In Baguio City, the Philippine National Police reported a significant decrease in child abuse cases across the Cordillera region, attributing the decline to a robust information education campaign (IEC) targeting households. According to data from the Police Regional Office-Cordillera Administrative Region (PROCAR), there were 281 reported cases of violence against children in the first ten months of the year, a notable reduction from the 354 cases recorded during the same period in the previous year. Benguet, which reported the highest number of cases in 2023 at 100, saw the most substantial decrease, with only 67 cases this year. Other areas also showed declines: Baguio City reported 84 cases down from 92; Ifugao saw a drop from 43 to 31 cases; Kalinga from 42 to 29; Abra from 34 to 32; Apayao from 22 to 19; and Mountain Province from 21 to 19 cases. The most common types of abuse reported were rape, exploitation, discrimination, and acts of lasciviousness. This year, 23 suspects were apprehended without a warrant, either during hot pursuit or caught in the act, while 76 were arrested with a warrant. The majority of the victims were female, ranging in age from two to seventeen years old. The rise in sexual abuse cases during the pandemic was linked to prolonged confinement at home. In response, local government units, along with the police, initiated aggressive IEC campaigns, including house-to-house visits where officers emphasized the concept of ‘pani-o’—acts against the will of the Almighty—and the importance of respecting the rights of children and women. These efforts have helped build community trust in the police’s commitment to assisting victims.
