PWC says more women now aware of their rights

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Women’s Commission (PWC) said more women are now aware of their rights.

PWC Gender and Development Officer Heddah Largo said that more than 50 percent of women now know about the services that the commission offers like legal assistance when they encounter abuse and violence, even for children.

“Sa pagkakaron gani, wala’y adlaw mo labay, nga wala mi kliyente nga mag-report nga some sort of violation of their rights,” Largo said during the Kapihan sa Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

Largo said that when she started working for the commission in 2009, they started doing advocacy campaigns to inform people, especially women and children, of their rights.

The commission provides legal, psychological and medical assistance to the victims.

Another major project of the PWC, which Largo says is a long term solution to poverty, is the Paglaum scholarship program, wherein the beneficiaries are mostly children of broken homes, or of solo parents and victims of abuse.

This started in 2016 with only 143 scholars.

Governor Hilario Davide III gave them a P20-million budget, where they currently have 1,375 scholars.  The scholars also receive a monthly allowance of P1,500.

“Because mag unsa man ang free tuition, kung ang bata dili maka eskwela kay way pampliti padong sa eskwelahan,” Lagro said.

She added that the monthly allowance is given to ensure that the scholars would not have to worry for their meals and fare in going to school. — Micole Gerard J. Tizon, USC Intern GAN (FREEMAN)