PRO8 SUPPORTS “18-DAY CAMPAIGN TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Camp Kangleon, Palo, Leyte, November 26, 2012  -

Police Regional Director Chief Superintendent ELMER RAGADIO SORIA has called on women and children victims of violence, exploitation and abuse to seek help by going directly to Women and Children Protection Desks (WCPD) that the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) has put up in all police stations throughout the region.

            SORIA made the pronouncement as he expressed support to the observance of the “18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women” that started on November 25 and ends on December 12, 2012.

            The annual campaign, spearheaded by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), has a theme “VAW-Free Society in Times of Peace, Conflict and Calamity” and aims to highlight the importance of weaving-in gender concerns into the blanket of initiatives spanning armed conflict to disaster situation assistance. 

“We are fully supportive to this campaign as PRO8 has our own advocacy intended at zero statistics on the abuses committed to women and children in the region.’” SORIA said.

SORIA had directed all line units to conduct simultaneous activities and coordinate with other government agencies, local government units, NGOs and the general public in raising awareness about Gender-based Violence (GBV) in crisis situations and to forge partnerships among stakeholders in addressing GBV concerns.

As part of forging partnership and increasing support mechanisms to VAW victim-survivors, he cited the Nov 15 signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between PRO8 and PLAN Philippines for the strengthening of the 13 Women and Children Protection Units (WCPUs) and establishment of additional WCPUs in 9 other PLAN-covered municipalities in the region.