Campaign to End VAWC, we are joined today by the Chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Women Ermelita V. Valdeavilla; Department of Social Welfare and Development Assistant Secretary Atty. Elaine F. Fallarcuna; Department of Justice Assistant Secretary Michelle Ann S. Lapuz; and PLTCOL Andree Deedee C. Abella, Officer-in-Charge, Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Division, PNP Women and Children Protection Center. Good morning. Let’s start with the chairman.

PCW CHAIRPERSON VALDEAVILLA: Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Fellow members of the panel, Asec. Michelle Ann Lapuz of DOJ; Asec. Elaine Fallarcuna of DSWD; PLTCOL. Andree Deedee Abella of the Anti-VAW Division of the Women and Children Protection Center; respected members of the press, magandang umaga po sa ating lahat.

At salamat sa pagsunod ninyo sa lahat ng aming mga activities. Ang pagbibigay ninyo ng espasyo sa inyong mga pagsusulat para ipaliwanag sa taumbayan kung ano ang kahulugan ng labing-walong araw na adbokasiya para sa ikalulutas ng suliranin sa violence against women.

I am taking this opportunity to thank the prime movers of this campaign, from the smallest campaign events at the barangays, schools, organizations and offices to the municipal, city, provincial, regional and national settings. This is part of a global campaign. Their campaign is 16 days; ours is 18 days. So their campaign has just ended and ours will be ending tomorrow.

Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat, sa pamahalaan, civil society at non-government organizations, state universities and colleges, local government units, government-owned and controlled corporations, kabataan, kalalakihan, lahat ng pamayanan at ang mga development partners at UN agencies lalung-lalo na po ang UNFPA. Walang hanggang pagpupugay sa suportang inyong ibinibigay. Maraming salamat po.

The Orange Movement—this is what I’m wearing now. The orange that you saw in the social media, in offices and in many places might have just meant nothing but a color. But it sent a powerful signal that there are many of us who are opposing violence against women. And to tell you an anecdote, I live in Tayabas City, and they oranged the whole city. And then my friend sent me a message saying, one of the offenders was asking, what is this craziness all about? And they said, it means that if you continue beating a woman, these people are the ones who will be running after you. And he said, “Oh, scary.”

So, everyone who flashed the orange color during the campaign has metaphorically shouted out in their heart that it is time to stop violence. Orange has many meanings but both as the color of autumn and in Confucianism, the orange color means transformation. In our campaign, it means a transformed and transformative life for both the offenders and the victims/survivors. When we become an orange champion, we engineer a positive transformation.

Violence against women remains a global pandemic as you know. It affects one in three women or an estimated 641 million individuals worldwide, which is more than five times the Philippine population. The 2022 national demographic and health survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed nearly one in five Filipino women have experienced emotional, physical or sexual violence at the hands of their current or most recent intimate partner. The men they loved and who vowed to protect them have become women’s primary source of fear.

Imagine being in the midst of 641 million faces with bleeding lips, bruised faces, injured eyes, broken nose, sliced fingers and a crushed dignity and a tattered spirit – imagine that. Ending violence against women is not merely a human rights and moral imperative. It is essential for building a just, equitable and peaceful society, and it is indispensable to human growth, happiness and fulfillment. Moving forward, we will continue to stand against gender-based violence, and collaborate in the implementation of the National Action Plan to End VAW through prevention, response and enabling structures.

As President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said in his statement, let us unite with a renewed sense of purpose to break the cycle of violence through collective action, informed policies and deep community engagement. We can work towards a Bagong Pilipinas where every woman is seen, heard, lives free from fear, and is empowered to thrive in society. Together, we can make a difference. Let us all be united for a VAW-free Philippines. Sa Bagong Pilipinas, ayaw natin ng dahas. Tumulong po tayo.

Salamat po sa inyo.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: From the DOJ.

DOJ ASEC. LAPUZ: Good morning, everyone. On behalf of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, I repeat his powerful words: Violence against women should have no place in a society where rule of law reign supreme. This is a call to action for each and every one, and being a catalyst for change and awareness about the perils that lurk among our women.

In response to Secretary Remulla’s call for action, the DOJ has implemented several critical programs aimed at combatting all forms of violence against women, particularly in crimes significantly affecting more women compared to men such as trafficking in persons where 76% of recorded victims in 2024 were women, the department’s policy on proactive involvement of prosecutors in case buildup and investigation yielded positive impact on the prosecution of said cases.

As of the third quarter of 2024, the DOJ has an 82% prosecution success rate for human trafficking cases. In the same period, the DOJ has an 80% prosecution success rate for cases filed under RA 9262, and 88% prosecution success rate for cases of rape.

The Department also launched various educational campaigns to raise awareness about different forms of violence against women: First, is the premiere of the Bawal ang Bastos video which highlighted the department’s commitment to the full implementation of the Safe Spaces Act;

We also launched a local chapter of the Men Opposed to Violence Against Women Everywhere or MOVE, underscoring the role of male employees and officers in ending violence against women.

To address the root causes of proliferation of violence such as cultural stigmas and victim-blaming attitudes that hinder reporting and seeking help for victims of violence, the department launched its nationwide campaign targeting grassroots communities through its barangay IACAT program, in partnership with various local government units all over the country.

In the workplace, the department is committed to being more gender balanced and inclusive. Fifty-three percent of its officers, those holding directorship or higher positions are females. The DOJ is likewise committed to creating a safe working environment that uplifts women officials and employees by strengthening its gender and development and special protection office, a one-stop shop for victims of gender-based violence, and by having a zero tolerance policy on sexual harassment in the workplace.

In line with this year’s theme “VAW Bigyang-Wakas, Ngayon na ang Oras!” the Department of Justice Action Center which renders legal assistance to the general public has established priority lanes for victims or complainants of violence against women. from these programs, the Department of Justice stands committed not only in responding to incidents of violence against women but more so in preventing them. The DOJ calls on everyone to come together and create a society where every woman can live with a dignity, safety and respect.

Maraming salamat po.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Thank you. Next, we will have the DSWD and after that the PNP.

DSWD ASEC. FALLARCUNA: Thank you so much. Good morning everyone especially to our respected media partners.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development and on behalf of our Secretary, Secretary Rex Gatchalian as the chairperson of the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their Children is honored to be part of this press conference which is very timely because we are still observing the 18-day campaign to End Violence Against Women.

Through the shared efforts of the members of the inter-agency both from the national, regional and local level, we continue to harmonize initiatives and build stronger systems to protect the rights and dignity of women and their children across the country. Among the notable accomplishments of the council is the establishment of barangay VAW desks in over 39,619 barangays nationwide serving as the first line of responders to cases of abuse.

Additionally, the council continues to strengthen referral systems such as the VAW Referral Service which ensures victim-survivors access to social support, legal assistance, medical services and temporary shelter. These efforts are bolstered by our ongoing work to develop a national service directory that maps available services for VAWC victim-survivors and ensures they are accessible at the local level.

We are also advancing a harmonized data system to improve the collection and analysis of VAW-related information across all agencies – this is in partnership, of course, with the Philippine Commission on Women and the UNFPA. These initiatives seek to reduce the retraumatization of victim-survivors by streamlining their interactions with different service providers. This system, once fully implemented will not only enhance case management but also form evidence-based policy development and program planning.

On top of this, our education and advocacy campaigns such as this, the annual 18-day campaign to end VAW, continue to raise awareness and inspire collective action at all levels of society. We also support the Men Opposed to Violence Everywhere, a group dedicated to engaging men as allies in fighting against gender-based violence.

And, of course in the DSWD as the lead agency in social welfare, we implement also a wide range of programs and services designed to provide immediate comprehensive and sustainable assistance to victim-survivors of violence. Our programs and services include counselling services for the rehabilitation of perpetrators of domestic violence. This community-based intervention target male perpetrators of domestic violence offering counselling sessions aimed at transforming abusive behavior and breaking the cycle of violence. This program promotes healing and prevention, addressing the root causes of domestic violence.

We have also centers and residential care facilities nationwide. We operate these facilities across the country providing 24-hour temporary or long-term shelter for a victim-survivor of VAWC. We have also the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), the Sustainable Livelihood Program which empowers VAW victim-survivors by enhancing their socioeconomic capacity through technical training, livelihood support and financial assistance. These programs help also rebuild their lives and gain the economic independence necessary for them to thrive.

We have also the Women-Friendly Spaces during disaster especially in emergency or crisis. These women spaces are established in evacuation centers or communities to cater to the specific needs of women. These spaces provide gender awareness education, psychological first aid, reproductive health services and access to livelihood opportunities, fostering safety and empowerment even in the most challenging circumstances.

We are also celebrating the 20th anniversary of the RA 9262 which establishes the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women. And we would like to reiterate that in ending violence against women, we are all stakeholders here including the media; the reason why we want to thank the media for this, and of course, the PCO. Lahat tayo dito ay stakeholder. We all have a part to play. We all have our role to fulfill.

Thank you very much.

PLTCOL. ANDREE DEEDEE ABELLA: Good morning.

The Philippine National Police is one with the Filipino people in the campaign for a VAW-free Philippines. In fact, for a regular or an ordinary police officer, every day is a day of campaign to end VAW.

The WCPC or the Women and Children Protection Center – specially mandated to investigate all forms of violence against women and children – has long been at the forefront in protecting women and providing necessary assistance such as emergency protection of victim-survivors from further trauma, determination of a violation of a law, obtaining evidence necessary for protection and filing of the case in court.

As we speak, 5,310 women police officers who are trained to handle sensitive cases involving women and children are manning 1,881 women and children protection desks nationwide. The WCPC employs a systematic way of recording incidents of violence against women through the PNP Crime Incident Reporting and Analysis System or the CIRAS. From January 1st to November 30th of this year, a total of 11,636 of such incidents were recorded – showing that violence against women remains to be a challenge for law enforcement.

However, it is also worth it to note that out of this figure – 11,522 are cleared; 7,025 of which are solved; and, only 114 are still under investigation. On the other hand, the PNP VAW referral process is simple, victim-centered and confidential. It goes without saying that WCPD personnel are adequately trained and properly equipped to handle VAW cases.

Along with its investigative function, the WCPC provides other forms of assistance to VAW victims such as referring them to the PNP Forensic Group or the nearest government hospital for medico-legal, physical and psychological evaluation or the local social welfare and development office. If an immediate response is needed such as when the life of the victim-survivor is in danger, a rescue operation is promptly coordinated to protect the victim or to protect the victim from further harm.

The WCPC also maintains its “Aling Pulis Helpline” – a 24/7 hotline for calls or messages for assistance. The WCPC continuously implements information campaigns in schools, local communities, other government offices and even in the private sector as part of its awareness and advocacy initiatives to end or to address VAW. Infomercials are also regularly posted on the PNP Women and Children Protection Centers Facebook page. These awareness campaigns help educate the public about the severity of VAW, as well as encourage victims to come out in the open and speak up.

Violence Against Women is a pressing societal issue that require societal action. Individually as separate agencies or organizations, we can only do so much. But through a whole-of-society approach, by working together to address these horrendous crimes, we can create a safer community or a safer society where everybody, regardless of gender, are able to thrive and achieve their fullest potential.

Thank you.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Thank you for the briefing. Now, we open to questions. We have questions from Racquel Bayan, Radyo Pilipinas.

RACQUEL BAYAN/RADYO PILIPINAS: Good morning po. To Chair Ermelita. Ma’am, you mentioned kanina one out of five Filipinas nakakaranas po ng pang-aabuso. With all the programs and iyong awareness na ginagawa natin, nakakita na po ba tayo ng improvement doon sa number na iyon?

PCW CHAIRPERSON VALDEAVILLA: Una po, mayroon po tayong problema sa pagtatala ng numero. Ang sabi po ng Philippine National Police, isa lamang sa sampung kaso ang nairi-report. So, reporting is a problem because this kind of problem is more preferred to be kept within the confines of the family; nahihiya po sila. Iyong iba po hindi nagri-report kasi wala po silang tiwala doon sa kanilang pinagri-report-an o kaya hindi nila alam kung anong gagawin nila at hindi rin nila alam kung anong magiging resulta ng kanilang paglapit sa kanilang pagsusumbungan.

So, ang gagawin po talaga natin diyan ay dapat na bantayan natin ang nangyayaring violence kahit hindi sila magsumbong—sa community po kasi alam nila eh, they know when there is violence against women going on. So, as long as they can record the data even if it is not official at least we will have a basis.

I know that the DILG is trying to set up a watch group – Violence Against Women Watch Group. So, this is like an NGO not a government entity but this is a vital tool for generating data.

Sa tingin ko po, kailangan natin ng scientific study para malaman natin kung ano ang pagbabago dahil mahirap po, it’s difficult to capture the changes in the minds of people and society.

But if you will look at the time, when I was still young – so I’m 70 years old – so when I was still young, there’s not even a term “violence against women”. It’s not being talked about and if you are a woman and you talk about it, you are the one who will be blamed by society and you are seen to be the one who is guilty of provoking violence.

So, I think, we have come a long way. My father was barangay captain for 22 years and we are producing lambanog – it is coconut vodka. And every day, there are people who are drunk. They distilled the vodka in the morning, in the afternoon they fight and they beat their children and their wives. And they come to our place; they sleep in our place. And my father has had to think of various innovative ways of dealing with it.

Counseling, long before counseling was introduced, destierro which is asking the man to stay away from this barangay for 20 days, and if you are seen within that period, you will be apprehend by the barangay tanod and even scaring them that if you continue to do that, the New People’s Army might come and get you.

So, these days, no more like this. Barangay captains do not have to invent or think about strategies because it’s provided under the law; there are protocols on how to handle the cases.

So, if I may just say that it will really take time, not overnight but it will take time and it will take good gathering of data to be able to proudly say that something is happening in the positive direction.

And as they have reported, there are services now everywhere unlike before when it is not even talked about. So, let’s hope that all of these services happening and we have a new action plan on ending violence against women which is heavy on prevention because no matter how many responses or how good your responses are is not going to end unless you treat the behavior that causes violence. Thank you.

RACQUEL BAYAN/RADYO PILIPINAS: Thank you, ma’am. Ma’am, sa PNP po, when you say 11,000…from the record last year, 11,000 were cleared and 7,000 were solved. Ano po iyong difference noong cleared sa solved? At saka mayroon na po ba tayong data, how about 2024 naman po?

PLTCOL. ABELLA: Yeah, I was talking about this year. Actually, the 11,636 is the recorded data of VAW from January first to November 30 of this year. And I mentioned 11,522 are cleared and out of the 11,522 cleared 7,025 are solved. So, when we say cleared, at least one of the suspects is identified and a case has been filed; while when the suspect is arrested, case has been filed then it’s considered solved. So, iyong cleared po is including na po doon kasama na po doon iyong solved. Thank you.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN.

PIA GUTIERREZ/ABS-CBN: Following iyong po kay doon po sa binabanggit po ni Chairman, we understand that violence against women particularly po doon sa mga intimate relationships are almost always not only involves just physical violence but it also involves psychological, economic and even emotional abuse and manipulation which makes it harder for women to report, much less end ito pong mga abusive relationships. Nabanggit ninyo rin po there is also the cultural aspect. So, given these complications po, ano po iyong mga programs natin to empower women to report and end abusive relationships? And also, if there are programs na focused po on men particularly doon po sa nabanggit ninyo pong prevention aspect?

PCW CHAIRPERSON VALDEAVILLA: Ang kababaihan po natin ngayon ay kakaiba na kaysa sa kababaihan noon. So, even if they don’t have the full competence in identifying what kind of case they have to bring to the police, they know exactly when they are being abused, they know exactly where to go because the women’s desk of the police is also popular and also the barangay women’s desk are also popular.

I think they have more capacity now to report and we the Philippine Commission on Women is not a direct service agency, we are in the policy level but we are conducting advocacies and information campaign. And this violence against women campaign is part of a broad strategy of the government of the Philippines on gender equality and women’s empowerment. So, on one side you empower women, on the other side you promote gender equality in which you also bring the men as partners to this.

So, on the part of the men as they have mentioned already we have the MOVE – Men Opposed to Violence – and this is nationwide, hindi lang po sa dalawang agencies kung hindi sa lahat po iyan. And we are dreaming to be able to make the next year campaign as something that is led by men where they will be the one to speak up and talk about how men can change and control their behavior because they are also victims of culture. We have went back to the origin iyong alamat ng violence against women and if we will have the chance to know that you will realize that violence against women have been used by the colonizers to really conquer half of our population, make them stupid so that they can colonize the country for 333 years. So, that’s what they did to women.

But anyway, we also have a referral center at the Commission on Women. So, they actually have to go to the police, but there are also cases where they are being brought to the Philippine Commission on Women because we are the Commission on Women, we are supposed to be able to response. So, we have hotlines and we also have direct partnership with the service agencies, for example, in the response system, there are legal assistance from the PAO and there are also units in the Department of Health hospitals so that they can discern the type of injuries being shown by women so that they can say that this is a victim of violence against women and we have to alert the police.

We campaign for women’s empowerment so that they can assert and they could defend their rights when necessary. Asserting their right is important because violence against women is a question of power. If they are abusing a woman and the woman is not able assert or defend her right or even articulate that this is against the law, then all the more that you enable the offender to abuse you. So, empowerment of women is very important.

It’s also very important that they know how to rear their children because there is such a thing as intergenerational transmission of violent behavior.

So, if they do not take the children away from that culture of violence in the home then chances are these girls and boys will also have a relationship like that and the cycle gets perpetuated.

So, education of families is very important but that is also under the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Can we have Eden Santos, Net 25?

EDEN SANTOS/NET25: Good morning po, ma’am. Iyon pong mga surrogacy scheme in Cambodia wherein 13 Pinays po were rescued, do you consider them as victims of violence against women?

PCW CHAIRPERSON VALDEAVILLA: If it is against the will of the women, if they have been cheated – it is.

EDEN SANTOS/NET25: Paano po ninyo matutulungan itong mga Pinays na ito once na nakabalik na po sila ng Pilipinas?

PCW CHAIRPERSON VALDEAVILLA: Well, they will have to be referred to an inter-agency—because we are inter-agency, so we need the support from the DSWD, the Department of Justice and I think, they have very concrete action on this. Because this falls already under trafficking eh, trafficking in persons and we have a very strong law on trafficking in persons. So, we would like to ask our Department of Justice representative to talk about their program.

DOJ ASEC. LAPUZ: Yes, under Philippine law, there is such a thing as the ‘non-punishment’ principle. So, for those who are victims of trafficking, but during the course of their victimization that they commit acts of trafficking themselves, they are not punished, this is under the ‘non-punishment’ principle. Unfortunately, Cambodia does not have the same policy but in the Philippines, we follow that. So, the stand of the inter-agency council against trafficking is that the Filipinas who are involved in the surrogacy scheme, under the Philippine law, are not to be punished because we follow the ‘non-punishment’ principle.

HARLEY VALBUENA/DZME: Good morning po. I believe nabanggit din po kanina na ang Violence Against Women also happens in the workplace. So, may we know, ano po iyong sectors of work na usually maraming incidents na ganito, and sino po usually iyong perpetrators?

PCW CHAIRPERSON VALDEAVILLA: Where power imbalance exists, violence against women predominates. So, marami kaming pinagdaanan na mga ahensiya na, sasabihin ko ba dito? For example, NLRC na iyong boss nila are soliciting favors from young women who have cases that they are bringing to the office. Noon po kasing wala pa iyong 7788, so noong wala pa po iyon, nagkaroon po kami ng meeting ng mga government officials across the country and all of them were talking about sexual harassment, may pangalan pa. So, sa education, kuwatro or kuwarto, road test, so may pangalan pa ang sexual harassment and that was the beginning of the advocacy to have the law on anti-sexual harassment.

So, the Department of Education was one field because of the power structure – ang mga teachers, babae; ang mga principals, supervisors, mga district, lahat sila lalaki, so there’s imbalance of power, there is always sexual harassment and abuse. Kaya po kakabit iyan ng advocacy namin na i-promote naman natin ang mga kababaihan sa matataas na propesyon at iyon pong Magna Carta of Women natin, sinasabi na 40 to 60% mag-target tayo, but it’s not happening because the advocacy is not also happening at the ranks of the women. And that is one thing, I’m very new in the Philippine Commission on Women, five months or so, but this is one thing that we will look into, the monitoring of the Magna Carta of Women implementation to make sure that our people in the government for example or even in the private sector, where women predominate are not being victimized.

Mahirap po kasing mag-monitor dahil ang mga data po natin ay hiwa-hiwalay; so ang lumalabas po sa Civil Service for example, mga percentages na lang but we would like to go into specific agencies, especially the agencies where women predominate.

HARLEY VALBUENA/DZME: When you say DepEd po, you mean schools, mataas po iyong violence or abuse against women?

PCW CHAIRPERSON VALDEAVILLA: The situation has changed na nga eh. So, they are part of the Commission on Women because their secretary is a member of our Board, and therefore policies are being developed inside the boardroom of the Philippine Commission on Women and things like these are being discussed. The Department of Education is number one in the world when it comes to gender parity according to the Global Gender Top Survey. But that is different, it’s a different case, attaining gender parity is different. So, let’s check on the most recent data on sexual harassment because the data that I have been telling you was before the adoption of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law.

DOJ ASEC. LAPUZ: May I add, Madam Chair? Yes, I mentioned a while ago that in the DOJ there a zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment in the workplace. This is both for quid pro quo sexual harassment, meaning iyong sexual favors and exchange for let’s say promotion or in exchange for favorable conditions in the workplace or para hindi ma-punish, that’s quid pro quo sexual harassment. And at the same time, sexual harassment by creating uncomfortable and harsh working environments for women, so for example iyong mga laging nagdyo-joke, green jokes that make the working environment uncomfortable for women, iyon din, isa rin iyong sexual harassment.

So, the DOJ is very clear on both of these types of sexual harassment na bawal po iyan sa Department of Justice. We want to be an example to other agencies in the government to follow suit. Iyong sinabi rin po ni Madame Chair, sinabi ko rin kanina that in the DOJ, 53% of our officers holding directorship positions or higher are females. This also creates a gender-balanced approach. Ako po, mismo, me personally, when Secretary Boying Remulla included me in his administration, he wanted more Assistant Secretaries who are female dahil we bring a different perspective and we balance the perspective in the department.

So hindi lang po ito salita, ito po ay gawa rin sa DOJ, that we are creating safer working environments for the women in the department.

MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Magandang umaga po. Chair, you mentioned about culture, part na ng nakagawian dito sa Pilipinas that cheating is normal. So can we consider cheating or being unfaithful to your partner a psychological abuse to women? Can women file a complaint?

PCW CHAIRPERSON VALDEAVILLA: Parang may jurisprudence na po diyan. May isang judge na po na nag-isyu ng decision na ang ganiyang klaseng panloloko sa partner, siguro mapababae o mapalalake ‘no is a psychological abuse and it is punishable under the law. We can provide you with a copy of the jurisprudence. Na-test po iyan doon sa jurisprudence pero hindi pa nasusundan. Kaya sana ho mayroong mga lumitaw because we also need them eh, to advance the implementation of the law.

MARICEL HALILI/TV5: And mayroon po kayong na-mention kanina na one out of five women ang nakaka-experience ng abuse. I understand, we still don’t have enough data, dahil nga doon sa reporting problems. But based on the data that we have, kailan po nangyari itong one of five na abused and ano iyong nakikita nating trend, is it increasing, is it decreasing?

PCW CHAIRPERSON VALDEAVILLA: Sa survey po ito ng PSA, so parang every four years yata sila nagsu-survey. What year was that, 2022? So another two years to find out whether it will be going down or going up. But even if it goes up, it could only probably be a factor of being enlightened about reporting. Kasi nga kahit naman po sa PSA, hindi pa rin sila honest masyado kung gusto nilang pagtakpan ang situation ng kanilang pamilya. But nevertheless, whatever is being released by the PSA is something that we take seriously regardless of the factors that constraint the data collecting process.

But sa ibang bansa po kasi, tumataas iyong population, sa atin tumataas din ang population, so, it’s also likely that there will be increases. But it’s also probable that if we do nothing, then the increases will be tremendous than when we do something like this.

CHRISTIAN YOSORES/RADYO 630: Good morning po. Chair, you mentioned kanina na iyong ilan sa mga cases ng VAWC, mas prefer nila na hindi na lang magsumbong at i-keep na lang sa kanilang mga families pero iyong mga kapitbahay, for sure alam din nila iyan. How do we strike a balance po doon, ano po ba iyong papel, ano ang puwedeng maging papel ng community in taking actions doon sa mga nawi-witness nila na mga VAWC cases? Hanggang saan sila puwedeng umaksiyon o makialam kasi siyempre iyong mga victim, sasabihin nila, kami na ang bahala dito as a family, huwag na kayong makialam. Anong puwedeng gawin doon?

PCW CHAIRPERSON VALDEAVILLA: Kasi po ang violence against women is a public crime. So, kapag may nakita po kayong na isang babae na binubugbog sa harap ninyo, you can actually intervene in a way that you will not put yourself in danger. Ang mga nakaka-witness po ng ganito kailangan po silang ma-educate rin kung papaano ang pag-intervene. Wala po kasi tayong protocol for intervening eh, iyon po ang isa naming isinusulong na i-educate natin ang publiko kung anong mga steps – puwede bang tumawag muna tayo doon sa hotline, pagkatapos eh saka tayo lalapit at hindi tayo nag-iisa lalo na kung ikaw ay teenager ‘no.

So, you have to also take care of your own self in the process. Mga kapitbahay talagang ano po ‘di ba Marites ano. So, iyong mga Marites, siguro i-positivize natin na sa salip na pag-usapan lang nila iyong kanilang mga sariling opinion, tingnan din nila ano iyong mga factors na nagpapalala doon sa dynamics noong mag-asawa. Kasi mayroon po talagang mga drivers of violence eh, kagaya nga noong mga paglalasing, mga pagsusugal iyong wala laging pera, pinag-aagawan ang pera o pagdidisiplina sa mga anak.

So, tingnan ninyo iyong mga drivers of violence at iyon po ang tutukan noong mga tumutulong kagaya ng DSWD at DILG. Mga nasa barangay po na mga workers kailangan din nating maging kakampi dahil alam nila iyan eh, hindi lang nila alam kung papaano sila lalapit at mapapakinabangan iyong mga kaalaman nila sa buhay ng mga mag-asawa sa community.

May follow-up question po kayo?

CHRISTIAN YOSORES/RADYO 630: President Marcos just recently signed iyong EO 79, iyong pagtatag po noong Makabata Program and Makabata helpline, may magiging papel po ang any of the agencies dito?

DSWD ASEC. ATTY. FALLARCUNA: Good morning, everyone. We welcomed actually and thanked President Marcos on signing the Makabata Program. This institutionalizes the Makabata helpline, if you know po iyong 138, and the DSWD will be the lead agency in implementing the Makabata Program. The CWC will monitor the implementation as our attached agency, but yes, actually, it is not only the DSWD that will implement the Makabata Program but also the member agencies like DOJ, PCW also and the PNP and most especially the role of the local government unit in ending violence against women and children. And we will include also, ending violence against children, thank you.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Thank you so much to our distinguished guests. Thank you for reaffirming the Marcos administration’s commitment to protecting the right and welfare of every woman by addressing all forms of violence against women, whether physical, psychological or sexual alongside other forms of harm.

Thank you, Chairperson Valdeavilla. Thank you, Asec. Elaine F. Fallarcuna, Asec. Lapuz, and PLTCOL Abella. This concludes our press briefing. Thank you, Malacañang Press Corps. Have a good day.

##