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Monday, January 6, 2025
Merry Moments, Endless Enjoyment
Friday, December 6, 2024
Skills in Bloom, Growth to Consume
Standing Tall, Empowering Women’s Role
Imagine waking up every day to a reality where one out of three women globally faces abuse. It's more than just a number; it's a call for attention that resonates in our schools, shops, and even our own living rooms. Here in the Philippines, the problem is more personal. As per the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey, almost one in five women has experienced at least one type of emotional, physical or sexual violence perpetrated by an intimate partner. This is why the presence of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) Act 2004, or Republic Act (R.A. No. 9262, a beacon to lead hope and justice. It's not just a law but a call to action for every Filipino to rise and fight against this pervasive social injustice.
Awareness, by itself, will not be able to break up the systems of violence that underlie it. The greatest effect of the 18-day Campaign is to use learning to action. Why do victims choose silent suffering over speaking out against abuse? Why are abusers protected by cultural norms? Those uncomfortable questions force us to grapple with the societal issues that allow violence to live on. R.A. 9262 directly tackles these concerns, affording not only women, but the children, born legitimate or not, a protection against violence perpetrated against them. Its provisions, such as protection orders and penalties against abusers make it more accountable and enable the victim to regain his life. The law alters relationships, so that even dating couples are accountable and victims are protected from the emotional and psychic abuses of relationship. With this extensive coverage, it is paramount in fostering a culture of zero tolerance of abuse.
In contrast, statutes as Republic Act (R.A. No. 7877, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995, and R.A. 11313, also the Safe Spaces Act of 2019, are also pieces of legislation that safeguard women from violence. These laws don't just protect women; they make us think about how we conceptualize safety and respect in our daily lives This legislation defines sexual harassment as any unwelcome sexual behavior or proposition that is made by a person of power, like a professor, employer or supervisor, for which submission is a prerequisite for employment or academic standing. The importance of R.A. 7877 lies in its emphasis on accountability. It is able to instill systems of, for example, grievance committees, whereby victims are provided with a safe environment to make reports. In this way it not only penalizes violators but also delivers an unambiguous message that abuse of power will not be accepted.
Even though both laws are designed to protect against harassment and violence, they provide strong rules when taken together. All this has a tendency to remind us that it is just an elementary right that cannot be tolerated by mere respect and safety. Students and citizens alike, we must uphold these statutes, not merely by following the rules, but by setting an example of their principles. Not through that the power of laws lies and that only faithful as people believe in them. The real question is whether we are prepared to stand up, speak out, and make our spaces—be it the classrooms, offices, streets, or even online truly safe for all?
Together, these statutes create a legal framework that protects the common experience of gender-based violence and harassment. These laws target abuse in all its aspects and contexts by offering victims protection, criminal responsibility for offenders, and a vision for improved safety of society. However, the law is not only a means for achieving justice; it is also a means for social cultural change. They encourage all of their citizens to stand up and challenge the stereotypical rules, abuses of power, and to engineer the conditions in which equality and respect will prosper. Collectively, as a nation commitment to these statutes shapes the future we are all working to create-a future where no woman, child or person is living in fear.
References:
Dalli, H., & JourovĆ”, V. (2017, February 3). Tackling violence against women: A priority for the EU. Euractiv. Retrieved from https://images.app.goo.gl/3FRmzG1chVbKsxUE6
Goodman, L. (2024, May 7). Domestic violence statistics by state (2024 update). Law Office of Louis J. Goodman. Retrieved from https://images.app.goo.gl/Cvxhnc7NiNDKhffy6
VectorStock®. (2024, March 18). Violence against women poster vector images (over 620). VectorStock. Retrieved from https://images.app.goo.gl/HrL8gogimAYziJr28
Leechong, C. H. (2024, April 28). Ending violence against women: Giving a voice to powerless women on Earth—in the darkness & voiceless. LinkedIn. Retrieved from https://images.app.goo.gl/7iUnJiViuaVfD2A88
Friday, November 29, 2024
From Trials to Triumphs, His Legacy Lives
Born on November 16, 1890, Quirino was the son of a modest family that valued education. Despite financial challenges, he proved to be an outstanding scholar; he graduated from the University of the Philippines with a law degree and passed the bar in 1915. His political career, at first in the House of Representatives, soon earned him a seat in the Senate. He was immediately recognizable due to his exceptional leadership in handling complex political dynamics. He had to end up in the presidency, his true test as a leader began.
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Echoes of Tommorow’s Hope
The wisdom of the indigenous people in the Philippines has been passed down through generations but is always drowned out by the noise of modern society. These communities have been carrying the torch for richness in culture, environmental wisdom, and spiritual strength through the ages. They are the heartbeat of our nation, deeply in touch with the land, yet continue to be one of the most marginalized groups in this country. Passively standing by and reflecting is all too done with; the actions come next. Valuing indigenous peoples, nurturing, and giving power to them creates not just a future where their voice is heard but sets pathways leading us toward justice in being truly sustainable and inclusive. Their struggle of survival is our struggle to justice because, through protecting the Indigenous Knowledge and Culture, we do end up protecting the very base for a National Identity.
The rights of indigenous people in the Philippines are not a matter of mere legal necessity but one of moral responsibility. While the passage of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act was a milestone in history, 27 years hence, many indigenous communities still face threats to their land, culture, and self-determination. While large-scale industries continue to encroach on their ancestral lands, their cultural practices and beliefs are labeled "primitive." That is systemic injustice that mustn't continue. As a country and as individual people, it is our obligation to rise in the belief that indigenous peoples' rights are human rights. And we need to make sure that their voice is loud in every conversation, in every decision, about their land, about their lives.
Weather the Storm, Together We’ll Reform
The Earth is telling us a story we can't afford to ignore – but are we listening?
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
In the Limelight, Children’s Rights Take Flight
Children are not just tomorrow; they are the very pulse of today’s society. Protecting them, we protect the very essence of hope, joy, and progress. This 2024 National Children's Month dares us with a clarion call no less than ever, with its theme: "Break the Prevalence, End the Violence: Protect the Children, Create a Safe Philippines". It is not just a campaign; it is a movement to break the cycle of violence so each Filipino child grows in an enabling environment where dreams are nurtured and fears left behind.
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