Vow to End VAW: Is it a One-Nation Fight?
In her lifetime, at least one woman in every three has been beaten, forced into sex, or otherwise abused. The abuser is frequently a member of her own family. Increasingly, gender-based violence is recognized as a major public health concern and a violation of human rights (Center for Health and Gender Equity, 1999).
The Philippines has always been one of the most gender-equal countries, especially in Asia. Despite ranking lower than last year, the Philippines is still in the Top 20 and is ranked 19th out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2022. Not to mention, with the help of the laws made and passed by the past administrations, the survivors and victims have had protection and the chance to fight for their rights in such events.
Legalizing the Fight Against VAW in the Philippines
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly (1993) defines violence against women (VAW) as “any act of gender-based violence that results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women”. As a response to this problem, the government passed Republic Act (R.A.) 9262, or the “Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004,” which protects the victims and survivors of violence against women and children (VAWC), and the R.A. 9710, or the “Magna Carta of Women in 2009,” to eliminate any forms of discrimination against women and ensures that their rights are well-recognized and promoted.
R.A. 9710 also defined Gender and Development (GAD) as a development approach and process that respects human rights, is inclusive and sustainable, participative, and empowering, and supports autonomy and accomplishment of everyone’s capability.
Do these laws work? Lagsa (2022) shared data from the Philippine National Police (PNP) showing that the reported number of VAWC cases in the Philippines reached 12,000 in 2021 and 5,339 in the first half of 2022. Even after various movements were implemented to prevent VAW, these cases were still filed.
On the other hand, the recorded VAWC cases in Northern Mindanao decreased. PNP Northern Mindanao spokesperson Major Joanne Navarro said that there were 678 VAWC cases recorded from January 1 to November 24, 2022, compared to last year’s 751 VAWC cases. Daisy Ramos, the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) sectoral unit head for Northern Mindanao, stated that the possible reason why the recorded VAWC cases in the area are lower than the actual cases was most likely because some women were scared and hesitant to file a case against their abusers.
Recapturing the Commencement of the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW
In 1991, to further emphasize that VAW is a human rights violation, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence was formed. It starts on November 25 (International Day Against VAW) and ends on December 10 (International Human Rights Day). The original 16-day campaign was changed to an 18-day Campaign to End VAW that started on November 25 and ended on December 12 when former President Gloria Macapagal–Arroyo signed the Proclamation 1172 series of 2006.
This campaign was further strengthened when the UN Secretary-General launched the UNiTE to End VAW Campaign in 2008. Reiterating the Filipinos’ fight against VAW, former President Benigno S. Aquino III signed R.A. 10398 in 2013 and declared November 25 of every year as the “National Consciousness Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children.”
The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) is a government agency that serves as the major policy-making organization for issues related to women and gender equality. As one of their initiatives in empowering women, PCW leads the “18-day Campaign to End Violence Against Women.” Today, many progressive individuals and organizations call for equality and support this 18-Day Campaign to End VAW in the Philippines.
Taking a Leap for the Unheard: The PUPian Way
As an academic institution, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) supports this government campaign annually in fighting to protect the human rights of women and their children and to address all forms of gender-based violence. Following this, the PUP Gender and Development Office (GADO) spearheaded a two-day Anti-VAW Expo held at the PUP Mabini Campus on December 5 to 6, 2022.
This expo was participated by different colleges in the university, one of which was the College of Communication (COC). Among those who shared their thoughts regarding the Anti-VAW Expo are Althea Belle Agustin from PUP Circle of Research Enthusiasts (PUP CORE), Andrea Carmela Bisenio from PUP Communication Society (PUP CommSoc), Ronjay-C Mendiola from PUP-COC Student Council (PUP-COC SC), Camille Angela Zarate from PUP Journalism Guild (PUP Journ Guild), Sophia Rose Caramat from UNDERSCORE PUP-DCR (UNDERSCORE), and Lheonel Sanchez from The Communicator (Dakom).
This Anti-VAW Expo showcased not a typical booth that attracts the students’ excitement but their curiosity towards the current and shivering truth that Filipinos, especially women, have been experiencing for decades. The COC’s progressive student-led organizations, both inclined in academic and political, participated in this cause by establishing booths that focused on various stories of Filipino women in different aspects.
The PUP-COC SC booth featured the stories of heroism and bravery of women activists and revolutionists who were killed during the Duterte Administration to emphasize that the role of women in society is on revolution and activism.
Meanwhile, the UNDERSCORE, PUP CommSoc, PUP CORE, and PUP Journ Guild have collaborated to craft and establish a gallery exhibit that accented the anti-VAW and GAD advocates’ stories on how they became inclined to pursue and support this cause. The stories of the empowered women being featured did not focus on their individual and horrible experiences related to violence and harassment. Instead, they highlighted how they became advocates to end VAW.
In an interview with UNDERSCORE, Bisenio and Agustin said that the collaborating organizations chose this exhibit to inspire individuals to support the advocacy and to become advocates to end VAW in the Philippines. Given the sensitive aspect of the gallery exhibit, the UNDERSCORE, PUP CommSoc, PUP CORE, and PUP Journ Guild assured that they had observed ethical considerations to protect the sources of the stories they have featured from any harm.
Additionally, the PUP Journ Guild challenged the students’ minds as they proudly displayed a freedom wall to collate the students’ message for women and their thoughts about VAW. Furthermore, as the official student publication of PUP-COC, Dakom also took the opportunity to cover the happenings at the expo and disseminate knowledge to each PUP student on how to end VAW in the country.
Unleashing the Collective Voices of COC Organizations
These booths reflect each organization’s stance on the country’s disturbing issue of VAW and GAD. The COC organizations strongly condemn every form of gender-based harassment and violence and firmly support the fight against VAW and any advocacy and campaign that raise awareness about this national concern as they stand for a safer place for the people, especially women, in this society.
These progressive organizations’ initiatives have been praised by Mendiola when asked about the PUP-COC SC’s stance. At the same time, he also expressed his dismay at the government’s sluggish action towards this decade-long alarming issue.
“Mabagal at makupad, kung minsan nga ay wala pang nagiging tugon ang gobyerno mismo sa mga naaabusong kababaihan. Mas mga progresibong organisasyon pa ang nangunguna sa pag-eempower sa mga kababaihan na lumaban para sa karapatan nila.”
[“The government’s action is too slow. There are times when they don’t say anything about the violence against women. Most of the time, it’s the progressive organizations that lead the empowerment of women and are the ones fighting for women’s rights.”]
This Anti-VAW Expo was conducted on-site after two years of participating in this cause virtually because of the halting of physical activities in the university caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The on-site setup brought happiness and fulfillment to the organizations as the face-to-face activity to support the cause made them feel more connected to their peers, particularly the students who visited the booths.
Caramat and Bisenio felt surreal to be back on-site, as Caramat pointed out the advantage of the face-to-face set-up in a national campaign like Anti-VAW.
“…magandang hakbang ang F2F expo na ito, kasi mas na-e-expand ang goal ng annual campaign, unlike kapag online, very static lamang at limited ang movement and creativity expression.”
[“…unlike the online expo, where the event becomes very static, and our creative expression and movements are very limited, the F2F expo is a great step to expand the annual campaign goal.”]
Meanwhile, Mendiola expected the school administration to implement policies to protect women and the LGBTQ+ community within the university because the fight against VAW and GAD should not end with awareness.
Some of them must have appreciated the on-site expo because socializing with the students after two years makes them feel immensely fulfilled. However, as the two-day Anti-VAW Expo ends, more eyes are opened as students take the prevalence of VAW more critically.
Bisenio honestly said she was somewhat heavyhearted as she realized that violence against innocent women and children is extremely prevalent in our country. Students must get involved in the issue and stand for these unfortunate victims.
Concerning this, Sanchez also revealed that he had become more conscious of women’s real and distressing situations in our society, causing Mendiola to strongly assert that the fight for women will not end at the expo.
With the increasing number of victims of VAW and the rampant issues of gender-based violence in the country, especially the harassment and abuses that took place during the midst of the pandemic, the Philippines should take immediate, effective, and long-lasting responses and solutions to the issues that have been hindering the growth and development of women and other marginalized individuals.
To start with the possible solutions to the prevalence of VAW, various initiatives such as campaigns like Anti-VAW, call-to-action movements, and such were seen to help fight the VAW by Agustin and Bisenio.
Additionally, Agustin, Caramat, Sanchez, and Zarate believed that one of the most meritorious solutions to this problem is for the government to craft and develop comprehensive and responsive programs and policies that aim to protect the rights and welfare of women.
Despite the existing laws in the Philippines against VAW and GAD, there is indeed an unquestionably high number of cases related to VAW, and there is a need for intensifying these laws. This conformed to the statements made by Agustin, Sanchez, and Zarate, who said that strengthening and intensifying the policies and programs that prohibit VAW would be an effective response. Mendiola supported these ideas with his powerful remark that all policies should always favor the victims of violence and abuse.
Meanwhile, aside from intensifying the policies dedicated to protecting women, Zarate also thought about the importance of education in this prevalence of VAW.
“Education is the first step towards prevention. We must educate ourselves and the people around us about VAW, what is really happening about this, how it occurs, and how we can prevent it. Through this, of course, a lot of people will be more aware.”
On the other hand, Mendiola saw no best solution in VAWC in the country if the rotten social system controlled by the ruling classes remained. Similarly, Caramat also expressed disappointment with the justice system in the Philippines and how it could possibly help depressed communities if it were more systematized.
She also noted that the government’s red-tagging of those progressive individuals and groups that are standing for the victims is a hindrance to achieving the goal of ending the VAW — a social issue rooted in the patriarchal system in the country.
A Note to the Blindfolded
The progress and efforts to end VAW throughout the years have been evidently seen, but, despite all of these, gender-based violence has not decreased. The reported cases might be lower, but that does not mean fewer victims. Most of them probably opted to be silent and keep their frightening experiences to themselves. In the study that explored the VAW in the Philippines, Garcia (2020) argued that despite having laws and services in the country, there seemed to be “high unawareness, and they are poorly implemented.”
Garcia (2020) also suggested that the Filipinos’ high unawareness of issues of VAW and the government’s poor implementation of the laws and services that were mandated to protect the rights and welfare of women affects the behavior of the victims to seek help in addition to the cultural factors such as victim-blaming, gender stereotypes, patriarchal society, and the likes. This behavior will not alleviate, but it will certainly exacerbate the problem by contributing to the unknown number of unreported cases.
As long as the government and the community continue to avoid addressing the issue, there will be many inconceivable cases of VAW in the country, most of which will go unrecorded.
As the COC organizations join the cause to end VAW, the PUP-COC community demand more comprehensive and concrete plans, programs, and actions from the government to further help the victims in seeking justice and appropriately educate the masses regarding the national issue that each and everyone must address to prevent or even assist in decreasing, the continuously growing number of alarming cases of VAW in the Philippines. Once this finally happens, Filipinos may start to see and progress in some changes.
May the voices that vow to end VAW echo the whispers of the victims and reach the indifferent administration and the public who have been enslaved by their own culture.
REFERENCES
Cudis, C. (2019, March 5). List of laws protecting women in PH. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063739
Garcia, T. M. R. (2020). Violence Against Women in the Philippines. Norwegian University of Life Sciences. https://nmbu.brage.unit.no/nmbu-xmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/2678663/Violence%20Against%20Women%20in%20the%20Philippines%20-%20MDS%20thesis%20Tria%20Garcia%202020.pdf?sequence=1
Lagsa, B. (2022, November 29). Many battered women still keep abuses to themselves — DSWD. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/mindanao/dswd-report-battered-women-still-keep-abuses-themselves/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=Social
Official Gazette. (n.d.). Republic Act №10398. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/03/19/republic-act-no-10398/
Official Gazette. (n.d.). Republic Act №9262. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2004/03/08/republic-act-no-9262-s-2004/
Official Gazette. (n.d.). Republic Act №9710. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2009/08/14/republic-act-no-9710/
Philippine Commission on Women. (n.d.). Violence Against Women. https://pcw.gov.ph/violence-against-women/
Polytechnic University of the Philippines. (n.d.). 2018 18-Day Campaign To End VAW. https://www.pup.edu.ph/events/?go=YUu1Av3GabU%3D
Population Reports Ending Violence Against Women. (1999). Center for Health and Gender Equity 27 (4). http://xyonline.net/sites/xyonline.net/files/Population%20Reports%2C%20Ending%20Violence%20Against%20Women%2099_0.pdf
Valdez, I. K., Arevalo, M. V. P., Robredo, J. P., Gacad, S. L., Villaceran, M. A., Libang, G., Dela Paz, E., Rubin, K. S. T., & Eala, M. A. (2022). Violence against women in the Philippines: barriers to seeking support. The Lancet. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanwpc/article/PIIS2666-6065(22)00086-4/fulltext
World Economic Forum. (2022). Global Gender Gap Report 2022. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2022.pdf
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Violence against women. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women
