A two-day capacity building seminar for barangay officials and other concerned individuals on handling violence against women and children, trafficking, and child pornography complaints were conducted recently by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region in partnership with the city government.
Conducted on December 10 and 11, DSWD MIMAROPA officer-in-charge regional director Floreceli Gunio said the activity is part of the international day against trafficking and celebration of their 180 day campaign to end violence against women.
She also said that the activity was aimed to orient barangay officials on how they will address these cases in their localities and inculcate awareness among them.
“Para magkaroon sila ng awareness malaman nila kung ano ang tungkulin nila on how to address unang-una in their own families, para ma-prevent ang violence. Minsan kasi nagkakaroon ng pang-aabuso kasi hindi nila alam at hindi alam kung paano ang pagtugon,” she said.
She also added that they wanted to involve them in the protection of the rights of the women and children to avoid abuse and violence against them.
“Gusto natin sila maging bahagi on how to implement, una sa preventive side, maiwasan ang pagkakaroon ng pag-abuso sa bata at pag-abuso sa mga kababaihan, karahasan sa pronograpiya and then kung may may kaso is it to report or to tingnan kung ano ang magagawa,” she said.
Over 150 barangay officials, VAW desk officers, and community leaders attended the two-day seminar.
The seminar discussed the issues and concerns in handling VAWC, trafficking and child pornography, programs and projects of the DSWD and the laws relating to the topics which were explained by Prosecutor Rey Inciong of the Department of Justice-Inter-agency Council Against Trafficking.
Meanwhile, last Saturday fifty-two victims of human trafficking were rescued by the law enforcement authorities at the Puerto Princesa City International Airport (PPCIA) before flying to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
