A recent multi-stakeholders’ forum raised the need for barangay officials to revisit or be oriented on the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) Act, after noting some confusion in its implementation.
This came out as one of the major points during the stakeholders’ forum aimed at seeking out experiences from various concerned agencies on the implementation of the VAWC Act or the Republic Act 9262 of 2004.
The Women’s Feature Services and Davao City’s Integrated Gender and Development Division spearheaded the forum in the city, focusing on the provisions of the law protecting women against abuse and violence.
Barangay officials who attended the forum brought out the urgent need for them, especially the new ones, to be oriented on the VAWC law.
One concern raised was the confusion on the officials’ interpretation of the law, particularly citing the provision on the issuance of Barangay Protection Order.
It was brought up during the forum that some barangays have been reportedly requiring of their clients a police blotter report before issuing the BPO which provides protection to a woman who is a victim of physical and threats of abuse by her husband or intimate partner.
Nenita Labial of the Davao City Integrated Gender and Development Division explained that under RA 9262, the BPO is issued by a barangay captain or a kagawad (council member), ordering the offender to desist from committing or threatening physical harm on the victim, effective for 15 days.
Labial said that the BPO is given to a victim who applies for it even without the police blotter.
She explained that with the BPO, the perpetrator could be evicted from their home, regardless of ownership of the property, and is banned from getting near the victim within the given period.
However, a barangay anti-VAWC records officer of Buhangin clarified that they usually ask the clients to secure a police blotter report, although they still would issue the BPO even without the blotter report. “We only urge the victims to obtain the report for their protection,” she said.
Kagawad Harry Araneta of Barangay Sentro in San Juan, Agdao, said their anti-VAWC interventions are in place, citing that part of the initiative is the conduct of a family group conference.
He said new barangay officials should be oriented on the law for them to be able to implement correctly its provisions, and to serve the BPO clearly to the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, a lady kagawad from Barangay Bucana suggested that the guidelines under R.A. 9262 should be translated into the vernacular for easy comprehension and understanding at the barangay level.
Janice Pinky Aragon of IGDD lauded the efforts of the barangay officials on the anti-VAWC law, saying “the city is very fortunate to have barangay officials who scrutinize and study” the law.
Lawyer Charina Sanz-Zarate, WFSI project coordinator, said the need of awareness-raising, particularly on the correct understanding on the issuance of BPO would be one of the issues and concerns to be tackled during a community-based forum to be held in July this year. Shee said the forum would involve two barangays in Davao City where reported cases of VAWC is high. [PIA11/Carina L. Cayon]
