CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — Around 80 barangay Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) desk officers are undergoing a two-day Gender Sensitivity Training (GST) and Paralegal Skills Training aimed at strengthening their response to abuse cases in their communities.
The training is organized by the Cebu City Women and Family Affairs Commission under the Office of Mayor Nestor Archival at City Hall.
According to CCWFAC Executive Director Maricar Bontuyan, the seminar aims to equip barangay VAWC officers with the knowledge and skills needed to properly respond to victims of violence.
“The main purpose of this training is to equip our barangay VAWC officers because they are usually the first responders when victims come forward,” Bontuyan said.
Participants are trained to assess victims, provide initial assistance, and refer cases to appropriate agencies.
Topics discussed include gender concepts and principles, counseling and interviewing techniques for survivors, and key laws protecting women and children such as Republic Act No. 9262, the Magna Carta of Women, and Republic Act No. 7610.
The seminar also covers the functions of barangay VAW desks and the process of filing VAWC complaints, including the issuance of Barangay Protection Orders (BPO).
Lawyers were invited to answer questions from participants and provide legal guidance based on the cases they encounter in their respective barangays.
Bontuyan encouraged participants to apply the knowledge gained from the training in their communities and share the information with fellow barangay workers.
She also stressed the importance of gender sensitivity in public service, saying it helps government workers better understand the experiences of victims instead of immediately judging them.
| Written by Kristin de Dios /Photos by Lynda Katherine Mecaros, UP Cebu Intern
