PRESS RELEASE
PR-143-2023
29 November 2023, Singapore – The Philippine Embassy in Singapore joins the departments and agencies of the Philippine Government in commemoration of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) which runs from 25 November to 12 December 2023.
The 2023 Campaign marks the second year the theme “UNiTEd for a VAW-free Philippines” is observed. The Philippines adopted the theme to align with and in support of “UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence Against Women”, a United Nations (UN) Women multi-year initiative that calls for the collective action of governments, civil society, women’s organizations, young people, the private sector, media and the instrumentalities of the UN in addressing the global pandemic of violence against women and girls.
This annual campaign is also an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the normative platforms set up by the Philippine government in its bid to eliminate all forms of VAW across different settings, including the online space. Among these platforms are the pivotal laws Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act or RA 9208, Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act or RA 9262, Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act or RA 10364, Safe Spaces Act or RA 11313, and RA 11648 which provides for stronger protection against rape, sexual exploitation and abuse.
On 25 November 2023, the Philippine Embassy in Singapore officially launched the 2023 Campaign by capacitating its personnel on the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service (RACCS), particularly on the rules and regulations against sexual harassment in the public service and public spaces. In his opening remarks, Philippine Ambassador to Singapore, His Excellency Medardo G. Macaraig, emphasized the important role of Embassy personnel as advocates of the government’s anti-VAW efforts, in their collective stance against gender-based violence (GBV) and as defenders of overseas Filipinos who survived GBV.
Resource speaker and Civil Service Commission representative, Atty. Ritche Y. Parenas, defined sexual harassment as any unwanted and uninvited sexual action or remarks against a person, irrespective of the violator’s intent and without regard of the setting as it can happen in private, public and online spaces.
The Embassy continued its information drive on the Campaign the next day, 26 November 2023, during the Foreign Domestic Welfare Association for Social Support and Training (FAST) Migrant Domestic Worker and Employer Appreciation Day. In addition to promoting awareness about the Campaign, the Embassy also offered off-site Labor, OWWA, Pag-IBIG and SSS services to household service workers who attended the FAST event.
The Embassy invites kababayans to visit the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) website to know more about the Campaign. Kababayans are also encouraged to participate in nation-wide activities such as the #VowToEndVAW Commitment Campaign in which the public can share their thoughts on how to achieve a VAW-free Philippines via social media platforms. (END).
