The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) recently disclosed the results of a recent Social Weather Stations survey, which revealed that 1 out of 4, or 25%, of Filipino adults across the Philippines cited harmful acts in various forms as among the most pressing problems of women during the present health crisis.
Based on the survey, 11% mentioned physical violence as top-of-mind concern for Filipinas, while 7% cited sexual violence and another 7% for emotional violence as top concerns Filipinas are facing as the COVID-19 contagion persists.
Based on accounts of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the yearly Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) report, a total of 19,743 cases of Violence Against Women (VAW) in the country were recorded in 2019. Out of those, 77% or 15,160 cases formed part of violations under the intimate partner-relationship category.
Nonetheless, the report declared a marked downtrend of -27% in the number of VAW reports from 2017 to 2018 coming from 25,572 cases to 18,748.
Undersecretary for Population and Development Juan Antonio Perez III, MD, MPH called for the special protection of Filipino women, especially in the time of a raging pandemic. He emphasized the that the Philippines leads the global community in championing the cause of women, evidenced by its high worldwide ranking in women empowerment and gender equality.
“Filipino women are vital assets of our nation. Thus, we need to ensure they are protected against practices and acts that diminish their potential as individuals and positive contributors to their immediate communities, and Philippine society at large,” Perez noted. – Sweeden Velado-Ramirez
