In Baguio City, Assistant City Prosecutor Ruth Bernabe, who also leads the Cordillera Inter-Agency Task Force against trafficking, emphasized the necessity of sustained efforts to protect women and children from violence. Speaking at the conclusion of the 18-day campaign to end violence against women and children (VAWC) at the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD-CAR), Bernabe highlighted that one in five women still faces physical, emotional, and psychological abuse, according to 2022 data.
Bernabe stressed that violence often occurs within the supposed safety of homes, urging a start from within families and personal commitment to end such abuses. She also addressed the harmful practice of victim-blaming, criticizing the notion that women’s choices in clothing or drinking habits justify violence against them. Additionally, Bernabe expressed hope that the absence of reported cases of online sexual exploitation of children in the region truly reflects a lack of such incidents, rather than unreported crimes.
Maria Aplaten, Director of DSWD-CAR, reinforced the message that the end of the annual campaign should not signify the end of efforts to protect women and children. She introduced the Men Opposed to VAW Everywhere (MOVE) organizations, established in 33 out of 77 local governments in the region, as well as in half of the six provincial governments, six regional line agencies, and two state universities and colleges. Aplaten emphasized the importance of involving men in the fight against VAWC, suggesting that training and awareness could transform men from potential perpetrators into allies in the cause.