VIRAC, Catanduanes (PIA) -- The provincial government of Catanduanes has started constructing a halfway house for women and their children who are victims of sexual abuse.
After its completion, the facility named "Bahay ni Neneng" will offer a haven for survivors of rape and related crimes, according to Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Ma. Rosella Navar.
Navar said the residential care facility will also provide support for the development of the capacity of its temporary occupants.
Lawyer Arnaldo Escober Jr. (3rd, left) hands over check for P500,000 to Vice Governor Peter Cua for the "Kwarto ni Neneng" program on March 14, 2024. (EABagadiong)
The facility has been allotted a budget of P10 million from the provincial coffers and is currently under construction in San Isidro Village, located in the capital town of Virac.
The facility's location has been chosen strategically to ensure that it is easily accessible to community facilities, such as schools, churches, clinics or hospitals, and recreation centers to meet the basic needs of the occupants.
The project got funding support from the Department of the Interior and Local Governments, which found Catanduanes among the 20 provinces with a high incidence of rape and other related crimes in 2023.
DILG Regional Director Arnaldo Escober Jr. presented a check worth P500,000 to Vice Governor Peter Cua during his visit to the island province on March 14. (PIA 5/Catanduanes)
