Thank You

We are very grateful to the participants, the OK Office in Muntinlupa, and SAGIP. We have learned a lot from this experience and we had a lot of fun while doing it. It is our wish that the things we have all learned from this simple seminar would not be forgotten, but should be a reason to continue the fight to end violence against women and their children.

Making a Difference

By Michelle Sabitsana

The LocGov Barangay Project was one fulfilling exercise. In fact, it proved some of my expectations wrong. It restored the value and power of an information campaign before my eyes. It made me realize that the reason for such a campaign is to inform, educate and empower people, particularly women. Contrary to what I expected, the exercise was rather productive and meaningful.

We had our barangay project last February 20 at the Muntinlupa City Hall. Our participants were from 3 barangays. Most of them were reflexologists from the OK Muntinlupa program, while some others were from SAGIP and the PNP Women’s Desk. They were women of different ages and of different experiences. Most of all, they were genuinely interested in knowing their rights under Republic Act 9262 (the Law).

At the outset, I thought that our audience was already informed of their basic rights as women, human beings and citizens under the said Law. I was wrong. Many of the women in our audience encountered for the first time the Law and the protection it afforded them.

As we discussed their rights under the Law, I can see from their faces the impression of enlightenment and empowerment. From their active participation and raw questions, I can see proactivity and eagerness to live the empowerment. I never expected such impact to be so soon and effective.

I may have overestimated the progress the local governments are making in the field of women empowerment. I may also have underestimated the power of the initiative of concerned citizens to achieve the same. It escaped my foresight that plain citizens or law students like us can make a difference.

Indeed, it was an exhilarating experience to have desired and effected change in just one day. In a way, my initial perception of the barangay project changed. It shifted from being a mere information campaign to a catalyst for change.

At the end of the day, I realized that the barangay project’s multiplier effect is not so much about the quantity of the audience, but the quality of their participation. Just because the audience did not reach the hundreds does not necessarily mean that our impact to society is less. What I would rather like to point out is that number is not the determining factor of success. It is the depth of the impact and the breadth of its application in the lives of each of our audience. Knowing that they have gained something which would help them in their daily lives out of the activity is enough a taste of success.

VAWC, a Cultural Taboo

By Jake del Puerto

We have the law, but we lack the people to support it.

As I was listening to the talk given by a member of SAGIP, my attention was caught when she mentioned that some lawyers in the Public Attorney’s Office would not take VAWC cases due to the fact that the accused was usually someone they knew. This was, indeed, a major concern thinking that government lawyers who were sworn to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the land would shirk on their duties because they do not want to cause any strain in their relationships with people.

The fight to end violence against women and their children is not one solely waged by the victims. This is a struggle that each and every one in the community should be aware and be involved in. The cause is not solely for the protection and empowerment of women, but also for the betterment of our society and nation. Thus, it is imperative that the Filipino country must work hand in hand to reach this goal.

It should be forever washed out in our minds the notion that battering is a marital problem and no one is to interfere. This belief is not supported by rhyme or reason. It is but a pitiful and shameful excuse for people who are cold to the needs of their fellow human beings. They don’t want to get involved not because they don’t care, but because they are heartless.

Overall, we may have the laws but if we don’t have the people to support them, then these laws are nothing but pieces of paper stocked in some shelves. They become inutile like the people who turn a deaf ear to the screams of pain that women around them have for years bore. It is, thus, my wish that we as a nation think of violence against women and children as a cultural taboo and shame the people who perpetrate such, whether directly or indirectly.

When Study Meets Practice

By Alex Topacio

The seminar held at Muntinlupa City Hall was quite an experience. It was an opportunity for us to be in the helm and teach what we learned in law school; a total reverse of what we do at school. It gave us the taste of responsibility with regard to other people’s concerns – a thing we are not trained at. That what made it exciting.

Understanding law is hard. But applying it is more difficult. We prepared for the Anti-VAWC seminar and prepared for the questions of the audience but it was unexpected when they asked about different fields of law, even covering matters under criminal and family law. Good thing we had the files in the laptop to answer those queries. One thing stuck to my mind after that. Preparation is not enough; expertise is needed. And that is what we are supposed to be after passing the bar, to be the jack of all trades and expert of all.

The people were friendly and somewhat looked at us with curiosity and “awe” – the brand “UP Law” really works outside for us favorably and but I wasn’t sure if we could maintain such image for 2 hours or so. We started pretty well with Nikki’s punch lines. A would be politico, huh. :-p The discussion continued, food delivery arrived, it’s a Saturday afternoon, and surprisingly, yes, they were listening. I was amazed by the fact that people were really interested in learning the law. They wanted to know. They were perceptive and inquisitive. I felt I could grasp the law with my hands because it has life after all. Law affects us all.

After the discussion, they asked questions about their personal concerns. I had this impression that they were treating us as actually lawyers. We answered their questions with bravado and hidden trepidation. It was more fun than reciting at school. The situations given were much more complex. Apart from learning the art of teaching for quite a short time, we also learned from them. It was a good exercise.

I also realized that our audience is not ignorant of the law. They have a sense of justice and know when to consult a counsel. They just needed affirmation that what they thought are correct in order to boost their confidence and act on what they know. And also apply the law and make it their tool.

And, hopefully, yes, we did not disgrace the beloved law school. For me, the seminar was a success.

Ordinary Days

By Nicholas Santizo

Very rare are those moments in life when you know that you’ve made a difference.February 20 however, started like any other day. I had my regular breakfast of granola bar and coffee in the morning. I had my regular class of tax 2 right after. And were it not for my meeting with my locgov group mates after class to prepare for our Barangay Project later that afternoon, it would have been a very ordinary day indeed.

Our preparations for this project were not grandiose to say the least. We had no special guests, we had no political sponsors, and we weren’t going to some far flung place. We were just going to Muntinlupa to meet with a group of women and barangay officials who are part of some women empowerment program in the city and who were supposedly interested in listening to a bunch of law students blabber about the law. A very ordinary Barangay Project indeed...

Yet, something happened when we actually arrived at the lecture place. Maybe it was the ideal surroundings of the place. Maybe it was the early arrival of the women and the barangay officials which allowed us to start on time. Or maybe it was the fact that the women’s organization warmly welcomed us and even gave us some materials to distribute to the participants. Whatever it was, it certainly changed things.

More importantly perhaps, it changed us. We came there supposedly to teach them about the law. We came there, supposedly, to empower them by informing them of their rights as women. And perhaps, we were able to do all of these. The women were really very attentive and open to our lectures. They even shared some of their more private thoughts and stories with us. And this certainly helped us address their more pressing concerns directly. And perhaps, in some little way, we were able to help them help themselves a little bit more.

But at the end of the day, what we were really able to do was to reach out to them and believe in them. We didn't really have to give them an in-depth discussion about the law. They would have likely forgotten about the intricate details of the law anyway. We didn’t really have to go and teach them about their rights, that is something we could have done by just giving them brochures and showing them movies. But the mere act of going to Muntinlupa to listen to their stories, and believing in them enough to tell them that they can make a difference in their lives and in their neighbour’s lives, is I think, that which will have a semblance of permanence. That is the real difference we made in their lives. That is the real difference we made in our lives.

Hence, what I will take with me throughout this experience are the smiles in their faces after our talk with them, how they said thank you for taking the time and effort to reach our to them, and how we, as a group grew up, just a little bit, by having a glimpse of the reality that surrounds our understanding of the law. Indeed, just like what renowned French philosopher Pierre de Chardin once said, “If you want to build a ship, you don’t herd people together to ask them to gather wood, instead, you teach them to yearn for the tremendous immensity of the sea.” Hope for change is the real difference we made on that seemingly ordinary day. That seemingly ordinary, extraordinary day.

Women Empowerment: Putting an End to VAW

By Ciela Base

"I adore you, Lupe," he said tonelessly.

She strained forward avidly, "What? What did you say?" she screamed.

And he, in his dead voice: "That I adore you. That I adore you. That I worship you. That the air you breathe and the ground you tread is so holy to me. That I am your dog, your slave..."

But it was still not enough. Her fists were still clenched, and she cried: "Then come, crawl on the floor, and kiss my feet!"

Without moment's hesitation, he sprawled down flat and, working his arms and legs, gaspingly clawed his way across the floor, like a great agonized lizard, the woman steadily backing away as he approached… He lay exhausted at her feet, his face flat on the floor. She raised her skirts and contemptuously thrust out a naked foot. He lifted his dripping face and touched his bruised lips to her toes; lifted his hands and grasped the white foot and kiss it savagely—kissed the step, the sole, the frail ankle...

- THE SUMMER SOLSTICE by Nick Joaquin

Black eye. Broken rib. Bruises all over. How much should a woman suffer before she finally decides to pack her bags and leave –without looking back?

Believe me, no one can tell, for it is not the tears that she cried, or the pain that she went through, nor the many wounds that she nursed, that would convince her that it is time to put an end to the miserable relationship.

And I do not blame her. It would seem irrational and stupid, indeed, to allow oneself to be kicked and slapped and beaten up by a man who was supposed to be one’s husband or partner, and to allow such violence and cruelty to happen again and again, by not doing anything and by keeping one’s silence, is beyond many people’s comprehension.

Many people do not understand, however, that violence against women is not just a question of men and women’s differences in physical strength. Violence against women, according to the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, "is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement of women."

This unequal power relations, sad to say, still exists and is constantly being perpetrated by many factors –conservative social norms which still hold the woman captive to traditional roles; the media, which, unfortunately at this modern age, has seen women’s potential to sell products in the market by exploiting their image as sexual objects; and politics, which, as in the Philippines, is still not free from religious influence, to the detriment of women whose rights, such as for instance the right to reproductive health, are not put into law due to a vigorous religious opposition.

Violence against women is just one of the many crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subservient role. To end violence by providing a law that punishes the perpetrator of violence is truly helpful and necessary, but to stop then and there is not a real solution. It’s just like dealing with the tip of the iceberg. In other words, the Anti-VAWC Law is not a cure-all. This I learned from my interaction with some women who actually experienced violence from their husbands or partners.

To end violence, we must address the root cause of the problem. We need to focus on the individual. We must understand a woman’s concern, how she feels, what she values.When a wife was hit for the first time, she probably might consider leaving her husband. And she will most likely leave him –if she only thinks of herself. But she has other things to consider, like: What will happen to the children? How will she raise them on her own when she has no job? And can she really let them grow up without a father? What would her parents say? They’d probably tell her that a misunderstanding between spouses is normal. That she must be patient with him. That all would be well again. And the neighbors? They would surely judge her, blame her, and call her a bad wife. Her failed marriage would surely be the subject of gossips.

Understandably, the wife, after all such considerations, will most likely be discouraged from leaving her husband and more so, from filing a case against him. What’s a few bruises anyway compared with the hardship that a broken family and a besmirched reputation would cause her children? She would then just forget about what happened in the vain hope of changing her husband someday into the man she dreams him to become.

In such a situation, repeated violence is most likely to occur, with the woman trapped in the cycle. Most women do not report incidences of violence against them for various reasons. Filing a case against the abusive husband is not usually an option. At most, the woman’s complaint only reaches as far as the barangay officials, who would try to settle the spouses’ domestic problem by compromise. And even in the rare case that a formal complaint has been filed, the woman would usually desist from pursuing the case. And it’s not because she is stupid or irrational, but because of the many social and economic constraints that render her powerless. The law is there, yes. But is she even remotely aware of how it works? And even if she does have a good understanding of the law, will she ever make use of it given the many considerations that rattle her mind? Interestingly, the battered woman may be very understanding and forgiving of her husband or partner for she might actually love the man, despite his cruelty. Add to this the common belief that it is the woman’s duty to preserve the marriage or the common-law relationship for the children’s sake, and the fact that the woman is usually jobless and has no other place to go. The solution, thus, may seem plain and simple enough to many of us –just leave the man or send him to jail. But to most battered women, it is a terribly complex problem.

To end violence against women, it is therefore essential to provide an environment where women are free to think, to act, and to express themselves. The fight against violence should not end with the passage of the Anti-VAWC Law. Women should be made aware of the law –how it works, its consequences, the remedies it provides. They should be given an adequate legal assistance. They should be engaged in social activities that would allow them independence. They should not be marginalized but should instead be given equal participation in politics. They should be given equal work opportunities so that they would not wholly rely upon men for their economic and financial needs.

Women empowerment is the key to ending violence against women. An empowered woman can think, act and speak for herself. An empowered woman is not economically, legally or socially dependent on her husband or partner. An empowered woman will not allow herself or her children to be treated cruelly. And most of all, an empowered woman has the courage not only to assert her right but also to fight for the rights of other women –even if her life is threatened, even if her acts are frowned upon for being contrary to conventional social norms and even if she’s called a bad wife. For nothing is more important to an empowered woman than protecting her dignity, maintaining her self-respect and keeping her freedom.

What I Learned

By Tracy Ong

The seminar exceeded my expectations and the women, gloriously, made it so. They were so earnest in their participation that it did not feel like a one-way seminar, but a dialogue of the women with the law and the realities that confronted them in everyday life.

The most enlightening part of the seminar for me was the FGDs. It was an enriching experience just to be able to listen to what all these women had to say. If only we had more forums where kernels of everyday wisdom could be shared with everybody.

During the FGDs, I developed a great respect for the women. Our topic was VAWC, and some had very relevant experiences, and yet, there was no indiscriminate bashing of men. Instead, the women engaged in true women’s empowerment. They talked about their rights, as women first, then mothers, wives, sisters, and citizens of our country. Some groups had women ranging from ages 19 and up, and the older women would advise the younger ones about their rights, duties and responsibilities as women to society, to men, and more importantly, to women as well.

One woman shared how sociological perceptions of the alleged superiority of men influence children’s behavior and thinking at home. She shared that her children, after seeing their father dismiss her cooking on the table, dismissed the food she cooked for the family as well. While acknowledging this reality, she recognized that this should not be so, as women are equal to men in all respects.

Another woman shared that she was a widow and a single mother, yet she had no complaints. In fact, she had never felt more liberated in her life. After her husband’s death, she moved out of her husband’s parents’ home and made a life for herself and her child. Upon leaving, she left behind rumors that came with being a widow, and started independently anew, breaking social construct which brands single mothers as freeloaders in society.

Still another woman shared that she had filed a case for unjust vexation against a man who had impregnated her daughter. Because of the pending case against the man, the man could not secure a police clearance, which made it impossible for him to find work. Still, she said, she stood firm in proceeding with the case. It was her child who was violated after all, and her child had the right to be defended by law.

There were many more stories shared that day and all slowly built up to debunk what another woman said earlier that day: “wala akong magawa.” It cannot be denied, of course, that there are women literally trapped in cycles of violence everyday. It haunts them, their children, their families. This, however, should not create a picture of a helpless woman, always in need of saving, saying “kawawa tayo.” Instead, such should just prompt women and society to recognize that there exists an ill in society in the form of discrimination against women, that for every act of violence against a woman, a human being has been wronged, and that she must be vindicated for her right to live in dignity. Women are smarter than what society makes them up to be, stronger than what men would like them to be. The answer to VAWC lies clearly within the women themselves.