Zonta Club of Cebu II launches 18 Days of Activism vs VAWC at Women’s Summit

CEBU CITY – Zonta Club of Cebu II launches 18 Days of Activism vs VAWC at Women’s Summit to continuously drumbeat the campaign to end violence against women and children (VAWC) in Mandaue City through the joint efforts of the Mandaue City government, the Zonta Club of Cebu II, and other concerned sectors. 

The Women’s Summit highlighted the various concerns on the efforts to stop VAWC and launching the 18 Days of Activism for the elimination of VAWC. Zonta Club of Cebu II, in cooperation with MOVE Mandaue, and the Citizens Lady Lawyers Association Inc. (CELLA) organized the Summit.

Michelle Yu, Mandaue City gender and development (GAD) focal person, discussed the city’s efforts in addressing gender-based violence. Yu said that the Mandaue City Council approved several milestone legislation on GAD from 2003 to 2023 that included the Safe Spaces Ordinance, Revised Gender and Development Code of Mandaue City, and amendment to the Solo Parent Welfare Ordinance creating the Solo Parent and their Children Task Force, among others.

The other city projects in relation to GAD include the replacement of sodium lamps with LED streetlights as a deterrence of violence against women.

Noemi Truya of the Children’s Legal Bureau shared her efforts in the fight to stop abuse among women and children while Dr. Rhodora Bucoy, former chairwoman of the Philippine Commission on Women talked about her experience as head of the commission.

Bucoy said, the Philippines was recognized as top 10 in mainstreaming VAWC work in the world and Asia from 2008 to 2016. However, the country slid to the top 20 in recent years partly due to other countries stepping up their GAD efforts.

Tisha Ylaya, lead convenor of Cebu Pride, discussed the learnings beyond Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression of the LGBTQI.   Ylaya noted the discrimination suffered by the LGBTQI and noted that a survey on the plight of LGBTQI found several pressing issues they face that include financial insecurity, the absence of affordable housing, the impacts of COVID-19, and the absence of someone taking care of them.

Atty May Aguilar of the Cavada Law office, discussed Back to Basics: A Woman's Perspective on VAWC cases.  She shared Republic Act 9262 or the Anti Violence Against Women and Children Act approved in March 2004 includes various acts such as physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional violence.

She noted that a study published by BBC in 2020 found that 90 percent of people all over the world have a bias against women. According to a gender study covering 75 countries, 50 percent of men think they have more rights to jobs than women.

One-third of men also thinks it’s acceptable to hit your partner while 50 percent of men and women think that men make better political leaders. Also, 40 percent of the world population think men make better business executives and women are less likely to be in senior executive positions. Even women also have a bias against women, Aguilar pointed out.

She then urged women to stand up against abuses from their partners. “A man can hit their partner but women can remain stronger against abuses.”

Fiona Bojos and Magdalena Lepiten focused on the topic of Safe Spaces while Charlene Virlouvet shared her journey and her involvement in addressing gender-based violence while Rain Villagonzalo stressed that transgender women are women.

Dr. Elsa Basubas, chairperson of Abag sa Kahayag, said the collective efforts of Zonta Club of Cebu II, the Mandaue City government, and non-government groups like CELLA have resulted in improvement in the efforts to end VAWC.

Dr. Basubas noted that based on the report of Yu, VAWC cases in Mandaue City have gone down and that their advocacy to promote awareness of abuses against women and children may have contributed to the decline in VAWC cases.

The other activities during the 18 Days of Activism for the Elimination of VAWC are Women in Artvism on November 26, Roll on Reels to be posted on Zonta Club Cebu II’s Facebook page, the Awarding ceremony for Women who moved Mandaue and the Painting Exhibit Competition opening, and Zonta Club Cebu II gift-giving during the jail visit to the Mandaue City jail dorm.