‘Bilingual’ handbook backs law on women, children

CEBU, Philippines - In time for Women’s Month, at least 100 handbooks of Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-violence against women and children Act of 2004, which have been translated to Cebuano, were distributed to 80 barangays and concerned officials in Cebu City.

The “bilingual” handbooks aim to make the law understandable at the grassroots level so that mechanisms will be put in place to stop violence against women and children.

Dr. Consuelo Malaga, coordinator of the Women and Children Friendly Center (WCFC) of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) has translated RA 9262 into vernacular for it to be easily understood by women even in the underprivileged community.

“Now, there is no reason that the law can no longer be comprehended. It was being translated in a way nga  ma-sabtan gyod sa kadaghanan that would somehow reduce violence,” Malaga said.

She pointed out that the translation does not intend to “supersede the law” and serves only as a “primer.” “It’s not very in-depth. It’s just very basic,” she said.

Zonta Club Cebu II distributed copies of the handbook were given to Gender and Development (GAD) focal persons in Cebu, to city officials, the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), city police, as well as to guidance counselors in educational institutions.

Zonta Club President Myrna Cruz Tan said RA 9262 is the country’s landmark law on domestic violence, which penalizes hostility against women and their children as a “public crime.” It also offers protection orders and other response mechanisms for the victims-survivor outside an abusive relationship.

Tan said that its passage is perpetuated not only against a private complainant but against an entire society.

“It only not gives legal recognition to a pervasive problem that was once rarely spoken about but it more importantly provides remedies both conventional and innovative to VACM,” Tan said.

In most cases, GAD focal persons in the barangays are able to give protection to the victim-survivor.

“The grim reality remains that violence against women and their children in its’ various forms, such as physical, psychological, sexual and economic continue to be pervasive in our communities,” she said.

The Anti-VAWC Act mandates courts, local government units and various national government institutions and agencies “to provide services and establish programs for the prevention and elimination of VAWC and for the protection of VAWC victim-survivors.

Councilor Lea Japson, chairperson of the City Council’s committee on women and family affairs, said earlier that “no discrimination against women and children must prevail in order to achieve a peaceful community.”

Zonta Club Cebu II is one of the women’s organizations in the country that promote and enhance the welfare of women and children. Their advocacy is through diverse strategies as direct services, education, information and training, organizing, networking and coalition building and legislative lobbying. –/JMO (FREEMAN)