Senatorial aspirant and former executive director of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, Astravel “Astra” Pimentel, on Saturday sought a unified database for cases of violence against women and children (VAWC) in the country.
Pimentel, the lone woman senatorial bet of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan’s (PDP-Laban), said she would push for the unification of database for VAWC cases on a national level if she gets elected to the Senate.
“Kababaihan at kabataan ang aking ipaglalaban sa Senado kaya marami tayong naiisip para proteksyonan sila lalo na mula sa pang-aabuso at karahasan (We will fight for women and the youth in the Senate, that’s why we are coming up for measures that will protect them against abuse and violence),” she said in a press statement.
Astra made the statement, as she lauded the Baguio City government’s initiative to establish a unified database for VAWC incidents.
She said a “national-level database” would help address the rising incidents of VAWC, as well as the discrepancy in the number of cases.
“Such action would make sure that victims are always accounted for, as it is a sign of progress in the fight against VAWC at all levels,” Pimentel said.
Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic from March 2020 to August 2021, a total of 18,945 cases of violence against women have been reported to the Philippine National Police’s Women and Children Protection Center, according to the data from the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW).
Data from the PCW also showed that at least 4,747 cases of violence against children have been recorded between March 15 to November 13, 2020.
Pimentel lamented that violence against women and children still prevails in the country and remains unresolved.
She said her proposal to have a unified database for VAWC cases nationwide would promote transparency and accountability.
“Nakakabahala po ang pagtaas ng numero na ito. Tututukan po natin ang kapakanan ng kababaihan at kabataan sa Senado (The rise in number [of VAWC cases] is alarming. Let’s focus on the welfare of women and the youth in the Senate),” Pimentel said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
