DAVAO City Councilor Diosdado Angelo Mahipus Jr. is pushing to establish a women’s center, a move he says will strengthen the city’s advocacy for women’s empowerment.
Mahipus, who chairs the Sanguniang Panlungsod’s oversight committee, said the proposed center would provide a dedicated space for women from various sectors to gather, discuss issues, and access support services.
“The Integrated Gender and Development Division has already allocated a budget for the women’s center,” Mahipus said during his privilege speech on Monday, January 12, 2025, at the Sanguniang Panlungsod. “Now, we hope the city will revisit the feasibility of constructing the facility.”
Currently, the city has no available site for the center. Mahipus noted that Councilor J. Melchor Quitain Jr., chair of the City-Owned Real Properties Committee, identified several city-owned areas that could accommodate the facility.
Mahipus moved to have the proposal considered on first reading and requested a study on the creation of the center. The item was referred to the oversight committee and the Committee on Women for review.
Women’s centers and support services
Davao City already provides several support services for women. The government-run Sidlakan Women Crisis Center, operated by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), offers temporary shelter, counseling, legal and psychosocial support, skills training, food, and reintegration services for women and children who are victims of violence or abuse.
The city also maintains Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) protection desks in various institutions and offices, as well as in barangays, providing social services and coordinating support for women and children facing violence at the community level.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) runs the Home for Girls and Women, a shelter that provides protection and accommodation for women in need.
Private institutions also serve women’s needs. The Brokenshire Women's Center, a women’s health clinic in Davao City, offers reproductive health services and other clinical care tailored specifically to women.
According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Davao City has a population of 1,776,949, nearly half—873,524—of whom are women. RGP