LU CREATES SEARCH FOR TEN MOST OUTSTANDING BARANGAY VAWC DESK AWARD
By: Jiroh Joy D. Marbella, GPC-SP | Photos By: GPC-SP | Date: August 17, 2021
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of La Union, during its 112th Regular Session on August 17, 2021, passed on 3rd and final reading Provincial Ordinance No. 316-2021 or the Ordinance Creating the Search for the Ten (10) Most Outstanding Barangay Violence Against Women and Their Children (VAWC) Desks Award in the Province of La Union.
The ordinance is authored by Ex-officio Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member and Philippine Councilors League – La Union Chapter President Maria Rosario Eufrosina “Chary” P. Nisce. This legislation is pursuant to RA 9262, entitled An Act Defining Violence Against Women and Their Children, Providing for Protective Measures for Victims, Prescribing Penalties Therefor, and for Other Purpses, which mandates among others that all barangays shall establish a functional VAWC Desk and maintain a record of all VAWC cases.
“La Union shall exert all efforts to address violence committed against women and children in keeping with the fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution and the Provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Convention on the Rights of the Child and other International Human Rights instruments of which the Philippines is a party,” SPM Nisce said in her sponsorship speech.
The criteria for the search is based on the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular 2017-114 or the Operational Guidelines in monitoring the functionality of VAWC Desk in every barangay. The functionality of Barangay VAWC Desk shall be rated in the following indicators: The set of criteria that will aid the Selection Committee in this search include, the Establishment which pertains to the creation method of the VAWC Desk, capability assessment of the VAWC Desk officer and location of the desk location; Resources which is scored by assessing the physical components of the desk; Policies, Plans and Budget which relates to the budget source and the planned program and activities of the VAW Desk; and Accomplishments where VAWC desks are graded based on their accomplishment reports and other supporting data.
The ordinance also provides for the establishment of a Selection Committee with the Provincial Governor as its Chairperson; the Provincial Vice-Governor as Co-Chairperson; the chairperson of the SP Committee on Women, Responsible Parenthood and Gender and Development will serve as the Vice-Chairperson while members of the selection committee are SP Committee Chairperson on Social Services, Provincial Local Government Operations Officer of DILG, the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer, President of the La Union Vibrant Women, Inc., a selected representative of an SP-accredited NGO and a representative from the academe to be appointed by the Governor.
The ten winning Barangay VAWC Desk Officers shall receive a plaque and cash prize amounting to Php 10,000.00 each while their respective barangays shall also receive a plaque and a project assistance fund amounting to Php 90,000.00.
For the implementation of the ordinance, an initial amount of P 1,300,000.00 shall be allocated annually and will be charged under the 5% Gender and Development Fund of the Province.
