by Romina Cabrera – The Philippine Star, 17 Dec 2021
MANILA, Philippines — The 911 National Emergency Hotline can now respond to calls regarding incidents of violence against women and children (VAWC) and other gender-based violence emergencies.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) signed a joint memorandum circular that opens the emergency hotline to such calls.
”We want to let the victims of VAWC feel that the government cares and is ready to help them in their time of need. All they need to do is dial 911 and they will be assisted promptly,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said yesterday.
The memorandum circular was signed by the DILG, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Justice.
Año noted that due to mobility restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were limited opportunities to report VAWC cases that usually occur in the households.
The DILG cited data showing that one out of three women experienced physical, sexual, psychological and economic violence even before the pandemic.
All VAWC calls routed to the National Call Center will be coordinated and relayed to the appropriate responders and government agencies for action.
Emergency hotline telecommunicators will adopt the Guidebook for Handling VAWC calls and give psychological first aid and survivor-centered care to callers.
Hotline executive director Diosdado Valeroso assured the public that the DILG is committed to ensuring accessible, easy and reliable response to the emergency needs of the public.
He said the hotline has received 1,391 non-emergency calls, 3,739 telephone inquiries and 368,154 prank calls.
World Day for Safety and Health at Work
“Safety and health at work every day!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations against serious violations of Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government
(NUG) of Myanmar.
Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
March – Women’s Role in History Month
April – Month of Planet Earth
Weekly Observances:
Last Week of March: Protection and Gender Fair Treatment of the Girl Child Week
Last Week of April – World Immunization Week
Daily Observances:
Mar 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transallantic Slave Trade
Mar 27– Earth Hour
Apr 21 – Civil Service Day
Apr 22 – World Earth Day
Apr 28 – World Day for Safety and Health at Work
