TABUK CITY, Kalinga (PIA) — The Office of the Provincial Health Officer (OPHO) in Kalinga has launched various activities in an effort to end gender-based violence (GBV) in the province.
Population Program Officer Christel Joanna Callangan said the OPHO, in partnership with the legal office, Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other concerned agencies, has been conducting information and education activities for the different sectors to orient them of GBV related laws, present them with data, and encourage them to take actions against any violence in their communities.
“Mga vulnerable groups such as children, women and elders, eto yung mga hindi nila alam ang mga karapatan nila. So, one of the activities na ginagawa namin is orientation. We orient them with the different laws, kung ano ang mga rights nila and kung ano ba yung nagagawa sa kanila para ma-violate ang mga laws na ito,” Callangan said.
This is part of the government’s “JUANA BE WAIS: Communicating Violence and Injury Prevention” playbook which focuses on preventing and eliminating gender-based violence in homes and in the community.
Aside from the orientation, Callangan said they are conducting “Kalalakihang Tapat sa Responsibilidad at Obligasyon sa Pamilya” (KATROPA) movement initiated by the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) to mobilize men to promote gender equality and to become responsible individuals.
Another is the Parent-Teen Talk, a school-based interactive and participative learning strategy aimed at harmonizing the relationship between parents and their children.
She also reported that there are nine level 1 accredited adolescent health friendly facilities in the province where the youth can go to seek help.
The Women and Children Protection Unit at the Kalinga Provincial Hospital for victims of abuse is currently being established.
“Kasaluyan pong i-establish ang Women and Children Protection Unit sa KPH para sa lahat ng abuse cases. Para kapag nakita nila na sa emergency pa lang may case of abuse, dun na nila idederetso. And we adhere to the principle of privacy and confidentiality when we handle this type of cases. So lahat po ng data nila protektado,” Callangan said.
Based on the PNP data, there were 87 cases of gender-based violence in the province in 2023 and 62 cases in 2024.
Most of these cases are rape, followed by acts of lasciviousness and Violence Against Women and their Children (VAWC).
Callangan encouraged the public to report any violence and abuses happening in their community to government authorities such as the PNP, DSWD or the barangay through their Women and Children Protection Desks.
She informed that anyone with personal knowledge of a crime can file a case against any abuser as GBV is a public crime.
“It is a public crime, kahit sinong may knowledge ket mabalin da ag-pursue ti case,” she said. (JDP/RGA-PIA CAR, Kalinga)
