ISABELA CITY, Basilan (PIA) – The city government of Isabela de Basilan conducted a two-day seminar-workshop on 4Rs (Recognizing, Recording, Reporting and Referring) for women and children protection on December 15-16 to capacitate Violence Against Women (VAW) desk officers and Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) to effectively deliver their duties and responsibilities.
Rowena M. Eustaquio, DSWD IX Regional Focal on Women Sector, discussed the fundamentals of 4Rs in women and children protection. She also emphasized the do’s and don’t’s when responding and investigating women and children related to violence and harassment.
Eustaquio further emphasized the importance of seeking assistance to other concerned agencies.
“If something like this happens, we need to seek assistance to our city inter-agency (bodies),” she emphasized.
Meanwhile, City Councilor, Karel Sakkalahul and the Committee on Women, Children and Family Affairs encouraged the participants to apply what they have learned during the training. She also stressed that Isabela City has already passed the Bawal Bastos Ordinance, which is the first LGU who passed this in the entire Region IX.
Moreover, Nilda Delos Reyes of the Philippine Information Agency – Basilan discussed developing communications plan which is very important to implement campaign activities and advocacies to eliminate all forms of women and children violence and abuses. She further stressed the importance of information to empower their constituents and prevent possible incidents to happen.
Delos Reyes also highlighted the functions of BCPC members and VAW Desk officers in conducting information drive in their respective communities to bring relevant information to their constituents.
“Hindi lang po limitado ang trabaho ninyo sa pagresponde o pagtanggap ng mga reklamo related sa VAWC. Dapat maging advocates din kayo upang labanan at iwasan ang anumang uri ng pang-aabuso. Mahalaga ang impormasyon sa bawat isa at ito ay malaking tulong upang malaman ng ating mga kababayan na mayroon silang mga karapatang dapat ipaglaban, lalo na mga bata at kababaihan (Your work is not limited to responding or receiving complaints related to VAWC. You should also be advocates to fight and avoid any kind of abuses. Information is important to everyone and it is a great help for our countrymen to know that they have rights to fight for, especially children and women),” Delos Reyes expressed.
The participants were grateful for the said training as they said that they have now a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities.
The 4Rs seminar-workshop was conducted by the city government of Isabela de Basilan through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) in collaboration with the Local Youth and Development Office (LYDO). (RVC/EDT/NDR/PIA-PIA Basilan)
